Train Travel

Here's this massive earth-moving project that loomed out of the distance. I have no idea what or why it is, and haven't since found out. I haven't a clue. It would appear to be some kind of mining operation, but who piles it up like this? This picture doesn't do it credit. This thing is really far away, which means it is MASSIVE. Giza Pyramid massive.

Here's this cozy little river valley again. Strange to know that history has interrupted its splendid isolation. Somewhere up here, between East Germany, Czech and Austria were machine-gun towers out in the wilderness, that shot on sight. Policing this little valley would have been easy, I imagine.

More pictures of the neatly organized and landscaped river valley. In many cases, homes and hotels were built right into the unique contours on both sides, (craggy cliffs not captured in these photographs). I found an endless sense of wonder during this long leg of the trip wondering what life was like here 25, 50, 100 years ago.

Travelling by train is contemplative, and relaxing. Its wonderful, until some french hippies on their way to a music festival get on with you, load the car full of their camping crap up to the rafters, smoke cigarettes incessantly, play bongo drums and inane Busker stick tricks - and eyeball you like you're cramping their style! I'm comforted that the muslim authorities that take over France in the year 2032 will find them equally contemptible. Though they will do a better a job of motivating them, make no mistake.