Day 37, Prague, Czech Republic to Pressath, Germany

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Day 37: Saturday, January 2nd, 2010.
Prague, Czech Republic to Nuremberg, Germany then to Pressath, Germany

("OMG, just write it already!" That's what I'm saying to myself as I try to get back on track with this blog. So, 16 days later, herrrrrrrrre's Pressath, Germany!)

I say goodbye to Susan at 4:20am and head upstairs to the lobby. I settle the bill and the taxi picks me up at 4:30 and I'm at the train station by 4:45am. My train leaves at 5am so I stare at the departure board and find my train number. Next to it is a bunch of information in Czech, and various numbers scattered throughout. I can't figure out what platform is the one I need. I go to 3 different people asking them if they speak English and if they can help me, none of them speak English. I find someone who works there and he also doesn't know English but I motion for him to follow me and I point at the board, and like the moron tourist that I am, keep going "Terminal?" "Terminal?" He says a very long sentence or two in Czech, points at the board, nods his head and moves on. I decide to chance it and go with the first number and luck is with me, it's my train.

I'm now terrified to hop on the wrong train so I flash my ticket at the train conductor and start babbling away, asking if I'm at the right car and what not. I imagine I sounded like Milla Jovovich in "The Fifth Element" when she crashes into the cab. Probably all that he heard was "Big boom bada boom". He points at the car I'm by and motions for me to get in. I do, and actually find my seat number and manage to throw my 44 pound bag up above my head where the luggage rack is. The conductor stops at my room, smiles in kind of a "oh shit it's the tourist" kind of way and says "ticket?" I nod and hand him my ticket. He looks at it and says something in Czech to me. I stare at him and he motions that it's not the ticket. I freak because the only other paper I had was one that looked like a receipt- well, that's the ticket, so all was well. He puts a stamp on it, hands it back, smiles and leaves. A few minutes later the beverage lady stops by, rambles to me in Czech and, with my big wisdom, say "No thank you" in Czech and she leaves. For the first time that morning, I felt smart.

I watch the darkness roll by the bay window for about 10 minutes then stretch out across the 3 seats on my side of the compartment (somehow had one to myself.) 2 hours later, I wake up to the sound of the compartment door opening. I jump up like I've been doing something wrong, and plaster myself back into my seat. My new roomie just nods and sits down. About 30 minutes later, I hear the speaker announce a station coming up and all I caught was "Amberg". I looked at the guy and asked "Nuremberg"? He prattled off German to me and I stared blankly at him and again said "Nuremberg?" He smiled, shook his head, and motioned that I had 4 more stops until Nuremberg- this stop was truly called "Amberg". So, 4 or so more stops later I have my backpack/house strapped on my back and I'm standing in line with the rest of the train that wants off at Hauptbahnhof, Nuremberg's Main Train Station.

Dusty and I had decided on where to meet ahead of time and she calls me to say she's waiting by the platform for me. I don't see her, she doesn't see me, so I head to our first designated meeting spot and give her a call. Eventually we meet up and for some reason we've both changed in the past 17 years, weird. A quick flashback, Dusty was in the grade ahead of me back at Randall High School in Texas. So, the last time we had seen each other was 1993! She was very mean back then and I wish I could say that time had changed her but no, she immediately hit me and made me cry. Then she gave me a wedgie. Hi Dusty!!

We head to her car and deposit Monstro (as I now call my backpack) in the trunk along with my laptop which has its own fancy case. Dusty is then kind enough (yes, the above remarks were lies) to give me a tour of Nuremberg. Right next to Train Station is the Handwerkerhof which is a bunch of stores in medieval buildings. We wander around there and take a look inside St. Lorenz. We step outside and I 'fess up that I'm cold and ready to wrap up the tour, I'm a bad guest 😊 So, we walk back to the car and start the 45 minute (ish) drive to Pressath.

We get to her house and everyone comes out to greet me. I don't like saying nice things about people, it makes me uncomfortable. I'd rather crack jokes (ie: above mentioned wedgie torture). However, I can't do that, cause they really are a great family. Randy, Dusty's husband, grabs my laptop and smaller backpack and their son, Nathan, gets to be the lucky man to carry Monstro in the house. Their daughter, Chesna, comes and chats with us women as we make all the men do the work- all is right with the world.

Chesna and Nathan have also made pretty big sacrifices this week: their rooms! Chesna is going to crash in Nathan's room with him and I'm going to take over Chesna's room. A room to myself, I almost tear up. And she has a TV in her room! Two tears perhaps? I get settled and head down to the basement where they introduce me to Rock Band. I've heard of this game, saw Dave & Tammy play Guitar Hero, just was never really around this game. So, they gave me a good introduction to it. Chesna has the best taste in music ever as she is a huge Bon Jovi fan. I feel so old saying this next line, 'cause it's one my parents used to say about some bands I liked "I liked them when I was your age too!" Who'd have thought that Bon Jovi would span decades, eh? Unfortunately I am a traitor and abandoned them after they broke up after the New Jersey album. And I'm still waiting to hear what happened to the original bass player- why, God, why? Why are my questions not being answered?!

Anywho, so, yeah, Chesna likes them too so after watching them all jam along to one song, I take a seat behind the drums and the first song I get to test my musical skills on is "Livin' on a Prayer". Yea! And, I sucked. Dusty, unfortunately, told the kids that I was a band geek with her so that they should be prepared for me to kick ass on this game. Yeah... not so much. I could handle (kind of) hitting the drums with the drumsticks but that foot pedal one confused the hell out of my very limited rhythm. Plus, talk about a calf work out!!! Do drummers have one big calf and one small one? Deep thoughts...

So, the band (we should have come up with a name guys!): Randy is on guitar, Dusty is singing, Nathan is on bass and Chesna is our mosh pit since she was kind enough to give up the drums for me. We do a couple of songs with me doing a very bad Animal impression on the drums when they decide maybe the bass would be easier for me. They put it on "Timmy" mode and I'm able to keep up with the pretty, slow moving notes.

We then head out for a quick walk about Pressath before it gets dark. VERY small town, and the walk doesn't take that long. Long enough for me to trap Chesna and Nathan in a phone booth (like any good guest would do) and for us to walk to the Pressath Train Station, which has very limited trains a day (I think single digits and they go to obscure towns.) Hence why poor Dusty had to drive to Nuremberg to get me. We walk back to the house, have dinner, and watch a movie, "Yes Man". Very funny, but I'm beat and fall asleep at one point. I wake myself up snoring, and give a sheepish grin to Randy and Dusty who are huddling, terrified by the sound, on the other couch. The kids had run for cover a while ago. I bid them goodnight and head up to my room. Even 2 weeks later, that was so nice to type.

SIDE NOTE: So, remember how Susan was having so much fun with airports and her luggage and what not? Yeah, she made it back to Portland all safe and sound... and her luggage followed the next day.

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Photos

My train car going from Prague to Pressath.
Well, my "seat" actually. Just so happened I had the car to myself 80% of the way.

Burleson/Reline Clan!
Nathan, Dusty, Chesna, Randy.

Comments

[edns]

whew
So glad that you were able to reconnect with your friend. Be nice to those teenagers though. They have a way of getting even.

[Chris]

You broke up Bon-Jovi
Is Bon-Jovi even still alive? Wedgie!!!