Sunday, August 29
I had planned a short getaway to Bonn Germany. The main interest for this town next to the Rhine River is that it was the birth place of Ludwig van Beethoven. Since it was for only one night I splurged and booked us a suite at the Kameha Grand hotel in Bonn. The hotel is famous for it’s architecture and eccentric style so I thought Gary would enjoy it. I was just looking forward to sharing a bed with Gary that is bigger than twin size!
As the crow flies I would guess that Bonn is about 1 hour south of Dusseldorf. Since we aren’t crows it will take us 1 ½ hours with a connection in Benrath and Koln. Our train out of Holthausen (by our apt) was a 9am so we gave enough time to go to a bakery for a chocolate croissant and tea. Yes, Gary has become addicted to the chocolate croissants here.
When we got on the tram the ticket said Benrath Bahnhoft so ofcourse I was waiting for that stop. Even when we passed what I remembered as the station where I connected in my trip to Aachen a couple of weeks ago, I told Gary we were stopping at the last stop where it said Benrath Bahnhoff. Even as I said this I wasn’t getting a good feeling about it. As we were leaving the stop I was feeling more and more confident that it was where we were supposed to get out! The next stop was the last stop the train did say Benrath Banhoft and we got out. Well, as I looked around I saw nothing that resembled a trainstation! That’s when I knew for sure that we should have gotten off at the last stopped. It wasn’t too far away to walk back but the problem was that we only had 9 minutes to catch the connection to our next stop in Koln. Ofcourse Gary stayed calmed while I was freaking out. As we were walking very fast back the way we came I had a sudden vision that we were on the Amazing Race and just made a stupid move that could cost us the race! Even when we got to the station we couldn’t figure out how to get to the platforms! Oi vay, by that time my shin was killing me and I felt really out of shape. We did catch the train but barely.
As the train rolled into the Koln train station you can see the massive Koln cathedral on one side. As we crossed the bridge I showed Gary the metal mesh railings on either side of the bridge coved with hundreds and hundreds of colorful locks. I had learned that couples put these locks on the bridge as a symbol of love.
Our hotel was on the Rhine river, about 6 km south of Bonn city center, so we got off that Bonn-Oberkassel. From the platform we went through an underpass and were suddenly on the river. Both sides were banked by huge lawns of green grass and dotted by shady trees. We walked about 1000m meters along the river to our hotel. I was a little nervous about Gary liking it because it was different from the normal hotel styles. When we saw it he thought it looked cool with the glass structure. Actually the hotel was mostly glass. The day was crisp and cool and there was a long strip of park where people were playing games of bocce ball. We weren’t in a rush so we sat on a bench and watched the scene and the river. The Rhine is a very active river. There is always a constant flow of barges going up and down the river. On the other side we could see a similar landscape of green grass and trees with people riding their bicycles.
The inside of the Kameha was so cool. As soon as you walk in there is someone to escort you to a single bar type table to check you in. I was looking for the usual big check in desk. It was all very classy I was feeling a little out of place with my casual clothes and daypack, but only for a minute. The girl who checked us in personally escorted us to our room and showed us where everything was and how to use the very high tech gadgets. Before getting to our room we walked along a long hallway that was all in RED. In was blood red. The ceiling was red, the walls had red wallpaper, the carpet was red with subtle black Hawaiian flowers and doors to the rooms were twice the size of a normal door and ofcourse it was a shiny blood red. Ofcourse Gary whispered to me REDRUM which was a scene from the Shining. He would keep doing that whenever we were in the hallway the rest of the trip just to creep me out. Our room was so awesome! I got us a junior suit which meant we had the whole wall ceiling to floor glass window that looks out to the river. The furnishings were modern and so interesting. The backboard of our bed was black but at night you can flip a switch and a picture of the moon will light up. I LOVED the rainshower in the bathroom and mentally counted how many showers I could possibly take before we had to leave. It was a nice break from my tiny shower in DD.
I was happy and excited that the hotel had bikes to rent since this was the perfect place to ride your bikes there were miles and miles of bike path along the picturesque river. We wanted to ride into Bonn city center. When we got our bike that afternoon I was so disappointed to learn that it was too big for me! My feet did not reach the petals when I sit on the seat. I couldn’t believe it! Gary convinced me that maybe I could stand when I needed to petal. I wanted too badly to ride a bike here that I agreed. Well, it was the first and last time I will ride a bike only standing up. Since it was a flat path you don’t really get to sit still for very long. It felt very awkward only standing to petal. Aside from the fact that I looked stupid doing it. We went for maybe one mile before Gary realized that the kep of the bike lock broke off. This meant we could not go into town and leave our bike unlocked. Inside I was so glad to use this reason to turn around!
