Kempler - The little sister
If you ask a person from Kempler about her or his origins, the person would most probably say "I'm from Kempler, just outside Victoria". Because Kempler is just that; "just outside Victoria". However, the Victorians like to turn the phrase around, and say "They are from Kempler, just inside Victoria". Enough said.
As the years have gone by, the distinct border between Kempler and the capital has been more or less washed out. If you are driving from the one city to the other, you will only know that you just entered another city because of the sign along the road. It is a prime example of two cities growing together. Today, what identifies Kempler, is a wide range of industrial services to serve it's big sister in the east; warehouses, distribution centres, and - of course - the garbage docks. But Kempler still is an independent city, and don't try to tell the inhabitants otherwise.
The city center of Kempler is, if I may say so, not exactly beautiful. What stands out the most on the aerial views is St. Maria's Church, the railroad dividing the city, and the warehouses by the docks. But what the Kemplers really would like visitors to experience is the Promenade. Some of these houses were among the first to be built in Kempler, and now houses several coffee shops, all selling the famous Kempler Blend. This is an exclusive mix of dark roasted coffee beans that one of the city's founders, Reinhard Hirtzfeld, brought home after visiting South America in the late 19th century. Visit the coffee shops in the afternoon to enjoy your cup of fresh brewed coffee while listening to live jazz music.
Downtown Kempler is dominated by the large parking lot next to the rail station. In 1945 the City Council didn't see the need for reconstructing the commercial quarter, which was destroyed during the war. Most of the city's workforce commuted to Victoria anyway. Thus, they decided to encourage the use of commuter trains by building a Park-and-Ride facility. Allthough this proved to be a success, a lot of people still would like to see a more esthetic solution. The station itself is quite simple. Only two tracks and two platforms serve both the West Kreutzberg Line and the Kreutzberg Ring, in addition to passing freight trains heading for the docks. An extension of the rail station is currently being discussed.
West of the rail station, the track branches. On this picture, a West Kreutzberg Line commuter train has just left Kempler, bound for Thorshafen. The other tracks narrows down to a non-electrified single track leading to the garbage docks. The single track is only used by freight trains.
Being Victoria's little sister can be both an advantage and a drawback. The biggest advantage is that the need for residential housing is constantly high, which again means more tax income from residents. Also, Kempler is attractive to different kinds of industrial businesses, mainly those who can't seem to find the needed space in Victoria. A drawback is that commercial high wealth companies, which generally generate more tax income, seek to the capital for business. But the biggest drawback, at least for the residents, is the garbage docks. Every day trains arrive from Victoria with loads and loads of garbage. There is a little comfort in the fact that the garbage doesn't stay for long before it's transported elsewhere, though.
The warehouses seen in the picture above belong to one of the many distribution centres in Kempler. Distribution centres need a lot of space, which Victoria lacks. Thus, Kempler opened it's gates wide for these clean, non-polluting industries.
Kempler is situated just south of the B-11. Because of this, most of the westbound through traffic is led outside and around the city. Some people still want, or need, to go via Kempler, though. Truck drivers, tourists and some rebel teenagers have all spent their fair share of nights in a bed at this motel in west Kempler. Maybe you will stay here as well if you come to visit Kempler again? Or maybe not..
That's it for now from the city of Kempler, the city with it's own coffee blend, just outside Victoria.
-Eivind
*) EDITED: Fixed mosaic. Do you get the mosaic to show right?
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