"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home." James Michener

So Kelsey and I were feeling pretty confident this am when we headed out on our train journey to Bremen Germany. That lasted exactly the length of the first train ride through København until we stepped aboard our next train, with a ride lasting four and a half hours. On this train we came to the rapid conclusion that we were not going to be sitting together, if we were even able to sit! See, the handy dandy Eurail app has an R beside every train REQUIRING a reservation. This train did not require one...no R. However, as the pleasant little screen ON the train informed us "for your comfort it is recommended that you reserve a seat on long distance trains" thank you train screen. So we stuffed backpacks behind seats and over disgruntled passengers (seriously, no happy people on this train) I sat with a group of young guys drinking beer (I counted eighteen beer on their table and then they split a bottle of some type of whisky) they offered me wine gums, but no booze, which I could have used at this point! It was two tables with four seats each, I was beside the fifth guy and across from a young couple that were smeared across each other and I just tried not to make eye contact. Kelsey ended up sitting with a woman behind me about four rows and the kids went out and sat on the floor with a bunch of other people in the connecting car where the washrooms were. When we left the train there was even someone in the luggage rack! Sheldon actually had a seat at one point but had to leave when the person who had reserved it asked to sit down.  We did sit together for our lunch when we had to get off the train as it was forbidden to remain on it while it was aboard the ferry! They drove that train right on to a boat! As we sailed over to Germany we ate our leftover pizza and had a few laughs and moans about our current train adventure. However, we did make it to Breman! Our hotel was a ten minute walk from station and we can already tell we are in a very different place. I've never seen so many punks in my life, is that what we still call them? Mohawks, purple dreads, black leather with studs and massive boots on. Very, very cool. I could watch people here all day. Another thing we noticed was there were about thirty police in Hamburg station and you don't look too far to see them at this station either. Kelsey and I went out for some food tonight to bring back for kids and we were commenting about the number of "rough looking" characters there were here compared to Scandinavia and then we laughed as we realized they look like our friends and ourselves! Anyway, we managed to reserve for our longest train tomorrow and we will see how that goes, we both have this uneasy feeling that it was "too easy" and it was only nine euros! We feel better about it though, if nothing else maybe it will be quieter on a Sunday? Fingers crossed.

On another note, I've decided that I am a romantic. Not in the way that I want roses and chocolates from Kelsey, but in that way where I drift off into my imagination when we are in this place. While we ride the train and I look out the window I find myself daydreaming about the little moss covered stone fences that amble off into the woods, who built that fence? What were they keeping in or out? The little brown plank houses with their scalloped white trim and lace curtains with the little geranium looking out, I want to live there or at least visit someone there! The woods here are so massive and have those trees you could climb and sit in, and they make me think of Robin Hood, gypsies, Vikings and fairies. So, it isn't all sweaty, back breaking, heart pounding scrambling for a train stuff. Actually I have to say the good is outweighing the bad. These countries are beautiful and I already want to come back because there is too much to see! 

We had a nice time in København, it was awkward at first because we were staying with people I didn't know but Mette and Bryan were so welcoming! They fed us a traditional Danish meal and gave us some comfy beds. They invited us to stay in their house while they took their sweet boys to Paris, so we house sat and mouse sat (they have two) we enjoyed some down time and we also hiked all over the city one day. It was incredible. 

Learning as we go, hope it's entertaining for all of you at least! Miss you bunches xo Wendi