Long train ride back to Hamburg - Sep 13, 2009

I got to the train station early (just across the street from the hotel) and found my seat. Just before departure we are told that the locomotive has to be replaced. It took almost 50 minutes and started to get nervous. My connection in Warsaw was only 30 minutes and I had to get back to Germany as my flight to Canada was tomorrow. The female conductor assured me that the next train would wait for me in Warsaw!" "Fat chance", I thought. As we neared Warsaw we were 40 minutes late to get to the main station. Well, would you believe we stopped at a "West" Warsaw station and the Berlin Express had stopped there (unscheduled) just for me - I jumped out ran to the other train on the same platform and I had just gotten my suit case inside when both trains took off again! I am glad I had given the conductor a nice Canadian T-shirt as a thank you for her efforts. In the compartment were two sisters and the one's husband. They asked, "Did our express train stop here just for you?" I had to admit, that was true and assuring them that I was a very important person??!!!! The four of us had great time all the way to Berlin (six hours) and it turned out the one lady (Polish) was a pianist and her son an accomplished cello player. The other sister and her French husband live in Paris. The son would love to come to Vancouver and perform. I had dinner with a glass of wine in the restaurant car. In Berlin (we were not late arriving considering my special attention) I changed to the train to Hamburg. I quickly got to Ibis Hamburg hotel (free shuttle service) and found the room was similar to the one in Warsaw.