Tag: canal

Travel

Copenhagen to Hamburg

Posted on by insightndes

Catching my first Danish train, to Hamburg.

The train
Leaving Copenhagen

There is still some snow about.

The fog struck again when crossing the bridge from Zealand to Fyn
Fog on the bridge
Unflattering picture of Odense
Odense

Crossed from Fyn to Jutland. Back to mainland Europe.

Another foggy bridge crossing
Ice on the sea near Kolding
Heading south

We enter Germany, At the border I am asked politely by a policeman why I was going to Hamburg, how long I was going to be there and where I was going next.

Wind turbines and saturated ground.
Audörfer See

Next it is a crossing of the Kiel Canal

The track loops round to gain height. Do we travel underneath the track that we will travel on.

The bridge in the distance
Still gaining height
Crossing Kiel Canal
The bridge disappearing in the distance.
There are some nice farm houses
Approaching Hamburg HBF
Hamburg HBF

Walked to the hotel.

Kunst Museum
Premier Inn

I always wondered what would happen if I took unwell on one of these trips. I found out when I started feeling a bit strange. This progressed to a very unpleasant evening, I must have picked up some kind of food poisoning.

Would I be in a fit state to continue?

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Environment, Tourism

Copenhagen

Posted on by insightndes

I am staying in a hotel where the room is modelled on a cabin.

It’s practical and located close to the station in the middle of the city.

I went off to get some food.

The central station
There are a lot of bikes.

Heading to a restaurant in the meat packing district.

Meat packing district
Food at the Gaza Grill
An interesting design

Copenhagen had proper infrastructure for cyclists. I came across a cycle flyover.

Cycle flyover
Looking towards Christianhavn

As I was walking I spotted a group coming out of a sauna and entering a swimming pool which still had some ice on top.

Swimming pool with sauna cabin to the right.

Next morning it was a stroll around Copenhagen to find some breakfast and explore.

Cycle queue for traffic lights.
Lots of commuter cyclists
Entering Christianshavn
Breakfast
Looking towards the centre

And back to the hotel.

The number of cyclists in the city was impressive, taking cars off the street. Everyone was wearing their normal clothes. It was noticeable that the cyclists followed the traffic signals. I had to keep my wits about me due to high numbers of cyclists, although they all seemed very attentive and careful.

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Travel

London to Hamburg-four countries in a day

Posted on by insightndes

It’s an early start to catch the 0816 Eurostar to Brussels. The ticket tells me to turn up at 0701.

It’s still dark at St Pancras

Not off to a good start, there is a 24 minute delay. But this should not be a problem as there is plenty of time for the connection at Brussels,

Boarding at St Pancras

We travel through Kent.

Near Ashford
Near Stanford- curious shaped hill.

Difficult to get decent photos from the train in Kent.

In France, near Lille

Struggled getting decent photos in France too.

Near Halle-Belgium
Coming into Brussels
Arrived at Brussels Midi only 12 minutes late.

I checked the notice board for the train to Cologne. Spotted that there was an issue, it looked like the train was delayed and was leaving from a different station, Brussels-Nord. I confirmed this, and was told what train to catch.

Bonus train at Brussels-Midi
Travelling two stops in Brussels
Waiting for the train to Cologne
Leaving Brussels-North- late u
Interesting bridge at Liège.
Liège station is an interesting building
Leaving Liège
Aachen
Arrived in Köln a bit late
The cathedral

The next leg is to Hamburg. This train is also delayed, by maintenance work on the track.

Crossing the Rhine
The train is traveling a long distance.
Düsseldorf-its raining
Essen
Dortmund
Dortmund-Ems canal near Münster
Coming into Hamburg about ten minutes late.
Hamburg Station
Hotel
View from room
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Travel

St Pancras to München via Brussels

Posted on by insightndes

Early start at St Pancras means that I should get to München at a sensible time of 6pm local time. The ticket told me to be at St Pancras at ten to six. An early start.

Kent countryside

We came to a stop. Announcements came periodically as the delay lengthened. The reason was eventually announced. A train had broken down in the tunnel so only one line was available. Trains were being sent in one direction and then the direction was being switched. Eventually we got going.

