All tracks lead to Humbug

Determined as I was to go to the second largest city in Germany, I finally made there in the early afternoon last Thursday having gotten up at just past 5:00AM to catch the 7:13AM train from Amsterdam.

Generally, I never book my travel time before 10:00AM if I could help it, but it seemed for the last weekend, all roads lead to Hamburg.

So, whilst, I could travel Amsterdam – Osnabruck – Hamburg on my way out, I had to travel Hamburg – Munster – Enschede – Amsterdam – the first two-legs of the return trip being in an unfamiliar class.

All the train seats were reserved, I could not upgrade so I resigned to sitting in a cramped place hoping to ignore the discomfort enough to see the journey through unscathed.

During that time, it transpired that the “Aw Shucks!” plea and defence of the erstwhile Sultans of Enron help no water, they were convicted and are to be sentenced in September – nothing to worry, Ken Lay is just down to his last 15 or so million dollars having had 95% of his total worth wiped out by the Enron crash – would you not feel great sympathy for the man?

Well, the Larry King interview with Ken Lay was aired again and again over the weekend – one is sentenced to the CNN when away in these hotels, probably cheaper than BBC World – cheap news counts for nothing these days. I would cover the “Aw Shucks!” theme in greater detail in a subsequent blog.

Meanwhile, apart from the beauty and heritage of Hamburg, one could not help but notice that there was a proliferation of shops of visual depravity all open for 24 hours – it speaks volumes about the place – I would not read too much into that – but, well, exactly!

One should not be returning in a hurry, Bah, Hamburg!

tags: hamburg  humbug  enron  aw shucks  travel  commentary  general  news  

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