Blogs from Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe - page 7

I wanted to do something fun today so this morning I headed into Bonn. My original plan was to go to the Bonn Botanical Garden, check out the veggie/fruit markt, and maybe see about ...um... buying another jacket. Something not as cheap as 7.9 Euros, but something perhaps a bit more substantial and that I can alternate with the one that I have worn 7 days in a row now. I arrived in Bonn and found out from the Tourist Information lady -- who was hinting that I really take the Japanse or the Korean pamphletes because they would be easier for me than English... -- that the Garden was closed on Saturdays. And I had found out from my friend/host Andreas that the Garden is free on all days except Sunday (tomorrow), so looks like ... read more

Here in the computer lab there are 7 computers available for us to use between 9.30am and 5.30pm. The rule goes that each person can sign up (reserve) for 30 minutes per day, if you want to use it more, you have to go and use it when it is not reserved. So there's this dude. I'll call him Arnold, since he looks just as butt as our governor and talks in the same voice... Last week I noticed that computer #2 is extremely popular with the folks here, it is always reserved straight for like 3 hours in a row in the afternoons. Compared that with computer #5 or #6, which will have one or two reservations in the afternoon. Computer #2 is the preferred computer of many students. Hm. I wonder why. I came ... read more

In the school kitchen I always see the same faces. Asian faces, to be exact, because we're the ones who are too cheap (and too poor) to eat out. There is a guy from Japan who always eats pasta because it's the cheapest thing you can buy and eat around here, and he has a funny little sense of humor (regarding the pasta, and overall). The other day while we were eating it came about that we started to talk about what we did before we came to Germany. Turns out that Mr. eats spaghetti everyday back in Japan is a shoemaker. He hand makes shoes! I looked down at the shoes he was wearing and I asked him if he made them. Yup, he did. That is sooo cool. And what was even cooler for ... read more

Full of retirees, retirement homes, pollen, and not much of anything else. There's really not much to report; being a booooring town begets boring blog entries. I ate a couple of falafels (2.50 and 2.60 euros each), had a few kinder buenos (almost my favorite candy bar), and I spent two hours today walking to and returning from the grocery store. I made myself lunch with the food that I hauled home, and then I read up on German grammar. And of course I can find things to complain about, even if-when a town is boring. I am getting rather annoyed at the over-friendly attempts of some of the folks here to acknowledge me, in what they believe to be 'my native language'. Wtf, several times now I have been walking around, getting into a store, ... read more

Well my spring break trip has come to an end! After my fast-paced (on a bicycle) time in Rotterdam I was ready to take it easy. And when I think of relaxation, I think of Germany....ok maybe not, but that's where I was headed, so I made do. I got to Cologne in the afternoon and had to take an inner-city train to the hotel. However, there didn't seem to be any place to buy tickets, so I just kinda hopped on the train. In fact, I never actually paid to use any public transport in Cologne. I don't know how they make money around here. The hotel was fine, in that old, faded glory and Monet prints above the bed kind of way. I was able to get some money, finally, that didn't require me ... read more