The Layout

After posting the blogs about my adventure… I noticed that the photos were placed in odd places. Just to point out, that it’s a bit difficult trying to put things where you want them on here. The feature for the photos and where to place them is a bit crap. And the preview lies, too.

And when I want to change the alignment on a paragraph, the whole text shifts with it. Must computer and technology be that awkward? Why can’t it just do what it’s told, instead of deciding to do its own thing?

Trains, Changes and Automobiles

Tuesday, 4 November 2008.

School is finally over, and therefore time to hastily make my way to the train station in time for my train back down Süd to Bingen. The train journey was over three hours long, I left at half past two, and had to be at the car park before seven that evening, otherwise, my car would be once again locked up.

But just like the night before, the train journey was rather boring. But I did have my phone and camera this time! So it wasn’t all so bad. I also had a writing book with me, in which I wrote all this to occupy myself, and in case I forgot what went on!

So… got on the train at the station in Recklinghausen and happened to site behind some drunk teenagers who made quite a bit of noise… vulgar and otherwise. In the end, this Turkish guy had a right go at them for saying something about the Turks. Was interesting. But they shut up after that… or went quieter, at least.

This train journey would be better that the one from the last night, this time, it was daylight, it was warmer, I had stuff to pass the time, and there wasn’t any long waits, and each platform I needed was always next to the one I got off. Cushty! And the changes were at the same places as before, Essen, Köln and Koblenz.

The sign for Essen station. I was getting closer...

And I got to Bingen Hauptbahnhof at six o’clock, and quickly made my way to the car park to retrieve my car. But I had trouble getting out once I got there. I didn’t know where I could play for the parking. I looked for signs everywhere and eventually found the machine behind a door signed ‘Notausgang’… even though it was also the door to the shopping centre above. And who puts access to the machine and store behind a door, which is only signed as the emergency exit?

This car park was not making any good impression on me.

So, at the machine, I put in my card. 24 Euros parking fee. I’d have preferred to play Monopoly’s free parking…

And where do I put in the notes? There’s a coin slot, but I have not got any coins adding to 24 Euros. And there was another slot, wasn’t signed for notes, and it looked a bit too wide for them. So I went upstairs to the service centre in the middle of the store and asked this guy about it. He seemed to be happy to speak in English, even though he couldn’t. My German was better, but he didn’t want to speak it. Idiot.

So he explained that the wide slot is for notes, after all. So I went back downstairs and started to pay. And it took me a while to get to the payment bit… as there were only two buttons, and one of them was to cancel. And as I was paying, the guy just appeared in the lift and asked it I was alright… I wish I could have told him this whole story. He seemed to be fond of the word ‘bye’, too…

Mein PKW!

So… I eventually got out of that place (I even managed to use the barrier machine on the other side of the car)! I just wanted to go home… and so I made my way onto the Autobahn, and after a couple of hours driving, I was back in Recklinghausen once more with my car!

I bet John McCain was having a better day in all…

It's a Long Way To Recklinghausen

Monday, 3 November 2008, and Tuesday, 4 November 2008.

Now for the epic adventures back to Recklinghausen.

A lot of people know that I really don’t like public transport. I much prefer to go by my li’l ol’ car. I prefer my car, because it’s more convenient than the bus and train. I can go wherever and whenever I want, and it isn’t late! It doesn’t smell as bad, either.

But, for once, the Deutsche Bahn, instead of being late and expensive and confusing, was in the spotlight. It had to do. I depended on it more than ever. And I never thought I’d say that!

So, with my timetable and ticket, I was ready to go. And I knew it was going to be a boring journey. My phone and camera batteries died. I had nothing to read or write with. But until Koblenz, I had the company of Laura and Emma, and we amused ourselves by reading out newspaper articles and did vocabulary tests. Because everyone knows, we’re too chic for school!

After Koblenz, the journey went a bit boring. I got to Köln, waited for five minutes. Got on a train to Essen. Got to Essen. This time, there was about a fifty-minute wait. And being midnight, nothing was open at the station (which seemed like a building site, anyway).

