Cologne & My Christmas Present

Cathedral at Koln 

The border town to LALA Land … (Lala stands for Happy / Dream world / Crazy / High)

So close to Holland …. Where I would be called a drug tourist in the near future but that’s a story in the future.

So Cologne or Koln as they spell it with a small dash above the ‘n’ has a nice medieval feel to it with a humongous cathedral smack in the middle of the city. 

Although not as grand as some others but due to the small town size in comparison this cathedral, it stood out majestically.

LOVE LOCKS

Like any other town and after so many of em … my memory is stating to filter which bits are memorable enough to be retained.

( Also writing about it after a year plus doesn’t help )

The locks which I so often see around Europe was filled on grills on one of the main bridge crossing the major river cutting the town in half. From what I guess, Couples or loved ones would buy a lock …. As fancy as you can find …. Write each others name down and lock it.

So once a year or once in a lifetime or whatever, whenever you and your loved one comes back to the place the idea is to see that the locks stays through, unbroken throughout the year.

Love Locks - If you notice the Cut Out Portion

Of course that’s if the municipal decided to let these irritating happy couples locks remain on the fence and does not become a sore eyes in terms of beauty. Then there is also the break ups … If you break up … come back with a huge cutter and rip that lock out of the fence like a big heartbreak …

SHOP SHOP SHOP

Koln was one nice little shopping district town. Boy how the girls would love it especially near Christmas where not only the shopping district is so crowded by people doing Christmas present shopping, the Christmas market also feed into the shopping atmosphere making the town feel like one huge giant shopping center. All roads were closed to vehicles too so with the foot traffic its was like a stampede.

I joined in the shopping mood for once after a long time and was searching for a pair of glasses. I was still depending on my one and only glasses that I wore since the spare was stolen in the first flight from Kuala Lumpur to Athens. So if by some bad luck it broke … ( It was already flimsy ) I would have been screwed.

My Self Christmas Present of 2011 

The casino earning just before at Leipzig helped boost my morale for a good pair of glasses. In the end I got just the frame brand from Jaguar. My self Christmas Present. 

Off to Cologne …. By Recommendation of Scruffy

One of the best part of traveling without a plan is that if some random new friend that you meet along the way give you tips of places you should visit especially if its along your planned route …. 

Or even slightly out of route … the ability to detour is highly possible instead of being tied to the structured planned of flights tickets or tour groups or even personnel itinerary

So Cologne was on my list ever since Florence Italy back one month ago. I never did knew how I was going to hop my way to Amsterdam from Berlin but Scruffy said it was one small little tiny town that is not to be missed. Heck I was already in Leipzig so no harm in another venture

Trying to Earn my Christmas Present

Before I left Leipzig I was bored. Recuperating was good getting back my goals set, planned out a rough route … wash all my clothes … stuff up on food and just purely slacking for I know I would be going on another marathon when ever I hit the road.

However I was bored ….

Its one thing to stumble upon a Casino and walk in ….. but searching if Leipzig even had one online just to kill my boredom made me realized slightly I might have a problem.

This would like what … my 5th consecutive casino stop since Vienna. I am starting to think the backpacking trip is a casino exploration trip. Friends use to tell me that after 5pm in western countries everything closes except the Pubs. 

There is nothing else for you to do other than drink and watch a game of football …. Correction …. There is still the casino which became my favorite pastime

So I step into one small little gaming places which are full of automated machines or “Pokeys”, or “Slots” and one of those electronic roulette. Long story short … I made it out with 245 euro … the casinos were funding my vacation at this point … but I wouldn’t advice anyone if following my footsteps while backpacking …

Overnight Train to Cologne

This was my first overnight train in Europe. Most places I traveled was within 4 hours ride so an overnight sleeper did not make sense since you’ll be stranded in the cold without a place to stay and it sucks navigating at night.

The train took me from Leipzig to Frankfurt where it was a weird interchange. Lucky for me I had a local random stranger guide who speaks English. I stopped at one station .. Hopped off the tracks … walk to the nearby bus stop … took a bus to the next train station …. And caught the next train to Cologne.

Apparently I could have waited at the same platform for the next train which would have took like 2 hours or more but by skipping some bus stops and hopping to the next station I could catch the bullet train that was coming in sooner but wont stop at that small station in Frankfurt.

Or something like that ….

Local knowledge ….

Well with that a single ticket bought hot off the train station counter costs me 64 euro … not too bad …

Winter & Christmas Market

Although Leipzig was to be a getaway for recovery from all the traveling you could never really stop exploring. I mean since you are here right, might as well just take a stroll and see what there is to see.