Instead of going into town we decided that it was a good day to enjoy the spa facilities at the hotel. We got into our robes and slippers and went upstairs to the 4th floor. At first try it was a little crowded. The 2 relaxations rooms were full and when I opened the room to the sauna Gary got a glimpse of two naked women and backed away. I was pretty sure it was co-ed but he definitely did not feel comfortable. We decided to go back to our room and wait a little bit. The second time we went up there there was a big difference. There was a really cool infinity pool that looked like it was flowing right into the river. The water felt cold so we decided to warm up in the sauna first. Coast was clear, there didn’t look to be anyone in there, at least no naked women. They had two hug sauna rooms so we hung out in one. It was very nice with glass sidings on two side so it felt open. At one point Gary was curious about the temp in the one next to us and went to investigate and came back shortly after. Apparently there was now a naked guy sitting in the sauna next to us. Gary was annoyed that people were so inconsiderate in a public place. I told him that this was Europe and to just go with the flow. I then asked him if the naked guy next door was cute. When Gary saw that the guy was coming out of the sauna room he told me to look away. Well, I did but wouldn’t you know I could see the guy’s reflection on the glass doors. He looked pretty lethargic probably from the heat. He walked passed us to the open showers and I could see his back side as he rinsed off. How awkward!! I decided I should get out of the sauna area before he’s done with the shower and turns around. I said bye to Gary and got out of the sauna and was walking to the exit door when I realized naked guy was walking towards me! Talk about bad timing. Ofcourse I had no choice but to see it all! I just got the hell out of there before I die of embarrassment. Gary came out a few minutes after me and said that naked guy mumbled something to him in a foreign language. He wasn’t sure if it was to apologize or something. I’m thinking he was just asking if I was impressed (which I was).
By this time I was hot enough to go into the cold pool. It was too neat to not go in. The water felt refreshing. It was comical to watch Gary go in the water. His back was to the glass doors and windows of the spa so no one could see his expression but he was cussing up a storm and looked very pained. He is not as good with extreme temperature like I am. I made him think there were people inside watching us so he couldn’t chicken out. He didn’t stay in long. One end of the pool was at the very edge of the building and you can see the river below. It was an infinity pool so from the other end it did look like you were going to fall right into the river. The relaxation room was now empty so we enjoyed a cup of hot tea,lounging in the double love seat while we dried off. It was a nice time but definitely not the spa I’m used to in Scottsdale!
The next day we took a taxi to Bonn city center. We spent some time walking around the old town and did a tour of Beethoven’s house. He was born in this house in 1770 and lived there for the first 20 years of his life. He then spent the rest of his career and life in Vienna and died there in 1827. It was interesting to learn more about him. He did his first performance at the age of 8 and went deaf by the time he was 30. The house was small but had three levels. At the end there was a room in which you could sit and enjoy some of his music. Since our taxi ride cost $15 euros Gary wanted to try to get back to our hotel via public transportation. I was doubtful and did not feel we had enough time to mess up. It could also be an expensive taxi ride if we got lost. Gary however felt confident based on the maps posted on the street. Well, I was very impressed that he did get us back to the hotel and for only a fraction of the cost.
We checked out of our hotel at 1pm but had another 2 ½ hours before our train leaves. It was perfect for a long walk on the walking paths along the river. We ate our sandwhiches from the Bonn bakery on one of the many benches along the way. After lunch we walked to the next bench clustered under a big tree where I took a nice little nap. It was so idyllic. Leaves rustling from the soft breeze blowing, the sound of river flowing downstream, the occasional horn of the river barge as it passes by. It was such a nice place to laze away the day.
We got back to DD by 5:30pm and had just enough time to get to my apt to change and then catch the 6pm tram to Altsteadt to meet Stefan and his wife for dinner. It’s funny but I have been meeting friends by the schedule of the train. Stefan looked up the times and told me to take the 6:03 train out of Holthausen and they would meet us at the restaurant at 6:15. Guido and his girlfriend were also supposed to join but he felt ill that day and decided to go home to rest instead. I was glad that Gary got to meet one of my colleague at least. His Andrea was also very nice and less shy this time. After dinner we went for a long stroll around Altstaedt. It was funny but we walked past Konigsalle where all the high end stores were and Andrea showed me where the “normal” people shopped. We walked through “Japan Town” where there were blocks of Japanese stores and restaurants. Apparently DD has a very large Japanese population. It was a nice night but getting late. Even though I took the week off I had to come in the next morning (Tues) for an important meeting with the head of our department to talk about our assignment in Asia. The plan is for me to leave after lunchtime tomorrow, back to the apt to get Gary, and then catch the 2:30pm train to Amsterdam.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Gary's second day in DD
Saturday August 28
I think Gary slept the jag lag away yesterday so that's good. We walked to the bakery in Holthausen plaza to have chocolate croissants and tea. Actually my usual is latte machiano and raisin roll. It was a nice and cool morning to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. After breakfast we continued walking south along Kohler street. I wanted to show Gary the pretty bike path I discovered the week before. We walked along the tree lined path for a little while when Gary figured out that there was a map of the forest next to us so we ventured inside. It was so great to find a little woodsy haven in the middle of a very industrial part of the city! It was like we were hiking back home, in the woods of Flagstaff, except it was flat. We must have explored the woods for an hour, most of which we did not see a soul. I'm not sure if I would venture into the woods by myself so I was glad to have Gary with me.
