Trip to Berlin by #ComfortJet.
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Nice thing of a city trip with a two year old is that you're out & about at around.. six.
At least it's not that warm yet. Right now it's 18 degrees. Later in the day it'll be closer to 30.
We're in central station to visit a supermarket. Berlin Hauptbahnhof reminds me Germany can have massive train-stations where passengers don't feel the need to get a tetanus vaccination. Subtweeting Hamburg specifically..
Oddly enough I do find Hamburg Hbf a friendlier place to be. People are rude here.
Berlin is
and we're overheating. At least we've seen the Official Bird of German Democracy. -
Berlin is
and we're overheating. At least we've seen the Official Bird of German Democracy.Naturally we also got the Deutscher Bundestag first aid kit!
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Naturally we also got the Deutscher Bundestag first aid kit!
And all the pens..
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And all the pens..
And participated in a plenum plenorum (-ish).
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And participated in a plenum plenorum (-ish).
Toddlers new friends keep running away..
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Toddlers new friends keep running away..
#Berlin tourism tip: an extended visit to the Bundestag is very much recommended. Massive complex of connected buildings that ooze that democratic wholesomeness of "free stuff!".
We received pens, a first aid kit, air conditioned playgrounds and encountered lots of interesting and friendly people.
There was also the AFD offering free hotdogs, which we denied as a nazi hotdog is as good as no hotdog. The Greens compensated with vegan curry wurst.
CDU offered crayons, which seems on brand.
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#Berlin tourism tip: an extended visit to the Bundestag is very much recommended. Massive complex of connected buildings that ooze that democratic wholesomeness of "free stuff!".
We received pens, a first aid kit, air conditioned playgrounds and encountered lots of interesting and friendly people.
There was also the AFD offering free hotdogs, which we denied as a nazi hotdog is as good as no hotdog. The Greens compensated with vegan curry wurst.
CDU offered crayons, which seems on brand.
Oh. If you're wondering, here's the box of CDU crayons. The marks are toddler for some reason putting their teeth in it as we received them.
The CDU lady (actual member of the Bundestag!) who went out of her way to chat with us, was half-amused / half-annoyed / half-bemused (hence the three halves) at my lame comment about toddler clearly already being a typical CDU voter.
Her very conservatively dressed assistant actually said: more like our neighbours (AfD). Which, honestly, made me LOL. -
Oh. If you're wondering, here's the box of CDU crayons. The marks are toddler for some reason putting their teeth in it as we received them.
The CDU lady (actual member of the Bundestag!) who went out of her way to chat with us, was half-amused / half-annoyed / half-bemused (hence the three halves) at my lame comment about toddler clearly already being a typical CDU voter.
Her very conservatively dressed assistant actually said: more like our neighbours (AfD). Which, honestly, made me LOL.Full disclosure: we didn't just freeload inside the parliament buildings. We also freeloaded inside the big city park.
I collected some sequoia seeds for our tree nursery. This was the first time I remember picking up cones and the seeds falling out in abundance just from the movement of lifting them. I can only guess the combination of drought and them being in the direct sun / heath triggered this.
Anyway. #berlin is too hot.
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Full disclosure: we didn't just freeload inside the parliament buildings. We also freeloaded inside the big city park.
I collected some sequoia seeds for our tree nursery. This was the first time I remember picking up cones and the seeds falling out in abundance just from the movement of lifting them. I can only guess the combination of drought and them being in the direct sun / heath triggered this.
Anyway. #berlin is too hot.
RE: https://mastodon.online/@Pepijn/116511248026058649
If @europeanspodcast were to organise city trips for parents & kids this would basically be it:
-take a brand new international rail connection (which then craps out and you get to complain about European train infrastructure),
-to a capital so hot you don't know how to be outside,
-but luckily you can spend half of your entire one-day in the city inside the national parliament,
-where you receive crayons from a Christian conservative member of parliament,
-which your kid uses in the park.
