Arriving in Germany




Thursday 22 August 2005

On the Autumn Equinox we arrived at Frankfurt Airport in the early morning, only to discover people scurrying from the terminal which was being evacuated due to a terrorist threat which never materialized. This was all part of terrorist activity that would accelerate until the end of reality as people became frustrated with their lives, careers, and the injustices humanity faces.

We got our luggage, exchanged our currency for Euros and headed to a shuttle which would take us to the train station at the far end of the airport - the heavy rain that welcomed us now reduced to a drizzle. From there we would travel by Eurail.




Ellie at the train station


Pat watching for the train


We boarded a train on our way to Freiberg in the Black Forest. The three year old train was unbelievable with comfortable seating, private rooms for meetings which contained tables and chairs, a food and beverage area, friendly people and service, not quite the NYC subway system we had left behind, and totally safe. Never did we feel threatened during the trip.


The train was fairly empty allowing me to move freely. Fantasizing it was the Orient Express, I visited most of the cars and chatted with the conductor while on the lookout for mischief. Not a dead body in sight, nothing for a girl to investigate and psych on.

Pat and I sat in the last car. I have a thing for train tracks and Vanishing Points.

I walked to the back of the train and stared out at the tracks, taking several pictures. Suddenly I felt the energies of someone who was looking for a train adventure also.

I was drawn to a man seated in the last row with whom I started the conversation. He was a 40 something year old banker from Switzerland, named Joseph who had traveled by rail through Germany on his vacation. Unable to return home due to flooding in his home town, he had spent several extra days riding the rails and was finally going home.

Joseph and I spent the last hour of the two-hour train ride laughing, flirting, and sharing stories about our lives, while Pat took a nap after only two hours of sleep on the flight over. As Joseph was an bubbly person, I really enjoyed the company.

It's an interesting thing about the people in Europe and the English language. Most people told me they spoke some English and yet I found them all to be fluent in English.


Eurail, Freiberg Station


We arrived at our station - Joseph and I saying good-bye as he carried our luggage to the curb. He took my business card and said he would email me in the future. .... He never did. Train adventures are just in the moment.




Z gave us a sign that all was on track!




Up the escalator ... crossing the overpass ... then down the steps and over to a taxi stand where we grabbed a yellow cab that took us to a rental car place nearby, called Europcar. The Volkswagen we expected was upgraded to a new Mercedes with GPS featuring a woman's voice with a British accent. Pat named her Dora (the Explorer), who said things like, "At the corner make a right turning" ... only sometimes Dora said it after the fact. Take for example our trip through the town of Freiberg on our journey to the first hotel, the Mecure Panorama set in the heart of the Black Forest.

Pat setting the GPS


Dora said turn right which put us on a street for trolley cars not motor vehicles. Luckily there were no police in the area. As soon as we entered the trolley lane, I knew it was a mistake. No one seemed to notice us as we drove along with the many bicyclists and pedestrians try to find our way to the proper street. People use bicycles in Europe and abide by rules for motorists. Dora didn't always understand how to get us to our destination, such as the time she brought us to a restricted US Air Force Base, but that's a story for another day.

Though I was told the price of petrol was very high, that was not the case, perhaps because it cost so much more in the US at this time. People there don't drive large cars for the most part. German auto manufacturers also offer different models than are available in the US.

Check out this little vehicle which would become popular in the US in the future.




Freiburg Adventures




Journey to Germany Index