On the train...
Hey! I am back. And this time, flying through southern Germany at 200+ clicks on a ICE (Inter City Express) train. I’m headed to Switzerland for the funeral of my late grandfather (on my mother’s side). The funeral is on Wednesday, but I’ll be there Mon thru Thursday to visit family.
The reason for my week-long absence from the Net is unknown. Literally. Last Saturday the internet connection at the Pabst’s stoped working and is still down. However, my grandpa (on my father’s side) has internet, so I will be connected for the next few days.
…I’m halfway between Karlstadt and Offenburg at the moment. Storm clouds are brewing…the countryside is nice.
Sorry, I’m not thinking very coherently. Somewhat randomly at the moment. Maybe I should go for some stream of conciousness writing. All right here goes…
Arriving in Offenburg at the moment. This train doesn’t have a whole lot of leg room. Better than a plane, but worse than the last train (Wurzburg – Frankfurt). I had to wait twenty minutes in Frankfurt and I just watched the people go by. It so cool to see a big express train come in and then 100s of people stream off of it and each head their separate way. Makes one think where everyone is going. And what they’re doing. And if they’re happy. Or sad. Or just blah. We’re stopped in Offenburg now. The weather here (in Giebelstadt, where I live) is uncommonly warm. Yesterday, (the first advent), the sun was shining and the temperature was 15 degrees (and even a bit warmer in the sun). Oh, we’re off again. Felt like spring. Not like Christmas tine. I’m jealous of all you in Vancouver. A foot of snow?? So cool. I’ve heard that some of you already went skiing. So envious… But I’ll be skiing in the Austrian alpys in February, I guess I can’t say anything. Last Friday I spent the day at Jonathan’s workplace. Jonathan is now 16 and is in a school where he alternates class and practicum. Very cool, in my opinion. As he hoping to become a social worker, he is working at a institute for the blind. He is actually working in a section where they take care of blind, severely handicapped children. It’s tough work. The kids live at home, but are brought to the institute at 8:00 and stay there until 4:00. Something like school, but these kids are so handicapped that you can’t really do school with them. John works in a group of five kids, together with two full-time social workers. They
…I’m getting a touch hungry. Give me a sec while I dig out my Lindt orange-dark chocolate bar…
OH MAN! THIS STUFF IS SO FLIPPIN’ GOOD!! Heaven on Earth…how can I describe how happy my mouth is at the moment? The sweet/sour taste of oranges (made with real oranges and orange rind, not flavoring) mixed with the sweet/bitter of 70% cocoa dark chocolate. I wish everyone could have the chance to experience such goodness
we’re approaching Freiburg
Why do I always say we? Maybe because I feel an inner connection with the people on this train? Or maybe because I share such a special connection with my Lindt chocolate bar that I have to hitherto express myself together with it (the chocolate bar) as we? Or maybe there is absolutely no reason.
We’re in Freiburg. Slowing down…10 km/h…4 km/h… 0.5 km/h…0 km/h. German trains slow down nicely. Okay, we (the chocolate bar and I) are in the Freiburger train station. There is an old man sitting on the bench outside my window. Sorry, Julie, I don’t have time to take a picture. We’re off again. 5 km/h…20 km/h…40 km/h…60 km/h….we just crossed a bridge…70 km/h…100 km/h….120 km/h
At first I really thought that was no reason for using “we”. But now I’m convinced that it is the second reason. I’m already enraptured in this relationship. We are one. Literally, for the half bar that is in my stomach, and figuratively, for the other half that still resides in my backpack. But it too wants to be in my stomach. Or I want to it to want to be in my stomach.
I have a relationship with my orange Ovamaltine bottle, too. I know many of you are already acquainted with him. But that relationship is more of a long-term, mutual, brother to brother relationship. We work well together. But this relationship with the chocolate bar…I don’t know, it was/is a love at first sight (in this case, taste) type of relationship. You know you should abstain, be disciplined, think about the future…but…
OH, THIS CHOCOLATE IS SOO GOOD!! You know what I mean. My relationship with my orange Ovalmatine bottle is steady, built over years of living together. This chocolate bar…out of the blue. The bottle and I, we support each other, we work on a deeper level. This relationship with the chocolate bar…purely sensual.
