The river flows...

[Mac Cat]

In Regensburg, the train pulled in, then they un-coupled the last 3 cars and we departed in the opposite direction. I wasn't expecting border checks, either, but it happened. We started out from Zurich, originally. Boarder police climbed aboard before we crossed into Germany, but they just walked through the cars.

The leading cars went on to Nurenberg. I lived there a couple of years in 1963 - I was 10. But, I really like Bavaria the best - mountains, lakes and Austria. No border checks there - just open roads and lovely people. Next trip, I'm renting a bike and sticking to southern Bavaria, in the Spring - it's already too hot by June. Germany and France have wonderful bike routes in the country and you don't have to worry about trying to park a rented car when you get to a little town.

The train never made it all the way into Munich, because someone jumped into an earlier train (they told us suicide by train was fairly common in Germany) and the tracks were shut down. We got into the train station on a bus. That was pretty exciting, because everyone left the train and nobody bother to mention what was going on in English. My poor German was just enough to get us on to the last bus.

Munich is a lovely city rich in culture and easy to navigate. It's very walkable, except when you need a bathroom. I learned to use the subway bathrooms. They are weird that way - afraid of vagabonds and roma's. They aren't very generous with ice, either. You learn to drink without it.

I go to Europe every two years, until recently, for a conference that is in early June. Every 4 years, it corresponds with soccer championships (World Cup ??)

In Houston and Atlanta, I had to wait in line for over 2 hours more than once. Chicago was a better experience. The new kiosks are a big improvement, but for some reasons, big planes tend to land at almost the same time and that backs up the whole process. Returning home, US Custom's has almost never been a smooth experience, so I got a World Traveler pass. I usually miss my connection flight, so I have learned to book the next flight out and just chill for a while in the airport.

Traveling to Europe and experiencing 25% VAT tax makes me happy to live in the USA. I'm always grateful to come home again. ALWAYS !!

[sheepherder]

Back in the '80's and '90's, I used to travel to the Carlisle (Pennsylvania) Antique shows in the Spring, and the Import/Kit Car shows. We'd go down on Thurs night, get there at 8 or 9am and take in the show through Sat evening. Sunday we'd drive down to Gettysburg and tour the National Battlefield Park. Always something new to see. One time, my girlfriend and I decided to take the Gettysberg Railroad ride. It's a privately owned 14 mile long straight track, through peoples backyards.

It was a riot! We got to the 'station' early, and examined the locomotive, the cars, and the station (a re-creation) itself. All very mid-1800's period. As we were getting our tickets, a strapping six-foot-five young lad, dressed in bib-denims, plaid shirt, engineer boots and a lunch bucket the size of a suitcase came through, on his way to the train. The GF immediately said "That's the stoker!". I agreed, he was certainly qualified. A few minutes later, an older gnarled, walnut complexioned, thin man came through, carrying a smaller lunchbox. He looked like 14 miles of bad road...The GF said, "The engineer! And a lunchbox with a quart of Jack Daniels!"

We boarded the passenger car. There were three (IIRC). The car was bare wood, no glass just rectangular holes for windows, and rows of bare wood church pews. We stopped, and took it all in...Pax looking at us. The GF went into a airline stewardess spiel "Thank you for flying Gettysberg Railroad, we'll be flying at 10 feet at 40mph. There are oxygen masks etc flotation devices etc..." She had the car in an uproar.

It was a 14 mile (again, IIRC) ride, housewives hanging up laundry, kids playing, dogs barking, then a stop. Nothing much to see, then the train started backing up...All the way back to the station!

It was a fun two hours or so; especially watching the stoker and the engineer getting steam up. The stoker stoked; the engineer just lounged around and watched. The conductor came through collecting tickets, everyone including the station ticket lady dressed in period costume. I seem to remember an oiler oiling the exposed total-loss bearings before the trip but I don't know where he disappeared to.

Always a fun trip; the National Observation Tower was still up back then, you could take the elevator up and view the whole battlefield. There were tour double-decker buses; cassette tape guides; human guides; group tours; etc. In the park proper, you could hardly walk ten feet without bumping into a monument. We always went on off weekends, no re-enactments. There was one hopping bar in town, and our Best Western had a wet bar. It was worth the 9 hour drive just to see, hear, and ride the train.