Cross-Border Weekend

 
 
 
 

One of those perks in living in Europe is a smooth and care-free
travelling around with European trains. That is if they are not
on strike or repairing some tracks on weekends. One can either
book tickets directly per internet with especial discounts for
holders of special discount for frequent travellers or the so-called
Bahncard which gives 25% to 50% cut on the regular fares, or for
bookers for holiday tariffs as advertised by almost all European
trains.
German trains offer as low as 19Euro
for one-way ticket to Amsterdam or even as low as 39Euro to
some European capital cities like Paris, Milano and Copenhagen.
I have a return ticket to Amsterdam which would
expire this last weekend of March and so despite the
not so encouraging weather forecast for Holland and the
return text of my girlfriend Herms who is, in turn,
spending her weekend in Belgium, I took the early ICE
train to this land of tulips and cheese with a bit
of frustration though as I found out that this super
fast train would be rerouted and definitely would
be encountering delays as good, industrious
Dutch railway technicians or other guest workers are repairing
Dutch tracks this weekend.
Reaching the main station of Utrecht, I have never fail to
do the first act of my visiting rites...go to the nearest
French fries (should be Dutch fries right?) and get myself
a normal serving with peanut and mayonnaise dressing. Yes,
even for breakfast! If I would get my good share of my
bad cholesterol, then it should come from a genuine
source and not the copied fries in Germany.
The rest of the short day would be spent in window shopping
checking the latest fashion worn by these mannequins. It always
amuses me to see that in Holland, the boundary of fashion
between let us say grandmas and their teenage granddaughters is
just also a cross-generation dressing. Wear anything as long as
you enjoy wearing it or simply anything goes seems to be the
fashion dictate in this land of Gouda cheese, Delft porcelain and
herring eaters.



Even for a rainy weekend, the flower market is worth
a visit to complement a day tour of the market taking
photos of how these honey waffle cookies are made or just
feasting one's eyes on all all sizes and shapes and colors
of fish, cheese, nuts,candies leather bags, skirts and shawls,
fruits and locks, screws, bolts and toys for cats
and dogs.

On my way back, the ICE train would be again rerouted
but this time, I have a bagful of giant-sized pindas
(peanuts), cashew nuts, crab salad, honey waffle cookies,
and cheeeeeeeeeese! A real Dutch treat, right?