Cross-Channel drama - or the joys of continental train travel

I arrived back from Cologne late on Friday night sometime around half eleven. It was quite a hectic journey, which was perhaps only to be expected when travelling on a Friday afternoon. Still the choice was not my own, as the travel arrangements were designed to allow for maximum cover on our trade stand, at IDS. My two colleagues and I boarded the 16.44 Thalys service to Paris, calling at various destinations en route, such as Aachen, and Liege before arriving at Brussels, where we would leave the rain to await the evening Eurostar service to London.

As we stood on the platform, we couldn’t help noticing the large number of fellow passengers standing on the platform, waiting to board. Our French Operations Manager, who was travelling with us, observed that her fellow countrymen made up the majority of passengers, which was unsurprising really, considering the final destination of the train. It was a bit of a melee trying to get on board, with our suitcases and rucksacks, as whilst we tried travelling as lightly as possible, this wasn’t easy considering the nature of our business in Cologne.

When attending a trade show you obviously need to dress the part, which means business suit, several shirts, and suitable shoes, along with something more casual to wear in the evenings. There was no need to panic though, and we managed to struggle on board in spite of the excess baggage we were carrying. Once seated, we settled down to enjoy the journey west, crossing from North Rhine-Westphalia and into Belgium, shortly after the city of Aachen, or Aix-le Chapelle as the French call it. Once in Brussels, there was time do a little shopping, and to grab a bite to eat, in the form of a slice of pizza, plus a can of Jupiler. It wasn’t exactly a feast but was sufficient to deal with any nagging hunger pangs.

Unlike the outward journey, we didn't leave the station, but on the way out, I journeyed with a different colleague who, like me, enjoys the occasional beer. We both thought it a good idea to find a place where we could enjoy a glass or two, but despite Bruxelles-Midi station being packed with  plenty of shops and fast-food outlets, there didn’t seem to be any bars. Rather strange for Belgium, we thought, so after being forced to go outside, we found a rather pleasant looking bar, called Cafe SAS, just across the road. My companion isn’t a lover of strong beers, so she sensibly opted for small glass of Jupiler, Belgium’s best-selling lager. I, on the other hand, decided to be bold, or perhaps foolhardy, and chose a Westmalle Tripel (in a proper glass, of course), forgetting the fact that it was 9.2% abv.

Despite thinking we’d left sufficient time to board our train, we literally made it by the skin of our teeth. The waitress had disappeared, which meant seeking her out in order to pay the bill, then we discovered our Thalys train would be boarding from platform 4, and the platform numbering at the southern entrance, began at No. 22! It was a heart-stopping moment, as we raced through the concourse, but one I should have been better prepared for – always pay the bill Paul, as soon as you receive the drinks!!

I enjoyed the outward second leg of the journey, perhaps due to the strong Trappist beer, I’d just enjoyed, but the good progress we were making, was marred by a 20 minute delay, on the western approach to Cologne. Alighting from the train, and walking toward our hotel, we found the Rhine-Land city to be pretty much as we remembered it, although there was a noticeable police and security presence around the station. There had been amass-shooting incident in Hamburg, the week before, so this may have accounted for the visible show of force.

Returning to the homeward journey, and the check-in process and security scans at Brussels, prior to boarding the Eurostar. The latter was OK, apart from having to remove my belt, but with no limit on liquids, the process was much quicker than at airports. Border control was the next hurdle, and it struck us all as absurd to have two sets of customs officers just yards apart. First were the Belgian Border Force staff, who at least stamped our passports, but this was followed by the UK Border Force booth, literally a stone throws away. I must say that the staff at both control points were helpful, and in the case of the UK staff possessing a sense of humour. This was because, yet again, the facial recognition software at the automatic barriers, didn’t recognise yours truly! It took some human intervention to allow me to pass through the barrier, although I not alone, as my French colleague had exactly the same issue.

If we thought the Thalys train was crowded, the Eurostar was doubly so. I also thought the train carriage itself was ergonomically poorly designed, because having deposited my heavy suitcase in the designated area close to the entrance, I then had to walk the entire length of the coach to find my seat. I could just envisage the ensuing chaos come disembarkation time at London St.Pancras, and I was right.  I did the sensible thing by jumping off and walking back along the platform, to the area where the luggage was stowed.

There was some uncertainty when we arrived at St Pancras, as to whether the domestic trains would be running, as with a strike by RMT members scheduled for the following day, the thought was that services might start running down, prior to the scheduled walkout at midnight. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case, and despite the hordes of people, the three of us made it down to the Thameslink platforms in good time. We then took a southbound train, with my English colleague and I alighting at London Bridge, leaving our French staff member to travel on to East Croydon. She could then pick up a more local train to her home on the Kent-Sussex border.

