I am on a midnight train to Hamburg!

My first overnight train experience pretty good. Lucky for me our sleeper cabin was not full, and I was the 2^nd one there, so I got a bottom bunk. While climbing the ladder with all the lights on would be no problem, I definitely could foresee myself crashing down when the lights went out, all because I had to piss. So in my cabin was a small asian lady who was very quiet, and a gentleman from Amsterdam, who was enroute home from Venice. Needless to say thank god he was on the train. There is a way for the bunks to be adjustable, so I could sit on my rack, without hitting my head on the rack above me. He took care of that, and it made for a more comfortable sleep. The Deustche Bahn even provided a pillow, sheet and blanket, I must say I could get use to traveling like that. Have a few beers with whomever you are traveling with, climb on the train, crawl into bed, pop your ear phones in, and then you wake up at your destination. I was a good experience on the train.   AND NO ONE COMPLAINED ABOUT ME SNORING!

As for my arrival at Hamburg HBF, let me tell you this much. The morning scene at that train station was pure chaos. A sea of bodies moving  in ten different directions. I was afraid to stop and read a sign, so Instead of trying to find a locker for my bag, I went outside to have a smoke, and see what was around. After a few minutes I worked up the courage and found my way through the sea of people and made it to the lockers. I was able secure my big bag, and remove my camera bag, and I was off to the races. At first I simply took a walk around the train station. That alone took 20 minutes. It truly was massive! As well as having 14 above ground platforms, there was also the U and S lines underground.  Since I was not in a position like I was in Munich (having a German speaking person to help me along) I started off with the tourist bus. For 13 Euro (with Student discount) I got a pass that allowed me to hop on and off the doubl-decker tour buses. Driving those monstrous beasts through this heavily traveled city takes balls of steel. From my viewpoint on the top deck, very front of the bus, I feel there had to have been at least 50 near misses inside 40 mins. The complete tour without getting off the bus takes 90 mins they said. I got off and on a few times, I think my entire tour took 2 and a half hours. The greatest thing about my tour bus ride was I found a small square infront of the town hall building, where a very large white screen was being erected. As some of you may know, there is this thing called the World Cup that happens once every four years. It is the year for the Women’s World Cup, and it is taking place in Germany. After finding out what time the game started, my plans for the night were decided. With the evening plans formed, I continued to wander the city streets, drinking beer mostly when I was thirsty. (Why pay 1,80 Euro for water when a 16oz beer is 1,75 Euro?) I truly have become fond of people watching. Usually every couple of blocks there is a square, where you can sit, or store with some tables outside, and I found myself just hanging out, watching how the people interacted. I found myself making up stories about some of the characters that where in my own private play. Of course I know many of you are wondering about the “Red light district,” which I will address in another post, but I will simply say maybe because it was my first time there I was not too impressed, or maybe it is because I did not stay in the area late into the night, I am not sure which, but I do not care. I can check the box or visiting the “World’s most famous Red light district.” My evening included catching the Germany Nigeria game on an temporary screen erected in front of the town hall. Now I did not know what the hell they were saying, but the crowd was very tense throughout! Finally somewhere around the 54 min. mark Germany scored, taking the lead 1-0. That was the only goal of the game, and while low scoring, it was truly an intense experience to see how Germans viewed their soccer, their women’s world cup in particular.  In the U.S. you are unlikely to find a bar showing the U.S. Men’s national team games, let alone the women’s World Cup. For the few soccer fans that are out there, is that not a frustrating fact? I made it back to the Hamburg Central Station a little before midnight, and found me some food to eat, bratwurst with spicy mustard, and it was amazing. With every bite you feel the snap of the outside skin, it was better than any brat I have every had stateside.  I walked around, had some smokes, generally tried to avoid contact with the hoards of drunks that were wandering throughout the train station that night. At 4:53 am my train departed, and I was on my was back to Kempten, and boy was I looking forward to a hot shower.