The train ride back from Luxemburg was pretty grueling. For some reason, they like heat. A lot. ON the train ride in, the 1st class section was baking. Everyone had their coats off and I was sweating. The hostel room was also abnormally warm, to where I had to toss my blanket off and sleep on top the bunk in my undies. So a lack of sleep was in order. This made the seven hour train ride less enjoyable. Meh.
The next morning I woke early and headed out. I stopped by a nice little cafe to have breakfast and made a friend. I know he was a friend because in an amazing display of loyalty, he fought off the evil Backpack Strap - thoroughly trouncing it and preventing it from killing those around me via a preemptive strike.
After parting ways with my new friend, I headed down the block to check out KattenKabinet, a small cat art museum.
I was actually fairly impressed. While the museum was only the first and second floor of the place - apparently it was the private collection of the owners and has been open for 25 years. Mainly reprints, paintings, and drawings - but some of them a couple hundred years old.
They also had a copy of the Russian animation from 1968 "The Cat That Walked Itself". Never heard of it, but it was a fun bit of Russian folklore. I might have to get it.
The trip to Delft was short, only an hour. The station was neat in that it had a HUGE bike locker for people in Delft that commute.
The town itself was small but a greatly preserved old Dutch town. Canals all throughout with cobblestones, everyone walked - I seen bikes but very few cars. It was pleasant, very quiet and serene. Pretty much just what I needed to relax.
"Well, it look like someone didn't get laid last night."
Obligatory windmill shot. Though it seemed more of an annoyance to people that some heritage thing.
I had a delicious lunch - some kind of potato/celery soup with bacon that was delicious. Then BBQ (deer?) meet sandwich with a herbed mayonnaise. Pretty tasty.
Belly filled and relaxed I head back in to get some early shuteye prior to taking a flight to Riga, then ending in Tallin.
The flight itself was uneventful. Going through security was pathetic. In order to accommodate the first class passengers - the took over a screening checkpoint to get them through. So besides their two checkpoints for twenty people, they then had three.
Which left exactly ONE checkpoint for roughly 200 people.
Its good to be the king.
Anyway, I got into Riga safely. Checked into the room, relaxed, then went out for food at a small place called Thule. It was in the cellar of an old building. Great atmosphere - the music was a light background of electronica. The chairs and tables where handmade from wood with the restaurant symbol intertwined with the functional parts. Plus the benches had soft sheepskin furs arranged on them to sit on. It had a very Gothic feel to it and was actually named after something in an Edgar Allen Poe poem. I had a honey beer (incredible), meat soup (very good), and dumplings in a wild mushroom sauce wit sour cream (tasty).
With nice full belly, I strolled through some streets, got some drinks and pastries for tomorrow, and headed back to the room. So far I'm pretty impressed with Tallinn. They also have a winter market in the center of old town from 10am to 7pm daily.
Nice.
Yay, kitty museum & nummy food! Well, I must go bathe zards & pick up Perdu, our cranky Christmas guest.
ReplyDelete