Alighting at London Bridge the two of us hastily switched platforms, and boarded a Tonbridge bound train, where my colleague’s wife was waiting in the car. She kindly gave me a lift home, which saved waiting for a taxi, and by 11.30 pm I was walking through my own front door, gagging for a proper cup of tea! So, four high-speed train journeys in total, some pleasant scenery, comfortable seats, plus the drama of nearly missing a connection and making ourselves look stupid, but all in a day’s work, and fortunately no real harm done!

Return to Cologne for IDS 2023

It's difficult to imagine it was four years ago that I was last in Cologne for the International Dental Show (IDS.)  A lot has happened in the world since 2019 but arriving in the city by train, late on Monday afternoon, much seemed familiar, as my travelling companion and I made our way to the hotel. However, things aren't quite the same as we were to discover, as the same labour shortage that is affecting the UK is having a similar effect in Germany. To my great chagrin, the rather nice bacon and scrambled egg breakfast at the hotel was no longer available, in fact there was no breakfast at all, due to the aforementioned labour shortages.

The dental show itself was much the same as previous events, and at times the interlinked exhibition halls of Köln Messe (Trade Fair), seemed bursting at the seams, with visitors from all over the world. I shan’t repeat what I wrote in my last article, although I can confirm that working on the trade stand is sometimes boring, often tiring and always hard on one’s feet. This fact was acknowledged by the huge number of people wearing smart, and often designer trainers, with thick, comfortable-looking soles. As one old stager, (on the stand next to us), acknowledged, the days of expecting staff to turn up smartly attired in a business suit, wearing a pair of foot constricting, leather brogues have gone. Instead, smart casual appears to be the order of the day, with several European nations seemingly leading the way on this.

This may well be the way forward for my company too, although whether such changes will affect me remains to be seen. As hinted at in a previous post, 2023 may well be my last trade show, as age continues creeping up on me, un-noticed by some, as exemplified by the colleague who expressed her amazement after I revealed I'm rapidly approaching my 68^th birthday. There was no way I looked like a person in his late sixties, she said, although I must confess, I am starting to feel it, and in recognition of this I broke with the protocol of previous dental shows.

This meant not joining my colleagues in walking to and from the show each day - along a route which takes one over the River Rhine, across the local equivalent of London’s Hungerford bridge. You see much as I enjoy a walk, I don’t think it a good idea when it’s either side of standing on my feet for the best part on nine hours! Instead, I let the train take the strain as, included in the show’s admission pass, is a downloadable digital ticket, that permits the holder to use public transport, to and from the exhibition halls.

The event itself is also paper free, as in order to gain admittance, visitors are required to register their details digitally, by download the IDS App. The latter gives access to all the show’s exhibitors, the location of their stand, and access to their website. Again, this does away with a bulky, printed exhibition, catalogue, and guide, but before we get too carried away with extolling the virtues of digitalisation, let’s not forget there is no substitute for face-to-face meetings between suppliers, manufacturers, and sales companies. This is something that cannot be replicated by the “virtual" meetings, hosted by Zoom, or other digital platforms, that were all the rage during the pandemic.

This year saw IDS celebrating its 100^th year, and the same anniversary applies to our Japanese parent company. It remains the world’s largest dental show, occupying several halls of the Köln Messe (the Cologne city Trade Fair), although our much-travelled sales manager clams that AEEDC, an annual event which takes place in Dubai, will soon eclipse it in terms of both size and importance. Just about every company involved in the field of dentistry attends these events, and the additional footfall and business they bring in to their respective host cities, cannot be underestimated. I can’t speak for Dubai, but Cologne benefits massively from these exhibitions, not just in terms of hotel bookings but in the socialisation that takes place each evening. Dining with customers and/or suppliers, is where relationships are strengthened, and the real deals often made.

Some might dismiss this as nothing more than a “glorified piss-up”, and it’s true to say these get togethers are often “lubricated” by more than a little alcohol, but just being out wandering the streets of Cologne whilst IDS is taking place, demonstrates their importance to the local economy. Our walk on Wednesday evening, from our hotel to the large beer house, that is Früh am Dom, provided proof enough of this. Situated in the shadow of Cologne’s massive cathedral or Dom, Früh is a maze of inter-connected rooms, spread out across several different levels. The place was absolutely heaving when we pitched up, and we were fortunate that one of the waiters managed to squeeze us in.