After our walk I decided to take Gary to Konigsallee which was the fancy shopping street with all the high end shops. We did find H&M which was the only place we could find a cheap sweater as added layer to our clothes. The weather had turned cold (about 60 degrees) right when Gary came so either one of us had enough warm clothes! Both of us had a light jacket but our new sweater made a big difference.
Afterwards we walked to Media Harbour (Medien Hafen) which was the place Stefan took me before. Lucky for us there was a big festival along the river because of some boat races. There were booths for food and alcohol and crafts that must have lined 1/4 of a mile along the harbour. There was also live music throughout the area. We enjoyed a Caipraihina and bratwursts. Let me just say, they serve bratwurst the way I like it. The bratwurst was about a foot long. You hold the whole thing by two inches of bread in the middle similar to a hot dog. At home I always get annoyed when the hot dog is shorter than the bun. Why waste your stomach space with bread?! The vendor was nice to show me how to squeeze mustard on my brat from a hanging aperatus that was basically a huge upside down mustard bottle. It was the funniest thing I ever saw. Gary got a kick out of the unique architecture of the area. The buildings were curvy with strange looking facade and windows that didn't look like they have been completly installed. We enjoyed watching the skull boat races for awhile then found a brazilian band playing on a bit stage in the middle of the street. Since the currywurst place was just across the street I took Gary there to try it. We listened to the rock band while sitting outside eating our dinner. This time I knew exactly how to order and did it in broken german. I was very impressed with myself.
After currywurst we walked along the river to Alstaedt. Like locals, we stopped to sit on the concrete wall on the edge of the river to watch the water, as the sun was setting. I took Gary to Ratinger street to have a couple of beers and to show him the "longest bar in the world". I did not see the usual crowds because of the cooler and wetter weather. It has been raining on and off all day.
I think Gary slept the jag lag away yesterday so that's good. We walked to the bakery in Holthausen plaza to have chocolate croissants and tea. Actually my usual is latte machiano and raisin roll. It was a nice and cool morning to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. After breakfast we continued walking south along Kohler street. I wanted to show Gary the pretty bike path I discovered the week before. We walked along the tree lined path for a little while when Gary figured out that there was a map of the forest next to us so we ventured inside. It was so great to find a little woodsy haven in the middle of a very industrial part of the city! It was like we were hiking back home, in the woods of Flagstaff, except it was flat. We must have explored the woods for an hour, most of which we did not see a soul. I'm not sure if I would venture into the woods by myself so I was glad to have Gary with me.
After our walk I decided to take Gary to Konigsallee which was the fancy shopping street with all the high end shops. We did find H&M which was the only place we could find a cheap sweater as added layer to our clothes. The weather had turned cold (about 60 degrees) right when Gary came so either one of us had enough warm clothes! Both of us had a light jacket but our new sweater made a big difference.
Afterwards we walked to Media Harbour (Medien Hafen) which was the place Stefan took me before. Lucky for us there was a big festival along the river because of some boat races. There were booths for food and alcohol and crafts that must have lined 1/4 of a mile along the harbour. There was also live music throughout the area. We enjoyed a Caipraihina and bratwursts. Let me just say, they serve bratwurst the way I like it. The bratwurst was about a foot long. You hold the whole thing by two inches of bread in the middle similar to a hot dog. At home I always get annoyed when the hot dog is shorter than the bun. Why waste your stomach space with bread?! The vendor was nice to show me how to squeeze mustard on my brat from a hanging aperatus that was basically a huge upside down mustard bottle. It was the funniest thing I ever saw. Gary got a kick out of the unique architecture of the area. The buildings were curvy with strange looking facade and windows that didn't look like they have been completly installed. We enjoyed watching the skull boat races for awhile then found a brazilian band playing on a bit stage in the middle of the street. Since the currywurst place was just across the street I took Gary there to try it. We listened to the rock band while sitting outside eating our dinner. This time I knew exactly how to order and did it in broken german. I was very impressed with myself.
After currywurst we walked along the river to Alstaedt. Like locals, we stopped to sit on the concrete wall on the edge of the river to watch the water, as the sun was setting. I took Gary to Ratinger street to have a couple of beers and to show him the "longest bar in the world". I did not see the usual crowds because of the cooler and wetter weather. It has been raining on and off all day.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Gary is here!!
Finally my guy is here! I've missed him so much even though we've talked regularly. Things are more fun with him around.
G was arriving at 7:30am on Friday so I decided to do what the locals do and go to the airport by train. It's much cheaper than taxi and just as fast. Stefan who I now call my personal travel agent showed me exactly how to get there so I did ok.
