Europe Day 5: Mannheim
All the world in an evening
A bit random to find myself briefly in Mannheim, but it was the closest town to Paris that I could get to before nightfall (I did not plan for night trains on this particular adventure).
As I got to my accommodation, on the next reception desk from me people from what I assumed was Ukraine were also checking in. The receptionist was talking to someone on the phone, translating, to confirm their rooms that seemed like they were part of an organised effort. I remembered the Ukrainian flags everywhere in Berlin, the nighttime demonstration in Zagreb, and the dedicated signs in train stations with the Ukrainian flags to indicate meeting points.
It was a balmy night as I stepped out to trace my steps on this piece of Europe. The streets of Mannheim felt like a family summer outing. Once again the trams moved in parallel with the broad walkways of the pedestrian streets. The commercial shops were already closed, but the food joints were still open, places for pizzas, kebabs, and much ice cream. Families were out, sitting in small parks or cafes, chatting, eating, drinking, the kids playing and teenagers taking over the spaces in between the tramlines (one group of them was not impressed that I did not want to be in their tik-tok video). It was relaxed and also international (in not a touristy way). If I looked I think I could have found people from all over the globe here - inhabiting this city. Of all the places I had imagined on this trip, I did not expect to find the world living in Mannheim.
