En route to Wuppertal

One of the first film makers I really got was Wim Wenders. When I saw Mike Gregovic in Hackney last week he introduced me to people he knew in the area "This is Simon, who dragged me down to Dalston the first time when he brought me to watch a Wim Wenders film at the Rio" I had just about forgotten doing this, but it was a good way to remember. I don't Wenders films too often these days but his imagery and ambiance and real understanding of modern life influences me hugely. In Alice In The Cities he sets the film in Wuppertal in the Rhur and uses the 1900's monorail as a key image and motif. It then featured casually and [too me] amusingly in the background of his film Piva of a few years ago. So for 40 years I have always wanted to see this amazing looking train. Now seemed the perfect chance.

We changed onto the slow train to Wuppertal at Koln, waiting by the Currywurst stall. My sense of anticipation was high.