I still had to go into work for a few important meetings so I left G at the apartment to unpack and get some rest. We went into the Altstaedt (Old Town) that night. I couldn't wait to show him the the Dusseldorf he saw last year when they dropped me off at hkl for a meeting was the ugliest part of the city. We walked around old town which had over 250 restaurants/bars in a very condensed area. I've only been here about 4-5 times but still discovering new things. We discovered a small alley that were lined with what must have been a dozen spanish restaurants. There was some live music and the heaters were out so that people could still dine outside in the cool weather. We chose a restaurant along the busier row and sat outside to people watch. It turned out to be a Chilean restaurant and our dinner was delicious. Gary got the salmon which was the one dish that he liked that I could not make ahead of time and freeze for him at home. It just wouldn't taste good to freeze and microwave. I had some yummy pork fillets on mustard sauce. I liked that they had a menu that was in german/spanish/english. Gary couldn't believe how lively the area was and I assured him it was quiet compared to a Saturday night. As we ate we watched people parade up and down the narrow alley. Sometimes you would see a group of revelers wearing themed clothes with party hats and holding a bottle of beer in their hand.
After dinner we walked along the Rhein River. It was a very different scene from last Friday when I was out with Juliana. At that time it was 80 degrees so all of the bars & restaurants that lined the riverfront were filled with poeple. Tonight it was in the low 60's so it was much more subdued.
I took G to the famous Urige brewery in old town. The brewery was on one side of the street with tables out on the sidewalk. However there were also the same set up on the other side with a narrow cobblestone street in between. On the edges there were small metal trays for people to set their beers. The waiters weave through the crowds with trays of Alt beers. The alt beer come in a small glass and only cost about $2.6 Euros. Rather than sit on one of the picnic tables G & I sat on the steps facing the street so we could people watch. We were lucky with the rain even though it was a cool night. After the beer I felt a little cold so we decided to look for a little cafe for some hot chocolate.
Close to Urige brewery we found a very cool cafe. G refers to it as the "pimp bar" because of the different rooms/lairs with couches and big pillows. The cafe is sunken a few feet below. Inside there were cushioned benches and comfy pillow all along the glass windows. It was called the Kas Bah and they serve alcohol along with coffees and teas. I got my latte machiano and G ordered a Baileys hot chocolate which was SO yummy! The place was so cozy and romantic. I told G the next time I wanted to sit upstairs in the room that looked like a harem. There were exotic looking furniture and pillows and it looked really cool. It was such a nice place to hang out and talk. After 12 years of being together we don't bother much with romance, but this place really brings it out. We will definitely come back.
It was midnight before we left old town. It's late for us but people are just starting their night out. The place was buzzing but we were glad to leave the partying to them. On the way out we passed a bar with some sexy girl pole dancing on a stage. What the heck?! The other bars were now turning into dance club. I've found that the later it is the louder the music. What a great place.
G was arriving at 7:30am on Friday so I decided to do what the locals do and go to the airport by train. It's much cheaper than taxi and just as fast. Stefan who I now call my personal travel agent showed me exactly how to get there so I did ok.
I still had to go into work for a few important meetings so I left G at the apartment to unpack and get some rest. We went into the Altstaedt (Old Town) that night. I couldn't wait to show him the the Dusseldorf he saw last year when they dropped me off at hkl for a meeting was the ugliest part of the city. We walked around old town which had over 250 restaurants/bars in a very condensed area. I've only been here about 4-5 times but still discovering new things. We discovered a small alley that were lined with what must have been a dozen spanish restaurants. There was some live music and the heaters were out so that people could still dine outside in the cool weather. We chose a restaurant along the busier row and sat outside to people watch. It turned out to be a Chilean restaurant and our dinner was delicious. Gary got the salmon which was the one dish that he liked that I could not make ahead of time and freeze for him at home. It just wouldn't taste good to freeze and microwave. I had some yummy pork fillets on mustard sauce. I liked that they had a menu that was in german/spanish/english. Gary couldn't believe how lively the area was and I assured him it was quiet compared to a Saturday night. As we ate we watched people parade up and down the narrow alley. Sometimes you would see a group of revelers wearing themed clothes with party hats and holding a bottle of beer in their hand.
After dinner we walked along the Rhein River. It was a very different scene from last Friday when I was out with Juliana. At that time it was 80 degrees so all of the bars & restaurants that lined the riverfront were filled with poeple. Tonight it was in the low 60's so it was much more subdued.
I took G to the famous Urige brewery in old town. The brewery was on one side of the street with tables out on the sidewalk. However there were also the same set up on the other side with a narrow cobblestone street in between. On the edges there were small metal trays for people to set their beers. The waiters weave through the crowds with trays of Alt beers. The alt beer come in a small glass and only cost about $2.6 Euros. Rather than sit on one of the picnic tables G & I sat on the steps facing the street so we could people watch. We were lucky with the rain even though it was a cool night. After the beer I felt a little cold so we decided to look for a little cafe for some hot chocolate.
Close to Urige brewery we found a very cool cafe. G refers to it as the "pimp bar" because of the different rooms/lairs with couches and big pillows. The cafe is sunken a few feet below. Inside there were cushioned benches and comfy pillow all along the glass windows. It was called the Kas Bah and they serve alcohol along with coffees and teas. I got my latte machiano and G ordered a Baileys hot chocolate which was SO yummy! The place was so cozy and romantic. I told G the next time I wanted to sit upstairs in the room that looked like a harem. There were exotic looking furniture and pillows and it looked really cool. It was such a nice place to hang out and talk. After 12 years of being together we don't bother much with romance, but this place really brings it out. We will definitely come back.
