my problems

6/30/2006, 14.10
Rostock, Germany to Berlin, Germany

This train defines "packed." We are on our way to Berlin, Germany, where as luck would have it the 2nd & 3rd rated football teams in the World Cup - Argentina & Germany - are going head to head this afternoon. The last game Germany won prompted over one million people to flood the streets, effectively shutting Berlin down temporarily. This is a quarter-final game; the team that loses is out of the World Cup. The team that wins is in the finals. Adding to the chaotic patriotism is the fact that most of Germany's national team is made up of players from the Berlin team...these are local boys! I hope Germany wins.

I disembarked from the ferry last night around 21.00, & after wandering aimlessly for 20 minutes or so wondering where in the world (literally) Chris & Jason were, they triumphantly appeared on the horizon! In armor. On horseback. Playing, um, lutes. Not really. Really they just rounded the Fiat at the end of the Superfast Ferries parking lot. But it FELT that epic to finally meet again!

We took the short train to downtown Rostock to the central train station with the intent of heading right for Berlin. Sadly, we had missed the last train of the night, so instead we got a double at the InterCity Hotel next door & stayed the night. Chris & I were up talking in the hall until four a.m. It felt good to talk with him again.

Traveling with Jason is going to be interesting. He's already told me straight out he has no problem being the "stupid American." I have a problem with him being the "stupid American," as does Chris. Also, he has no opinions. No preferences. He has no drive or passion. He just doesn't care. Seemingly about anything (except computer games). He doesn't care if people don't like him. He doesn't care if he bothers, offends or pisses people off. It just could not mean any less to him. I have a problem with that.