SarahSaeger's Blog

Riding the trains between the different cities we have visited on our RIAS Journalist excahnge in Germany and Belgium has proven to be an interesting experience. You only have about five minutes to pile on or get off, or else you are out of luck and left behind.  Apparently this has happened to several people in our RIAS group in the past.  One fellow forgot something on the train, went back on, but didn’t get off quick enough and ended up taking an unexpected trip to the next stop.  Nothing quite as dramatic as that has happened to our group.  Although on Saturday we took a trip to Bruges from Brussels.  On the way there things went fine.  But on the way back a few of us got off a stop too early.  I will admit we were lost in a different part of the city, but this experience turned out to be good.  We stumbled upon a street festival where merchants were selling everything from jewelry to dresses to fruits and vegetables.  It was also comforting to hear Minnesota’s own Bob Dylan blasting from a nearby apartment window.  Like a Rolling Stone made a nice soundtrack as we were trying to navigate our way back to the hotel.  After a run-in with an interesting man in the subway station, we managed to ask directions and walk back.  I must say I have had several run-ins with strange people coming up to me on the trip. Some of my colleagues think it is pretty funny; I am still undecided on the amount of humor.   Sunday was another train ride from Brussels to Frankfurt.  While walking from the train station to the hotel, my suitcase wheels gave out.  On further inspection, it looks like they melted!  It felt like about 110 degrees that day.  It was not a dry heat.  Today, as I am taking the train from Frankfurt to Leipzig I have a brand new red suitcase, with bigger and better wheels.  Hopefully this one lasts through the next two train trips.  But all in all I do enjoy the trains.  It’s a good alternative option to get from city to city, something that more people should take advantage of in the United States.