It was midnight before we left old town. It's late for us but people are just starting their night out. The place was buzzing but we were glad to leave the partying to them. On the way out we passed a bar with some sexy girl pole dancing on a stage. What the heck?! The other bars were now turning into dance club. I've found that the later it is the louder the music. What a great place.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Things I miss (besides Gary)
In no particular order.....
Air conditioning - on the days it's humid
Ice in my drinks
A strong hairdryer - have to plan twice the time with the weak voltage
Watching tv with english speaking channels - my only choice is CNN
Soft toilet paper
Being in a country with a language that I understand
My car
My bathroom with all my things around me
Wearing heels at work
My closet of clothes - wearing only 5 pair of pants over and over again really sucks
Cooking in my kitchen
My mac computer
Air conditioning - on the days it's humid
Ice in my drinks
A strong hairdryer - have to plan twice the time with the weak voltage
Watching tv with english speaking channels - my only choice is CNN
Soft toilet paper
Being in a country with a language that I understand
My car
My bathroom with all my things around me
Wearing heels at work
My closet of clothes - wearing only 5 pair of pants over and over again really sucks
Cooking in my kitchen
My mac computer
Monday, August 23, 2010
Meant to go to Belgium but ended up in Netherlands
Come on, how many chances will I have to say that I went to the wrong country by accident?! Actually, I hope this will be the first and last time!
My niece Angela who was in London was going to meet me in Bruges for the wknd. My train from dd was leaving at 8am Saturday with two stops (Cologne and then Brussels). I got to Cologne ok and went to the right platform for the connecting train to Brussels. What I didn't realize was that there were 2 trains on the same platform and ofcourse I got on the wrong train! I was expecting to be in Brussels at 10:30 and when that time came and passed I started to get nervous. Maybe the train was just running behind schedule. I didn't see a conductor anywhere to ask. When it was 11 I got up and found all 3 conductor in the bar part of the train. Nice work ethics. I showed them my ticket and said "Brussels"? They started laughing and said I was on the wrong train! This train was heading to Amsterdam which was way north of where I needed to go! The bartender said that I'll have to take a cab in amsterdam back to Brussels and it would cost about $3,000 euros. After my mouth dropped open he said just kidding! Bastard, I'm glad somebody thought it was funny. Fortunately one of the conductor felt sorry for the stupid american and looked up the schedules and wrote out what I needed to do. I basically had to backtrack and take another 2 connections before I can get to Brussels south station 1 1/2 hours later. I would have been so lost if they didn't help me. I tried to reach Angela but couldn't get through for a good 15 minutes. I was panicking thinking that I wasn't dialing the international code correctly. I think it was because she was underground in the train station in brussels. When I got a hold of her Angie decided to wait for me in brussels and we would take the train to Bruges together. She took a cab and went to see the Grand Palace in Brussels. I only told Angie I was running behind. I didn't want other people to hear about my incredibly stupid move. The crazy thing was the conductor did one point scanned my ticket and he didn't notice I was on the wrong train! At one of the stop I looked on the map and saw I traveled almost all the way through the Netherlands! I totally missed Belgium! This gave Angie a good laugh. She couldn't believe her well traveled auntie could have made such a blunder. Well, nobody's perfect. I can just see Gary shaking his head again. I have to say this was not a bonehead american move, it was a bonehead anh move!
Bruges is a beautifully preserved medieval town with cobble stone streets. The centerpiece of the old town is the Market Square with the Post Office on one side and the Bell Tower (built in the year 1200). You can climb the 366 steps up the Bell Tower which we did on Sunday. The town is 12km from the north sea and is known for its lace, chocolates, frites (fries), mussels and ofcourse the belgian waffles. Angie & I were so excited to eat our way through the city, screw our diets! To start our weekend properly we had waffles with ice cream topped with warm chocolate sauce for lunch. It was sooooo good. After lunch we had to try the fries from the stands in front of the bell tower, only because the tour book said we had to! The fries here are fried twice, once to cook it and second time to brown. I don't know if this made it different but it was the best fries EVER! I got Angie turned on to curry ketchup with the fries. It was the same sauce as my Curry Wurst in germany. When we bought it I asked for an order of "french fries". The vendor looked at me and said "what"? I said "french fries" and again he said "what"? Suddenly it clicked and I asked for "belgian fries"?! He nodded in approval and took my order. Whew!
We took a 20 minute boat tour in the canals and got a little history of the city. Because of the canals this town is referred to as the Venice of the north. Angie said she liked this place better than Venice.
We then rented bikes from the shop next to our hotel and rode through the town for 4 hours for $5 euros. What a great way to see the city. We rode through quiet narrow cobblestone streets away from the busy market square, along the pretty canals, and then onto a nice bike path that has 4 windmills along the way. There are dozens of cafes or bars that you can stop at along the way to take a break. One point I stopped to take a picture of a house and was too lazy to put the kickstand down and park the bike. The bike slipped away from me and I was too slow to react. As a result the metal petal scraped along the top of my bare foot. Luckily no heavy bleeding, just a big bruise a little blood and some missing skin! Oi vay, I am sure Gary is shaking his head again.
