Wendesday afternoon was pretty quiet. We got lost on the way to the hostel (why they keep giving me the map I honestly can't figure out!) and wound up walking for a few blocks through the red-light district. It was... interesting. Let's just put it that way. No pictures; my camera was still in my backpack, and either way, the girls apparently really don't like it when people take their pictures. Walked around the city a bit, just to get our bearings, but that was about it.
Thursday we took the walking tour. Interesting, but there really wasn't much to see. Not many pictures, either; the streets are so narrow that it's nigh impossible to get a decent shot. I'll post what I have, though.
After the tour, we went to the Anne Frank Museum (top picture). It was an incredibly moving, incredibly sobering experience. The museum is located in the same building that Anne Frank and her family hid in, and part of the tour includes the famous Secret Annex. Honestly, words fail me in describing the place. If you are ever in Amsterdam, this is one place you must go.
Later that night, Sam and Dreama did the Red-Light District Tour. I passed. Honestly, I saw enough of it in the daylight.
Friday was an adventure in and of itself. Our original schedule was to take an ICE high-speed train from Amsterdam to Frankfurt Airport, another ICE from Frankfurt Airport to Munich Central Station, and then a standard EuroCity train from Munich Central to Salzburg. Well, our first ICE developed a technical problem about 2/3 of the way for Frankfurt Airport and dumped us off in a city we weren't even scheduled to stop in. There was a half-hour wait for the next train, which turned out to be the same ICE we were scheduled to pick up in Frankfurt. Unfortunately, the train was filled to begin with, and another half a trainload of people got on along with us. So I go to ride in the aisle for 40 minutes until we got to Frankfurt and our reservations became effective and we got seats. Trust me, standing up in an aisle jam-packed with luggage at 300 kph (186 mph) is an experience.
So, anyway, even after we got to Frankfurt, the train still was overbooked, so we had people riding in the aisle all the way to Munich. Thank God we had seats; it was a four-hour train ride. Then, we get to Munich Central, only to find out that our EuroCity doesn't start in Munich Central, it starts in Munich West, and we had to take a local train to get there. So we take the local train, which dumps us out onto a platform where another train is waiting for us. Only the displays indicate that this train doesn't go to Salzburg. We stand there puzzled for a few minutes until I notice that the display lists the mystery train's number as the same train number we're scheduled to be on. No sooner do I notice this than the train's doors close and it starts to pull away. We chase after it, but to no avail. We ask a woman in a uniform on the platform if that train was going to Salzburg, she looks at us like we're crazy and says "of course." Fortunately, she tells us that there's another train leaving for Salzburg, and it was leaving in 15 minutes from the same platform.
The train was late. And it was about 35 degrees out. And it was raining. Hard. And when the train finally arrived, it had to wait another 20 minutes before it could leave. And it wasn't an intercity train; it was a regional, which meant it stopped in every single town between Munich West and Salzburg.
Long story short, we were scheduled to get into Salzburg at just after 8:00 PM, and we got in just before 10:30. We were so exhausted, we sprung for a cab back to Haus Wartenberg.
So, that's the end of my adventures from last week. I'm still pretty beat, so I'm taking this weekend off. So no new updates for a while. No idea what I'm gonna do next weekend. It's an extended weekend, no class on Thursday., so I've got an extra full day. I guess I'll try to organize a trip to Normandy or something. I'll be sure to plan and book everything in advance this time. Well, whatever I plan, I'll be sure to keep you all posted.
Until then, peace.
-Raptor.
PS. Feel free to leave comments when you read. I like to know who's visiting the blog.
2 comments:
Love the blog. I get to travel vicariously through it.
Sorry that you didn't include your "rant" about the red light district in your account. What you emailed us about it showed great insight and maturity.Keep on writing!!!
Hi Andrew,
I am enjoying your blog so much you certainly have a way with words. Years ago I spent some time in Amsterdam and agree that Ann Frank's house is a sobering experience and should not be missed. Somehow, Jonathan did miss it when he was there and must go back. Enjoy the rest of your trip and keep up the blog. Stay safe. Valerie
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