PHOTOS: Last bit of Scotland, Bruges, Frankfurt

SCOTLAND, MOSTLY GLASGOW and a train station

Jim dropping us at the Stonehaven station. Didn't think to take more photos with family as we were having too much fun with them.

This is what Scotland thinks America tastes like.

What's up free natural history museum in Glasgow?

A busker taking it up a notch.

Flynn, stately, fiercely conquering Glasgow. Other cousins in various bold poses captured on a different device.

BRUGES, BELGIUM

They have canals and bikes. (though not like Amsterdam....)

What's up sweet shop? In front of me PILES of caramels. Piles.

Roger is just as effective at moving wind as this windmill.

Bruges = chocolate, lace, canals

Roger's first vermin snack.

Eye kiss.

A sample of the beer we imbibed. Banana beer; not for the weak- willed or runt hating.

FRANKFURT, GERMANY

Free pony ride.

Street art.

Surfing safari.

BABY ducks in February!!!

First doner of the trip. Delectable.

Familiar, Bostonians?

I love German. So many fahrts.

Alzheimher's (sp) research placard -- did it start in Frankfurt?

Time with Friends!!!! Nick!!!

Roger's second vermin snack.

Rainbow sausage man.

Train times to a new city.

Budapest, Hungary: 2/28 - 3/1

No edit.

 In Budapest we wandered and attempted to go to the Nightingale boardinghouse but no one would answer the doorbell so we stayed upstairs from it (large building around a courtyard, green railings) at a hostel. Friendly lady Barbara, whocd studied in the states at university, told us highlights, places to go etc. in our limited time there. She LOVES Budapest. It is quite nice for wandering. We ate our first meal at a butcher shop ordering a large bread purse stuffed with pork and other things as well as some pasta with cottage cheese sauce. Weird, but a popular concept. Very inexpensive way to eat. At the train station we purchased a bread- pastry GIANT BRACELET. Icd seen one in Prague and not gone for it, but it was time. Against Rogercs wishes I put the entire thing on (he wanted his half before I put it on) and took a sweet photo with my fashionable attire. He was cool with it once he realized my genius.

Walked along the river and over a bridge, up a funicular, around a castle, purchased some awesome hand-embroidered lace, went back down to the river and got on an evening river boat cruise. The cruise had an audio tour in many languages. The English version had several narrators. One sounded like Michael Cane (he, at times, spoke in the first person as the River Danube CAt times, I have flown over my banks, angering many people...C. Another sounded like the bro-iest bro and was often the voice of kings. CItcs like, totally, the best when your advisors give you good advice, bra.C Another was a lady who didnct make much of an impression. It was hilarious and great. Very beautiful lights at night on buildings and bridges. It reminded me of riding in the can at night to pick up my mom from work at the hospital in Pittsburgh. Lights and rivers and bridges. C)

We stopped at a decay decor (or something_) bar on the way home. ;;; name to come::: there were rubber wind flaps on the way in to each progressive doorway. Inside it was like a dozen second hand shops and thrift stores had thrown up their wares onto the walls, floors, ceilings. They had a communist era car with ski floorboards to sit and drink in. They also had a hookah rental (very cheap) so we had some tea and mint hookah on a how tarp covered sofa next to a huggable and grimy giant teddy bear. Falafel for late dinner on the way out and to bed in our New york themed room.

The next morning we were up early to take our bags to the train station to stash in a locker before making ourway to the zoo area and a bathhouse. Bright yellow, quite large, (ROGERcS BIRTHDAy DAy!!!) with spa amenities. We decided to get a couples massage (it ended up being from two burly Hungarian men) and wandered from warm pool to warm pool (out and indoor) before getting some of the travel knots pounded out. Off to the train station (only one train to zagreb, Croatia and it leaves at 1C30 in the afternoon C-) and quick fruits, snacks, falafel- doner for the six hour tran ride.