Throughout the weekend the market square had a big stage for music. There were alternating bands playing traditional or classical music. Restaurants & bars that bordered the squares had tables and chairs that overflowed into the big square. All were filled with happy tourists. I don't think we sat inside any restaurants the whole time. The weather was perfect, it was warm and mostly sunny. Angie was so happy to get a break from the depressing London weather. We agreed that so far this is one of our favorite european town. It was the perfect size and perfect blend of charm, history, architectural significance, cuisine and culture. I guess we were there during the peak season so it was very lively.
We loved the mussels so much we had it both days! On Sunday I did try the traditional peasant style beef stew which came in a miniature copper pot. You pour the beef stew over fries. At first we asked for ketchup to eat with our fries, but after dipping our fries with the gravy we ditched the ketchup, yeah that is SO american! The restaurant (called The Flemish Pot) had its own cookbook so we found the recipe to see how the beef stew was made. They put beer in it! I'm going to try it when I get home! It was such a charming place with red & white checkered curtains and flower pots, we sat outside on the patio which was in a quiet alleyway.
Even though the book said that the dutch do not eat belgian waffles or pancakes (which is really our version of crepes) for breakfast, Angie & I were determined to find a place to eat waffles for breakfast. The book did not lie. It took us a good half hour before we found a place. Actually we went back to the same place from the day before because we couldn't find anything else! Angie ended up getting apple struedel with ice cream and I got the pancake with warm apples and caramel sauce. It was so good! We were moaning our delight pretty loudly. I wish we had more time for more meals here!
A small note of our hotel (Hotel Heritage). Since it was just for one night I decided to splurge on this small boutique hotel, $215 for the night. It was so luxurious! After going up a spiral marble staircase we get to our room (only 24 rooms). There was a huge king size bed with a chandelier on the ceiling and beautiful 18th century furniture. It had airconditioning! There were robes & slippers for us and the toiletries were from Hermes (ofcourse I took them home with me!) The soap smelled so good!! I made Angela take one home for her mom! The hotel had Turkish steam bath & sauna but unfortunately we did not have time to enjoy it. Best of all it was located right behind the main market square so we were walking distance to everything.
It was lucky for me that the clothing shops were closed on Sunday because I could have done some serious damage! I wish we had enough time for another leisurely bike ride but we had to leave for the train station at 5pm on Sunday. Even worse, I wish we had more time (and stomach space) for another belgian waffle! At least we had some ice cream before leaving.
This town is perfect for 2-3 day weekend. The people are very nice and it was much easier to communicate since most could speak german, french, english and ofcourse the native tongue which is dutch. Gary has been here before otherwise I would seriously consider going back with him.
My niece Angela who was in London was going to meet me in Bruges for the wknd. My train from dd was leaving at 8am Saturday with two stops (Cologne and then Brussels). I got to Cologne ok and went to the right platform for the connecting train to Brussels. What I didn't realize was that there were 2 trains on the same platform and ofcourse I got on the wrong train! I was expecting to be in Brussels at 10:30 and when that time came and passed I started to get nervous. Maybe the train was just running behind schedule. I didn't see a conductor anywhere to ask. When it was 11 I got up and found all 3 conductor in the bar part of the train. Nice work ethics. I showed them my ticket and said "Brussels"? They started laughing and said I was on the wrong train! This train was heading to Amsterdam which was way north of where I needed to go! The bartender said that I'll have to take a cab in amsterdam back to Brussels and it would cost about $3,000 euros. After my mouth dropped open he said just kidding! Bastard, I'm glad somebody thought it was funny. Fortunately one of the conductor felt sorry for the stupid american and looked up the schedules and wrote out what I needed to do. I basically had to backtrack and take another 2 connections before I can get to Brussels south station 1 1/2 hours later. I would have been so lost if they didn't help me. I tried to reach Angela but couldn't get through for a good 15 minutes. I was panicking thinking that I wasn't dialing the international code correctly. I think it was because she was underground in the train station in brussels. When I got a hold of her Angie decided to wait for me in brussels and we would take the train to Bruges together. She took a cab and went to see the Grand Palace in Brussels. I only told Angie I was running behind. I didn't want other people to hear about my incredibly stupid move. The crazy thing was the conductor did one point scanned my ticket and he didn't notice I was on the wrong train! At one of the stop I looked on the map and saw I traveled almost all the way through the Netherlands! I totally missed Belgium! This gave Angie a good laugh. She couldn't believe her well traveled auntie could have made such a blunder. Well, nobody's perfect. I can just see Gary shaking his head again. I have to say this was not a bonehead american move, it was a bonehead anh move!