I was also freezing cold, and instead of standing at an empty and dark platform just waiting for a dose of frostbite to abuse my cold (I had been ill the whole time!), I decided to in search for a watering hole in the centre. So, I eventually found a bar that was open. So, I occupied myself with a glass of Pils.

And next door, there was this red carpet and lights and stuff. A few old 1940s cars were parked outside and a lot of security and people with cameras and stuff. It looked like a film premier or something, and then a big group of people came and entered the building, but they were all dressed in 1940s style fashion. It was a bit random. But anything out of the ordinary was welcome to an otherwise boring night.

The time came to get the train, which had already arrived and was waiting. So I may not have had to go to the pub after all! But that’s a ridiculous idea.

So I got on the train and I was off again. This time to Recklinghausen. I sat on these nice and comfy seats, which were through this glass door, and I was there for quite a while. There was nobody else on the train. I had the carriage to myself (apart from an empty beer bottle occupying the seat opposite)… but it was peaceful for once. I was glad that I was almost home!

However, when the train conductor checked my ticket, he pointed out that I was in first class seats and that I should move. So I did. I ended up on wooden-like seats. But even though I was a proud owner of a 94 Euro second-class ticket, and there was nobody else on the train, was it worth it to do that? He did seem a bit weird, though. Bless. But I found it a bit pointless moving me from one end of an empty carriage to the other end. And for the rest of the journey, he sat next to the first-class cabin door, as if I’d have gone back in there!

The train eventually arrived back in Recklinghausen! I swiftly left the empty train and the pedantic conductor to play with his clipboard. And after three and a half hours of Deutsche Bahning, I was so glad to be back. But in twelve hours time, I’ll have to make the same journey back…

Stations and Closing Times

Monday, 3 November 2008.

Today, we planned on going to Bingen, a small town on the Rhein, and not far form Mainz. Me and Rob went to meet a couple of fellow language assistants who are staying in the area, not sure how far exactly, but close enough!

We planned to meet at the train station, so I parked my car at this multi-storey car par and made our way. However, this place has two train stations at opposite end of the town, which is stupid because it really didn’t seem necessary. But it took a lot of time searching for a ‘small pub’ and a few phone calls to figure out that we were at the wrong station.

Me, Emma, Laura and Rob on a bridge.

So, eventually we met each other about half way, but not without me and Rob taking a scenic riverside path that lead us to a dead end and a few community service people. And we decided that the best side of town was our side, so we walked around there. Played with some Autumn leaves and a statue, took photos of a giant yellow duck and went to a pub for a bit.

All went über good and Rob’s train was due, so we left, said Tschüß and me, Laura and Emma made our way back to the carpark.

But… much to my disappointment, the carpark was locked, which was stupidly early to lock a shopping centre car park on a weekday (which was 7 o’clock), and only then I noticed small insignificant looking signs about the closing times.

So… I had no access to my beloved automobile. I had no access to my phone either, as the battery died on Saturday. I was rather screwed. I could have waited until 8 the next morning, but as it was absolutely freezing that night, and I had school in the morning, it was not going to happen.

The only sensible option left was to rely on the Deutsche Bahn. Me not being a fan of public transport, and with stupidly expensive fares, and with the reliability similar to that of a blind taxi driver in a foreign city, I was actually contemplating on staying in Bingen, or at someone’s place. But because of school, I had to go home, and then return the next day.

So, me, Laura and Emma went to the Hauptbahnhof (on the bad side) and waited for the train. The ticket from Bingen to Recklinghausen (changes at Koblenz, Köln and Essen), and an arrival time of 0108 after a three hour journey, and also the same journey back the next day, would cost me a total of nearly 100 Euros. I was not amused. Especially by the fact that the taps in the toilets soaked my arms and lower body, which didn’t go down well in the coldness outside.

Milestones and Snails

Sunday, 2 November 2008.

Today, we thought we’d have a road trip, along with Edward. And on the way, my car reached a milestone on its odometer… 210,000 miles! How good is that?

