Farewell Copenhagen

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye....I'm glad to go, I cannot tell a lie.

After six days in Copenhagen, I was happy to be heading back to Germany.  It is a foreign country I am very comfortable being in.  I can speak and read the language.  I can understand the currency.  I have relatively no stress once I'm in the town where I stay.

I get to the Copenhagen train station over an hour early.  I like to look at the train schedule to see if the train platform and time correspondence with my ticket.

I don't see my train information.  It's only 10:30.  The departure schedule only shows departures within the next 45 minutes.  Okay, no panic.  I'll go get some breakfast.   I join a man at a table who I later learn is from Pakistan.  He is visiting his sister in Copenhagen.  I must look like a friendly person because the man in his 60's or so starts asking me all sorts of questions.  Of course, it's just as I take bites of my food.  You know that nothing comes between me and food so it was a little frustrating.  Anyway, I'm a Canadian and we are always nice.  I answer his questions, finish breakfast and leave to check the departure board again.

I look at the board but don't see my train number ICE 345.  Huh!!!!  There is another train number on a different platform leaving for Hamburg-Altona at 11:26 am (same time as what is on my printed train ticket).  Now, my heart beat has picked up.  I know where the the Information bureau is worked by people to ask about my train.  I learn that the one on the departure board is now my train.  Okay, I'm good.

The train arrives.  I find my car number, 81.  Someone lifts my suitcase of rocks up into the train.  I start walking down the narrow aisle looking for my seat number.  I can't find it.  I roam back and forth three times looking for it.  Now the train is getting packed with people who are trying to get to their seat but I'm blocking the aisle and creating a traffic jam!  Did I mention that I am now overheated, sweating (yes, women sweat) and at wit's end?  I am now in the first class car.  The elite are looking at me as if to say "How dost thou have thy nerve to be in here?".  I must have given them a glaring look because no one said anything.  Finally, a lady outside the door to the inner sanctum suggests leaving my bag in first class so that I can go look for my seat.  I do that and find my seat is the first one to the left of the door to the train car!  Out loud, I say "Thank you, God!" and make the sign of the cross.  My soon to be seat mates give me a funny look.  Probably thinking I'm a bible thumper.  I get my luggage from 1st class, pull it down the aisle and ask a guy to lift it for me.  He hesitated a bit but I press on saying "I can't lift it.  Even if I could, I'm too short to get it up onto the luggage rack."  He does lift it for me.

I settle into my seat, the train leaves the station and I'm happy.  Out of curiousity, I ask if this train goes to Hamburg Central train station.  The fellow across from me says "No, it's final stop is Hamburg-Altona.".  WTF?  I say I must be on the wrong train.  I am in a panic.  I tell my seat mates that I was told this is my train.  The suitcase lifter tells me his train number was ICE 345 too.  It was changed to this one.  Everyone in the train was affected by the cancellation of ICE 345.  It is a mess for so many people who were to transfer to another train from the central station.

The German across from me says Deutsches Bahn isn't the great system it once was.  Trains are no longer on time and end up not running at all.  Now, my heart is racing again.  I ask how do I get to Hamburg Central.  If I have to change trains to get to Hamburg Central, I will miss my next train to Luneburg.  The German is looking at his phone and says he has it all figured out for me.  He says just follow me, I will get you to your train.  I am happy again.  Just before we arrive at the train station, I ask the suitcase lifter if he will get it down for me.  He says if there is room.  I tell him not to worry because I will make sure there is room.  I know, I know - pushy Cindy.  You gotta do what you gotta do.

We get to Hamburg-Altona to transfer to a train for Hamburg-Harburg.  At Hamburg-Harburg station, I will take the 4:52 train to Luneburg.  You know the saying "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."?  This was the case again.  As we're getting on the train, we noticed a large police presence.  I also notice that except for the sound of people talking, it is eerily quiet in the station.  I suddenly notice not one train is arriving or departing from the station.  An announcement is made that all trains have stopped because the police are dealing with a situation.  Protestors are blocking the train tracks between the station I'm in and Hamburg Central.  The day before most of the trains across Germany were stopped for three hours because cables vital for train traffic had been sabotaged. It was well planned - one location was outside Berlin and another in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Zoh, back to me sitting on a train going nowhere.  As the delay got longer, you could see tourists start asking how they can get to Hamburg.  They need to get to the airport, etc.  My trustee German looks at me and says don't worry, there are many trains to Luneburg.  I ask him his name because by this time, we had been together a while.  Certainly longer than in my wild days when I'd ask a guy his name within a few minutes of eye contact at a bar!  My German's name is Matt.  I tell him I will remember his name because my son-in-law's name is also Matt.  We sit on the train for 30 minutes and are finally told the train will be departing soon and the order in which each one will depart.  Can't have six trains leave the station and arrive at Hamburg hbf at the same time.  Sounds like one of those math questions "If train A leaves the from the south at 6 and train B leaves from the north .....".