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RE: https://mastodon.online/@Pepijn/116511248026058649
If @europeanspodcast were to organise city trips for parents & kids this would basically be it:
-take a brand new international rail connection (which then craps out and you get to complain about European train infrastructure),
-to a capital so hot you don't know how to be outside,
-but luckily you can spend half of your entire one-day in the city inside the national parliament,
-where you receive crayons from a Christian conservative member of parliament,
-which your kid uses in the park.
Just last week DSB customer service told me it is of course a decision to provide "comfortable spaces for all" but it is also "technically impossible to have a special children section on board the Talgo 230." Apparently that's what other people are told as well.
DB at the same time is actively advertising the children section in their Talgo 230 units.
At least be honest ffs.
edit: also, the manner Marlene supports her face makes me suspect she might need to see a dentist.
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Just last week DSB customer service told me it is of course a decision to provide "comfortable spaces for all" but it is also "technically impossible to have a special children section on board the Talgo 230." Apparently that's what other people are told as well.
DB at the same time is actively advertising the children section in their Talgo 230 units.
At least be honest ffs.
edit: also, the manner Marlene supports her face makes me suspect she might need to see a dentist.
We're currently in an ICE, soon arriving in Hamburg-Altona. Where... it seems there's an actual ComfortJet!
Today the little hobbit is not doing too well. The heat got to them yesterday and last night. 🤮 So we're using the stroller as a drying rack for our backup clothes..
Also: we didn't get a little train toy as I was stupidly honest in answering if the Hobbit is three years or older (no == no little train for you). I guess, safety & fair. We did get a little book meant for older kids
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We're currently in an ICE, soon arriving in Hamburg-Altona. Where... it seems there's an actual ComfortJet!
Today the little hobbit is not doing too well. The heat got to them yesterday and last night. 🤮 So we're using the stroller as a drying rack for our backup clothes..
Also: we didn't get a little train toy as I was stupidly honest in answering if the Hobbit is three years or older (no == no little train for you). I guess, safety & fair. We did get a little book meant for older kids
And we're inside the ComfortJet from Hamburg to Copenhagen (Kolding..)!
The little Hobbit is still a bit sick so I don't expect to do much of a review.
For now though: comfy seats, functional info system, lots of luggage space and a truly surprising amount of legroom. It's not often you can have a folded stroller in front of your legs.
Basically: #DSB sell or repurpose your Talgo units and order a couple of these things right now! Your passengers demand it!
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And we're inside the ComfortJet from Hamburg to Copenhagen (Kolding..)!
The little Hobbit is still a bit sick so I don't expect to do much of a review.
For now though: comfy seats, functional info system, lots of luggage space and a truly surprising amount of legroom. It's not often you can have a folded stroller in front of your legs.
Basically: #DSB sell or repurpose your Talgo units and order a couple of these things right now! Your passengers demand it!
Ride out of Hamburg is pretty comfy (tracks are decent here as well). It's no high-speed ICE but definitely no Talgo 230 either. Noise levels are fine*.
Info system is super nice. Instead of dumb games or ads it is simply explaining all features of the train.
*most noise is from Swedish people being much louder than needed to operate as a human being. It seems to be cultural
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Ride out of Hamburg is pretty comfy (tracks are decent here as well). It's no high-speed ICE but definitely no Talgo 230 either. Noise levels are fine*.
Info system is super nice. Instead of dumb games or ads it is simply explaining all features of the train.
*most noise is from Swedish people being much louder than needed to operate as a human being. It seems to be cultural
We had a walk through the train, checked toilets and the restaurant. Have opinions.
First of all: both the German train staff from DB and the Czech restaurant staff seems to dislike DSB. And they didn't need me to prompt it but started all by themselves when asked "cool train, love the route, do you think it'll go well in the future?"
I won't repeat the reasons here (DB staff asked me not to, restaurant staff is as much non-DSB related as DSB-related) but: seriously wow.
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We had a walk through the train, checked toilets and the restaurant. Have opinions.