The plan was to go even further Süd to a place called Karlsruhe, which is a really nice place with a palace and trams. Lots of trams. We wandered along to the Palace grounds, which were very picturesque, and Karlsruhe had lots of Kodak Moments, including a leaf stuck to a windscreen wiper.

Trams. Lots in Karlsruhe.

I also managed to cover myself in Senf when eating a Schnitzel im Brötchen. That was fun, though you can’t go wrong with a bit of Senf! So I didn’t mind getting it all over my hands and nose. Also, we were being lazy and caught the tram back to the square near my PKW, and also avoided the ticket machine, but Rob gave into temptation. Maybe tickets are the momentos of German public transport! But to pay 1.50 Euros to go down the street? Maybe not my cup of tea. I normally pretend to look confused and search everywhere for change until my stop. It works so far.

The Palace at Karlsruhe

So, back to the car, onto the Autobahn and forth to Baden-Baden, a place with spas and hot springs, hence the name. Also similar to Bath, the both cities share the same name… just like twins, separated at birth.

Baden-Baden is a really nice town in the middle of the hills and forests of the Schwarzwald area. They still have cobbles streets and old (and original) buildings, as it wasn’t damaged during the Wars. However, they do have buses going through the town square, which seems to be always full of pedestrians. Rob also pointed out that all the shops were still open. Strange for a Sunday evening, especially in Germany, where the most that people normally do is get out of bed.

The town centre of Baden-Baden. Rather busy.

We wandered around the place for a bit, took a photo or few, and went to a local bar for a local beer. Rob had a local malty dark (or black) beer, I had a local Pils and Edward had a mojito. And the beer glasses impressed us. They had the town shield and Baden-Baden written on it, also the name of the bar. So me and Rob bought one each. So happy days.

Further Süd we drove, and eventually ended up in Straßburg, a really nice city in France. However, finding the city centre and the car park proved a challenge due to the ‘great reliability of frequent French road signs’. I think we must have gone around the city for a bit and weaved along the centre. It was fun. Though I wasn’t impressed with their traffic lights. They didn’t use the amber when turning green, so there was no warning… which is annoying. Means I had to be quicker, and the French aren’t known for their patience.

So, we got to an underground car park and went wandering around the cathedral, the city and an old part of town called Petite France, with old buildings and a river and such. The street signs were in French and (possibly Alsatian) German, too. Even though it was dark, I managed to get a few good photos!

And we also visited a proper French restaurant! I wanted to try out some escargots, but the restaurant we went in was full, and the on where we were in didn’t have any. Though it was no problem, I’ll try them out when I go to la France again. I ended up with these roast potatoes and some creamy sauce and two steaks of beef. It was soo good! The French restaurants do live up to their reputation, and the place wasn’t expensive at all, either…

We also met this American guy (I think he was American), and his Croatian wife and the kid who didn’t like German, but they were fine! The wife was interested in my beef and she got a salad because I had one. I felt as if I did a helpful deed, and also influential!

The 'Petite France' area of Strasbourg.

But it was all good there. I would like to have tired out some of their wine, but due to the beer in Baden-Baden, I didn’t want to. But maybe next time!

And so, we went back to Worms, via the Nine. The Nine is everywhere, but it’s a good road. Me and Rob played a guessing game called ‘Guess the Speed’, so we switched off my blue dashboard auxiliary lights, so I couldn’t see the speedometer, and had to guess how fast I was going. I didn’t do too good at first, but go better!

Though this developed into a long debate involving the speed=distance/time formula. As we counted the French hard shoulder lines (which are long dashes), and how much we covered in a certain time. It was difficult as we couldn’t agree on the length of each line. They were definitely not 100 metres. I then noticed posts on the central reservation at 100 metre intervals, they were kilometre posts… which didn’t have the same ring to them as mileposts.

But after all that effort of working out the speed and stuff, we couldn’t be bothered to carry on, and eventually headed towards Ludwigshafen.

Ludwigshafen. Less said, the better. From miles, the pungent smell of chemicals abuses your nasal senses. They get worse in the centre, though. I didn’t know what to do first, either suffer in the car, or open the windows, but would the air be clearer? Though they do have a nice bridge.

