Trains Across Europe – Stuck in Customs
7
May 2011 : Saturday
See More Photos of:  Barcelona, Spain, Travel

Trains Across Europe

The Rebekka Project

You all remember Rebekka Guðleifsdóttir? How could you forget a last name like that? Over 3 years ago, I met her in Iceland and did a post called “Rebekka in Action“, in case you have not heard of her…

Anyway, Rebekka has a new photography project, and she’s accepting donations for people that want to be part of it.

Daily Photo – Trains Across Europe

The Europeans are so lucky to have a semi-functional train system. I’m sure many of them find reasons to complain, but to me, it’s all pretty awesome. The idea of a working train system is pretty foreign to Americans.

This notion that you can get on a train in one city and then hop-skip your way to another city is kind of a novel idea to us! If you’re in Houston, for example, and you decide to go to Dallas, then “getting on the train” isn’t even one of the things that crosses your mind. I don’t know that much about the passenger rail system in the US, and I guess that means its in pretty dire shape. Without even asking, I can almost guarantee our biggest passenger rail service is subsidized by the government. And that, of course, means that I am personally paying for something that I know nothing about.

I’m reminded of this when I go to Europe and can get on a train in Montpellier and end up here, in Barcelona. And not only that, but the train stations are all pretty interesting to explore.

Trains Across Europe The Europeans are so lucky to have a semi-functional train system. I'm sure many of them find reasons to complain, but to me, it's all pretty awesome. The idea of a working train system is pretty foreign to Americans. This notion that you can get on a train in one city and then hop-skip your way to another city is kind of a novel idea to us! If you're in Houston, for example, and you decide to go to Dallas, then "getting on the train" isn't even one of the things that crosses your mind. I don't know that much about the passenger rail system in the US, and I guess that means its in pretty dire shape. Without even asking, I can almost guarantee our biggest passenger rail service is subsidized by the government. And that, of course, means that I am personally paying for something that I know nothing about. I'm reminded of this when I go to Europe and can get on a train in Montpellier and end up here, in Barcelona. And not only that, but the train stations are all pretty interesting to explore. - Trey Ratcliff Read more here at the Stuck in Customs blog.