First of all: both the German train staff from DB and the Czech restaurant staff seems to dislike DSB. And they didn't need me to prompt it but started all by themselves when asked "cool train, love the route, do you think it'll go well in the future?"
I won't repeat the reasons here (DB staff asked me not to, restaurant staff is as much non-DSB related as DSB-related) but: seriously wow.
Ok. Opinions.
The amazing: the door sensors are absolutely perfect. Like, the innovation of this is something that should be replicated in all trains. Basically you walk towards a door, trigger a sensor, and the door opens!
No more awkwardly waving your hands or waiting for someone else to pass.
Truly innovative. Basically Star Trek.
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Ok. Opinions.
The amazing: the door sensors are absolutely perfect. Like, the innovation of this is something that should be replicated in all trains. Basically you walk towards a door, trigger a sensor, and the door opens!
No more awkwardly waving your hands or waiting for someone else to pass.
Truly innovative. Basically Star Trek.
Ok. Opinions.
The good:
-restaurant wagon. Friendly staff, decent offers (we only got a coffee due to sick child), nice seating.
-handicapped and children toilet. It does what it should do. Surprisingly for a train running in this region there's no paper beyond that on the toilet rolls. Nice wide changing table. Could do with a soft cover (as there's no paper).
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Ok. Opinions.
The good:
-restaurant wagon. Friendly staff, decent offers (we only got a coffee due to sick child), nice seating.
-handicapped and children toilet. It does what it should do. Surprisingly for a train running in this region there's no paper beyond that on the toilet rolls. Nice wide changing table. Could do with a soft cover (as there's no paper).
Ok. Opinions.
The good:
-childrens area. It's part of a normal corridor wagon so no special cabins. Still. It's friendly, has a large capacity and there's a little cinema. At both ends the doors only open with a little button (note: children love to press little buttons..). Lots of stroller storage. It's good.
No photo of the cinema due to it being full of kids.
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Ok. Opinions.
The good:
-childrens area. It's part of a normal corridor wagon so no special cabins. Still. It's friendly, has a large capacity and there's a little cinema. At both ends the doors only open with a little button (note: children love to press little buttons..). Lots of stroller storage. It's good.
No photo of the cinema due to it being full of kids.
Ok. Opinions.
The bad:
All the other toilets. They're small and not friendly to tall people / people with kids / people with humps etc. This is a downgrade compared to ICE trains. Especially as when you cannot pick your own seat you might have to cross half the train to get to the accessible one.
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Ok. Opinions.
The bad:
All the other toilets. They're small and not friendly to tall people / people with kids / people with humps etc. This is a downgrade compared to ICE trains. Especially as when you cannot pick your own seat you might have to cross half the train to get to the accessible one.
No checks at Padborg. So we're on time!
Toddler is showing this really is an excellent train to be sick on. They're uncomfortable, not sure why, annoyed, puking and yet.. doing ok-ish.
For me though, it's a cuter reminder of those 1990s long distance EuroLines trips where the drunk stranger with massive knife next to you aggressively smelled like poop and/or puke.
Also: apparently you can borrow board games at the info-point
️. This really might be a north-sea ferry cosplaying as a train. -
No checks at Padborg. So we're on time!
Toddler is showing this really is an excellent train to be sick on. They're uncomfortable, not sure why, annoyed, puking and yet.. doing ok-ish.
For me though, it's a cuter reminder of those 1990s long distance EuroLines trips where the drunk stranger with massive knife next to you aggressively smelled like poop and/or puke.
Also: apparently you can borrow board games at the info-point
️. This really might be a north-sea ferry cosplaying as a train.Almost in Kolding, 15min delay. The train info system has been telling us we arrived already, without a delay.
Argued a bit with DSB staff who told me I can only unfold the stroller outside of the train.
He had no solution to us being placed in the middle of a standard seating area and the stroller being a necessity. "That is not my problem. These are DSB rules." As usual corridors being fully impassable with large luggage is ignored.
Otherwise good train. Wish DSB wasn't involved.
