Train SpotPadding

After my Berlin escapades with Megan, I endured a solitary eight-hour train trip back to the Hague. Too tired to read, I whiled away the hours playing with Jeff's SpotPad smartphone application. (You'll remember SpotPad from my pintxos-mapping adventures in San Sebastian.) The end result: a stream-of-consciousness map of my train ride!

OK, I do not delude myself that anyone else will find my random thoughts diverting - but I think the final map looks cool. If you are curious about the stream-of-consciousness part, the map is easier to manipulate if you click through to Google Maps. If that seems too strenuous, I have pasted my comments below, after the jump.

View From East to West: My eight-hour train ride from Berlin in a larger map

Berlin Hautbahnhof

Arrived way too early for train. Glass-encased mall-like station teaming with teens and their sporting equipment. Outside the weather's kind of miserable. At least there's time for one last currywurst and pretzel.

Leaving Berlin

Wet and dreary afternoon, slipping through West Berlin while reading Dickens.

Berlin-Spandau

Wait, we're still in Berlin?

Stendal

Fell asleep over the book, after a long day of walking. Woken by man hawking coffee (in German), followed shortly by conductor checking tickets. Hoping coffee man comes back with more caffeine for sale.

Flatness

Since Berlin, the land has been flat, and I have been watching storm clouds gather dramatically, and then disperse. We are heading now towards a glowing sunset.

Wolfsburg

Based on the over-sized factory across the river from the train station, I'm guessing Wolfsburg's claim to fame is Volkswagen.

"Late"

A low hiss goes round the carriage when the conductor announces we are running late by a few minutes. I'd laugh, but I have a 2-minute connection to make at the border.

Hanover

The train carriage empties quickly when we pull into Hanover, as passengers rush to catch connections. The sunlight outside is getting that slanty, I'm-getting-tired look.

 

Pretty Please 

The train refilled itself at Hanover with drunk football fans. Sweaty and bleary eyed, they switch between laughing uproariously and whistling in unison (???) Please please please oh pretty please don't have tickets for this carriage...

Snarkiness

Prayers answered: the footballers moved on. Still, a chubby tween girl insists on playing her video game with the sound on. Repetitive synthesized music, arcade game sound effects - what could be a more perfect accompaniment for the golden hour before sunset?

Bad Oeynhausen

A bright orange sunset, magnified by the contrast with the remaining black storm clouds. Sometimes the world is amazing.

Osnabruck

We seem to be losing more time. Starting to think German efficiency might be an urban legend. Outside, dusk turns rapidly to night.

Rheine

Riding trains at night is pretty boring. There's nothing to see, other than blackness with the distorted reflection of yourself. There's a funny sign on the platform that I interpret as "yo drunk football hoodlums, don't fall in front of the train."

Bad Bentheim

Football hooligans get off, still carousing. There but for the grace of God. Germany ends here; we cross to the Netherlands momentarily. Longest stop yet - I picture the conductors completing outdated bureaucratic paperwork.

Hengelo

Yay! As we pull into the station, the new conductor comes on to announce our destination first in Dutch. It feels like coming home.

Almelo

The Dutch conductor seems to make far fewer announcements. I like to take it as a sign of Dutch chill-ness.

Deventer

However the Dutch pronounced this town, it's nothing like how it looks (to me).

Apledoorn

As the night drags on, things get silly - a teenager seems to have momentarily hijacked the PA system.

Amersfoort (transfer)

Dutch vs. Germans: My Berlin train made up its lost time, but my Dutch train to Den Haag is 10 minutes late ("plus or minus"). Waiting on the well-lit platform for my connection, I try to enjoy the sharp autumn flavor to the night air, but mostly I'm just tired and cold.

Utrecht

In the home stretch - meaning someplace I've been before. A final snack is in order: the rest of a big, doughy German pretzel.

Gouda

Just realized this might be the first actually quiet "quiet car" I've been on in the Netherlands. Sleepy.

Zoetermeer

Remember what I said about the first actually quiet "quiet car"? I take that back.

Home

Ran to catch my tram - heading home, and hoping to be in bed by midnight. It definitely feels like fall.