Our train leaves.  We are on it for 20 minutes, we get off and Matt leads the way to the platform I will take for the train to Luneburg.  Sounds simple but the reality wasn't.  So many people at this station as I was playing follow the leader pulling my suitcase.  There ended up being three flights of stairs (One done up and down because we were on the wrong platform.).  Matt carried my suitcase up those stairs each time.  By the time we arrived at my platform for Luneburg, I could see Matt's face mask moving in and out like a bellow you use to blow air onto a fire!  I felt bad for him.  I thanked him and asked if I could pay him.  He said no but thank you for offering.  With that, we parted company.  I hope he doesn't have sore muscles today after carrying my suitcase.

The train comes, I get on and see steps to the seating area.  I barely have time to whine when a young man reaches to lift my suitcase up the stairs.  I believe I have a guardian angel.  I think it's my Uncle Gus.  He used to do things like that for me.  Just made sure I was okay.  Two stops later, I'm in Luneburg.  I go to the bus station right beside the train station to take a bus to my accomodation.  I put on my "speak German" hat.  At this point, it is easier for me to speak German.  I know the bus numbers I can take I just have to learn which one goes in the direction to where I'm staying.  I ask the driver, she points me to another area.  The bus comes.  I ask if the bus stops at a particular stop.  Am told yes so I pay the bus fare.  Two stops later and using Google I am three minutes from auf dem Harz 5!  It is now dusk and one and a half hours past my original arrival time.  Truly, who cares!  I made it.

Day time.

Night time.  Taken later that evening.

I knew before I reserved my room that there were two flights of narrow stairs I would have to climb.  I didn't, however, realize or remember that they were winding stairs.  I saw the first flight and thought "There is no way in hell I can take my suitcase up those stairs..  I'll just leave it here and come down every morning to get clothes!".  I noticed an opened door.  A man is sitting behind a counter.  We make eye contact.  No, I didn't ask his name!  Might have if he looked like Brad Pitt!  I think he is someone who works here so I tell him my suitcase is too heavy for me to carry up the stairs.  Would he please do it for me?  He gets up and takes the suitcase.  Just as he lifts it, another door opens and a young man asks the man with my suitcase if  he's sure wants to do that.  I'm thinking "Butt out!".  The man says he's sure.  I think it's because the man was old and the other guy was young and would have done it instead.  Up we go to my room.  I get to the top of the two flights of stairs and my heart is beating like a loud drum!

First set of stairs.

The second set of stairs that lead up to my room.

It really is time for me to give up my love of wanting to experience staying in places with character and no elevator.  I just can't do stairs carrying luggage and wearing a backpack.  I am happy to be in my room.  I look for the WiFi password.  I don't see it so I read the welcome binder.  The first sentence says the password can be found in the lounge written on the blackboard on the door.  No need for me to tell you which floor the lounge is on!!!!  Fuck! (Sorry, Mom!).  Down I go to the lounge only to see the man who helped me with my suitcase.  He's preparing his supper.  I look at him and ask "Are you a guest?"  He says "Yes."!  OMG, I had a guest carry my suitcase!!!!

I am now hungry.  Since everything is closed except gas stations on Sunday, I go online to search for the nearest gas station.  Just a six minute walk.  I get there and look at the sandwiches for sale.  I recognize what I'm looking at.  I buy it and a drink.  I can even pay for it using my change!  I head back to where I'm staying and go inside the lounge to eat.  The guest isn't there so I grab the remote control for the TV.  There isn't a TV in my room.  We share that as well as the WC and shower.  No biggie.  I find soccer and bike racing on TV and eat my sandwich.  It is bloody cold in the lounge so I put my coat on.  I turned the heat on but nothing happened.  I decide to go to my room which is even colder.  I turned the heat on.  Again, nothing!  ***Note the next morning, the heater was warm but my breath was hotter.".  I may have to buy gloves that my fingers aren't covered so I can type.

I climb into bed and fall asleep.  At 3 in the morning, I wake for two reasons the main being the bed is too hard.  It's a 5" foam mattress on wooden slats.  Yes, Auntie Marj, I measured.  My hips are sore so what can I do because I have another four nights here.  See that second mattress?

All is good now.  I slept like a baby until 7:30.  It's now 10:30.  Time to answer the call of the Brotchen.

Steps yesterday = 10,414