Eventually, swiftly leaving the Port Talbot of Germany, we arrived in Worms (as usual, exactly the same time as Rob’s estimate). But we didn’t do much else apart from browsing t’Internet and playing some SWR 1 on the TV-Radio thing. 'tis a great radio station. Plays über good Musik on it... such classics!

Worms and Chinese

Saturday, 1 November 2008.
Now in Worms, equipped with a blanket, an empty crate of beer and a cold car. Nothing was particularly planned for the next couple of days, so we just decided to get a Chinese takeaway in some deserted village that was either 8 or 9 or 8 kilometres away.

We invited Edward to come along; he lives with Rob and doesn’t get out much, maybe because he always sleeps. But Edward is a nice guy and he comes from St Petersburg with a Korean background. He likes mojitos, too.

We arrived (via the long way) at Rob’s and had our Shanghai style ducks with sweet and sour sauce, of course. Though I couldn’t finish the free bowl of boiled rice with it, mostly due to the blandness, as I ran out of sauce.
So, after such an eventful day… it was time to end it!

Road Trips and Plugs

Saturday, 1 November 2008.

All Saints’ Day. Apparently a national holiday in Deutschland.

Due to our laziness, the three of us couldn’t be bothered to get ready in time to walk Megan to her train. She had to get home by around two, so she could go and play football. I offered to take her to the station by car, meaning we could leave another half hour later.

But… (there always seems to be a but in these cases) because the weather has been really cold and I haven’t run the engine of my car, it couldn’t start. My car is quite old, too, which was a factor. But it took a long time to get it running, with an attempt by spark pugs, and maybe even jump starting it by towing. However, for some reason, my car didn’t come equipped with a towing eye. I wonder if the for sale advert would read:

“VW Golf MkIII. 5-door. 1.9 Diesel. M Reg.
High mileage. Tape player (with a dodgy speaker).
No dashboard lights. Green with a
black boot door. Alloy wheels. Whines.
Tow eye sold separately.

Price - just bring a pack of Pom Bears.”

But all these are the unique characteristics of my car. I couldn’t get rid of it easily at all… even if it does make funny noises. But we eventually got my car started by pushing it up and down the street a few times, and also with the with the grateful help from Megan and Emily and Emily’s host family! I think I set a good example of British cars.

The failed attempt by powering the battery.

So we were on your way, we completely missed the train Bad Bodendorf and Remagen, so I had to take Megan to Koblenz station in time for her train home. After a couple of interesting experiences with not-so-good German drivers who don’t indicate, but cut in front of people, and a good one-way system in the centre, we eventually arrived at the station. However, time was running über thin and she had to get to platform 105 (which is a ridiculous number) in two minutes. Which didn’t happen. So… we got back in the car and set off from Koblenz, via Mainz and Frankfurt, and up to Butzbach. This was much more fun than visiting Bonn for the day!

My mixed tapes. And the right-hand drive car.

The Canadians were amused by these.

Maybe they are that far back in time...

And we arrived in Megan’s house in time. Had some spaghetti Bolognese and me and Emily went back to Bad Bodendorf (I also forgot my shower gel and spongy thing there). The journey back was also good, we decided to take a short-cut via the countryside and towns, in one which I saw a British phone box. I felt at home. I was chuffed.

During the journey back, I learnt one thing that Europa (or Germany and Britain, at least) did not have, which is the norm in Canada… all ve-hickles have these plugs, where people plug them in and it keeps the engine heated so it could start. Something that my car could have done with earlier. But I still am unsure on how it works. Where does the plug go? How long is the cable? What happens if you’re not at home, and there is no plug in whenever you are? And can my car have one of these? How odd.

One of the country/forest roads back.

Ist es nicht schön?

So, after dropping Emily off, I started to head back home. However, I didn’t have school ‘till Tuesday, so I decided to phone up Rob in Worms and visit him for a bit. He only lives like an hour or two away, so I made my way further Süd.

Pumpkins and Schnitzel

Friday, 31 October 2008.