Walking around during the day was quite a bore on a late November as there was not much to do, though walking along the streets and just watching peoples lives going about was enough to pass two days of my time. 

Night time though was a different thing altogether. Christmas markets lights up the whole of the town center at night where only pedestrian are allowed with all the mini carts and food stalls and Christmas hand crafted trinkets stalls.

Every stalls are decorated with Christmas colors with Santa houses and candy sticks. The trinkets or gifts could be all kinds of stuff but mainly local hand crafted items and not those that you would usually find back in south east asia such as knock off bulk produced tourist trap goodies. These were locals with almost every stall selling different items.

Christmas Market in Leipzig

I don’t think you would be able to get them trinkets off a chain store anywhere but then again many items were pointless to a backpacker like me who cant carry much stuff. 

Still it was fascinating to just browse through the many stalls of goodies. I wouldn’t be able to tell if they have the same things every year but for me it was definitely a new discovery hence the long slow walk sniffing everything.

The FOODIE

Food stall however was another story. Almost every three stalls of trinkets you would find a food stall. Most popular of course would be the German Bratwurst Hot Dog Stall from all different types of brands. 

I choose …. To be the kiasu Singaporean in this matter and just headed to the longest queue I could find. One problem was I couldn’t speak German and neither could they speak English. 

Good hand sign pointing to the next guy who just got his food and a thumbs up got me my food. To wash it down came the hot mulled wine sold also every other three stalls in nice clay cups decorated and custom made for Christmas Market 2011. 

Apparently you would have to pay for the wine and the cup as well about 4 euro. The price also depends on how fancy the cup was as different stand would have different cups but generally only about 3 different kinds in the whole markets.

Hot Mulled Wine and a Hotdog

So if you wan a souvenir from Christmas Markets in Germany just keep the cups. Some could even make it a yearly tradition I suppose but for poor backpackers like me you could also return the cups and get a refund of 2 euro. Or a refill for 2 euro. Nice system I would say.

Seeing the people prepare the mulled wine out in the open cold no one could resist stopping and buying a cup to sip. Heck it was freezing as well so almost everyone nearly always had a cup in hand even the kids …. 

Though theirs might had been hot chocolate. You buy a drink at one edge of the town where the markets starts … keep refilling and finally return to another stand at the opposite side of the market as long it’s the same pattern.

I might had missed out German Beer and October Feast but sipping hot mulled wine out in the freezing cold eating a bratwurst hotdog sure made up for it.

Hostel in a House & The blue Eye blond hair German Boy

The first hostel that was like a home in a apartment with no one else but me or so I thought. Not a bad pick for a getaway from your own holiday which I now somewhat understand why long travelers just camp out days in the hostel when there is so much to explore.

Its tiring traveling ….

I decided to stay for four days to recuperate and just chill in the quiet corner and catch up in rest and more long awaited journal writing. I had to also planned my next fast track route with no rest all the way to England. So I decided since there was a small kitchen with basic facility to went grocery shopping.

One big packet of German Sausage ( 12 pcs )
One tray of Egg ( 12 eggs )
One packet of cheese ( 12 pcs )
A jar of mayonnaise
A large loaf of bread
A full packet of onions ( 5 big pcs )

That was supposedly my supply for lunch and dinner for four days worth of food. A bit too much for me alone but there was a reason for it. It was cheaper to buy in bulk even considering throwing away one third of it. I guess there was also always the idea of leaving the balance behind for the next backpacker who’s on a budget.

Leave a note …. “Extra food for all” … that was my idea anyway …

Then came my housemate in the wee evening checking in and although we both paid for the cheapest dorm room there was, the owner was so kind to give us both our own room since there was practically no one there.

My housemate “Bluey” … somehow the name fits as he was in a blue mood most of the time considering his life situation and his blue eyes.

Bluey was a blue eyed blond hair German boy in the early thirties. His story was like any other … a bachelor in the pursuit of happiness. 

He came to Leipzig to find jobs and had almost no money left other than to pay the rent for the dorm. While cooking I asked if he would join me and before I knew it I was cooking and feeding a new weird friend for three days. 

I had the extra food anyway which I had to explain the theory before he would even consider taking my food. A pure gentleman he was trying to make it on his own two feet.

Bluey and I exchanged stories from all sorts of stuff from politics, hobbies, sports, ideology, religion and culture since we basically were just hanging out for dinner everyday and just chatted till late night before sleep.