Bruges is a beautifully preserved medieval town with cobble stone streets. The centerpiece of the old town is the Market Square with the Post Office on one side and the Bell Tower (built in the year 1200). You can climb the 366 steps up the Bell Tower which we did on Sunday. The town is 12km from the north sea and is known for its lace, chocolates, frites (fries), mussels and ofcourse the belgian waffles. Angie & I were so excited to eat our way through the city, screw our diets! To start our weekend properly we had waffles with ice cream topped with warm chocolate sauce for lunch. It was sooooo good. After lunch we had to try the fries from the stands in front of the bell tower, only because the tour book said we had to! The fries here are fried twice, once to cook it and second time to brown. I don't know if this made it different but it was the best fries EVER! I got Angie turned on to curry ketchup with the fries. It was the same sauce as my Curry Wurst in germany. When we bought it I asked for an order of "french fries". The vendor looked at me and said "what"? I said "french fries" and again he said "what"? Suddenly it clicked and I asked for "belgian fries"?! He nodded in approval and took my order. Whew!
We took a 20 minute boat tour in the canals and got a little history of the city. Because of the canals this town is referred to as the Venice of the north. Angie said she liked this place better than Venice.
We then rented bikes from the shop next to our hotel and rode through the town for 4 hours for $5 euros. What a great way to see the city. We rode through quiet narrow cobblestone streets away from the busy market square, along the pretty canals, and then onto a nice bike path that has 4 windmills along the way. There are dozens of cafes or bars that you can stop at along the way to take a break. One point I stopped to take a picture of a house and was too lazy to put the kickstand down and park the bike. The bike slipped away from me and I was too slow to react. As a result the metal petal scraped along the top of my bare foot. Luckily no heavy bleeding, just a big bruise a little blood and some missing skin! Oi vay, I am sure Gary is shaking his head again.
Throughout the weekend the market square had a big stage for music. There were alternating bands playing traditional or classical music. Restaurants & bars that bordered the squares had tables and chairs that overflowed into the big square. All were filled with happy tourists. I don't think we sat inside any restaurants the whole time. The weather was perfect, it was warm and mostly sunny. Angie was so happy to get a break from the depressing London weather. We agreed that so far this is one of our favorite european town. It was the perfect size and perfect blend of charm, history, architectural significance, cuisine and culture. I guess we were there during the peak season so it was very lively.
We loved the mussels so much we had it both days! On Sunday I did try the traditional peasant style beef stew which came in a miniature copper pot. You pour the beef stew over fries. At first we asked for ketchup to eat with our fries, but after dipping our fries with the gravy we ditched the ketchup, yeah that is SO american! The restaurant (called The Flemish Pot) had its own cookbook so we found the recipe to see how the beef stew was made. They put beer in it! I'm going to try it when I get home! It was such a charming place with red & white checkered curtains and flower pots, we sat outside on the patio which was in a quiet alleyway.
Even though the book said that the dutch do not eat belgian waffles or pancakes (which is really our version of crepes) for breakfast, Angie & I were determined to find a place to eat waffles for breakfast. The book did not lie. It took us a good half hour before we found a place. Actually we went back to the same place from the day before because we couldn't find anything else! Angie ended up getting apple struedel with ice cream and I got the pancake with warm apples and caramel sauce. It was so good! We were moaning our delight pretty loudly. I wish we had more time for more meals here!
A small note of our hotel (Hotel Heritage). Since it was just for one night I decided to splurge on this small boutique hotel, $215 for the night. It was so luxurious! After going up a spiral marble staircase we get to our room (only 24 rooms). There was a huge king size bed with a chandelier on the ceiling and beautiful 18th century furniture. It had airconditioning! There were robes & slippers for us and the toiletries were from Hermes (ofcourse I took them home with me!) The soap smelled so good!! I made Angela take one home for her mom! The hotel had Turkish steam bath & sauna but unfortunately we did not have time to enjoy it. Best of all it was located right behind the main market square so we were walking distance to everything.
It was lucky for me that the clothing shops were closed on Sunday because I could have done some serious damage! I wish we had enough time for another leisurely bike ride but we had to leave for the train station at 5pm on Sunday. Even worse, I wish we had more time (and stomach space) for another belgian waffle! At least we had some ice cream before leaving.
This town is perfect for 2-3 day weekend. The people are very nice and it was much easier to communicate since most could speak german, french, english and ofcourse the native tongue which is dutch. Gary has been here before otherwise I would seriously consider going back with him.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Friday night in DD
Today it finally warmed up again. After a week of cool and rainy weather everyone was very happy to see the sun. At 3pm Guido says "ice cream after work?" Enough said, I told him about the nice ice cream parlor by the guesthouse in Holtausen plaza. Juliana & I stumbled upon it the day before on our way to the market the day before. Emrah joined us at 5 since he had a 6:30 train to Salzburg for the wknd. It was 80 degrees and sunny. I was starting to sweat with the walk. The ice cream parlor was a sit down place with dozens of types of sundaes. I ordered a sundae with walnuts and cherries which also came with a little cup of cherries on the side. Emrah got a belgian waffle with a scoop of icecream. And Guido ordered spagheti frozen yogurt which threw me off! It turned out that they use a special dispenser so that his ice cream looked like spagheti strands. Ofcourse all these were served in fancy glass cups and dishes cute little spoons. I swear I don't remember the last time I've seen a paper plate or cup! Anyway, I taught the guys some more american slang while they shared stories of how they met their girlfriends. I thought it was funny when Guido said his girlfriend couldn't stand him when they first met. We had a fun time and declared that from now on Friday will be ice cream day! I can't wait to take Gary who is an ice cream monster. He is going to love this place.
