Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I walked across Luxembourg

blog.ioces.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

211–220 of 248 posts

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#211

Post by mcv »

martin_a wrote: post #188
mcv wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some ICEs only go to Basel, but there are definitely ICEs going all the way to Bern and Interlaken. Which is a funny thing: Interlaken is officially a town of 5700 people, and yet they're got two train stations receiving international high-speed trains. I guess it's really a town of 5700 Swiss and 100,000 tourists. And the ICEs that started in Interlaken left on time. But once our train to Switzerland got delayed, I…

I think they want to get rid of the trains going to Interlaken directly. At least that's what I read in the SZ [0]. If you haven't seen it, there's the great talk from David Kriesel on the 36C3 [1] about how Deutsche Bahn is... "doing statistics" to hide their delays. It's well worth the hour! [0]: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/reise/deutsche-bahn-verspaetunge... [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rb9CfOvojk

The most annoying part isn't even the delays. Not by a long shot. The annoying part is instead of relaxing in our reserved first class seats with a single layover, we're constantly puzzling what's going on, where we have to change now, lugging our luggage across 4 layovers, and losing our reserved seats, having to stand, etc.

I'd rather have an extra hour of delay than ruining a relaxing trip like that.

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#212

Post by gghhzzgghhzz »

famahar wrote: post #19

I walked across Tokyo last weekend. Took me 20 hours. I suck at writing so all I'll say is that everyone should walk across a city. It's a magical experience. Turn off your your phone, bring a disposable camera and a compass and just walk. You'll discover so many personal insights.

That's a far far bigger endevour than my efforts.. but I do love walking from a city to the airport, dragging my carry-on if necessary.

The last part can be a bit stressful, as airport terminals are not always made for pedestrian access. But it's very satisfying to feel like you have 'escaped' a city under your own steam as it kind of falls apart and back together.

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#213

Post by kevinventullo »

dghughes wrote: post #136
Symbiote wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The relevant title for that action would be Queen of Australia, but the reality was considerably more complicated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional...

Basically Governor-General (the Queen's representative of a country) John Kerr did it without approval from the Queen. We have the same system here in Canada but if such a thing happened here there would be riots in the streets. Especially Quebec and First Nations. But really anyone would be very mad and we would probably drop the monarchy that day tradition or not.

we would probably drop the monarchy that day tradition or not.

I’m not so sure. If that were the case, why not drop it now? There is nothing virtuous about the tradition.

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#214

Post by [deleted] »

oblio wrote: post #181
gumby wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Governors General are more than a mere “representative” (though they re described that way in my passport), they are viceroys (vice kings) so exercise royal prerogatives. Of course monarchy is nonsense but I have a thing for pedantry like this. TBH the nonsensical nature of monarchy works out for Australia, as it costs essentially nothing and sort of acts as a ground strap to make the idea of “head of state” rather i…

> TBH the nonsensical nature of monarchy works out for Australia, as it costs essentially nothing and sort of acts as a ground strap to make the idea of “head of state” rather irrelevant. Just compare to countries like France or USA where the Head of State gets capital letters and is a person with actual power. > Next best would be a president like in Germany who is basically a nonentity with less power than a GG. Me…

[deleted]

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#215

Post by TMWNN »

dghughes wrote: post #136
Symbiote wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The relevant title for that action would be Queen of Australia, but the reality was considerably more complicated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional...

Basically Governor-General (the Queen's representative of a country) John Kerr did it without approval from the Queen. We have the same system here in Canada but if such a thing happened here there would be riots in the streets. Especially Quebec and First Nations. But really anyone would be very mad and we would probably drop the monarchy that day tradition or not.

>Basically Governor-General (the Queen's representative of a country) John Kerr did it without approval from the Queen.

What does this even mean? It's not like G-Gs the world over consult with Buckingham Palace before every action. Kerr acted as he believed was the correct course. You may or may not agree, but the 1975 dismissal was not a case of that Governor-General somehow cheating to get away with a flagrant violation of the rules G-Gs follow.

More to the point, Australians did not agree with your interpretation. The Coalition won the biggest majority in history in the federal election called one month after the dismissal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_federal_electi...>

>We have the same system here in Canada but if such a thing happened here there would be riots in the streets.

