WCG European Championships – Day One
Published March 6, 2008
After a ten-hour flight from Seattle to Amsterdam, Video Monkey and I arrived to find that there was a strike in Germany and our flight to Hannover was cancelled. Not rescheduled, just kaput. So after waiting an hour for our luggage and another hour at the ticket window we hopped on a train from Schiphol to Amersfoort where we waited another 30 minutes on a freezing train platform. See how cold it is? Monkey's drinking hot chocolate!
The Dutch countryside was really beautiful. I saw lots of sheep and horses and the cutest pony ever. No, this pic is not particularly pastoral, but it was taken from the train. I think we had passed over into Germany by the time I took it.
The three-hour train ride from Amersfoort to Hannover was posh compared to the crappy local train. It was so comfy, Video Monkey got in a nice nap, oblivious that the woman next to him was giggling at his open mouth. I think she said he looks like a dead horse when he sleeps.
Here's the view from my room at the hotel on Hinueberstrasse. I'm up on the top floor. Hannover looks pretty cute and charming so far, but I was so exhausted when I finally arrived, I may have been hallucinating.
Score! The German snacks are surprisingly delightful. This is the birthplace of Gummi Bears after all. The pretzel stick things are nice too, as is the chococcino. Coke Light bottles are unacceptably small,however.
Dinner in the hotel lobby with AceyBongos, WCG Paulie, Video Monkey and BFF Lindsey (aka Marathon Girl on Xbox LIVE®). I think we were all too tired to enjoy the meal much. hooperkid arrives tomorrow.
Acey not only helped me polish off my dinner, he's going to be rocking the WCG videos with me for Xbox.com and Inside Xbox. BFF Lindsey said he was hamming it up at Rock Band™ yesterday.
This is the first casualty of the trip. I blew out my flatiron in the silly European 220 current. I had an adapter, so not sure what happened … it worked it Italy. So yeah, pop! goes the flatiron and boom curly hair for videos. Sadness.
TriX out.
