Blogs from Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe
A Bundesliga experience
Published: August 30th 2011Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Gelsenkirchen
August 28th 2011
At 3pm we piled onto another bus to take us to a Budesliga game Schalke V Boruusia Monchengladbach. It is in a town named Gelsenkirchen. This was considered a 'local derby' meaning highly competitive local teams. We passed by rolling farmland and a few small villages on our way into Dusseldorf, crossing the mighty Rhine River several times. Dusseldorf is very industrial with a huge coal mining industry. The Stadium for Schalke has a crowd capacity of 80,000 and last night there were 61,673 in attendance. Fans buy life memberships and 'Will' these to family members. Our tickets had been supplied by Egon's contact at Borussia Monchengladbach and were like VIP seats high in the stand, just outside the Museum. Our bus had parked amongst those of the Borussia Monchengladbach fan buses. They were a scary ... read more
"AC/DC - Munich-Gelsenkirchen"
Published: February 16th 2010Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Gelsenkirchen
February 16th 2010
16th May ‘09: We've finally finished with Munich but, before we go, here is a snap of a Namibian roadblock. The 50cc Piaggio engine was gunned, fruitlessly, outside the catering tent.. At 8am this morning, passing Giessen on Germany's A45, I send Crazy Sandra a text. ‘Give me twenty minutes,’ she replies, and turns up at a motorway services, en route to her second Metallica gig this week. She wants to arrive in Oberhausen - only 20km from AC/DC’s destination of Gelsenkirchen - for 12pm, to be first through the gates at 5pm. Being as close to the stage as possible, it appears, is a priority for nutters. Oh, consider your ears, I earnestly beseech. Although outwardly in control, she must be mere weeks away, now, from a comfortable stint in an asylum. After a bit ... read more
From Schloss Gold to the Schwarzwald (and a Rhine River rendezvous)
Published: March 23rd 2012Europe » Germany » North Rhine-Westphalia » Gelsenkirchen
August 5th 2008
My tenth week in Europe (tuesday 29th July) started with a bus across the border into Germany, from Maastricht to Aachen - which despite being only a thirty kilometre trip somehow took an hour-and-a-quarter!?! Following my Lonely Planet to the letter, I set out on an entertaining little walk around the town centre which took me past half-a-dozen amusing little fountains, all of which portrayed a particular message - ranging in theme from a chicken thief about to be brought undone by a crowing rooster; to a motley assortment of townsfolk each trying to horde their money in different ways; to an ogre devouring misbehaving children! From Aachen I took a train to Essen, followed by another train onto Gelsenkirchen, where a friend of mine named Tobie (who used to work in the kitchen at the ... read more
