More journal entries about our honeymoon (as told by Ben)…
Faster than a Locomotive…
5/20/05 8:30pm – Somewhere outside of Frankfort
While riding our now high speed train, Brenda and I noticed that it seemed we were going faster than before. I noticed the electronic sign would flash our speed. It would be about 200km/h which is about 120 mph. Soon our speed kept increasing to higher and higher speeds. At one point we hit 304 km/h and an announcement came over in German, then Dutch, then English “ladies and gentlemen, we are now going over 300 km/h which is over 188mph. Fast. Our ears keep popping like we are on an airplane, and the landscape goes by so fast. Tres Cool.
What the…
5/20/06 10:30pm – Frankfort Germany train station
So Brenda and I are sitting in the train station to Prague. We went to a bar to relax at 9:30pm when we got in. They close at 10, which we thought was odd, but okay. Turns out the whole station closes at 10. Everything is closing as I write. Trains are still running and people are still here, but now we have nowhere to go for about 90 minutes. Luckily it’s not too cold and we found a place to sit overlooking the station at a 2nd floor restaurant’s balcony. We are alone while Brenda reads and I continue with the DaVinci Code.
Small World
5/20/06 10:40pm – train station continued
I almost forgot that before we sat down we were at the train platform when a young teenage girl asked Brenda about a train. She said she was from Cannes (rem Festival Cannes) but when we mentioned we are from Chicago, she said she just lives in Cannes but was born in Schamburg, IL. Also, she’s on her way back from Prague. I don’t think too much of the girl, but I could tell Brenda thought less of her than I did. She didn’t mention our honeymoon which she normally does. Brenda told me later she just thought she was a snobby girl.
Midnight Train to Prague
5/20/06 – 5/21/06
Well we finally got on the train to Prague and found our first class cabin. “First class” that’s an odd term on this train. We did have a private car, but it was hardly the Ritz. On one wall was a small sink, and a closet of sorts. On the other wall were three bunk beds that could fold down off the wall so up to 3 people could sleep in this room, but it would be very tight quarters. The lowest bunk converted from a bed to a couch for three. Brenda and I could transform the bed to a couch so we could read a bit more before turning in, but we couldn’t figure out how to convert the couch back to a bed…so much for being the smartest couple my best person Carrie knows.
Once we were ready for some sleep, I gave Brenda the choice of top or bottom bunk. She chose the top bunk.
I am the greatest sleeper, perhaps one of the greatest of my generation. Jordan, Bird, Thomas…Greats in basketball – I could out sleep them all.
On a moving train, on a bunk no more than 6” wider than my shoulders, I was able to fall right asleep with my iPod on sleep timer listening to the DaVinci Code & my eyeglasses on my stomach. A sound sleep for at least 2-3 hours. Brenda however could not sleep, and decided to throw her sweater at me since she claims I was snoring and that was keeping her up.
Undaunted, I resumed my sleep, now on my side to appease my new bride. Falling right back to sleep, I was awoken once again by a violent knock at the cabin door. It was the German border patrol checking for passports and weapons. Apparently, they knocked multiple times and I kept sleeping. Told you I was good…
Up for the second time now, I told Brenda to switch bunks with me since she still hadn’t gotten to sleep. Now on the top bunk, like my days in the college dorms, I fell back to sleep quickly. I think Brenda eventually got a couple of hours sleep on the train. Once we got close to Prague, the conductor asked us if we wanted “breakfast”. Crap in plastic is more appropriate. It was a champagne flavored croissant (edible at best) with a cup of water, some boxed orange juice (???) and fish flavored pate to spread on dry rye bread sealed in plastic. Not a great start to Prague.
Prague to follow…..
5/20/05 8:30pm – Somewhere outside of Frankfort
While riding our now high speed train, Brenda and I noticed that it seemed we were going faster than before. I noticed the electronic sign would flash our speed. It would be about 200km/h which is about 120 mph. Soon our speed kept increasing to higher and higher speeds. At one point we hit 304 km/h and an announcement came over in German, then Dutch, then English “ladies and gentlemen, we are now going over 300 km/h which is over 188mph. Fast. Our ears keep popping like we are on an airplane, and the landscape goes by so fast. Tres Cool.
What the…
5/20/06 10:30pm – Frankfort Germany train station
So Brenda and I are sitting in the train station to Prague. We went to a bar to relax at 9:30pm when we got in. They close at 10, which we thought was odd, but okay. Turns out the whole station closes at 10. Everything is closing as I write. Trains are still running and people are still here, but now we have nowhere to go for about 90 minutes. Luckily it’s not too cold and we found a place to sit overlooking the station at a 2nd floor restaurant’s balcony. We are alone while Brenda reads and I continue with the DaVinci Code.
Small World
5/20/06 10:40pm – train station continued
I almost forgot that before we sat down we were at the train platform when a young teenage girl asked Brenda about a train. She said she was from Cannes (rem Festival Cannes) but when we mentioned we are from Chicago, she said she just lives in Cannes but was born in Schamburg, IL. Also, she’s on her way back from Prague. I don’t think too much of the girl, but I could tell Brenda thought less of her than I did. She didn’t mention our honeymoon which she normally does. Brenda told me later she just thought she was a snobby girl.
Midnight Train to Prague
5/20/06 – 5/21/06
Well we finally got on the train to Prague and found our first class cabin. “First class” that’s an odd term on this train. We did have a private car, but it was hardly the Ritz. On one wall was a small sink, and a closet of sorts. On the other wall were three bunk beds that could fold down off the wall so up to 3 people could sleep in this room, but it would be very tight quarters. The lowest bunk converted from a bed to a couch for three. Brenda and I could transform the bed to a couch so we could read a bit more before turning in, but we couldn’t figure out how to convert the couch back to a bed…so much for being the smartest couple my best person Carrie knows.
Once we were ready for some sleep, I gave Brenda the choice of top or bottom bunk. She chose the top bunk.
I am the greatest sleeper, perhaps one of the greatest of my generation. Jordan, Bird, Thomas…Greats in basketball – I could out sleep them all.
On a moving train, on a bunk no more than 6” wider than my shoulders, I was able to fall right asleep with my iPod on sleep timer listening to the DaVinci Code & my eyeglasses on my stomach. A sound sleep for at least 2-3 hours. Brenda however could not sleep, and decided to throw her sweater at me since she claims I was snoring and that was keeping her up.
Undaunted, I resumed my sleep, now on my side to appease my new bride. Falling right back to sleep, I was awoken once again by a violent knock at the cabin door. It was the German border patrol checking for passports and weapons. Apparently, they knocked multiple times and I kept sleeping. Told you I was good…
Up for the second time now, I told Brenda to switch bunks with me since she still hadn’t gotten to sleep. Now on the top bunk, like my days in the college dorms, I fell back to sleep quickly. I think Brenda eventually got a couple of hours sleep on the train. Once we got close to Prague, the conductor asked us if we wanted “breakfast”. Crap in plastic is more appropriate. It was a champagne flavored croissant (edible at best) with a cup of water, some boxed orange juice (???) and fish flavored pate to spread on dry rye bread sealed in plastic. Not a great start to Prague.
Prague to follow…..
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