The one that stuck in my head after nearly a year since the trip will always be of the German culture mindset change due to the WWII. According to Bluey before the world war the Germans were proud people, they had pride in being a nation or country but after the war it was changed. 

The Germans were still proud in the sense of making good cars like BMW or being technologically advance or still being afloat during the Euro crisis but would no longer show a sense to fight/die for your country. 

He told me that kids were thought of the WWII and being on the losing side will always have an effect on the people. Bluey told me of how when young he would be shown on TV the torture and suffering of the Holocaust and kids would ask their parents why did German people did it which was truly difficult to answer. 

The effect resulted in what I would consider a very kind / overly friendly German people. So much so polite they were that you’ll come to love em more than the rude Italians or Uncooperative Greeks. Then again its just what I felt at that time.

My thanks from Bluey for the food was one shared small bottle of German Whiskey Jagermeister.

“Jubel”

Leipzig My Getaway Town

My miserable days in Berlin due to the cold weather was too much to bear so I was now looking for a place to chill relax and just box up in a warm room for a few days. I ended up in Leipzig by staring at the Germany map after many hours in the hostel dorm.

Why Leipzig …. I have no idea but it seam like the less touristy place of all and it was about time for a recharge pit stop anyway.

Leipzig Train Station

There was not much choices of hostel in Leipzig and I went on to chose the cheapest there was about 10euro a night which was way out of town. 

It was really far from the train station or main town square in a sense you need to take a bus ride for 15 minutes or at lease an hour and half walk.

HomePlanet-Hostel was the name of the place.

The location was very local … right smack in the middle of the local residency. There was nothing there touristy and when I turn up at the door step ringing the bell I found my self not in a hostel but in a local resident apartment. 

The owner had improvised the place to become a hostel and with the current internet cyberspace these days it was easy to get an account on hostel world or hostel bookers and he was trying to set up some sort of mini business.

Not a bad idea thou he had lots more to improve since there was no reception hence if you arrive without advance notice and the owner is drinking at the bar … you probably sleep at the pavement since the owner don’t stay there as well.

I was almost left sleeping at the pavement as well ……

Still it was a cozy place very comfortable and best of all during the winter month of November it was practically empty. Cold November plus not so touristy town plus far far away hostel left me with the whole apartment to myself .… or so I thought at first till my housemate buddy showed up later. ( another story on the next post )

Brr Brr Berlin

Did I mention how f*cking cold it is here in Berlin? I know I live at the equatorial line but for some reason 7 degrees here in Berlin feel so damn cold I couldn’t stay outside more than an hour. 

I had to keep ducking into building to warm up and where the hell is that German Beer I hear so much about. (I now know Bavaria is where the beer is !!!) Being well near Christmas did not help as well.

Sadly the cold was one of the reason why I left Berlin under explored. The brief time I was there however was spent walking around in circles outside just visiting and marveling on a good job on how they manage to match the old and the new totally together. 

On one side you see a old building full with ornaments and on the other a totally modern crazy futuristic building.

I somehow know this post wont do Berlin Justice and would have to in future re visit this place to soak in the moment. Ironic thou the hostels was cheaper than the one in Prague; must be the winter season.

Berlin Cathedral 

Fast Pace Sightseeing ( Due to COLD )

Holocaust Memorial 

The history of Germany with the WWII and the internal cold war and divisions is hard to miss. The Holocaust memorial was like a solemn place but a wonderful playground for children playing hide and seek. 

They don’t explain the history to it other than state it was a memorial. A gruesome one which in my opinion information best left to those who seek it. In a way it was peaceful with many tourist visitors and most locals dun pay any mind to it other than a side glance once a while.

My stubborn refusal to pay to enter a museum kicked in and ended up just wondering around the beautiful old compound of the building. Due to my lack of German history I could not tell if these building were indeed survivor of the old times or reconstructed as it was. Still it was a pretty sight just walking around Berlin

DO NOT GET LOST IN THE PARK …..

Roundabout in the Middle 

There is a huge park east of the Berlin Wall which is enormous with four main road leading to the center roundabout and one of em to the famous Brandenburg Gate. 

The main gate where people could go from east to west Berlin during the Cold War if you have the proper documentations. The park … which I got lost in … was so huge I thought I was in the jungle for a moment. Good thing the map shows it was surrounded by civilization.

