Bilious Blog…Around Europe in 80 days#73

Yesterday I got away with potentially one of the most stupid things I have ever done…I was in the launderette waiting for my wash to finish and noticed some paper in with it.I thought it was a label off an item that had come off so wasn’t unduly concerned then I opened up at the finish only to discover I had inadvertently chucked my wallet in with the washing and in my wallet was some money,my passport and my boarding pass for Eurostar to London in a weeks time…

As you can imagine my heart was now racing with the ramifications.The money was‘nt a worry because like the British notes the Euros don’t tear apart in the wash,so that was fine.My fear was that the passport had dislodged form the wallet and been ripped apart but luckily not.The paper was my boarding pass for Eurostar which I assume had come out of wallet near the end of the wash cycle as it was in about six different soggy parts rather than papier-mâché…so finished with the drying and counted my lucky stars as it could have been so much worse…

I kept the Eurostar email on my phone and the very helpful receptionist printed me off a new one and the rest is drying out in my room but imagine if the passport had got loose of the wallet and been ripped apart? Bloody hell that would have been a mess in every sense of the word…as for how the wallet got in there I think when I went out the night before I took some cash out and just threw it on top of the washing then when I came back in chucked whatever I was wearing on top without thinking…anyway I am a very lucky boy.

I had a look at the map whilst at the Hauptbahnhof and noticed a part of Düsseldorf called Himmel Geist (Sky Spirit or Heaven Spirit) and if you call yourself such a glorious name you can be sure I’m going there…not sure what I was expecting.Maybe some hippie commune straight out of 60‘s flower power or possibly  the complete opposite of what the name suggests like Dingly Dell being as tough as the Bronx but sadly neither was true it was just a very quiet middle class type area with not much going on.Hopped back on the bus with no idea where I was going but ended up back at Blik which is where I got off a few days ago thinking it was my stop…

At least my favourite small rock bar was open.It’s the Auberge in the Alt Stadt.Only a tiny place but it’s got a n undefined cool quality about it.Nice to see the barman is still there.He‘s an English fella from Nottingham and we always have a good chat every time I go to Düsseldorf…also got chatting to a Swedish bloke named Christian from Stockholm who was sound…this was my first Altbier since being here and it’s very deceptive.As it comes in small glasses it’s very easy to drink and before you know it you’re eight or nine drinks in and getting pissed.I don’t know the strength of it as I’m not very good with those sorts of things but it feels like it’s strong…it creeps up on you.

Last day in Düsseldorf today and finally the rain has come.Not before time either.The late late late summer sun is a welcome distraction and all that but it throws everything out of kilter and confusion reigns…tomorrow I go to Mainz.I don’t know much about the place apart from it’s in the Rhine valley,which is a spectacular train ride….Rotterdam,Düsseldorf,Mainz and my last but one stop Cologne all on the Rhine.Was‘nt planned that way Honest…

Anyway with a soggy,but thankfully intact,passport have a great day all…Caio