Vienna, Austria (Wein): 2/26 - 2/27

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We arrived early in the morning and made our way to Dr. Wienbergcs ;_: custom house. We got a very hot room which we aired constantly with the window and took a nap. Upon waking up we took a stroll around the center and made friends with Weinerwald (hilarious name, not as hilarious in German but just as fun to say) a sort of chain and then went to the Operahouse to see about standing room tickets (just a few euro). They were not available that day but we were approached by a man in a cloak about a Mozart- Strauss performance at La Orangerie later that evening. We listened to his schpiel, walked away, considered it and then went back to purchase tickets. Itcs always dicey when buying something on the street. Is it just a con_ Will I get there and be laughed at with pity and scorn_ It seemed fairly legitimate. Jeton was from Albania, working his way through language school in hopes of getting into an Architecture school in Vienna. He looked cold so we brought him a coffee on our way into the opera for a tour. It is beautiful and the coolest thing about the Vienna opera house is its willingness to stay accessible to anyone and everyone with its almost daily standing room seats (hundreds of them) in locations where you can easily and see the stage quite well. High five, Vienna opera house, high five. This is, I think, one of the issues with many art institutions in the states. They are concerned about decreasing numbers of younger patrons but charge high prices and donct make themselves consistently available to all folk (though some do).

Some schnitzel and pretzel and beer and then changing for the concert (sweet new dress in Krakow). FactC Vienna is cold in late February and while tights are very fashionable with short skirts they donct do much to ward off the cold. Nonetheless, we were a fashionable pair for the arts.

There was a quintet, piano, an operatic couple and a pair of dancers. All quite nice and right for being in Vienna. The dude dancer was not on his A game, if Icm honest. He was a bit heavy on the jetes and wasnct really working his high kicks but his lady friend was everything youcd want in a ballerina.

Back home and to blissful sleep -- we were quite tired about Krakow. The next day we got up, had a wander and then went to see Freudcs office. We then had a cupcake at a shop with a jolly man and a skull cake in the window. We went to find a restaurant recommended by KA and it was closed for a few more hours so we wandered, found Gloom - a small label carrying clothing store and some sweet light stores. Our evening was spent at the restaurant with creamy beet soup, greek salad, meatballs, mashed potatoes, pork medallions, potatoes, mushrooms, beer, more beer, beer.

Sleep and then caught a train (in the daytime!) to Budapest, Hungary.

Krakow, Poland: 2/25: New Friends and a salt mine.

No editing time.....



When we got back to Krakow we asked the gent at the desk of our hostel where we should eat to have good Polish fare. He gave us two choicesC one with portions that would kill us and was quite close and another that was seriously Polish food but that was a fair bit father away across the city. As we hadnct eaten anything except rice cakes and weird coconut ball tiny pirate candies we opted for closer. He was not kidding about the portions. We had a pork layered with mushrooms and filled with goulash paired with two kinds of delicious cabbage salads (light, slightly sweet and vinegary dressing no mayo) and then a side of mushroom and saurkraut pierogies. Giant beers. No room for dessert. We did get a bonus portion of saurkraut just for sitting down at the table, so that was nice.

Relatively early to bed in our Tibet themed room. The next morning, thinking breakfast was served quite early as wecd stumbled upon it the previous day at 7C30 we made our way downstairs around 7C45. Apparently the other breakfast was a special sitting for the French class trip. Whoops. However, the gent on duty was very nice and made us breakfast anyway. Cheese and meat plate, hotdogs peeled, filled with cheese and microwaved, two kinds of jam in special jars, milk, coffee, granola... we then had a nice long chat with him about Poland, education, etc. (we were a little sad that breakfast didnct include the croque messiers from the previous morning. I have a thought that maybe they brought their panini press with them. How civilized.

We made our way to the train station, stashed our bags in a locker (lockers kick ass for making it possible to walk around with heavy heavy bags) and got on a train for the salt mines.

They charged a fee for camera use, which I donct know how I feel about, and had a neat system of guided tour hang it about your neck-ness with earphones that transmitted the guidecs voice directly to everyone without shouting which I appreciated as we were about to go far underground where people had been messing with the stability of the rock structure for about 700 years. Minimizing percussives sounded like a smart idea.

We began walking down some stairs. And kept walking down some stairs. Further and further down into the earth. There are some photos taken down between the banisters at different places. youcll notice that there still seemed to be infinite darkness, regardless of how far down wecd continued to travel. I have to say, this first part of the tour was the part that made me feel the most claustrophobic and question the wisdom of willingly and independently locamoting my way under thousands of tons of solid rock. We continued to descend. The small boy in front of us gave up and was carried down the remainder of the way.

