BY SEA AND TRAIN FROM HARWICH TO AMSTERDAM, BERLIN AND WARSAW

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5 days into trip and this is my last night in warsaw. 1st night last saturday was in amsterdam, after an uneventful ferry from harwich. everywhere in amsterdam was really packed out, being a saturday night. i went to a couple of gay bars, didn't stay long in either as far too packed. also smoking in bars is still unfortnuately ok in the rest of europe it seems!
caught an early train on sunday to berlin, extremely smooth and fast compared with crappy british trains, took just 7 hours... spent 2 nights in berlin, saw checkpoint charlie, the remaining bits of berlin wall, the brandenberg gate and the reichstag. all very interesting, if not that photogenic (especially in the torrential rain)! very cheap compared to uk, about two thirds cost, but city centre still bares the obvious scars from the cold war era....
on tuesday another early train, this time to warsaw, ist impressions when i arrived were favourable. the 1st thing you see is a massive C and A store, i thought they went bust in january 2002, but no, they are still going strong here!!!
ive been staying in hostels, been splashing out in single rooms so far, but might venture into dormitories, so i can meet more people... single rooms are about 20 pounds a night. dorms beds are half that.. im staying in a no smoking hostel here in warsaw, but the smoking area is outside right below my window, not good. luckily it is cold enough to keep the window closed at night! in fact it seems autumn comes a lot earlier round these continental parts, feels more like november than early september!
i had heard jewish people had a stereotypical reputation for being tight, but now i have experienced it 1st hand. at lunch i was charged extra money for barely two very thin extra tomato slices on my baguette. then tonight for dinner i thought id go for dinner in a restaurant in warsaw old town. menu ok in window, then had to pay extra for potatoes, then extra again for any vegetables. i guessed by this time theyd be charging a 10 percent sevice charge, but to top that off they had also charged me
2 x 50p for each of the portions of ketchup id asked for!!!!! naturally i refused to pay for them, so they took it off. i thought i was tight....
anyway, off to vilnius in morning. there is a very good looking korean backpacker sitting behind me....

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Comments

[mary]

hi
who needs michael palin! good luck on your trip round the risk board. you will have to practice body language when the spoken word is incomprehensible! keep safe!

[Ruth]

stereotypical!
Hi Steve, enjoying getting a glimpse into your exciting travels... however not loving your stereotypical comments about Jewish people. Tighter than Steve? Not in my experience!!!

[mike]

erm
steve hate to ruin the story but i think the nazis killed most of the jews in warsaw. did the waiter in the "ketchup incident" extend his vowels by any chance?!