France

Eventually we made it to…

Bruxelles.
Waiting for the next train
Sunny in Brussels

The next train left slightly late, a DB IC, heading for Frankfurt, but I was due to change at Frankfurt airport.

Leaving Brussels.
The train took a curious route due to work on the more direct line.
Near Groß Rohrheim

The ICE got further delayed so I bailed out at Köln, seeing that I could catch a slightly delayed train heading to München. This proved to be a good move as the train was mobbed at Frankfurt. I had a seat.

Near Mannheim.
Mannheim
Stuttgart
The Necker
The bright sun is getting low near Stuttgart
Near Kirchheim unter Teck
Sun really low near Gessertshausen
Finally München HBF

Arrived at München around 9 local time. Three hours late although the final train was actually early . A long day.

Met some interesting people on the way. The Portuguese lawyer working for the EU who can speak about 7 languages, and the group returning from a family wedding in Eritrea. All evidently having grown up in Germany as shown by German being their preferred language.

Premier Inn near Haar, bedtime.
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Tourism, Travel

Reading to St Pancras via Didcot

Posted on by insightndes
Reading… again

A detour to Didcot.

Near South Morton
Reading
District & Circle line tube station Paddington

Arrived at Paddington and to the closest tube station with a branch of the circle line. No trains running. Backtracked to the other circle line branch and finally caught the tube. It’s far simpler and quicker on the bike.

St Pancras
Premier Inn room
And view
Canal near London Zoo
Getting late
Feed
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Travel

Linz to Paris

Posted on by insightndes
Sun catching the buildings early morning.
Linz HBF

The train I was planning to catch already was delayed by 45 minutes, which was making the next connection tight. But I had arrived early at the station and so caught an earlier train, which way delayed by 7 minutes. It arrived on time to München.

Frosty morning
Factory creating its own micro climate
Steam from factory
Mountains in the the distance
Approaching Salzburg
Leaving Saltzburg
Freilassing
Farm houses near Rosenheim, Germany
Coming into Munich
München Hauptbahnhof
The first leg of the trip done.
Leaving Munich
Amazing sunshine
Rides
River Iller?
Near Lindau
Bodensee

There follows a rapid set of border crossings. Germany into Austria into Switzerland. This happens skirting the edge of the Bodensee or Lake Constance.

It’s very green.
Bregenzer Acht
Farmhouse with chickens
The Rhine

Crossing into Switzerland

Bodensee near Rheineck
Bodensee in distance and we are climbing.
Flying the Swiss flag

Impressive buildings in St Gallen

Allotments on the approach to Zürich
Dog on train has been travelling for hours.
Zürich HB
The station is big.
TGV at Zürich

The next leg is the longest of the day on the very rapid TGV.

Gosken S-Däniken Nuclear Power Plant
Industry near Basle
Into France

The sun is going down.
Dijon
Gare de Lyon

The cycle across Paris is made interesting with the cycle ways being blocked by vans being used to pack away a market.

Accommodation
Food at a Lebanese restaurant

Four countries, four border crossings.

Bon nuit
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Travel

To the south west

Posted on by insightndes
Starting in sunny Thurso.
Loch Lucya I believe.
View across the Moray Firth
Waiting for the next train
Near Golspie
Cromarty Firth
Looking inland near Invergordan- low clouds
A monstrous cruise liner at Invergordon.

How could someone design such an ugly ship?

https://videopress.com/v/V3AKwK2n?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true
Approaching Inverness

I had to catch the lunchtime train to Inverness due to a reduced timetable.Time to kill in Inverness.

https://videopress.com/v/xeciBC1B?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true
At Eden Court

Were they playing or tuning up?

Complementary drinks and snacks at the Sleeper Lounge.
Boarding the sleeper service
Started raining just after boarding
Breakfast at Rugby
Euston
Paddington Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal end
With waterfowl
Heading to Bristol

I had a seat booked in this train, which someone sat in- no point moving them as the seat next to it was free.

Bristol

I caught the Penzance train here. A few issues. Firstly the train rolled past platform 5 to platform 6, leaving everyone rushing over to get on board. And it wax crowded.

The Penzance train leaving Bridgwater
Bridgwater

Bridgwater is not particularly bonny, but I did find a picture to make it look good.

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