Phil and I went to Amsterdam this weekend.
What you see here is a very narrow alley that leads to the red light district. I thought this particular picture, due to the tilt and the blurred view, captures the feeling of Amsterdam.
Sorry for the slowed pace in updates, the days really fly by here. Anyway, I had my first experience of running to catch a train on Friday. Our train from Lyon arrived at Paris Gare Lyon (the city's southern train station) at precisely 9:44 am. It will become clear later why I know the times to the minute. Our problem was that we needed to get to Paris Nord (the city's northern train station) in order to catch our train to the Netherlands. The train was scheduled to leave at 10:24 am. This is our story.
Sidenote: To get through a metro gateway, you insert your metro ticket into the machine and the glass doors open for one person, this is important later.
9:44 am, we arrive (Paris Gare Lyon)
9:49 am, we locate the metro station, but have no metro tickets obviously. None of the automatic ticket machines took coins, and both of our debit cards were rejected. We had a problem.
9:56 am, ticket booth! Quick Phil get in line!
10:01 am, we have two metro tickets and have found the correct platform, but the RER (type of metro train) doesn't depart for Paris Nord until 10:09 am.
10:07 am, OMG! The RER is 3 minutes late!?!?
10:09 am, Phew, the train is back on schedule.
10:10 am, the RER departs Paris Gare Lyon and I'm bouncing on the balls of my feet like a 5 year old stuck in a department store.
10:21 am, the RER arrives at Paris Nord, there is a faint cloud of dust in the shape of two people where Phil and I were standing on the RER.
10:22 am, After lunging up the stairs out of the metro, we locate the TV screens that list the trains and departure platforms, our train is at platform 12, run!
10:23 am, OMFG!!! You need a metro ticket to get out of the metro. Phil doesn't have his, what do we do? "F%$K it, I'm coming through with you man."
10:25 am, OMFG ROFLMAO!!! We made it with 15 seconds to spare, here's how
I inserted my ticket, thinking we were doomed. Phil didn't have a ticket and, therefore, a way to get out of the metro. My heart has never sank so low so fast. We had come this far but now a stupid metro ticket was standing in our way. But Phil pushed from behind and as the little glass doors slid open we both fell through. What's more is that no form of authority saw us technically cheat the metro machine.
I looked down the hallway that runs under the tracks, with stairs leading up to each platform. I realized our platform was over 50 yards away, but we were already running. I forgot to mention I was carrying a heavy backpack and computer bag around my shoulder, but I still don't think I have ever run as fast as I did at that train station. We charged up the stairs, hearing in the background: "The train is leaving..." Bounding over the top stair we turned right and fell into the nearest train door. I had enough time to ask the grinning conductor on the platform if this was the 9350 to Amsterdam. He said no, it is the 9450 to Brussels (the train splits in half at Brussels and one half goes to Amsterdam, the other half goes somewhere else) But it was alright because we could switch over in Brussels. I thanked him and the door closed.
We made it.
For anyone who wants to dispute that we made it with 15 seconds to spare, it's a valid assumption that I subconciously shortened that time, but we really only had enough time to say 2 sentences to the conductor before the doors closed. And when those doors close, they don't open for anything. That was also the only train that could have taken us to Amsterdam.
It was truly a miraculous feeling to make that train. Even though we were stuck in the little baggage compartment, we felt like heroes.
9:56 am, ticket booth! Quick Phil get in line!
10:01 am, we have two metro tickets and have found the correct platform, but the RER (type of metro train) doesn't depart for Paris Nord until 10:09 am.
10:07 am, OMG! The RER is 3 minutes late!?!?
10:09 am, Phew, the train is back on schedule.
10:10 am, the RER departs Paris Gare Lyon and I'm bouncing on the balls of my feet like a 5 year old stuck in a department store.
10:21 am, the RER arrives at Paris Nord, there is a faint cloud of dust in the shape of two people where Phil and I were standing on the RER.
10:22 am, After lunging up the stairs out of the metro, we locate the TV screens that list the trains and departure platforms, our train is at platform 12, run!
10:23 am, OMFG!!! You need a metro ticket to get out of the metro. Phil doesn't have his, what do we do? "F%$K it, I'm coming through with you man."
10:25 am, OMFG ROFLMAO!!! We made it with 15 seconds to spare, here's how
I inserted my ticket, thinking we were doomed. Phil didn't have a ticket and, therefore, a way to get out of the metro. My heart has never sank so low so fast. We had come this far but now a stupid metro ticket was standing in our way. But Phil pushed from behind and as the little glass doors slid open we both fell through. What's more is that no form of authority saw us technically cheat the metro machine.
I looked down the hallway that runs under the tracks, with stairs leading up to each platform. I realized our platform was over 50 yards away, but we were already running. I forgot to mention I was carrying a heavy backpack and computer bag around my shoulder, but I still don't think I have ever run as fast as I did at that train station. We charged up the stairs, hearing in the background: "The train is leaving..." Bounding over the top stair we turned right and fell into the nearest train door. I had enough time to ask the grinning conductor on the platform if this was the 9350 to Amsterdam. He said no, it is the 9450 to Brussels (the train splits in half at Brussels and one half goes to Amsterdam, the other half goes somewhere else) But it was alright because we could switch over in Brussels. I thanked him and the door closed.
We made it.
For anyone who wants to dispute that we made it with 15 seconds to spare, it's a valid assumption that I subconciously shortened that time, but we really only had enough time to say 2 sentences to the conductor before the doors closed. And when those doors close, they don't open for anything. That was also the only train that could have taken us to Amsterdam.
It was truly a miraculous feeling to make that train. Even though we were stuck in the little baggage compartment, we felt like heroes.
Oh Barry, that was a way cool story... sounds like something out of "Mission Impossible"... which it was, I guess... Say hi to Phil... since now ya'll are "close" friends - sorry - had to say that - ha ha... can't wait till your next adventure story... love ya,
ReplyDelete~mom
p.s. there's a chance I may be going out on a fishing boat later this week... but am definately going to climb/hike a mountain this weekend..