Lokalbahnhof

Today I had a few things to be done in Frankfurt. After a few days already in this expensive country, I started this one with a coffee at commuter station Niederrad which was only 1,50 Euro (3 Lewa). Next mission was to get a new passport (because the old one is not really ‚valid‘ anymore) – so I headed to Sachsenhausen (my home quarter). The first thing I recognized was a working (!) train destination display: next train in 4 minutes. Wow. Prior my exchange in Bulgaria I would have thought: „fuck, 4 minutes to wait. And trough the lack of any announcement (oweful!) I missed the regional train just departing – which probably would have been 2 minutes faster…

In the train: ticket control. (actually already the fourth since I’m in Germany – normally there is maximum one in a month…) At least the „conductor“ was able to talk in English to the poor foreigner, who had no ticket because he was not able to understand the vending machine. Absolutely no surprise, even for natives the system is horrible complicated – but this customs adverseness might be worth another entry. But another thing: To go without ticket is really different in Germany and Bulgaria. On the one hand 5 Euro (10 Lewa) and no consequences – on the other hand 40 Euro and registration for the police…

Later on then a breakfast with a good friend in Sachsenhausen  – quite tasty but once more the breakfast was the currency amount which might have been enough for a nice two-course dinner with 3 beers in Studentski Grad. But I had to go on to the Bürgeramt (citizen center) for the new passport. Arrived there I realized the need of a new biometric passport photo. Hmpf. So I asked for a place to make one. And, once more, an expensive place in Germany: 4 pass photos only 12 Euros. Near the Technical University it’s only 8….Lewa. But she at least removed the circles around my eyes. Yes – it was necessary although they will probably not be able to recognize me at the border ;-)

Back in the Bürgeramt I waited several minutes and after it I felt like a robbed criminal: I had to give 91 Euro and to give my fingerprints to some electronic device. Puh. Crazy biometric stuff. Why am I thinking I’ll never need my fingerprints to travel to perhaps Serbia, Montenegro, Albania or Turkey…? Hmpf. But okay, okay – the passport is valid 10 years. Imaginable that I will travel to some of these security keen countries. Perhaps Austria. Or Switzerland ;-)

After this I met my girlfriend for lunch in the canteen – and the food was really good. Price was once again high, like in Fame perhaps: 3,30 Euro (6,60 Lewa) for pasta.

And the execution went on: I printed a page and I tried to get an envelope. I entered the copy shop:

„I need a single envelope“ – „Yes, 2.99 Euro“ – „What?!“ – „Well, you have to buy this box of 60 envelopes, which is 2.99 Euro“ – „Wonderful…“

I think – and at least it felt – typical German. Anyway it was beatable by another bureaucratic act. I had to replace my students identity card because it was broken somehow. Now one has to know that this card is usable for paying copies and coffees. But copies and coffees have special „drawers“ in this card. One had 6.27 Euro (copies) and the other 0.65 Euros (coffees). Sadly it is only possible to transform the copy-amount to a new card. The woman recommended to buy a coffee to empty the coffee-amount-drawer. Good idea – down to cafeteria. One coffee is 1.30 Euro. The recharge machine was Не работи/out of order (and anyway it is only possible to recharge 5 or 10 Euro at once). So lets add the difference in coins? No! This is due to accounting reasons absolutely impossible. I bought a chocolate for 40 cents. 25 cents were a present to the university because of the inflexibility of transferring virtual money from one virtual account to another. Just as example: In the Technical University in Sofia you can add an arbitrary amount to you electronic card, it is put manually with a computer into the system. And you don’t need – like in Frankfurt – a national bank-account, because one can only electronically recharge a canteen-card. Crackbrained.

After this – lucky me the new card was for free (if you loose it, it costs 50 Euro (100 Lewa!)!) – I went to Offenbach to recharge my mobile at a friends apartment (I forgot my charger in Wiesbaden) and two hours later for Dinner to my favourite pizzeria in Sachsenhausen: Callis Pizza – probably the best pizza in town. And only 9 Euro for two normal pizzas – almost Bulgarian level. :-)

Let’s see what’s up the text days in this town and country. Hope you enjoyed this short but different entry…