Full marks then to the waiter (Kobe), who looked after not just our table of six, but several other tables of equal or if not greater numbers. He kept us supplied with numerous glasses of Kölsch and managed took care of our food orders as well. Mind you, a large knuckle of roasted pork, just a couple of hours before bedtime, was probably not the wisest of moves, in terms of getting a good night’s sleep!

In summary then, my four full days in Cologne, represented a hectic and rather tiring week, but despite this I manged to squeeze in a visit to the home of a classic Kölsch brewer, whose beers are rarely seen in the city’s bars. I also experienced the legendary Gaststätte Lommerzheim, a down-to earth Kölsch pub, that is something of a Cologne institution. Having now crossed these two Cologne “essentials” off from my list, there is no compelling reason for a further visit to the city. I may feel different in a couple of years’ time, but at this current moment, I'm not sure whether I want to do the full week, IDS experience again.

 

Cologne - for the final time?

Another short post before I depart in the morning for, a four-night stopover in Cologne. As in previous years I'll be helping to staff my company’s trade stand at the International Dental Show (IDS). This event takes place every two years, or at least it did until COVID-19 came on the scene. 2019 was the last show we attended - the 2021 event, of course being cancelled. Looking back, I have been to five previous shows, the first one being back in 2007, which was less than a year after I joined the company.

Being semi-retired, I wasn't expecting to be attending this year’s event, but due to my experience of product testing, acquired following 17 years in charge of the quality control department, I was informed that my product and technical knowledge would be invaluable when speaking to customers on the trade stand. I shall therefore be travelling out to Cologne, by Eurostar, on Monday morning. This year’s journey will be slightly longer, and more complicated than previously, seeing as the two international, Kentish stations at Ebbsfleet and Ashford have still not reopened, following the end of the pandemic, and lifting of travel restrictions.

In previous years, a 30-minute drive from the factory to Ebbsfleet, enabled us to join a Brussels bound train, and head off to Belgium via the Channel Tunnel and northern France. A change of train at Brussels, then allowed us to travel on into Germany either with a Deutsche Bahn ICE train, or a Thalys service. (I actually prefer the latter!) This time around, our journey will start at London St Pancras International. No plausible reasons have been put forward as to why the two Kent stations remain closed, although Eurostar are pointing the finger at increased check-in times at stations, due to Brexit. No doubt the trolls will be back in force on this one, but controlling one’s borders works both ways, and affects UK residents just as much as EU citizens.  

Travel issues aside we will be residing at the same pleasant, and well-appointed family-owned hotel, just 10 minutes’ walk from Cologne's main station. We have stayed there for every IDS since 2009, and I'm sure that both management and long-serving staff members know our faces, if not our names, off by heart. It’s not all glamour though, as being present on the exhibition stand can lead to a lengthy and drawn-out day, as the event opens from 9 am to 6 pm, and speaking from experience it’s that final hour that’s the killer! My colleagues from the sales department will be busy having meetings with both current customers, and potential new ones, although with an order book already full to the brim, it may prove difficult trying to accommodate additional business.

The evening's provide time for relaxing, and spending time with colleagues, away from the normal work environment. You often see a different side of people in such situations! We do have two dinner's planned with members from our Japanese parent company, although the first of these should be less formal. It should give a chance for us all to reconnect with one another, as we have seen very few of our Japanese colleagues, since the end of 2019.

Two nights later, in something of a tradition, we will met again, in a more formal setting, when our parent company host a lavish dinner, at the Regency Hyatt hotel overlooking the river Rhine. On the way across to the dinner, I’m working on a plan for a sneaky visit to the Gaststätte Lommerzheim, a down-to earth Kölsch bar, that is something of a Cologne institution. It’s a question of fine timings, as to whether I pull this off, but watch this space! Wednesday, at the moment, is the only free evening where nothing is planned, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed we can visit a traditional Cologne pub or beer hall and get stuck into a few of the local Kölsch beers. It probably won’t be the one mentioned above, as it’s rather basic, by all accounts.

Despite the at times rather hectic schedule, IDS provides an opportunity to see a different part of the world, experience different cultures as well as different people. This will be my 8^th time in Cologne and my 6^th business visit, and whilst I feel like I know my way around the city, there is always something new to see, or some quirky little, unseen corner to explore. I doubt that I will have time to post anything, so I’m not bothering to take a laptop with me, but I will have a notebook to hand. However, as long as I get the chance to experience the odd down-to-earth, Cologne boozer, then I shall be a happy bunny. I will also endeavour to stock up on a few bottled beers, as I’ve plenty of space in my suitcase!