Germany: One End to the Other, by Train

[rt_reading_time label="Reading Time:" postfix="minutes" postfix_singular="minute"] While in Munich for business this late January, I planned to conclude another German adventure with a pleasure trip to Hamburg.  For my first time there, I would join my friend Laetitia and support her and her young business, mamis travelguide, at one of Germany's largest travel fairs, Reisen Hamburg on Saturday.  Travel to a travel fair where I not only get to help a friend out, but also check out all things travel 2019.  Add on three extra days to visit this intriguing city everyone tell me I will love.  Winning.Munich and Hamburg are separated by some 800km, or 500 miles: that's about the distance between Washington, DC and Cincinnati, OH or San Diego, CA to San Francisco, CA. Except separating these 2 cities, the 3rd and 2nd largest German metropoles (Berlin is the largest, obvi), is, well, the entire country.  Approximately 80 million people live in Germany; in contrast, 40 million people live in California.  And in Montana, a state of comparable size to that of Germany: 1 million.  Context.Most people who undertake this journey fly.  Rather, I opted to take the train.  While costs were comparable, experience was the deciding factor: the journey to Munich's Hauptbahnhof is familiar, shorter and easier than to its Flughafen; not having to check my bag and go through security is a luxurious plus; my ICE first class seat is spacious and borderline decadent and the empty seat next to me a delight; the central train station in Hamburg is closer to my destination than its airport; and when I add up the travel time, it ends up being just a little longer to ride than fly.  I just love trains.[gallery ids="2452,2460" type="rectangular"] It's not just trains though.  It's the feeling.  In Munich, I enjoy walking through the central station, even on a random Tuesday evening while simply switching from one U-Bahn line to another.  I make up stories about the people I observe walking with their overstuffed backpacks or fancy silver Rimowa roller boards.  Even when I can't understand it, there is always a pleasant buzz in the air; an organized chaos in constant motion.  You can easily go so many places from there: Zürich at one track, Salzburg at another, and of course Prague...  The place brings back so many memories, and also a bit of nostalgia about my heritage: my grand-papa Pierre was a Canadian National train operator for his entire career.  I can't see a train track or a locomotive without thinking of him.Real talk though, I wanted to be able to say: I've seen Germany, from one end to the other.  Simple.On this sunny afternoon, from my window seat, I spent my 5 and a half hour ride looking out, across the country.  Here is some of what I observed.

• In Bavaria, rolling hills, still covered in this week's snow, reminiscent of a winter wonderland.
• Fields, fully equipped for hop growing, awaiting spring for planting.
• A train load of (to my surprise) multicolored Audis.  I chuckled when I thought that these beauties surely aren't intended for local drivers, who typically prefer their luxury German engineering in black or shades of grey.
• Modern sources of energy like wind power turbines and solar panels, as far as the eye can see.
• Vineyards, in the distance, and colors, reminding me of Sonoma County.
• Every village's skyline marked by at least one, often more, impressive church steeple.
• Typical Middle German house architecture style, their recognizable reddish-brown roofs with white walls and sharp pignons.
• Loads of box trucks on the country's Autobahn, often running adjacent to the train tracks.
• Graffiti, mostly along the larger city's walls against the train tracks.  I've come to realize this art form is a worldwide outlet for visual storytelling, an alternative yet popular method of expression and have grown to appreciate it more and more.
• Factories on the outskirts of many towns, with smokestacks fuming, most likely indicating bustling industrial activities inside.
• Construction sites, so many I lost count, yet not surprising considering Germany's strong economy.

--It was dark by the time ICE 788 reached its destination.  The bustling of rush hour at the central train station, let alone its sheer size sobered me up quickly: this is NOT Munich.  I enjoyed the scramble of finding my way to my accommodations in a new city and observed that I'm getting pretty bold in my quest for this feeling.  More.A mist moistened the air.  At dinner, I got to speak French.  "Ah, vous êtes du Canada!"  Évidemment.   Then, I enjoyed tasting some local vodka before laying my head down on a comfortable hotel bed full of plump pillow.  Just like I like.Hamburg, this morning, we meet.  It's a pleasure to be here with you.  I might already be in love.