Terra Incognita .... FINALLY, i'm heading somewhere NEW .... Norderney

I'm awake a few times but the alarm clock at 7:00 finally gets me up.  Still no evidence of a single other human being in the long corridors ...

When I first see the breakfast buffet, I wish I had taken my camera along.  Cold cuts, cheeses including Brie, and the breakfast lady has just prepared 16 fried eggs for the total of 8 guests.  Christians exhibiting true hospitality!  Pope Francis seems to have had an effect here ;-)

Less than two hours until I have to roll into town, return the bike, and hop on a train.  

ACTUALLY, my scheduled train does not leave until 3 hours from now.  But I must catch a connecting train in Munster with only 10 minutes time to change platforms.  By now my experience with Deutsche Bahn has taught me to expect the first train to reach Munster more than 10 minutes late.  And given that I have to take a SHIP after the second train, missing that second train could have really shitty consequences !  Where is my TOWEL?  Don't Panic !

9:30
I get an e-mail from Werner inquiring what time my boat arrives because he wants to pick me up at the ferry terminal.  What a sweet man !

As usual, I have overestimated the time necessary to ride to town and to return the bike, so I'm sitting at the right station platform a full half hour before the scheduled train departure time. 

NO WiFi, of course.  This is Germany!  We keep making profits by cheating on emissions testing of our dirty automobiles. What do we need WiFi for? Free WiFi would just make it easier for people to find out how filthy and corrupt we really are !








While waiting for the train, I overhear a conversation from the bench right next to me.  Topic: refugees.  "THEY get everything for FREE, while WE GERMANS are STARVING".   

He even mentions where he got his information from "It's all in the internet. Just look on YouTube".  These are the same people who got their 'political knowledge' from Facebook before they voted for Trump in the US.  Germany has no idea what's coming yet.  
It's only been just over 80 years since riffraff of that type marched in the streets in their brown shirts and beat up socialists, democrats, and Jews.

Dark Ages 2.0 is coming quickly !

I'm taking my train one whole hour early on purpose, and it is only ONE minute late.  Quite punctual for Deutsche Bahn, but then it still has 1 whole hour to Munster to add to that delay ;-)

When I get to Munster, the train is only 5 minutes late !  I finally realize why the train was so packed.  It's the 101st German Day of Catholics. And it is being held in Munster. 

 That explains the strange mix of priests & middle-aged women in the train ;-)  Catholic men are easy to spot:  They are dressed 'properly' and unbelievably boring and they wear a constant fake benevolent smile on their face.  Don't laugh.   Catholics Day is a BIG thing in Germany.  People bring banners to emphasize their happiness to bathe in a sea of fellow believers (Just think of the crowd in Mecca, LOL). 

Even Chancellor Merkel was here in Munster to open the event.  

I'm shocked.  Munster Central Station actually offers Free WiFi.  After 3 failed attempts, I even get it to work ;-)  Not quite sure WHY it will only allow me to surf for 30 minutes .....

The first e-mail I get informs me that the train that was supposed to bring me to Munster at 12:22 will arrive in Munster LATE and that I will probably NOT make the connection in Munster.   LOL.  I knew perfectly well why I took an earlier train ;-)

12:00
I'm excited.  I will catch my train and I will arrive on time in about4.5 hours. And Werner will be waiting for me.  I finally realize why I was feeling so morose and depressed yesterday.  I NEED interesting people to talk to.  The last three days, my Mother simply didn't fill that role ;-(

12:20
LOL, I could have taken the later train (the delayed one) and still could have caught my train here in Munster.  HOW?   The train I'm about to take is LATE too ;-)   Armes Deutschland !


Not only is the reservation-display system KAPUTT in this train, but apparently the cleaning staff is not operational either ....

No-one ever seriously contended that Germans are a sophisticated or refined people ...

13:00
I'm in a train creeping North through the Low-Rhine-Plain.  The name should give it away.  There are NO hills here, just bushes, fields, houses, factories, and cars.   It's about as exciting as watching poplar trees out the window of the Trans-Siberia Express after having watched poplar trees out the windows for 3 days already ;-(

15:25
We've finally reached Norddeich Mole (literally: Northern Dyke Ferry Pier).  My ferry ticket is included in my rail-ticket. NICE !
What is discarded from the train mostly consists of pensioners, bickering at each other and at the poor service of Deutsche Bahn (They didn't see the overhead signs and complain that no one is telling them where to go). 

The loading gangway of the ferry is slanting downward and half of it is blocked by people clinging to the rails while someone keeps their Rolling/Walking devices from shooting down the walkway.  Somehow all this decrepitude gives me the feeling of boarding the ferry across the river Styx together with a bunch of dead people !

WHAT is going on here ?? Answer:  Tourists ogling the UN heritage-listed Wattenmeer
In plain English:  They are staring at WET MUD !

Behold the Wattenmeer (wet mud!)

Alternative Energy.  Here they don't just talk about it ....

Wet-Mud-ogling tourists in front of the Kite-Festival 

I'm glad to be off the train.  The air-conditioning was set way to cold and I'm feeling the beginning of a shoulder-muscles-related migraine setting in.   I hope the Euro 4.90 small bottle of Riesling will help to relax the muscles ;-)  Good thing I have it because while imbibing its content, I am informed that the ferry will be 20 minutes late, LOL.

The ferry's movements are GLACIAL.  I suspect it's not allowed to go faster so as not to affect the sensitive ecosystem of the Wattenmeer (all that wet yuk muddy stuff exposed during low tide)

It's not really that far, but the ferry will take one hour.  MUST NOT disturb the mud !

Is she impressed with her hubby's driving skills?  Their own private WET MUD encounter ;-)

The ferry FINALLY makes it to Norderney !  I get off this boat in anticipation of meeting friends I haven't seen in months.

Right away I spy the waiting figure of Werner. I'm so happy to see him; he's still the darling he was in December & January ;-)  My ferry was late to begin with and he came early (MUST NOT be late ;-), so the good man has been waiting for my arrival for one hour.

After a too quick shower, I meet Elke & Werner in a Greek restaurant.  It's really good to see them again, but the earlier migraine warnings were proper warnings and I have to return to my hotel early to crash onto my bed.

Let's hope tomorrow will be a better day ;-)(