Europe Holiday 2015 - Day Nine

Up at 7:30. Markus' wife was still ill. Markus prepared bread, meats, cheese and yogurt for breakfast. Then we went shopping for German cosmetics and the missus found almost everything that was on her list. Yes, she'd prepared a list just for German shopping.

This strange bike would take a bit of getting used to

Lovely buildings in Heidelberg

They still have cigarette vending machines in public

 After the shopping Markus checked the timetable and saw that our ICE train was running 15 minutes late. He had warned me about Deutsche Bahn not being very reliable and once again they weren't. At least you could rely on how unreliable they admitted to being as it was, indeed, 15 minutes late. There was no difficulty in catching our train as it pulled up at the station where it was supposed to. Short trip to Karlsruhe then a quick change for the TGV to Paris.

Euro petrol prices

It's a mini, not a maxi

Guide to the wagon/carriage arrangement for different train types

 We waited at the correct section on the platform for our wagon but the train wagons were lined up backwards so we had to run to the other end of the train to board. Some passengers were obviously complaining to the conductor who didn't seem to care too much. A couple were in our seats so they had to move. Dammit, I paid nine euros for my reservation so they my seats.

Our TGV to Paris

Tony Abbott would be horrified with the scenery

Nice photo considering that we were travelling at over 300 km/h perpendicular to the traffic

319 km/h - topped out at 320 I recall

  After departing Strasbourg we came across our first beggar, in our carriage, who was adamant that we should give him some money. This I refused to do. It was only after he left empty-handed that I realised that I had all of my coins sitting on the table in front of me. No wonder he was expecting to get paid.

Could do with some bug cleaner after that run

 We arrived in Paris at Gare de L'est and walked to Gare du Nord, as instructed by our host. Grabbed some tourist guides and purchased a couple of museum passes. Took a bit of finding. Had to find the train line, RER B, which we did, but our destination wasn't mentioned. I wasn't about to board any old train lest we became lost with all of our luggage. Asked three people and the third, who wasn't French, was able to tell me that the platform we were on wasn't for our train. That much I had guessed. I saw some other platforms over yonder and realised that was where we needed to be. And so it was. Reached Luxembourg station, followed the street directions and were then at our apartment with our host waiting for us. Her daughter was with her and we gave her a kangaroo. Spoke for quite some time as I wanted as much information as I could obtain about getting around. And she was very good about it.

Courtyard outside our apartment which is on the left

 We were too tired to see much - bought some fruit and veg and items from the nearby shops for dinner. At 9 pm we decided that a walk would be pleasant but Jardin du Luxembourg was closed and they were kicking people out. Took to the local streets instead.

Pantheon was just around the corner

Parisian buildings in silhouette

Europe Holiday 2015 - Day Eight

At 2 o'clock there was a thunderstorm. Planning to get up at six we were awake by 5:30. The missus had a dream about her parents which is usually a warning that something bad will happen. She said to be careful today.

Took our luggage to the nearest taxi stand and waited for five minutes before I went looking for another one. By the time I got back a taxi had just pulled in. He didn't accept Visa card but did take euros - I was practically all out of Czech koruny. I asked to go to the bus station, "Florenc?" he asked. Yeah. When we arrived he didn't have sufficient euros to give me change so gave me koruny and a little bit extra as he didn't have the right change. Turned out that it was the wrong place. We needed to go outside the main train station. The clerk in the bus station was very helpful and insisted that we take the metro even though it was only one stop as we were so short on time. Lucky that the change from the taxi driver was enough to buy two metro tickets for us and two for our luggage (?!). Only waited two minutes for the metro and it was not even three minutes away.

I asked for directions at the ticket office, good thing I'd been here the day before, and was told to go two levels up. Nothing but trains there until I had an "aha" moment and thought to go outside. Sure enough, that's where the bus stops were. While the missus went to the toilet two Korean girls asked me where their bus was. I could read enough of their ticket and had noticed a bus stating that it was going to Munich so was able to help them out. Why do I always get asked for directions when I'm on holidays?

Our bus arrived on time. The driver and conductor were not pleasant at the start of the journey until they were prepared to leave. No wifi on the bus as it wasn't working. Bit of a bummer. Lovely fields, very few cattle or sheep, and busy roads. Border police checked our passports.

On the bus to Nürnberg

Look at that solar array

Quite a bit of traffic on the approach to Nürnberg

 Near our destination, Nürnberg, there had been an accident so there was a great deal of traffic. We were two minutes late arriving at the station and so only had nine minutes to retrieve our luggage, find our platform and board the train. Did it with four minutes to spare.

Our ICE train

 Sat next to a lovely young man by the name of Manuel. His 18th birthday was on the day that Angela Merkel became chancellor. He's been to Australia, had studied in London and was an engineer who had graduated and was looking for a job for the last three months. On his way to an interview.

Our train was delayed by 35 minutes due to a tree on the line and Manuel insisted that we took a different train to the one on our ticket as we had missed our connection. This was despite the fact that our tickets clearly stated that they were for a particular train and no other. My friend in Heidelberg, Markus, was texting me and telling me to change trains also. The conductor on the next train accepted our explanation and we managed to grab some seats. Markus was waiting for us on the platform. As we haven't seen each other for 21 years he almost greeted someone else! Not that either of us has changed much. His wife was sick and so was unable to me us. We had about a 30 minutes dive from Mannheim to Heidelberg. Markus had prepared some sweets - cakes and patisseries. Then we walked through the town and along the Nacher River to Altstadt (Old Town). Castle ruins were impressive and there was a lovely square in the town. Perhaps the most surprising thing was to find a Korean shop.

Heidelberg tram

Beautiful houses along the Nacher River

Ruined castle along the Nacher River

Lovely little town square

Town square, castle ruins and Korean shop (on the right)

 Had dinner at the Hotel & Restauraton Goldener Falke - pork and spätzle for me. Fantastic meal for three with two drinks which came to 50 euros. The walk back through the town was on the longest pedestrian street in Germany. Shower, drinks and bed after midnight.

Golden Falcon Hotel and Restaurant