the adventures of tomcat

4 months ago
4 notes

Yesterday I hired a bike from a strange man at the Radstation near the Hbf. I wanted to explore a bit further out, so a bike was necessary otherwise I would have had to rely on public transport, and I like the flexibility of cycling.

Before picking up the cycle, I needed a pair of gloves and I also wanted to get a prepay SIM for my phone. I found both in the main shopping district and also confused myself mightily direction-wise. Nevertheless, an average of three people ask me for directions each day. Maybe I need to work on my Bitch Face?

The bike is pretty cool and very practical. It’s a step-through with 8 or so internal gears and weak dynamo lighting. There’s a basket on the back and an interesting locking mechanism with a cable. It’s hard to explain, but there’s a neat bit that attaches to  the seat post and locks the back wheel while the cable locks the front wheel to the seat post. You don’t technically need to lock it to anything, I guess.

The only problem with it is that they didn’t have any helmets to hire or even sell. It’s not like I would be going fast enough to really warrant the need of one, but I feel extremely weird without one. It’s especially strange since they also hire special bikes with child seats attached. The guys’ english wasn’t really good enough to demand one, nor my german either. So. Fur hat it is. Sorry, Tom.

My first adventure was north into the Nippes area to check out the Kaffebaum Kaffee Rösterei. It’s cute, with white tiles on the outside and opposite a sweet old church with a churchyard full of garbage. The roastery is just off a main road that reminded me a little of Sydney Rd with old junk shops, organic bakeries and cafes lining the street. There were also some lovely apartment buildings in the area. It’s also not far from a lovely Green Belt around the city and probably only a ten minute cycle away from the main station.

Next, I headed west to the Neustadt area. There were two more cafes I wanted to check out, but I only found one, Heilandt, which looked nice. It was a nice area too, with a much better shopping district than the central area and some more churches and cool buildings as well.

I went a bit further out to the University district then headed back in towards town through the Belgian Quarter. In hindsight I should have gone to the Max Plank Gessellschaft but I didn’t think of that until well afterwards. I got lost so many times it’s not even funny. The streets are all angled and with one-way systems: it’s a complete mess, and I love it.

I realised embarrassingly late in the day that ‘einbahnstraße’ is not simply a very common street name, it actually means ‘one-way-street’. Yes, I’m an idiot.

So, today I mooched around town a little bit more, getting extremely lost around the Dom district. Then, I headed back out to Nippes, determined to actually go in to the Roastery. Which I did, and the coffee was delicious. They also had tea and chocolate for sale with their beans. I bought 6 coffee cups which are probably the perfect syphon serving size.

I had lunch also in Nippes at a place called Cafe Pause which seemed to have a few options for me which was nice.

Then I rode back along the river bank and spent about half an hour trying to get onto the Hohenzollern Brücke which is the train bridge with pedestrian access as well. Once I got onto the bridge I had an incredible view down the river and also back towards the Cathedral. The bridge is also lined with padlocks that people have clamped onto the rail/fencing for some reason. It’s an amazing sight: the whole way across the bridge is just covered in padlocks. It’s very striking.

The other side of the river is not especially interesting; it’s much the same but a bit quieter and cleaner. Less busy, fewer beggars, but basically a bit dull. I rode around for a while but didn’t really stop.

After that, I rode back to the apartment, stopping on the way for a snack and picked up two bottles of Kölsch to try: Früh and Gaffel. It’s great. Light and refreshing.

Tomorrow I am taking the train to Düsseldorf. I am meeting HA at 4pm at the office, so I have plenty of time to get nervous! I will meet with HvP and U the day after, Thursday. They have allotted 7 hours for our meetin which seems excessive, but who knows?!

I’m not sure whether I will meet M in Stuttgart on Friday. I will ask HA how his recovery is going and work it out from there. Perhaps a phone call to say hello is all that I need to do.

If I don’t go to Stuttgart, I could spend the day in Frankfurt, but we’ll see!