WHY IS THIS CHOCOLATE BAR SO GOOD??!!
We (the chocolate bar and I. And the bottle. He’s coming along as a chaperone. Make sure things don’t get out of hand) are approaching Basel. The weather is looking worse. Overcast, with just a sprinkle of rain. But in here we (the chocolate bar, bottle, and I) are cozy. Real cozy. See you on the next train.
I’m (sorry, we’re) back. Some tense moments there. Our train was a bit late, and we only had a few minutes to catch the connecting train to Bern. But it’s all good now. Only 50 minutes now until we arrive in the capital of Switzerland! I love Switzerland
Oops, the conductor just came by. I’m in the first-class compartment. Just a moment while I jet out of here…
Now I’m up on the second level (second-class, but it’s pretty darn nice). Double-decker trains or so chill. Great view. The weather is mixed (at the moment dark, as we’re in a tunnel). The countryside is beautiful, as is often in the case in Swizerland. The swiss are tunnel-building-happy. In Canada, when there is a hill in the way of a road or train, you go around it. Or over it. In Swizerland, they just go through it. Ah, we’re out again. Shoot, back in another one. Last year, as we were driving through Switzerland, we drove through a 5 km tunnel that went underneath flat farmland. Ah, we’re out again. I guess they wanted to preserve the nice, quiet countryside. The things you can do with a lot of money…
It’s raining.
And another tunnel
And back out again
Oh, another one
And back in the rain
Another one
Back out again
Another one
And back out again
Is this getting repetitive??
Another one. I think we’re going underneath a village. I’m not sure though. Maybe a village AND a hill.
We’re out again. No, just a village. No hill in sight.
The rain has stopped and the sun is breaking through. No blue sky yet.
An express train passed us going the other way. Imagine, two trains going at 200 km/h in opposite directions. You see the other train for two seconds before it’s gone again. Imagine if they collided.
BLUE SKY!! AND THE ALPS! I JUST SAW A MOUNTAIN! Oh, that warms my soul.
We just passed
Wait, a tunnel
As I was saying, we just passed a truck with Emmental cheese painted all over it. Beautiful.
We’re out again.
You can get emmentall
Another one.
You can get emm
We’re out
You can get emmentaller cheese in Germany too.
Actually, we have it a lot.
Emmentaller cheese is the
Okay, that was a really short one
Emmentaller cheese is the strereotypical swiss cheese with holes in it.
Emmenthal means “Emmen Valley”. Because the river Emmen flows through it.
Hey, I see the Bantiger radio tower. We hiked
A really short tunnel again
We hiked up to it a few years back as we were in Switzerland.
A tunnel
Fours years ago. With my Aunt and Uncle.
The tower is on a hill, with great views of the surrounding area. It was really hot.
Too hot for my taste.
We just passed a train in the tunnel. Makes a cool rushing noise.
This is a long one.
I don’t think t
Forget it, we just came out.
Bern is approaching fast.
No, we’re approaching Bern fast.
Signing out from beautiful Switzerland
“TRITZ DEN MORGEN ROT DEN HERRN, SHE (stupid Auto-correct. It’s supposed to be S-E-H) ICH DICH IM…!”
(that’s the beginning of the Swiss national anthem. Completely misspelled. I forget the words too.)
Peace out
Love you all
Editor’s Note: Don’t go on long train rides on your own. It’s a threat to your mental stability
The reason for my week-long absence from the Net is unknown. Literally. Last Saturday the internet connection at the Pabst’s stoped working and is still down. However, my grandpa (on my father’s side) has internet, so I will be connected for the next few days.
