Christmas in Sylt

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By Sindy Chan (People's Daily Online) 14:41, November 28, 2013

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Five-minute babysit (Photo by Nam Nai Choi)

After two and a half hour ride from Hamburg-Altona, the IC train arrived at Niebüll which is the last stop of the railway line on the German mainland before heading to Sylt.

Sylt belongs to the North Frisian Islands. It is the largest island in North Frisia and the northernmost island of Germany. It is separated from the mainland to become an island ten thousand years ago (8,000BC) and reconnected to the mainland via the Hindenburgdamm causeway in 1927.

Just two days before Christmas, Niebüll Bahnhof was busier than ever. Since 1950, Niebüll has been the on-off point for car-trains running between the island and the mainland.

I was busy with my five-minute babysitting service to keep a baby boy in my safe custody when the mother was running up and down the train unloading baggage, bicycle and a dog.

I was spoiled by the luxury of travelling with Eurail “15 days within 2 months” Global Pass on first class train, the second-class only train service with lots of space reserved for bicycles was a little disappointment.

Soon I found bicycle compartment actually offered the best un-obscured view of the muddy marshy landscape stretching miles long outside the window. I had no one to confirm but I imagined we were somewhere in the boggy land by the North Sea.

It fascinated me when I first heard about Sylt from Claudia Ellmer, the very young Director of Sales and Marketing at Four Seasons Geneva Hotel. The sand-dune island of once herring fishing villages, thatched roof houses and Rose frieze doors, turf fields and bog lands is only accessible by train or by plane.

I said to myself, this is my Christmas wonderland. And with the Eurail Global Pass – it’s an easy decision to make.