4 months ago
8 notes
22/01/2012 I don’t know what the time is now. After 12:30pm for sure. Maybe even 1pm? I’ve been walking around town for hours. Wandering along. Now, I’m in a restaurant that reminds me of the tea house place in Melbourne where you take your nan for tea and cake. I can’t remember the name. In the Block Arcade. Anyway, it’s all chintz and pink and lace. Cafe Reichard. I’m determined not to have takeaway at every meal. I did have a lovely spinach flatbread thing at Köln Hbf and a coffee from a nice Italian man who wanted me to have sugar and chocolate. Here at Reichard, I’m going to have spaghetti pesto and a glass of Riesling. I hope it helps my headache some… I thought the coffee earlier might help, too. Oh well, I can have some Panadol later if I need to. I was trying to work out whether I pay at the desk or at the table, so I’m glad I waited and was paying attention to other diners. I can pay at the table which is easier I think. It looks / smells like you can smoke inside at restaurants, too. Don’t know how much I love that! The pesto was ok. Nothing special but not bad or anything. The wine is quite nice, sweet and fruity like my tennis friend warned me. They serve it in a jug and partly filled glass which is neat. Very scientific! It’s a funny place, this restaurant. It feels very kitsch and touristy, but I don’t hear any English. Or, didn’t until a lady just sat down next to me. Another solo traveller! I spent ages trying to find somewhere to eat. All the really cool German bars are a bit scary when you’re solo. The menus are al bratwurst as well. But I must try a kölsch or two while I’m here. Maybe tomorrow when I’ve had some proper sleep. I think this Reichard is nice for meeting up for a coffee and cake. I’ll have to try both of those things so I know if it’s suitable to bring Tom here. In other things I want to try, the takeaway places all seem to have these huge pretzel (breze?) things that look delicious. The apartment / room looks decent. It’s a tiny studio flat on the ground floor of a building in the Domstraße. The people renting it run a touristy shop nearby and let me drop my bags there while I’ve been walking around. I was hoping to find a vodafone store open but it seems like everything is closed on Sundays. I would like to ask about hiring a bike tomorrow if possible. There are loads of bike locked up and being ridden all around town. Nobody seems to wear a helmet, so we might stick out a bit for that, but who cares. I would like to venture out to perhaps Ehrenfeld and bike seems like the most practical way to do that. I must remember to ride on the right, though. I might also buy a loaf of bread to snack on later. I’m too tired to eat right now. There is a very severe looking lady seated diagonally across from me in the restaurant. She seems to be waiting for someone, but she’s been here longer than I have and is still waiting. She reminds me of Grandma B which makes my heart ache somewhat. I miss her stoicism and rigid practicality. I could use some of that sometimes. It is good to remember her.

22/01/2012

I don’t know what the time is now. After 12:30pm for sure. Maybe even 1pm? I’ve been walking around town for hours. Wandering along. Now, I’m in a restaurant that reminds me of the tea house place in Melbourne where you take your nan for tea and cake. I can’t remember the name. In the Block Arcade.

Anyway, it’s all chintz and pink and lace. Cafe Reichard. I’m determined not to have takeaway at every meal. I did have a lovely spinach flatbread thing at Köln Hbf and a coffee from a nice Italian man who wanted me to have sugar and chocolate.

Here at Reichard, I’m going to have spaghetti pesto and a glass of Riesling. I hope it helps my headache some… I thought the coffee earlier might help, too. Oh well, I can have some Panadol later if I need to.

I was trying to work out whether I pay at the desk or at the table, so I’m glad I waited and was paying attention to other diners. I can pay at the table which is easier I think. It looks / smells like you can smoke inside at restaurants, too. Don’t know how much I love that!

The pesto was ok. Nothing special but not bad or anything. The wine is quite nice, sweet and fruity like my tennis friend warned me. They serve it in a jug and partly filled glass which is neat. Very scientific!

It’s a funny place, this restaurant. It feels very kitsch and touristy, but I don’t hear any English. Or, didn’t until a lady just sat down next to me. Another solo traveller!

I spent ages trying to find somewhere to eat. All the really cool German bars are a bit scary when you’re solo. The menus are al bratwurst as well. But I must try a kölsch or two while I’m here. Maybe tomorrow when I’ve had some proper sleep.

I think this Reichard is nice for meeting up for a coffee and cake. I’ll have to try both of those things so I know if it’s suitable to bring Tom here. In other things I want to try, the takeaway places all seem to have these huge pretzel (breze?) things that look delicious.

The apartment / room looks decent. It’s a tiny studio flat on the ground floor of a building in the Domstraße. The people renting it run a touristy shop nearby and let me drop my bags there while I’ve been walking around. I was hoping to find a vodafone store open but it seems like everything is closed on Sundays.

I would like to ask about hiring a bike tomorrow if possible. There are loads of bike locked up and being ridden all around town. Nobody seems to wear a helmet, so we might stick out a bit for that, but who cares. I would like to venture out to perhaps Ehrenfeld and bike seems like the most practical way to do that. I must remember to ride on the right, though.

I might also buy a loaf of bread to snack on later. I’m too tired to eat right now.

There is a very severe looking lady seated diagonally across from me in the restaurant. She seems to be waiting for someone, but she’s been here longer than I have and is still waiting. She reminds me of Grandma B which makes my heart ache somewhat. I miss her stoicism and rigid practicality. I could use some of that sometimes. It is good to remember her.

