This is the time of year I try to take a bit of a blogging break.  However, Ron is on his travels again, visiting Dresden, so I’ll have an easy time posting his reports and pictures of trains and places.  We’ll start with a before and during (not after) picture of some Trappist Ale.  Why?  I don’t know…..

Meanwhile….

Early start to check in and join Eurostar to Brussels. Currently on 3 hour layover in Brussels so have had lunch at a restaurant outside station then catching 2.24 to Frankfurt Airport for onward connection to our overnight stop in Nuremburg.

Some pictures at Brussels Midi, including an ICE3.

After this sunny start, it all went pear shaped….

Our ICE was slow due to a technical problem and was being turned round at Cologne instead of Frankfurt. We ground to a halt outside Aachen and they had problems there and no trains could pass through station. We were returned to Liege for a replacement bus. Nobody knew anything. We were then told to return to a small village station for the bus but that train was running 40 late. Joined a large crowd and had an hours wait for a bus to appear. We then fought to get our cases on. Victory for the Brits against the Germans. Now on 2118 Aachen to Cologne where we will be overnighting instead of Nuremburg.

A very tired Ron

Further explanations…

Having got up at 0330 BST and finally falling into bed at midnight CET I was just knackered. The Germans dumped us on the Belgians, who had no one at the stations who knew what was going on. and then the train was late. When the double decker Rail Replacement bus arrived we managed to beat the Germans by pushing our cases into the luggage compartment and then a Belgian railway employee turned up and tried turning us away from the bus until we told him our cases were on board. We had waited in a large crowd for an hour and if we had not got on bus we could have still been there. As they say everything can only get better.

So much for Teutonic efficiency!  On to Day 2….

Very hot.

Following yesterday’s debacle a good day. We were put on 9.13 direct train from Cologne to Dresden where we arrived at 4.45. Hotel excellent and I have a very large room. Just going out for a walk to take photos and will probably do same after dinner so watch out for emails!

Cologne Hbf this morning before boarding the direct IC train to Dresden leaving 0913 arriving 1648.

Our IC train from Cologne to Dresden during an 18 minute layover at Hannover.

And at Halle Hbf.

And so to Dresden Hbf….

More of Dresden next post!