…I’m halfway between Karlstadt and Offenburg at the moment. Storm clouds are brewing…the countryside is nice.
Sorry, I’m not thinking very coherently. Somewhat randomly at the moment. Maybe I should go for some stream of conciousness writing. All right here goes…
Arriving in Offenburg at the moment. This train doesn’t have a whole lot of leg room. Better than a plane, but worse than the last train (Wurzburg – Frankfurt). I had to wait twenty minutes in Frankfurt and I just watched the people go by. It so cool to see a big express train come in and then 100s of people stream off of it and each head their separate way. Makes one think where everyone is going. And what they’re doing. And if they’re happy. Or sad. Or just blah. We’re stopped in Offenburg now. The weather here (in Giebelstadt, where I live) is uncommonly warm. Yesterday, (the first advent), the sun was shining and the temperature was 15 degrees (and even a bit warmer in the sun). Oh, we’re off again. Felt like spring. Not like Christmas tine. I’m jealous of all you in Vancouver. A foot of snow?? So cool. I’ve heard that some of you already went skiing. So envious… But I’ll be skiing in the Austrian alpys in February, I guess I can’t say anything. Last Friday I spent the day at Jonathan’s workplace. Jonathan is now 16 and is in a school where he alternates class and practicum. Very cool, in my opinion. As he hoping to become a social worker, he is working at a institute for the blind. He is actually working in a section where they take care of blind, severely handicapped children. It’s tough work. The kids live at home, but are brought to the institute at 8:00 and stay there until 4:00. Something like school, but these kids are so handicapped that you can’t really do school with them. John works in a group of five kids, together with two full-time social workers. They
…I’m getting a touch hungry. Give me a sec while I dig out my Lindt orange-dark chocolate bar…
OH MAN! THIS STUFF IS SO FLIPPIN’ GOOD!! Heaven on Earth…how can I describe how happy my mouth is at the moment? The sweet/sour taste of oranges (made with real oranges and orange rind, not flavoring) mixed with the sweet/bitter of 70% cocoa dark chocolate. I wish everyone could have the chance to experience such goodness
we’re approaching Freiburg
Why do I always say we? Maybe because I feel an inner connection with the people on this train? Or maybe because I share such a special connection with my Lindt chocolate bar that I have to hitherto express myself together with it (the chocolate bar) as we? Or maybe there is absolutely no reason.
We’re in Freiburg. Slowing down…10 km/h…4 km/h… 0.5 km/h…0 km/h. German trains slow down nicely. Okay, we (the chocolate bar and I) are in the Freiburger train station. There is an old man sitting on the bench outside my window. Sorry, Julie, I don’t have time to take a picture. We’re off again. 5 km/h…20 km/h…40 km/h…60 km/h….we just crossed a bridge…70 km/h…100 km/h….120 km/h
At first I really thought that was no reason for using “we”. But now I’m convinced that it is the second reason. I’m already enraptured in this relationship. We are one. Literally, for the half bar that is in my stomach, and figuratively, for the other half that still resides in my backpack. But it too wants to be in my stomach. Or I want to it to want to be in my stomach.
I have a relationship with my orange Ovamaltine bottle, too. I know many of you are already acquainted with him. But that relationship is more of a long-term, mutual, brother to brother relationship. We work well together. But this relationship with the chocolate bar…I don’t know, it was/is a love at first sight (in this case, taste) type of relationship. You know you should abstain, be disciplined, think about the future…but…
OH, THIS CHOCOLATE IS SOO GOOD!! You know what I mean. My relationship with my orange Ovalmatine bottle is steady, built over years of living together. This chocolate bar…out of the blue. The bottle and I, we support each other, we work on a deeper level. This relationship with the chocolate bar…purely sensual.
WHY IS THIS CHOCOLATE BAR SO GOOD??!!
