Wandering Leipzig

Berlin was booked out - so we decided to spend more time absorbing the unexpected charm of Leipzig. Lonely Planet, the bible of backpackerdom, cautions against rapid sight-seeing. Indeed, wandering the streets of Leipzig is a joy itself. We managed to get on the right tram to an area called Schunefeld where we were staying. From the perspective of the tram the streets looked scrappy - dilapidated apartment buildings and decayed charm. But once the defamiliarisation stage set in, we soon discovered its beauty.

Cute cat - we took the half hour walk from hostel to Leipzig centre one day and discovered some gorgeous streets and creatures!
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The hostel was secluded - we were perhaps the only non-Germans there. Breakfast was included so we enjoyed the full spread of cold meats, breads and cereals they had prepared. At breakfast, people constantly came up to us, asking questions in German pertaining to the kitchen facilities. I looked at them bewildered, deprived of any kind of voice. Survival is easy though - most people will gesture with their hands their little knowledge of English. It's always a great help. Met an aspiring actress called Nadine - she rocked up at midnight on our first night so we had a brief exchange before bed. She had come to Leipzig in preparation for a second stage exam determining entrance into a performing arts college. I ate one of her props - some chocolate coated gingerbread foodstuff wrapped in a paper funnel. She was lovely, but got a private room the next day so she could practice for her examination. Defining words is hard - I struggled to explain to her what the word 'pretending' meant. It was in the last line of her English song performance - a tune from Les Miserables.

BLUE HOUR, MAX KLINGER

We went to the Museum Der Bildenden Kunste in Leipzig which has special exhbitions on Max Klinger and also hosts the works of many other artists. The modern museum is wonderful in itself - many levels with carefully thought-out displays. In a net cafe, I left Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs (right subject order?) on a bookcrossing table. When we returned just a few hours later to collect a pen we'd left behind - it was gone! Snapped up already.

Book-wise, on the Berlin - Warsaw express I began Cloud Atlas and it's sumptuosly erudite. The second story is particularly scandalous. All the stories are linked my the most gripping interconnections.

Language blunders are frequent owing to my devoid knowledge of German. After our coat-buying spree we decided to get lunch. Pointing to a vegetable curry concoction, I ordered two of the dish - what I thought was called curry bratwurst. We were alarmed to see the lady hack up a sausage, douse it in a rich sauce and sprinkle it with curry powder. We ate it like curried hotdogs - inside of bread and it was a delicous suprise nonetheless.

We are now in Warsaw for three days, arriving just yesterday. We are staying at the wackiest hostel, called Oki Doki. It is reknown for its bright rooms. Enough said for now, because the train journey to Warsaw is a story in itself.