Nearly Over...
Are you like me? When you travel abroad do you develop that ‘grass is greener’ mentality? Today I went out for a bit of fresh air and sightseeing, and as I got the U-Bahn to Checkpoint Charlie I was amazed at the kiosks on the train platforms selling beer, fags and porn, yet nobody on the trains were drinking, smoking or wanking - at least not openly!
No sign of Bono or The Edge!
I went through that whole thing of ‘oh everywhere else in the world treats their citizens like adults, unlike our own dear nanny state of the UK, there’s no need to prohibit people from taking drink on the tubes cos people here don’t abuse the trust, etc etc etc’
Then I got off the train at Kochstrasse and there on the platform was the reality. Some of the grossest looking youths I have ever seen, pissed, smoking, lamely attempting to terrorise the regular folks with half-hearted sneers.
The only thing that terrorised me was their appalling dress sense! There was drink spilled all over the benches where they were sitting, and smashed glass everywhere. It’s kinda reassuring to know that there are assholes everywhere, and at least ours aren’t as ridiculously horrific looking as the ones here in Berlin!
Even tho it is Boxing Day, everywhere is open, apart from the big chain stores. Museums, galleries, the zoo, not to mention all of the Christmas Markets which seem to be supplied from the same wholesalers as the ones in the UK. All the traditional German goods are on sale - traditional German carved Giraffes, traditional German Buddhas and the same tradtional German Chinese food as seen in Camden Market. God bless the universal language of tat!
One thing I have noticed is how crowded everywhere is. Of course there are families and lots of couples wandering about, as well as the ‘sad singletons’ like me. What struck me was that none of the couples or indeed the families looked any happier than me! I always imagine that everyone else is having the brilliant, warm. loving family Christmas that I’ve dreamed of my whole life, and that I’m the only one on my own. That’s not the reality at all! It seems even people with significant others can’t bear to be holed up with them for more than 24 hours!
My flight home is very early tomorrow morning, so my time here is coming to an end. In one respect its flown by, and in another way I kind of feel like I’ve been away forever. I feel rested, recharged and relieved that another “festive” period has passed without any major trauma!
When I get back I’ve got yoga and the sales to look forward to, not to mention a potentially wonderful NYE. Yay!
No sign of Bono or The Edge!
I went through that whole thing of ‘oh everywhere else in the world treats their citizens like adults, unlike our own dear nanny state of the UK, there’s no need to prohibit people from taking drink on the tubes cos people here don’t abuse the trust, etc etc etc’
Then I got off the train at Kochstrasse and there on the platform was the reality. Some of the grossest looking youths I have ever seen, pissed, smoking, lamely attempting to terrorise the regular folks with half-hearted sneers.
The only thing that terrorised me was their appalling dress sense! There was drink spilled all over the benches where they were sitting, and smashed glass everywhere. It’s kinda reassuring to know that there are assholes everywhere, and at least ours aren’t as ridiculously horrific looking as the ones here in Berlin!
Even tho it is Boxing Day, everywhere is open, apart from the big chain stores. Museums, galleries, the zoo, not to mention all of the Christmas Markets which seem to be supplied from the same wholesalers as the ones in the UK. All the traditional German goods are on sale - traditional German carved Giraffes, traditional German Buddhas and the same tradtional German Chinese food as seen in Camden Market. God bless the universal language of tat!
One thing I have noticed is how crowded everywhere is. Of course there are families and lots of couples wandering about, as well as the ‘sad singletons’ like me. What struck me was that none of the couples or indeed the families looked any happier than me! I always imagine that everyone else is having the brilliant, warm. loving family Christmas that I’ve dreamed of my whole life, and that I’m the only one on my own. That’s not the reality at all! It seems even people with significant others can’t bear to be holed up with them for more than 24 hours!
My flight home is very early tomorrow morning, so my time here is coming to an end. In one respect its flown by, and in another way I kind of feel like I’ve been away forever. I feel rested, recharged and relieved that another “festive” period has passed without any major trauma!
When I get back I’ve got yoga and the sales to look forward to, not to mention a potentially wonderful NYE. Yay!
Labels: Travel
posted by JoJo Smith at Saturday, December 26, 2009
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