To the north of the Brandenburg Gate lies the Berliner Dom which I will need to visit again. Apparently you could go in …. for free …. But will require a online booking in advance of at lease a week. Still looks damn amazing from outside in my opinion. Still the cold was getting to me so everything was not as interesting as they should be.

Brandenburg Gate 

My Casino Venture in Berlin

So far the luck I had in casino in cashing out money was good. So when I stumble across a casino somewhere on the east side of Berlin amid all the shopping area I gave up trying to be a goody good boy.

Casino is my friend.
Whenever I am bored you are there for me
Whenever I am cold you are there for me
Whenever I need money you give me hope
When I need a free toilet you provide with no doubt
Sometimes you even treat me to drinks and meals
I don’t know what I do without you

This round in the casino was a wake up call for me. I went in and less then half an hour I had lost 300 euro. Maybe it was the cold wet weather that was getting to me for I could not focus and was gambling purely on luck. No calculated risk, no studying of pattern, NO PATIENCE.

So I did something stupid when I was down 300 euro and threw balance of my money down onto a 33% chance of winning dozen bet in roulette. I manage to recover portion but was still down 200 euro. 

My stupidity continue and 200 euro was again placed in the dozen bet and by some crazy luck I won and now had a 300 euro earnings. Good thing was I suddenly realized how dangerously I was gambling without control and called it quits while I had some winnings.

At lease I had learn my lesson from Prague … I walk out with the money this time

Graffiti Galore at Berlin

I had heard about the Berlin Walls and the section they kept for memorial. Fellow traveling friends along the way told me it was beautiful as it was painted in graffiti but what I did not knew was Berlin was already filled with art not just the walls. Weird art with hidden meaning. Kinda suited my dark humor type of leisure.

It's said that they change the graffiti every few years ....

The east facing side is painted with deep symbolic meaning while he west facing side was left to be ugly with dirt graffiti and chewing gums.

Picture tells a thousand words rite ….. enjoy :)

Graffiti on the side of a Building

West Side of the Berlin Wall

Chewing Gums on the West Side of the Berlin Wall 

Prague To Berlin & A Friendly German Guy

Winter is coming, and I could feel the changes gradually and also through the things which I was obtaining without knowing. I now have a proper jacket, two pairs of gloves a winter hat, more alcohol, … I seem to think I could sustain warmth with alcohol but in reality all it did was keeping my senses numb hence I don’t shiver outside in the cold.

Fernsehturm Berlin 

So with the upcoming direction towards west Europe where everything would be significantly expensive plus I was headed to Berlin the highest point north in the map so far, I wasn’t so sure how I was going to survive. One thing for sure was I was not going to be visiting Norway or Sweden this round.

The train to Berlin was quiet with the cabin full at every stop. A friendly nod and greeting was more or less everything that anyone does. I sat down next to the window far inside tripping through three people from the door and settled myself for the journey. 

Opening my Lonely Planet book I started to do some research of Berlin with my mind blank for once not filled with anticipation or expectation. I was just on the road … no biggie

“Backpacking Europe ? Going to Berlin ? First Time ? Where you from ?”, a bald headed guy kick started a conversation with me seeing the book in my hand.

We ended up chatting about my travels and adventures for *Baldie* was quite curious of an Asian boy traveling alone going places. After a while he switched to the place I would be going and started recommending places to visit in Germany. 

Baldie was a Germen and he was proud of his country although after a while you soon realized he had a small rein on his proudness being careful not to insult anyone else and quite self aware of the WWII which was a touchy subject.

It was weird … he was proud of Germany doing well despite the Euro dept crisis and yet he sympathizes with the neighboring countries who were in the slump. 

I tested water with a remark about how Germany earns the money and gives it to Greek or Italy for that matter so those country don’t need to work so hard. His reply was so neutral you would almost thought he felt Germany was indebted to all the countries in the world.

Berlin was my stop but he was headed onwards to Hamburg. Once he found out I had no interest in WWII or the concentration camps he started suggesting so many places of interest to visit in Germany. 

The history of the Berlin wall …. I drifted to dreamland a bit here but by the time he was done and me making notations all over the guidebook I knew I was going to stay in Berlin for at lease a week instead of the initial 3 days plan.

Next Stop Berlin … and to my horror he came down with me on my stop. He walked very fast to the tourist information center and before I could do anything he got me a map, a discount card for the Bahn (Trains), pointed me on the orientation of the city, a quick guided tour of the new station and the monuments within eyesight’s or mainly the Parliament buildings and bid me farewell leaving me stupefied standing at the middle of the station waving goodbye to a overly friendly German guy.