It is silent underground. Therecs no traffic going by. There are no birds or dogs or mosquitos. They are all far above, enjoying the daylight and the endless supply of breatheable air. As we congregated at the first room of the tour there was some not inconsequential creaking and then a loud, urgent alarm went off near us. The tour guide looked nonplussed so I resolved to also affect an air of not noticing the sound that would typically signal evacution. Giving up my attempts to control the situation through mind powers and tightened muscles (much like what I sometimes do on airplanes when there is turbulence) and rationizing that thousands of people had made it through this tour alive and that the lady leading the tour makes it out alive every day, I was able to move past the feelings and quite enjoy the rest of the tour, admiring the industry of the folk whocd excated the caves and allowed for the seasoning of so many dishes for so many people.

The mining had begun in the 13th century and stopped in the late 1900s. Our tour began in tunnels created in the 1600s. Throughout our time underground, as we descended to the ultimate depth of 350 meters underground (not the deepest of the caverns but enough for our ground-dwelling group, apparently) there were rock salt sculptures that had been made by miners through the years. It was like walking through a dwarven tunnel system. Seeing the results of their hard work and recreation so far below the earth. At one point in a large cavern our tour guide played us an audio file to demonstrate what it sounded like when they burned off the methane released when the salt was mined (and when the canteen decided to serve beans for dinner). It would apparently pool at the ceiling and they would set it on fire. This made a huge noise which you good feel reverberating in the rock (we, on the tour, could also feel it as sound is a powerful force) this was the other moment where I felt nervous on the tour. Seriously_ Loud percussives underground_ Miners, I salute you for your bravery - ability to block out or rise above or power through the dangers of your daily trade. Wanting to feel a part of the demonstration, however, I left a bit of my own methane to make the experience more authentic for the next tour group.

The tunnels were rather short. Something I realized while we were thereC Rogercs too short to be a minerc thatcs why hecs never carded. (I was quite proud of this when I thought of it underground. Roll with it.)

Fantastic acoustics in many of the caverns. They actually have a church, several chapels and a concert hall underground at different points. I desparately wanted to sing in them but other people etc so I just hummed a bit occassionally. Roger and I did a bit of dancing in one of the large rooms. Nicey-nice.

They used to have horses down in the mines with them. What a frightening experience for a horse to travel underground. Also, another source of methane. These miners certainly liked to live on the edge. There were a few rooms we saw with salt water pools. Taking photos with a flash illuminated the salt particles suspended in the air. Seeing as everything around us was made of rock salt I found myself wanting to lick all of the walls. I didnct, at least not directly. I did, however, wipe a fingerfull of salt off of a cauliflower salt structure as we passed it. It tasted salty, for your information. On our way out we were loaded into tiny, no-nonsense, no frills metal wire box elevators. They traveled quite quickly in the pitch dark shaft, three cars stacked one upon the next. It felt like riding the Tower of Terror or Pittsburgh plunge. But without a harness or seat. In the dark. With six strangers. Not the awesomest.

All in all, however, an awesome time. Good suggestion, Will.

Later that afternoon, back in Krakow, we met up with Willcs friend, Ewa, and she showed us around the town. Walk to the castle, Smogcs (a dragon) cave and sculpture that breathes fire, and then in the awesomest thing, she invited us to her apartment and fed us pierogies and chocolate cake made by her mom!!! They were delicious! Then her friend and roommate Tom fed us saurkraut and pickles made by HIS mom. It was Polish deliciousness to the max. We had some good talk about eduation (itcs a good theme) and then, finding the vodka out in the freezer, took a walk for some Polish beer and vodka.

I have never been much of a vodka drinker. I find it biting with a fierce aftereffect. I had never had good vodka. Under the knowledgeable eye of our new friends we discovered cherry (tasty), burnt vodka (not so good for me, Roger liked it), nut vodka (quite tasty), and buffalo grass vodka which was the best of all (dangerously tasty). A tipsy walk back to the train station and we were off on a night train to Vienna (Wein), Austria. Lovely times with new friends!

This night train was much smoother, more insulated, (newer_) and aided by a gentle sheen of liquid sleepiness.

Krakow, Poland: 2/24: Auschwitz and Birkenau.

Krakow- Krakov
We pulled into the station at 6:49am. We waited a bit for the ticket and money exchange offices to open at 7:00am and asked about trains to Auschwitz. We walked into the city and found the Mundo Hostel which not only had a room available for the night but also offered reasonably priced laundry service. Down to his last sock, Roger was particularly excited about this development. Our hosts kindly offered us the breakfast being served to a large group of French folk. (We later conjectured that they were a student group led by two older gentlemen). While exchanging, "where are YOU from?"s one dude didn't know where Boston (or Massachusetts) is located. In some weird way this made me feel better about all of the times I haven't known where a European's town in within their country. So often I feel like my geography is failing me. (It's not your fault, Mr. Gredler, you made sure I knew every country and capital in the world. It's just that my mind sheds facts like a labrador sheds fur in the spring.)



