Real Arrival @ Sunset-Seaside

Travelling through the train world still has some elements of the old ways. Post coaches, Horse power “Omnibusses”, Barges, Ferry boats. The difference is that due to modern (tech-)culture many travellers generally behave and act highly individualistic, often autistic, or even egomaniac. In coaches and barges people were packed up together. And forced to participate in a micro community, a traveller had to communicate in a communitarian way. In our (post)modern times this seems no longer possible.

Moreover, due to the widespread addiction to handy’s, I-pods and -pads, wifi-laptop internetting, earphoned music, and high volume “private” phonecalling, it becomes rare to see someone reading and writing in silence. It seems preferable to talk loudly, to drink some pint extra, to eat unhealthy fa(s)t food and leave the trash on the seat. And do not dare you to ask for some attention and respect for others, to behave in a more pleasent and social way.

I do not say that this is the general trend when you travel from Mid-Germany, from region to region, direction Far West (North Sea). The first part crosses through the heights and valleys of mountainlands diving through tunnels. Its rural character keeps most travellers quiet, even silent. But as soon as you enter the big industrial area of the Ruhr-region the trains fill with hyperactive, nervous and loud people, some of them plain drunk at midday.

It may also happen that you board on a train loaded with football “supporters”, escorted by armed policemen on their way to a football-match. The Ruhr-region counts among Germany’s poorest, overpopulated, and unemployed multi-city areas. After crossing the Rhine at Duisburg and nearing the frontier the trainlife becomes quieter again and remains so even after the border change.

Until you have crossed many rivers and waterways and arrive in the greater harbour region of Rotterdam. From there to our endstation The Hague there is resemblance to the monomaniac behaviour in the Ruhr-region. For us not favourable to a special kind of back home-feeling. Noise, fuss and bustle. The difference comes here in the quiet intimacy of our small outskirt apartment.
Once you are here behind the dunes, it is only a short way to reach the seaside for a Real Arrival..!