4 months ago

Köln reconnaissance, assorted pics from Days 1 and 2

4 months ago

Köln reconnaissance, more assorted pics from Days 1 and 2

4 months ago
9 notes
22/01/2012, 7am The sun is about to start rising. It’s still dark, but shapes are emerging from the dim as the train rolls by. I think the next station is Koblenz. I’m on an ICE train going from Frankfurt Hbf to Köln Hbf following the Rhein river upstream and north. We’re passing towns with castles all lit up and churches pointing into the early morning. The flight was fine. On the Melbourne-Singapore leg I chatted with a lovely man who had been at the Australian Open and ran an amazing-sounding tennis club in London. He had built up derelict par facilities into a real community centre and Tennis Australia had flown him out to give a talk. His family is originally from Diana (British Guyana) and India before that. They sounded like a super-sporty bunch and he was a delight to speak with. I also watched Drive and Another Earth, which I really enjoyed. On the Singapore-Frankfurt leg I sat further down the back of the plane in a two-seater next to a young girl who seemed to be having some sort of crisis and was a little rude, to be honest. I watched a bunch of forgettable Hollywood nonsense and some early Ab Fab episodes which are complete genius. I slept about 4 hours total - I don’t think the Phernergen helped all that much except in the area of reducing the headache I had from sinuses blocking up. Damn airconditioning. I had a bit of a panic getting to the Bahnhof from the Flughafe, but once I realised the bus shuttle took one straight there, I was fine. At the Bahnhof I bought an ICE ticket from a machine to travel straight to Köln and took no notice at all of the platform or departure time. None of which is printed on the resulting ticket. Make note for next time! I made it to Platform / Gleis 7 just in time. I’ve taken a few iPhone shots from the train. They’re grainy, but I think you get the idea of what the train ride through the valley beside the river is like. Towns appear and disappear, there are barges constantly travelling up and down. The tracks are largely at river-level and sometimes there is a road visible. Old fortifications or what look like castles are frequently seen along the top of the valley. The houses are stone, brick, slate-roofed and some are whitewashed. Lots of variation with what looks to me like Tudor-styling on many. It is cold outside, around 8C, I think. A very fresh chill. If I was standing around in it, I would surely be freezing, but the train is pleasant and keeping moving when I arrive I should be fine. My jacket is terrific. The plane was flying through low cloud most of the approach to Frankfurt, It is still very cloudy and grey but the time os only just after 8am. There is farmland even on the steep slopes of the valley. Both sides of the river are similar, although I’m drawn to my side of the carriage and watching to the left across the river. Every now and again part of a village is between the tracks and the water. When that happens, I can see into backyards, churchyards and graveyards. There may be small vineyards growing also, just to complete the yard-list. A few factories, unsurprising and utilitarianly ugly. I can see people through windows: getting dressed, eating breakfast and generally getting ready for the day. Not sure what the town is, but we’ve crossed over to the other side of the river. It’s a bigger town than (I think) most the train has passed through so far. Oh, I think it’s Koblenz. We’ll be stopping for the second time here. Yes, Koblenz Hbf. Previous and extensive Google-Mapping of the area is pretty much the only reason I’m not currently experiencing a major panic right now. I’m not at all worried that I’m on the train because: The ticket inspector was completely cool All these stations are along the river to my destination. I just realised I haven’t noted my first interaction with a native yet. Once the plane taxied into the terminal and everyone got up to get their bags and loiter, I sat and watched the terminal staff. A guy drove up on a stair car similar to the Bluth’s. He extended it up to the rear door of the plane behind my seat. Seeing me watching him as he secured it, he gave me a huge, cheesy grin and a welcoming wave. Such a friendly gesture, I relaxed immediately. Looks like more of a flood plain out here past Koblenz. I can’t see the river, I wonder where we’ll join up again. Oh, we haven’t left it at all, just momentarily veered off course a wee bit. It’s almost 9am now, so I think Köln might be next. It’s still extremely beautiful even though it is also very grey. i don’t think the un is fully up yet, so we’ll see if that changes. Nope: Bonn! That means Köln is definitely next. Bonn is lovely. Well, from the train, anyway!

22/01/2012, 7am

The sun is about to start rising. It’s still dark, but shapes are emerging from the dim as the train rolls by. I think the next station is Koblenz.

I’m on an ICE train going from Frankfurt Hbf to Köln Hbf following the Rhein river upstream and north. We’re passing towns with castles all lit up and churches pointing into the early morning.

The flight was fine. On the Melbourne-Singapore leg I chatted with a lovely man who had been at the Australian Open and ran an amazing-sounding tennis club in London. He had built up derelict par facilities into a real community centre and Tennis Australia had flown him out to give a talk. His family is originally from Diana (British Guyana) and India before that. They sounded like a super-sporty bunch and he was a delight to speak with. I also watched Drive and Another Earth, which I really enjoyed.