Auschwitz I and II, Birkenau

Riding out to the camps it struck me, and later, after our visit I asked several Polish folk and they confirmed, that this is a site they visit on school trips as they are growing up. I wonder how this affects the way that they think about it compared to how people in the US do.

I remember learning and reading about different facets of the Halocaust at different times in my schooling. I felt horrified at the scale of the crime and I think learning about the Halocaust was probably the first time in my development that I began to be aware of the human capacity for so much killing and evil. But because of the scale and the numbers of people involved I (and I don't think people generally can) could never really grasp what the numbers meant.

In Auschwitz I they have a sort of museum in several of the bunkhouses displaying paperwork detailing aspects of setting up, hiding, running and catalogueing the camp. Photos of prisonors who were marked as entering the camp and photos of survivors. The precision and forethought that went into the Nazis plans to imprison and kill so many people was so coldly calculating. So deceptively cruel.

In one bunkhouse simply labeled "Evidence of Crimes" they have displayed a fraction of what was left behind or taken from the victims. A room maybe 100 feet long with piles of women's hair behind glass. Another long room with suitcases - people had written their names and addresses; they were expecting to go home eventually. A long hallway with piles of shoes on both sides. You can smell the leather through the glass. Another, smaller, room with children's and baby's shoes. Pots, pans, brushes, clothing, shaving brushes. A fraction of what was left behind. Thousands of the millions displayed.

Walked to Birkenau and saw the expanse it covered. It is huge. Desolate, bleak, partially destroyed by Nazis who feared the retribution for what they'd done. Huge. It is not possible to look across the camp and see the other edge. Over a million people lost their lives here. Train after train after train. An efficient killing machine for humans. Horrible. Sobering. Shaming. Unforgivable. May the souls of the dead rest in peace. May the souls of the survivors be not disturbed by vivid rememberings. May those who designed and carried out the massacre feel the weight and pain of what they have done for eternity. May humanity be careful with itself that it may not happen again.

For my history teacher friends, I took photos of some of the exhibits and the camps for your potential use. There was also a booklet elaborating on the different displays that you might find helpful in your teaching. Let me know.

Prague, Czech Republic: 2/22 - 2/23

Another non-edit. Keyboards are different in Europe, sometimes.

Out of the train and into Prague where it is quite cold but also lovely. We crossed the Charles Bridge with its views, pickpockets and earring sellers and walked up a hill in search of supposedly stunning and affordable apartments, according to our Europe travel book. Alas, it no longer exists and so we found our way to the S1 Hostel. Servicible, names of composers on the dorm rooms, the double available turned out to be a room with three sets of bunkbeds and Dvorakcs name on the door. The lockers are thin and are only able to hold giant hiking backpacks after they have been unpacked and unceremoniously shoved in with some use of expletives. 

After a meal of schnitzel (for me) and goulosh (for Roger) and, of course, Prague beer, we made our way to the city center too join a New Europe free tour. This tour is done by the same company as the one we were so pleased with in Edinburgh. This time our guidecs name was Adam, a self-possessed, slightly unpolished (he was apparently new to the tours), and wholly entertaining Czech and world native whose two grandfathers lived through and were a part of two very different movements in the mid to late 20th century. One invented the ejector seat for fighter jets and came from some money the other worked his way up in the Communist guard and came from none. Having the general history and the more personal history of a place from someone who has lived there is fantastic. 
Kafka facts, the concert hall where Mozart played Don Giovanni (and where Amadeus was filmed), the Jewish quarter and learning the horrifying fact that Hitler intended to make Prague the museum to the Cextinct raceC once he completed what he set out to do. The Velvet Divorce with Slovakia as told as an invite to dinner, a bottle of wine, and then Slovakia saying, CCzech, itcs not you, itcs me. Itcs time we see other countries.C Defenestration as a powerful and reused tool of dissent. Well done.

I forgot to mentionC about an hour after we arrived in Prague it began to snow and didnct stop until about mid-afternoon on the following day. It was magical blowing snow and coated the city in a blanket of powder and quiet.

