Tuesday, January 4, 2011

FROM THE BANK - Day 4

Euro Trip 2010/2011 - Day 4 - Amsterdam to Norddeich to Hamburg

Tuesday December 21st 2010



5 am
As I was scurrying out of my hostel in the wee hours of the day, I realized that I had been spending the last couple of days right on the outside of the famous Vondelpark and not once had I stepped foot in it. I mean, how many times had I gone by on my way to the hostel thinking, "I'll just go in next time"? So, as I was leaving the city, completely weighed down by my backpack and purse, all dressed up in my travel attire (which means I was bundled up, very bundled) I took a moment to go for a run through the park. I wish somebody had filmed me. It would have been great entertainment. But now I can say I've been in Vondelpark, heck, I've ran in it!
Now for my trip to Hamburg. This is where things go astray.
so early in the morning this
was wonderous

the Netherlands
trianglesque
Even though I can read the Arrivals and Departures board perfectly fine, I still go and wait in line to ask for a print out of how to get to my destination of choice. Now it was not my fault, and it was not the Deutch Bahn woman’s fault. Once I got out of the Netherlands, the paper clearly had me switching in Kohl and arriving in Hamburg some couple hours later with out a switch. Anyways, somehow I ended up in Nordeich, which is at the end of the line and the North Sea. I really should have clued in I was off track when they stopped making announcements in English as well.

  
Netherlands

A Frame-d, kind of

I may have found the reason I did not end up in Hamburg as planned. I have heard talk that the trains will sometimes stop, split in two then carry on to separate destinations once they get the engine or caboose. That may be the explanation to my little mishap.
Northern


As I fogged up the train windows, I spent a lot of time staring out of them. I continued to take in the different architecture styles. At first, I noticed that the last couple of Netherland communities were more trianglesque-A-framed in comparison to the first German ones which were squarer. A couple of reasons for the change of style from region to region that I formulated in my mind were A) when the towns were built, and B) who they were settled by. You may find this a little trivial, but what else am I going to write about on a day when I spent ALL day in a train?


Germany



I EVENTUALLY got to Hamburg, some time after 9pm, only six or so hours late, no big deal. As tired and as frustrated as I have ever been, I now had to figure out how to use the S-Bahn (pretty much the metro). I went a couple stops in the wrong direction, got on one going back and met a very good Samaritan. I think it was the way I was STARING at the map on the roof of the car that tipped him off, but this kind gentleman offered me some advice. He gave me enough directions to get me back to the Central Station (also train station) where I could ask the service desk (again).



so I accidentally made it to the
North Sea..

Around sometime after 10pm I got to the hotel/hostel; Superbude. It was really nice, very modern and clean. If you care to know more about it, check out the page I am going to make with all the hostels I stayed in and my critiques (just give me some time to get it done, ok?). After days of not contacting anyone, and probably giving you mad ‘pit stains (sorry if you don’t find it funny, but I found the expression to be a good one, kind of like “you can stop sweating” thing… ok…) So I got all my basic contact done. I’m sorry if you did not get an e-mail (almost two weeks ago now, I think you’re over it haha) but to be fair, I had been up since 4am on three hours of sleep and add that with the day of frustration, I was half delirious. And I still had to figure out how to work the light in my room.






it was pretty though


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