The first thing I notice that is very different in Germany from conditions in France is the Railway Staff. While the staff in France generally seems to be young and good-looking and is dressed in its purple/dark-grey outfits, the German railways staff in their blue with red-tie and some other eye-molesting colour thrown in outfits seems to be rounder around the middle and in more advanced years. Why? Don't ask me. The train stops in Aachen 15 minutes after it stopped in Liege, and Aachen doesn't even have an impressive train station! It is 10:55 and in 20 minutes we should be in Cologne!
And just now, the German Police walked through the train. I'm sure they didn't buy a ticket, but they are walking through a moving train, looking at the face or body of every individual passenger. Please note: There was no police on the train after entering Belgium! These are the moments when I am relieved that I don't look a bit Turkish or African, because the police would at least have asked for ticket or passport.
They finally found a victim, right on the other side of the car from me. I guess there were not enough of the usual suspects on board, so they decided to bother someone young in orange pants. Since that person was wearing headphones, copper sounded Haaaaalooo twice before the victim noticed him. After the questions of "Do you speak German?" and "Where are you going?" the victim was released and the StaPo went back in the train looking for other subversive elements. I'm actually shocked that they didn't bother with me. Something in my facial expression, I presume ;-) All through my teens, 20s, and 30s, I would have bet money on getting the special treatment from Police that tells you that there is something something that they find suspicious about you.
eye-molesting color! ha ha ha
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