We (the chocolate bar and I. And the bottle. He’s coming along as a chaperone. Make sure things don’t get out of hand) are approaching Basel. The weather is looking worse. Overcast, with just a sprinkle of rain. But in here we (the chocolate bar, bottle, and I) are cozy. Real cozy. See you on the next train.
I’m (sorry, we’re) back. Some tense moments there. Our train was a bit late, and we only had a few minutes to catch the connecting train to Bern. But it’s all good now. Only 50 minutes now until we arrive in the capital of Switzerland! I love Switzerland
Oops, the conductor just came by. I’m in the first-class compartment. Just a moment while I jet out of here…
Now I’m up on the second level (second-class, but it’s pretty darn nice). Double-decker trains or so chill. Great view. The weather is mixed (at the moment dark, as we’re in a tunnel). The countryside is beautiful, as is often in the case in Swizerland. The swiss are tunnel-building-happy. In Canada, when there is a hill in the way of a road or train, you go around it. Or over it. In Swizerland, they just go through it. Ah, we’re out again. Shoot, back in another one. Last year, as we were driving through Switzerland, we drove through a 5 km tunnel that went underneath flat farmland. Ah, we’re out again. I guess they wanted to preserve the nice, quiet countryside. The things you can do with a lot of money…
It’s raining.
And another tunnel
And back out again
Oh, another one
And back in the rain
Another one
Back out again
Another one
And back out again
Is this getting repetitive??
Another one. I think we’re going underneath a village. I’m not sure though. Maybe a village AND a hill.
We’re out again. No, just a village. No hill in sight.
The rain has stopped and the sun is breaking through. No blue sky yet.
An express train passed us going the other way. Imagine, two trains going at 200 km/h in opposite directions. You see the other train for two seconds before it’s gone again. Imagine if they collided.
BLUE SKY!! AND THE ALPS! I JUST SAW A MOUNTAIN! Oh, that warms my soul.
We just passed
Wait, a tunnel
As I was saying, we just passed a truck with Emmental cheese painted all over it. Beautiful.
We’re out again.
You can get emmentall
Another one.
You can get emm
We’re out
You can get emmentaller cheese in Germany too.
Actually, we have it a lot.
Emmentaller cheese is the
Okay, that was a really short one
Emmentaller cheese is the strereotypical swiss cheese with holes in it.
Emmenthal means “Emmen Valley”. Because the river Emmen flows through it.
Hey, I see the Bantiger radio tower. We hiked
A really short tunnel again
We hiked up to it a few years back as we were in Switzerland.
A tunnel
Fours years ago. With my Aunt and Uncle.
The tower is on a hill, with great views of the surrounding area. It was really hot.
Too hot for my taste.
We just passed a train in the tunnel. Makes a cool rushing noise.
This is a long one.
I don’t think t
Forget it, we just came out.
Bern is approaching fast.
No, we’re approaching Bern fast.
Signing out from beautiful Switzerland
“TRITZ DEN MORGEN ROT DEN HERRN, SHE (stupid Auto-correct. It’s supposed to be S-E-H) ICH DICH IM…!”
(that’s the beginning of the Swiss national anthem. Completely misspelled. I forget the words too.)
Peace out
Love you all
Editor’s Note: Don’t go on long train rides on your own. It’s a threat to your mental stability
posted by thomassanz at
11:34 AM
4 Comments:
dude you are mentally unstable, that was an awesome entry, I hope you have a great time in Bern
I'm not sure that orange lindt chocolate is very healthy for your self-discipline.
um i think you always HAVE been mentally unstable, oh and save me some of that chocolate cuz its sounding so so so good right now. CHOCOLATE!! YUM!!! i think your stream of consciousness typing is way more interesting than your regular typing, but haha maybe thats b/c i'm just a weird person therefore i enjoy weird writing more! oh and where the heck are your pictures? hello? helllooooooo??? pictures? where? have you lost your nice new camera alREADY? shame tom, shame...
peace out.
dude, you're scaring me. come home, you resorting to frikin chocolate bars. come home to alex...
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