We then stopped for a bit of food and drink as we were chilled to the bone from the three hour tour. I had hot wine and then grog (a hot rum drink) and Roger, beer. We ate some lovely French onion soup with croutons with brie and a grilled cheese (not on a sandwichC just cheese, grilled) with honey and potato dish. Food here is made to warm and fill you. We had a lovely conversation with a Czech woman at the next table. She told us that May is the month to really see the beauty of the Czech Republic. She also told us some of the outer towns are lovely in their natural beauty. She and her husband were waiting on the arrival of her friend from Switzerland. He was not much of a talker but he had a kind smile and reminded me of the band mnager from Love Actually. When we left sometime later and waved goodbye she waved enthusiastically with both arms.

We then made our way to the Jazz Republic - a live music venue- bar that you walk downstairs (in what looks like a metro stop) to find. We were much earlier than the music so we sat and sipped and read and visited with the chocolate lab puppy who apparently had the run of the place. We saw a double-drum band - great! Live music is always grand and then walked home in the snow. A good nightcs sleep.

A note about showers in EuropeC they are quite variable in quality but almost all have the handheld detached showerhead. Many donct have full curtains or doors. This can result in very wet bathrooms if the unpracticed get ahold of the setup. Not saying I did anything, but I might have. At first. Another thing (granted, a generalization) about showers in EuropeC the pressure and the heat can be quite variable and finicky. Surprising when youcre bleary-eyed. Makes one grateful for a good shower.

The hostel had one of the worst fluctuations of any shower Icve taken thus far. Scalding to freezing in the time it took to wet my hair, all the time the water was collecting in the basin at the bottom slowly covering my feet in hostel drain leavings. Definitely cleaner than I was when I went in. Definitely...

Out into the morning for breakfast (gnocci in delicious sauce with bacon pieces and coffee and apple strudel) and a winter wonderland of still-falling snow. Over the next hour we made our way to the miniature museum (which kicked ass). The entire collection of art would fit into a shot glass. Photos to come. As we happened to be at the monastery that brewed beer we sampled it along with some (Roger) grilled vegetables and (me) caramel beer ice cream. Then a jaunt to the Prague Castle.

We chose to take the Story tour and walked through an incredible collection of archealogical findings from as far back as 3000 B.C. all found on and around the grounds ;;_:: The oldest metal earring found (made of copper) and many other pieces of jewerly from different eras, clothing preserved in some of the tombs of the rulers, priests and nuns (some of them over a thousand years old). Gargoyles, sketches from the cathedralcs designer, and several rooms we were unable to take in fully because the museum was closing.

We took the stairs (dodgy in the tamped down snow) down to the bottom of the hill and moved off of the beaten path to some of the back streets. The pedestrian numbers dropped dramatically and the difference in the architecture from other cities visited thus far became much more evident. One thing I like very much about Prague is the plaster ;_: used on the outside of many of the buildings. It is common to see pastel green, pink, blue, cream ... quite lovely. We wandered up and down streets and found ourselves at the edge of a vineyard- beeryard where people where sledding, nuns were walking and one ambitious individual was snowboarding (he made one pass down the slope and then dismounted and thatcs all we saw from him). It was beautiful in the dusk.

Back down the mountain we found a small, smokey restaurant-pub tucked into a corner. We only had about 380 crowns left (about 14 euro) and were leaving the country that night so it didnct make sense to change more money. At first we didnct think wecd be able to eat a full dinner and so we ordered a couple of beers and read a bit in our books. Two beers cost 60 crowns. We were go for dinner. We ordered fried bread with meat paste and cheese (a sort of thick meat sauce - delicious) and bacon and onion and potato dumplings. Also more beer. Delicious delicious delicious. Highly recommend the place, though youcve got to be okay with a bit of smoke.

Back to pick up our things from the hostel and then tramping through snowy, beautiful Prague back to the station to catch our train.

Night TrainC Prague to Krakow
Thjs night train will not be remembered as my favorite night train. The designers had not put a lot of energy into sound-proofing said train. As a result the traincs intimate relationship with the track was clearly heard and felt as we clacked along through the night. Additionally, not being particularly familiar with the terrain of our route I spent much of my time lying on the top bunk imagining the train leaning out over canyons as it swayed from side to side. I was not well rested when we arrived. Roger did a bit better with sleep.

Frankfurt: 2/20 - 2/21

Note: no time for review/editing. There it is.

FRANKFURT, GERMANY

After the day train from Brussels to Frankfurt...
We did a bit of calling home to parents which was lovely - nice to hear their voices after a month away - and then sampled a bit of the local fare (sausages and currywurst - Scott, I hear you make a mean currywurst right in your own home). We then met up with Nick!