The same thing did happen in Canada. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%E2%80%93Byng_affair> No riots.

Yet again, a Canadian (thinks he) knows more about other countries' affairs than his own. I can guarantee that Canadians as a whole were more aware of Trump winning the 2016 US presidential election by earning more electoral votes than Hillary despite receiving fewer popular votes, than the fact that the same thing (of one party forming a federal government by winning the most seats, despite winning fewer popular votes than another) had happened several times in Canadian history, such as in 1979. I doubt that this has changed even though this happened again in the two most recent federal elections to Trudeau's benefit.

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#216

Post by lm28469 »

famahar wrote: post #19

I walked across Tokyo last weekend. Took me 20 hours. I suck at writing so all I'll say is that everyone should walk across a city. It's a magical experience. Turn off your your phone, bring a disposable camera and a compass and just walk. You'll discover so many personal insights.

There is a name for that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dérive

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#217

Post by martin_a »

mcv wrote: post #211
martin_a wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they want to get rid of the trains going to Interlaken directly. At least that's what I read in the SZ [0]. If you haven't seen it, there's the great talk from David Kriesel on the 36C3 [1] about how Deutsche Bahn is... "doing statistics" to hide their delays. It's well worth the hour! [0]: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/reise/deutsche-bahn-verspaetunge... [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rb9CfOvojk

The most annoying part isn't even the delays. Not by a long shot. The annoying part is instead of relaxing in our reserved first class seats with a single layover, we're constantly puzzling what's going on, where we have to change now, lugging our luggage across 4 layovers, and losing our reserved seats, having to stand, etc. I'd rather have an extra hour of delay than ruining a relaxing trip like that.

Yes, I feel that. Did a rather long journey a few weeks ago (7+ hours). The ICE had a delay of 40 minutes in Hannover which they could reduce going down south. Once it rolls, it rolls and then it's mostly okay.

okay, WLAN was down, reserved seat displays were down, bistro was down, but the train was rolling!

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#218

Post by belval »

TMWNN wrote: post #215
dghughes wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Basically Governor-General (the Queen's representative of a country) John Kerr did it without approval from the Queen. We have the same system here in Canada but if such a thing happened here there would be riots in the streets. Especially Quebec and First Nations. But really anyone would be very mad and we would probably drop the monarchy that day tradition or not.

>Basically Governor-General (the Queen's representative of a country) John Kerr did it without approval from the Queen. What does this even mean? It's not like G-Gs the world over consult with Buckingham Palace before every action. Kerr acted as he believed was the correct course. You may or may not agree, but the 1975 dismissal was not a case of that Governor-General somehow cheating to get away with a flagrant viol…

> Yet again, a Canadian (thinks he) knows more about other countries' affairs than his own.

On behalf of Canadians I'm sorry about whatever it is that we did to make you feel this way.

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#219

Post by prepend »

mcntsh wrote: post #172
screye wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Manhattan is my favorite city to walk in alone. Manhattan can be enjoyed without ever bringing your gaze to the ground level. The diversity of architecture means that every block feels fresh. World renowned classics, the sheer scale of central park and the greatest hits of art-deco. Pair that with new spots like the Highline, Hudson yards, Little island.... and it keeps on giving. And then you come back down to earth…

I really do not like walking in Manhattan. The city blocks are so short so you're constantly having to cross hectic streets, an the grid nature of the city means you're pretty much walking in long, straight lines. In my opinion, it's hectic and at the same time monotonous.

Just walk along streets rather than avenues and the blocks become quite long.

Re: I walked across Luxembourg

#220

Post by sph »

tasuki wrote: post #162
sph wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah those videos kept a lot of us sane. My jam was Martijn Doolaard's series of him restoring a rustic country house in the Italian Alps. I still put that on on days where city and modern living is too much and I need to remember what being in nature feels like. I strongly recommend it to anyone.

> need to remember what being in nature feels like Have you considered... being in nature instead? An audiovisual experience, no matter how great, will always miss the smell, touch, and taste of actual nature.

I have, yes.
Post reply on HN