On the Singapore-Frankfurt leg I sat further down the back of the plane in a two-seater next to a young girl who seemed to be having some sort of crisis and was a little rude, to be honest. I watched a bunch of forgettable Hollywood nonsense and some early Ab Fab episodes which are complete genius. I slept about 4 hours total - I don’t think the Phernergen helped all that much except in the area of reducing the headache I had from sinuses blocking up. Damn airconditioning.

I had a bit of a panic getting to the Bahnhof from the Flughafe, but once I realised the bus shuttle took one straight there, I was fine. At the Bahnhof I bought an ICE ticket from a machine to travel straight to Köln and took no notice at all of the platform or departure time. None of which is printed on the resulting ticket. Make note for next time! I made it to Platform / Gleis 7 just in time.

I’ve taken a few iPhone shots from the train. They’re grainy, but I think you get the idea of what the train ride through the valley beside the river is like. Towns appear and disappear, there are barges constantly travelling up and down.

The tracks are largely at river-level and sometimes there is a road visible. Old fortifications or what look like castles are frequently seen along the top of the valley. The houses are stone, brick, slate-roofed and some are whitewashed. Lots of variation with what looks to me like Tudor-styling on many.

It is cold outside, around 8C, I think. A very fresh chill. If I was standing around in it, I would surely be freezing, but the train is pleasant and keeping moving when I arrive I should be fine. My jacket is terrific.

The plane was flying through low cloud most of the approach to Frankfurt, It is still very cloudy and grey but the time os only just after 8am.

There is farmland even on the steep slopes of the valley. Both sides of the river are similar, although I’m drawn to my side of the carriage and watching to the left across the river. Every now and again part of a village is between the tracks and the water. When that happens, I can see into backyards, churchyards and graveyards. There may be small vineyards growing also, just to complete the yard-list.

A few factories, unsurprising and utilitarianly ugly. I can see people through windows: getting dressed, eating breakfast and generally getting ready for the day.

Not sure what the town is, but we’ve crossed over to the other side of the river. It’s a bigger town than (I think) most the train has passed through so far. Oh, I think it’s Koblenz. We’ll be stopping for the second time here. Yes, Koblenz Hbf.

Previous and extensive Google-Mapping of the area is pretty much the only reason I’m not currently experiencing a major panic right now. I’m not at all worried that I’m on the train because:

  1. The ticket inspector was completely cool
  2. All these stations are along the river to my destination.

I just realised I haven’t noted my first interaction with a native yet. Once the plane taxied into the terminal and everyone got up to get their bags and loiter, I sat and watched the terminal staff. A guy drove up on a stair car similar to the Bluth’s. He extended it up to the rear door of the plane behind my seat. Seeing me watching him as he secured it, he gave me a huge, cheesy grin and a welcoming wave. Such a friendly gesture, I relaxed immediately.

Looks like more of a flood plain out here past Koblenz. I can’t see the river, I wonder where we’ll join up again.

Oh, we haven’t left it at all, just momentarily veered off course a wee bit.

It’s almost 9am now, so I think Köln might be next. It’s still extremely beautiful even though it is also very grey. i don’t think the un is fully up yet, so we’ll see if that changes.

Nope: Bonn! That means Köln is definitely next. Bonn is lovely. Well, from the train, anyway!

4 months ago
2 notes
That green bike? Yeah… that’s Tom’s. Just hanging in the Rivendell shed waiting to be shipped to us. Keven says it will ship this Friday, so fingers crossed!

That green bike? Yeah… that’s Tom’s. Just hanging in the Rivendell shed waiting to be shipped to us. Keven says it will ship this Friday, so fingers crossed!

4 months ago
7 notes

Bombadelay + Germany solo visit

We haven’t heard anything yet from Riv after last week’s email saying the Bombadil was ready for shipping, so we’re now expecting it to be delayed until at least next week. Oh well! At least we know it’s ready for us, but maybe the rest of the order is the delay this time.

I am almost definitely going to be flying to Germany the week after next to visit Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Köln and Düsseldorf for one week. It’s a bit of a flying visit which is crazy and I am hoping will be fun. Right now, though, I am experiencing unbelievable levels of anxiety about it, though Tom is optimistic and probably a little jealous that he can’t make it himself. He can’t really afford to spend a week away from writing when he is behind on that already.

I’ve been trying to read German grammar textbooks and finding it extremely difficult to understand. English is so simple in comparison, but that’s really only because we have lost all the complexity that continues in German and other European languages. It’s actually a real shame because it makes learning another European language twice as difficult when you can’t see the use of all those rules!