The modern world introduced itself to my phone again last night by the hotel in Berlin sending me an email with a checking in thingy ( see I even have the jargon down) did it this morning and also downloaded the app as I can see it being very beneficial in the future as I hate the pantomime of checking in questionnaires.”do I fill this bit in? What about that part? Ah yes I see…sorry I think I filled in the wrong bit” all been there i imagine…the app is called “Hotelbird”
We have left on time! Sorry for dissing you Deutsche Bahn in the past,you are wonderful and can do no wrong…have done the Hamburg to Berlin trip a few times and once out of Hamburg there’s really nothing to see except hundreds of miles of flat farmland.In a dull way it’s quite awesome…personally I’d be happy to add an hour and run along the Baltic coast.That would be something but I’m probably in a minority of one on that idea…
Haha in the space of two stops within the same city we have lost five minutes.Never change DB…
Nice trip in,DB made up the time which it can do on these longish runs,after Hamburg the next stop was Berlin Spandau (stop that! We’ll have no singing in the back) Found the hotel pretty easily as did everyone else it seems as the reception was packed and my room wasn’t ready so in time honoured fashion I dumped my bags and went for a beer…which is where I find myself now.
I’m in an Italian restaurant just having a beer opposite my favourite U-Bahn station,Wittenbergplatz.A two minute walk from the hotel,it’s a great little building both inside & out but crucially also has a cracking Currywurst stand over in one corner of the street and I’m sure i’ll be making use of it during the week…
I find Berlin immensely fascinating.The place seems to have a hold on me like no other.I’m sure most people find their own place in the world like that and mine is Berlin.There’s nothing particularly outstanding about the architecture either the modern or the little that’s left of the old,in truth it looks pretty ordinary & dull in parts but it holds a grip…I imagine the recent history has a lot to do with it,from the decedent 1920’s to the Nazi era right through to the split Soviet city from the 50’s to the 80’s…I still find myself walking about wondering what side of the wall I would be on…
Think I’m gonna be staying local tonight anyway,normally do even after a relatively short journey.There’s not a great deal round here per se but enough for one person to be getting along with,I actually want to find a proper bar as I always feel a bit conspicuous being in a restaurant with only a drink,something I’d never dream of doing in the UK ( probably wouldn’t be allowed to) but here it’s accepted.I always ask though just to make sure.Occasionally places won’t allow it,I suppose it depends how busy they are or will be…
Not seen many English fans around,only one or two with their partners( wearing England tops.That’s how I guessed Sherlock) most will have been on a plane back this morning I guess…obviously there’s gonna also be a sizeable quantity that live here too or some like me who’re just bumming around…
Must have journeyed into the huge Berlin HBF almost ten times now and every time it floors me and I get lost in there.Whilst here I use it fairly regularly too and it does get easier to negotiate,so much so I’m almost a local by the end of the week but then I forget,come back a few months later and get totally flummoxed again so any attempt to look cool are rendered null & void…
In a while crocodile…
1 comment:
Ah, Wittenbergplatz...
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