One thing struck me as I sat under cover drinking was Germans don’t seem to go very big on umbrellas.Yea there were a few dotted about but nothing like it would be in Britain where it would be a sea of bobbing umbrellas for as far as the eye could see...
The hotel I’m staying at is a bit out of the way.It’s right on the edge of what was no doubt once a massive old industrial complex.Now I find old abandoned factories fascinating and evokative but these areas do tend to be lacking in facilities like bars & shops mainly because,I’m guessing here,all those things were already within the factories themselves...however I’m surprised there’s no public transport nearby.Been walking about a mile & half to get into town until last night i discovered a tram stop about ten minutes away on the other side of a huge housing estate which backs onto the hotel...and it is huge too.Probably houses a few thousand.So hooray for dodgy shortcuts.Mind you my next hotel in Hamburg is two streets off Reeperbahn so,y’know,contrasts.
Having been in the service industry most of my working life nothing pisses me off more than customer arrogance & rudeness towards those serving on them.At the table in front of me in the bar were seven people who all had a drink then paid fully in change.That’s ok but just to leave the change spread all over the table to leave the barman to pick up every cent was a twatish thing to do in my book.Showed a total lack of respect...
Turns out I inadvertently broke the law on the transport system yesterday...bought what I thought was a four journey ticket for 2€ ( which admittedly I thought was damn cheap) turns out to be a four stop ticket.Ho hum.I have seen the German inspectors in action and ignorance is definitely not a mitigating factor.You get fined €60/80 no matter what.Tough titty and learn to buy the correct ticket...
My last full day in Cologne.It’s lovely city and well worth a visit...tomorrow it’s a five hour train journey to Hamburg Altona.
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