After months of planning the time had come, we were off. Tickets were booked 3 months ago, plan was to go by train from Saarbrüken to Frankfurt am der Oder. Already we had been notified of one change, track work between Berlin and Erkner so we would have to do that stretch by bus , then get back on train from Erkner to Frankfurt am der Oder , easy. First train Saarbrüken to Mannheimm, all went without a hitch, spendid. Change of trains , next train taking us to Berlin. Alarm bells should have rung when we had been unable to get firstclass tickets or even book seats in second class. A bun fight as two trains worth of people tried to cram onto train. Standing room only by the time we made it on, keep in mind too the majority of people had suitcases, backpacks, what joy.
An announcement was made, when we get to Frankfurt am Main we will get extra carriages, fantastic. We get to FaM , new carriages duly attached. Nothing happens. We sit and we sit. Announcement made, we are having technical difficulties, we sit some more, then a bit more. More announcments made, by this time the carriage is emptying as people try to find alternate routes to their destinations, in the end leaving only those going to Berlin on board, at least we had a seat by now. Finally an hour and half latter we get going. This delay of course has a domino effect, bus connection missed, so latter bus , latter train. Finally getting to Frankfurt am der Oder at 7.30pm two and half hours after original time. Luckily hotel near station, booked in dmped bags then set off to centre of town to find something to eat. Found a great Greek restaurant and yes needless to say the owner has an uncle in Melbourne.
Next morning, Sunday after breakfast we made another quick walk up to town to see things in the daylight. What a pretty town, on the banks of the Oder River with Poland just across on the other side.
St Marienkirche
enthusiastic fountain
Oder River , Poland over to the right
The Olympic walkway, along this Avenue of trees are marble plaques for all the locals who have represented Germany or East Germany in the Olympics, 26 people altogether, amazing.
cute sculpture
this Greens poster sums up things nicely , Healthy eating does not come from a sick nature.
Then it was back to the hotel, book out and back to the station, time for the train to Warsaw, Poland.
An announcement was made, when we get to Frankfurt am Main we will get extra carriages, fantastic. We get to FaM , new carriages duly attached. Nothing happens. We sit and we sit. Announcement made, we are having technical difficulties, we sit some more, then a bit more. More announcments made, by this time the carriage is emptying as people try to find alternate routes to their destinations, in the end leaving only those going to Berlin on board, at least we had a seat by now. Finally an hour and half latter we get going. This delay of course has a domino effect, bus connection missed, so latter bus , latter train. Finally getting to Frankfurt am der Oder at 7.30pm two and half hours after original time. Luckily hotel near station, booked in dmped bags then set off to centre of town to find something to eat. Found a great Greek restaurant and yes needless to say the owner has an uncle in Melbourne.
Next morning, Sunday after breakfast we made another quick walk up to town to see things in the daylight. What a pretty town, on the banks of the Oder River with Poland just across on the other side.
St Marienkirche enthusiastic fountain Oder River , Poland over to the right The Olympic walkway, along this Avenue of trees are marble plaques for all the locals who have represented Germany or East Germany in the Olympics, 26 people altogether, amazing. cute sculpture this Greens poster sums up things nicely , Healthy eating does not come from a sick nature.Then it was back to the hotel, book out and back to the station, time for the train to Warsaw, Poland.
Sounds like our day Saarbrucken to Mannheim, and the rest! What joy!! I had a better day today - no hitches and yet no-one has a good thing to say about Italian trains??!!
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