Bilious Blog…Around Europe in 80 days#45

Noticed two things about Leipzig train station as I left today…it’s a huge Palace of a building but unlike most major German HBF‘s they have somewhat separated the shopping mall part from the station part.As you get off the platform you get the full effect of the cathedral like structure.A 25 platform iron hanger leads to a beautifully proud stone interior…the shops are mostly on two floors below.Think Mander Centre but twice as big,with much better shops and a lot cleaner… 

They‘ve also made great play of it being a non smoking station with signs everywhere telling you this.However take a walk past the hanger onto the rest of the open platform ( their platforms are loooooong,as are their inter city trains) and sure enough there’s a smoking area.It’s as if they said “ no smoking,definitely not,not here,but if you must do it in the open air”. Actually if you are near the smoking area when a train pulls in most of those using it are staff off the train.I don’t think Deutsche Bahn wanted the hassle of banning them from having a drag between shifts…also the tram dance too.This is not particularly a Leipzig thing but it was more noticeable here.Any big city with an extensive tram network has tram platforms long enough to accommodate three trams arriving one after another but all going to different destinations.Where to stand? 

I watched this unfold several times.One would come in,then another two and the platform would resemble one huge,but narrow,game of British Bulldog as people scrambled all over each other to get their tram.It’s great fun to watch…

Got to Berlin without too much hassle except my ticket on the app wouldn’t open when the guard came.After about 30 seconds he just said “ I’ll come back later.Don’t worry “ imagine a Brit guard doing that? Would never happen would it…all was fine though,got it open in the end and showed it…

My hotel in Berlin is a boat next to Oberbaumbrücke ,the well known and much photographed red brick bridge by the East Side Gallery.You’ve probably seen a pic without realising it’s in Berlin.Two towers in the middle and usually with an iconic Berlin yellow U-Bahn train inbetween the towers…so I’m almost under that…

To be honest the idea may be cooler than the reality as it’s a bit cramped with shared bogs & showers but we‘ll see.One way or another I‘ll have to make the best of it.The two women on reception seem as good as gold though and there’s a pop up bar up river with the most fed up looking teenage girl behind the bar you’re likely to see…as long as I don’t get Spree sick( here all week don’t forget to tip your waitress)

So tomorrow I’m being joined by friends flying over from East London.A quick namecheck in alphabetical order,Adzovi,Andrea,Andy,Bev,Hellen & Karl…it‘ll be good to see them but I worry that they may think I know more about the city than I really do.Basically whilst here I bum around without taking much in apart from soaking up the vibe of the place…maybe I’m doing myself a disservice and I know more about the place than I realise.We’ll see…either way it’s gonna be fun and I already have my little flag on a stick so they don’t lose me in the crowd…

Take care peeps and I’ll be back tomorrow and some of you I’ll see tomorrow too!

Ciao…