Bilious Blog…Around Europe in 80 days#67

Laundry done.Place was about a five minute walk from the hotel.Got there about 7-30am.I like to get in that time as a) it gives me the rest of the day to do things and b) I’m usually there on my own.This time there was another fella there but he’d almost finished so it was cool.Luckily I also picked the best part of the day as it started hosing down a few hours later and in truth had it been like that earlier I might have given it a miss and resorted to the old t-shirt sniff test…not always reliable.

Back in my favourite bar( I do like to have a base wherever I stay.Not always possible but got one here) as most of us are creatures of habit I have bagged the same table each day I have been here too.Us humans are funny like that…truth is I can normally write this blog better with a beer on the go too.Is that bad? I make no claims to be a writer but by the same token I can see why many of the real writers are alcoholics…I suppose like normal conversation it come easier as the night with booze wears on…

After being in Scandinavia for ten days or so it took me two days to get back to the German way of traffic light etiquette.The Scandi’s still go by the same rules but are a bit more relaxed about crossing on the red when there’s no visible traffic and I’d got into that habit too( assimilation!) so of course I have done it a few times here too only to realise halfway across the road whilst getting the thousand yard stare from the old biddies on the opposite side! Jesus they scare me,not the lights,but the old biddies…

Took a riverside stroll today for as far as I could before the rain made me abandon it.It was ok and the Primark waterproof was holding up well then it just dropped and I had to get the tram back into town.Got as far as the Werder Bremen Stadion which is an impressive structure by the Weser river.It stands out as the whole outside of the stadium is covered with solar panels.I assume all their power needs are met by that.Fair play…the barman(Len,yes really) told me on matchdays the WB fans do a march through the Viertel to the ground which is about two miles down the same road.Shame I will miss it as I’m off tomorrow…incidentally of all the places I have been Bremen has so far been the best supported merely  by dint of more people wearing their shirt just strolling around.Everywhere else I have been I have seen a plethora of shirts from the usual suspects,Barca,Man Utd,Liverpool and PSG(Though not where I was staying in St Denis,their home ferchrissakes) so good on the Werder Bremen fans…

After spending far too much time in a fancy cafe staying out of the rain and having far too many coffees and frankly one of the best slices of cake I have ever tasted,I eventually braved the rain and went to Schnoor…

If you don’t know Schnoor is what medieval Bremen looked like about four hundred years ago and a small part has been preserved sort of how it was.I say sort of cos’ I doubt very much it was full of craft gift shops,fancy cafes and tourists like me taking selfies in front of quaint little alleyways…more dirty,dangerous,riddled with every disease imaginable and smelling of shit,much as I’d think the City of London was pre the 1666 fire…anyway I had some nice fish & chips…Knowing how the Germans love a festival I’m sure Schnoor has had It’s fair share over the years and if at least one hasn’t been called “ The Schnoor Fest” then that’s just a golden opportunity missed in my book…

So where to tomorrow? Well fans of The Beautiful South may have already guessed my destination.It is of course Rotterdam.I am not only going there because of the song( as good as it is) I didn’t fancy Amsterdam as it’s hotels were far too expensive,even though I may take a day trip there,and Rotterdam looks like it’s done a lot of work improving itself over the years.I was last there in the mid 80’s and it was a bit of a shithole then.I expect better this time…got a dreaded bus replacement too from Leer( nope me neither) to Groningen along with another two train transfers…

Anyway looking forward to a bit of time in The Netherlands.Was gonna say Holland and actually Rotterdam is in South Holland but,well you know…

Until tomorrow…” This could be Rotterdam or anywhere ,Liverpool or Rome…”

Ps Just remembered when I left the hotel this morning there were workmen digging up part of the pavement and one was walking very slowly using a diving rod! That can’t be a thing can it surely? Seemingly so…very odd…