Nick is a friend from college days when we worked in the music department together. I am so pleased it worked out to see him during this trip. He offered up his home for sleeping (awesome) and took us to a delicious German restaurant and beer garden. Schnitzel with green sauce is DE-licious. As is pot roast made well. Also, apelwine, a specialty of the area, is great. It tastes like appel cider with none of the sugar and a bit more alcohol on the back end. A refreshing beverage served in pitchers and cut with bubbly water.
Company and conversation made the night and, as can happen with reconnections, I felt so pleased that it had all worked out.

Nick made us a typical breakfast spread - yogurt (which you CAN eat with lemon curd but will be scoffed at for eating with jam, apparently, if youcre at Nickcs house), open-faced bread sandwiches with cheese and meat, eggs, coffe- tea, and blood orange juice.

Full and armed with a map with Nickcs notations we set off around the town. Got a cheap manicure, walked around a string of parks delineating the former city wall, crossed the river to the museum walk and took in the architecture museum (okay exhibits, though nothing mind-blowing, best cafe in town -- and with the drinks we had and the apple vanilla pastry we didnct feel like disputing it, though limited in our experience of Frankfurt cafes).
A quick metro trip and walk to a doner restaurant across town. Roger is quite the doner connessiour from his time in Munich and I have heard about doners from our first year together. I was stoked to try this legendary food.

Doner is served in a breadish toasted pita pocket. It is shwarma meat (which I havenct eaten often. I like the way the meat is all a bit crispy at the edges from the constant roasting), yogurt sauce, lettuce, onion, cabbage, and every other ingredient in the topping bar. It is sometimes the size of your face and a good inch and a half to two inches thick. A formidable and tasty sandwich. you WILL feel like you have a food baby after eating it. you will not need any sort of significant dinner.

After doner we took a looooong walk. We walked through more parks (earlier wecd gone to a lovely Chinese ;;::_ park with bridges, trees, a pond) and found our way to the university buildings. Nick had told us about a Nazi-built building with elevators that are in perpetual motion. šnoteC much of Frankfurt was destroyed in WWII and so there are not many structures left from before the ward.

The elevators are crazy. They have warnings and disclaimers about not riding under the age of 18 and only one person at a time fits into each car. The cars do not have doors, only vertical handles on either side of the opening. you wait and time your step onto or off of the elevator precisely. What if you misstep or fall_ Well, maybe youcll have your leg squeezed off. Isnct there an emergency stop button_ yes, but bad newsC itcs located outside the elevator so if your leg is already in the works of being smashed, youcd better hope therecs a kind citizen at the next floor aware of whatcs going on.

We rode the around a full circuit. The top and bottom are fairly dark and somewhat freaky when you donct know whatcs coming. Will it tilt you backwards and force you to scramble and crab walk so that the bottom becomes the top_ Will it dump you out (we hadnct seen anyone else riding them before we got on, separately) into the shaft_ No, evidently not. A simple wheel rotates the cars from one side to the other --- you remain on the same side of the building. When I first heard about it I imagined a ferris wheel like the London Eye ferrying people to random points in the building. The actual design made a bit more sense. There are also two located in different parts of the building -- we actually discovered them independently as we made our way to the herren and damen bathrooms.

We checked out a fancy chocolate shop noted on the map by Nick and I tried a chili bonbon while Roger had a marshmallow mouse. A last quick snack and beer with
Nick, a stop at his house and a call to my sister and then we went to the train station to await our 12:49AM train to Prague (Praha).

When booked we thought we had reserved a two-person sleeper. Not so, apparently we were meeting the train at a stop in the middle of its journey. Our beds were the top and middle left bunks and four people were already asleep in the car. Itcs not really possible to silently ready oneself for bed and stow luggage above the top bunk but we did things as quickly and quietly as possible and I didnct bother to think about bedbugs as I stretched out in my clothes with my coat as a pillow on the pillow. That night, among other things, I dreamt that the man on the bottom bunk jumped up and bared his teeth at me and also that my friends Bart and Nicole had joined us on the journey. For being fully dressed on a train it wasnct a bad nightcs sleep. In the morning three passangers had gone and I met the 4th roommate. She is currently on a study abroad from UVA (wahoowah, itcs a small world). She and her friend were doing a bit of a tour while on their term break. Best of luck, grasshoppers.