It be Hallowe’en today! And a day of suffering from the night before, but Frank still seemed happy. Bless him! We decided not to do much today, but go for a train journey to Ahrbrücke, which is a small Kuhstadt at the end of the line. But the Terminus wasn’t a grand station with a hundred platforms bustling with people, but a single track on a single platform with an old buffer at the end. Elegance at its best.

Ahrbrücke Hauptbahnhof

Though it was small, it was very nice, and so we walked 500 mitres (or half a kilometre) to a pizzeria, which was closed. So we eventually ended up in a diner, which was full of motorbike photos. Emily and Megan opted for chilli con carne, and a portion of chips, which came in huge bowls and the chips were piled just as high. Me… I opted for a Rahmschnitzel, with chips. It was soo good. The creamy sauce type stuff was good, and I just wolfed it all down, because I was actually wasting away, so hungry, I was tempted to eat Megan!

The grub

And after my Schnitzel and chips, I finished off their chilli con carne (sans beans) and their chips, with Brötchen! It was nice, I approved!

Me finishing off what's left...

That proved to be the highlight of the day. We just went back to the Ahrbrücke Hauptbahnhof and caught the train, which nearly hit the buffer. It was close! And that was our li’l adventure to the Wonderland of the Ahr valley, which was a really nice place… lots of old buildings and villages and castles and lots of vineyards, even on sides of rocky cliffs. It seems that these Ahrweilers like their Ahrwein! I have to try some out, I guess!

So… for the rest of the night, we stayed in. Megan was a bit ill and I had to travel back in morning, so we decided to watch ‘scary films’, as it was Hallowe’en, And there was like this candlelit garden party outside in the neighbour’s front garden, who looked like being part of a Satanist cult… as in gathering around some candles, and a burst of ‘evil’ laughter (coincidentally, they laughed as we laughed). So we decided to watch some scary stuff. Proved a bit of a challenge, as Emily had no scary horror films. We ended up watching the X-Files and Constantine. And at the end of the films, the Satanists were still up.

Autobahns and Parks

Thursday, 30 October 2008.

So, today is Thursday (hypothetically), and the plan is to go down Süd to a li’l place of Bad Bodendorf, which is in the Ahr valley… with vineyards. Vineyards are good. They get people drunk. And drunk is good… sometimes. Bad things can happen when drunk, but they’re normally forgotten about.

Anyhow, why go to such a place as Bad Bodendorf? Well, after last weekend (which went über good!) in Butzbach with Megan and Emily (two Canadian peoples who I met at Altenberg), I was invited to Emily’s place at Bad Bodendorf.

And the house is actually amazing. It’s hard to describe it. But it’s very modern, with countless rooms. There was even a poster bed in the living/seating area upstairs and also a spare room that took up more than half a floor. It was like a maze. I want one. I think I’ll ask if I could get one for Christmas. Seems doubtful beyond all odds. But no harm in trying, I guess!

Me and Megan and beer and wine

And this weekend’s plan was mostly alcohol related, but we had to leave on Saturday, as Megan had to play football.

So… the drive itself was a bit uneventful, just the normal Autobahn traffic und so weiter… and I got to Bad Bodendorf at seven in the evening, as planned! I also went and bought a crate of beer to consume. So twenty bottles of alcohol should be suffice!

The playground that served as our drinkground.

We went to this playground down the road from Emily’s. It was dark, so Emily and Megan went back to get a torch and a camera, while I held the fort (literally) with beer and wine.

The time at the playground was really good, even though a bit cold. We drank beer for a bit, used primitive facilities, and I had trouble using a rope-log bridge thing. I thought I could go down it using only the support of my arms on the banisters. Didn’t work. However, the logs were rather a softer landing than I thought.

Megan and Emily after a few!

NB - Thanks to Emily for providing the photos! (Apart from the one of the park... that's mine!)

Prologue.

Been a while since I last posted on here… and during that time a lot has happened! There’s too much to post on one post… so I’ll mainly talk about the time in Rheinland-Pfalz. I left on a Thursday and got back the next Monday. So day-by-day, I’ll let you know what went on! ‘twas mega Spaß!