Journey along the Rhein

Taking the proud german ICE train from Bonn to Karlsruhe, my relativly new "daily coffee" habit gave me the chance of a small discovery; the "on board bistro".

I was too lonely to chat... I was too tired to read, too bored to sleep... too lazy to write... the ICE is the fasted train in Germany, however, the trip seemed to be endless...

untill i opened my eyes...

On both sides of the wagon, the wide crystal clean windows let a great Rhein scenary pure to dazelled travellers...

An attractive announce of the ICE Captain, made me on the move, I wanted to know what is this place all about.

The on board bistro is not just another wagon, it is a showcase, wider, panoramical even cleaner windows...tables and seats.. .
a sadly empty table invited me in... a coffee is all i want to have a complete experience.
Along the river houses scattered on both sides, very few bridges to cross the river only in major towns. I wonder how kids of these
villages on this shore think about the other shore, about there first steps to the opposite world, there first trip to the other site. Am I
now on the other side?... Vigneri gardens, trees, more houses here and there.

The Rhein stretches from Switzerland in the heart of Europe to the German shore on the Nordsee, passing throw Basel, Karlsruhe,
Mannheim, Mainz, Koblenz, Bonn, Köln and Hamburg, the river that once marked the northern borders of the roman empire, that marked the
territory of the middle ages lords lands, still carry the same mystical influence current. It is down, it is magic.

Drinking my second caffee after I finnished the nice piece of cake, I only realized the familiar landscape when the Driver announced we are reaching Mannheim in few minutes, I hadn't expect to stop in Mannheim Train Station , I spent 6 months in this place, I know this place like the palm of my hand. I wish I could spend some time in
the city, we have to catch up i thought, the train was not stopping for more than 1 minute. As the train took off I saw the tramway 7, it's still climbing the same bridge as slow as always, not much have changed in the city i think, not as much as I have changed. But the journey is far from over.