Bilious Blog…Around Europe in 80 days#44

Bit of an early one today whilst I wait for the laundry to be done.I’m back in the hotel room as the fella( Barman? Laundry Man? Laundbarperson ? I honestly don’t know) said come back at three and it’ll be waiting for you.I was sceptical of a bar/laundromat but it seems cool…anyway these blogs will be earlier the next five or six days as I’m in Berlin with some of my friends from East London way,only one of whom is yer actual Londoner of course…

This part of the tour is covering some familiar territory for me as I’m in Berlin then Hamburg for something like nine or ten days from tomorrow.Been to Berlin six or seven times and Hamburg three times.Obviously I have a lot of time for both cities… 

I have now got lorry driver arms.Both a lovely healthy looking suntanned brown whilst the rest of me is deathly white.In fact as I have both arms the same deep tan I can drive in both the UK and in Europe.Now all I have to do is learn how to drive…

Gonna head into town after the clothes are done.Had the best tomato soup I have ever had in a place called Spizz in the big market square( not surprisingly called Markt)This might not sound very exciting but believe me every mouthful was like heaven.If you come to Leipzig you have to go here and have some.Don’t bother ordering it as a starter as it’s a meal on its own…

As I’m back in Germany it’s natural my mind turns to traffic lights… as we all know German’s take their traffic lights seriously,it’s rare to see anyone here or in Austria cross when the little red man’s flashing( oeeerrr missus) Italy & Czechia we’re pretty much the same as was France unbelievably ( well almost) it seems to be only in Britain where the need to get to the supermarket ten seconds faster overrides the fact that we could be crushed under the wheels of the number 59 bus…I am more than happy to comply with the status quo whilst in Europe but I also know that once I get back to Blighty I will be  again pitting my wits against the 59…the trick is to make sure you have at least one person also crossing so you can manoeuvre yourself ensuring they’re between you & the bus…

I’ll miss Leipzig.Will definitely come again sometime.Maybe have a week here then a week in Berlin.Something like that…can’t see me doing another three month trek,if only because if I do then I use up all my allotted time in Europe in one go.You’re allowed 90 days out of 180 as a holiday maker before the need for special visas kicks in.The reason this is 80 days not 90 is that I took 10 days in Dusseldorf & Berlin at Easter…but then I couldn’t have used my terrible Phileas Fogg inspired title pun for  the blog could I? 

Good lord there’s some slightly dark clouds rolling in.Not seen any clouds at  all since I was in Stuttgart I think.Been solid bright blue sky since then…still bloody hot though…

Ah we’ll best go pick up my washing from our man over the road.I wanted to do the washing in Prague but no way would I be able to decipher the language in a self service place.At least the ones in France,Italy & Germany had some words I could recognise and interpret into something understandable…

Anyway laters peeps…

Ps Just had to stop myself from getting arsey with the young waitress here…they have some sort of weird system going on with table ordering and it seems I got forgotten about.When I was here the other day there was a lad directing all the traffic,so to speak,and doing a bang up job( I can’t help it I notice these things) but he’s not here tonight and it’s all a bit haphazard so consequently I was left dangling for 20 mins…anyway all good now.I have my beer and order the exquisite Tomaten Suppe later..I really don’t like being a prick to staff.Some get off on it sad to say…

Pps Made it up with the waitress even though she hadn’t really noticed.Ah well…ending the night in the squatters bar…