I had just enough time to buy some fruit at the farmers market out front and run home to get cleaned up before meeting Juliana for shopping and dinner in Alsteadt. J is another colleague from my department. She is a young lady from Nairobi Africa doing an expat assignment in germany. She has been here 7 months and has admitted that it has not been an easy adjustment. She even commented on how quickly I seem to blend into the work environment as well as in Germany overall. I think it's just my many years of traveling that makes it easier for me to acclimate. She was amazed at my german and how good I was after only one week. Ha, my trick is that I might only know a handful of words but I can say it pretty well.
We window shopped along Konigsalle which is a famous street lined with high end shops. Konigsalle means kings' alley which was named as compensation to king Frederik (the II?) when he got horse poop thrown at him when he visited dd. The street reminded me of Champs Elysees in Paris or 5th Ave NYC. My sisters would like this shopping street I think. All along one side of the wide sidewalk there were endless outside cafes with tables full of patrons who were there for the purpose of people watching. I knew this because all their chairs were placed facing one way so that they can watch people walking by! I felt out of place because I wasn't dressed up like everyone else.
J was in the mood for seafood so we walked into the Alteadt (Old Town) in search for the right restaurant. There were so many to choose from. Finally we stumbed upon one with outdoor seating. I noticed a bowl of mussels on someone's table and said this must be a seafood place. We sat down and quickly realized that this place was literally a mussels place. They serve mussels in a dozen different ways. I ordered mussels steamed in cream, garlic, butter and white wine. J did the same and declared that she has never had mussels before. Back home I was used to ordering clams or mussels as an appetizer. I was a little worried that this would not be enough to be a meal even thought the waiter assured me it would be. Just to be safe i ordered the large portion. Well, J and I could have shared a small portion! It was so much food we barely ate half of our meal. I was relieved that J really enjoyed her first experience with mussels. She was very excited to have tried something new.
I was so interested to learn about Africa and the way of life there. J does not care for some of the food here because it's processed. SHe says at home the food is fresh and simple. Chicken tastes like chicken, beef tastes like beef. The meat on your table comes from the farm nearby and has not been treated with chemical. J has a sister that lives in Michigan but she has never been to the states. She knew enough to say that the winter in Michigan is very cold and the sun rarely shines there! She asked me about president Obama and my opinion of him. It seemed to her that he has not been too active and Michelle has been more quiet than expected.
We went for a very long walk along the Rhine. It was a very warm day (about 80 degree) so it seemed like the whole city was out enjoying the weather. I love the Altsteadt. It's a place for tourists and locals. There's live music, lots of restaurants with outdoor seating and over 300 bars in a very condense area. Next to the river there are wide walkways that invites a leisurely stroll.
I had to call it an early night since I was meeting Angela in Brugge (Belgium) the next morning and still needed to pack. Glad to have a chance to get to know J a little better. We will be doing an assignment together in France in october. I thought it was important to get to know her before we started working closely together for 3 weeks. I think we will do ok together.
I had just enough time to buy some fruit at the farmers market out front and run home to get cleaned up before meeting Juliana for shopping and dinner in Alsteadt. J is another colleague from my department. She is a young lady from Nairobi Africa doing an expat assignment in germany. She has been here 7 months and has admitted that it has not been an easy adjustment. She even commented on how quickly I seem to blend into the work environment as well as in Germany overall. I think it's just my many years of traveling that makes it easier for me to acclimate. She was amazed at my german and how good I was after only one week. Ha, my trick is that I might only know a handful of words but I can say it pretty well.
We window shopped along Konigsalle which is a famous street lined with high end shops. Konigsalle means kings' alley which was named as compensation to king Frederik (the II?) when he got horse poop thrown at him when he visited dd. The street reminded me of Champs Elysees in Paris or 5th Ave NYC. My sisters would like this shopping street I think. All along one side of the wide sidewalk there were endless outside cafes with tables full of patrons who were there for the purpose of people watching. I knew this because all their chairs were placed facing one way so that they can watch people walking by! I felt out of place because I wasn't dressed up like everyone else.
J was in the mood for seafood so we walked into the Alteadt (Old Town) in search for the right restaurant. There were so many to choose from. Finally we stumbed upon one with outdoor seating. I noticed a bowl of mussels on someone's table and said this must be a seafood place. We sat down and quickly realized that this place was literally a mussels place. They serve mussels in a dozen different ways. I ordered mussels steamed in cream, garlic, butter and white wine. J did the same and declared that she has never had mussels before. Back home I was used to ordering clams or mussels as an appetizer. I was a little worried that this would not be enough to be a meal even thought the waiter assured me it would be. Just to be safe i ordered the large portion. Well, J and I could have shared a small portion! It was so much food we barely ate half of our meal. I was relieved that J really enjoyed her first experience with mussels. She was very excited to have tried something new.
I was so interested to learn about Africa and the way of life there. J does not care for some of the food here because it's processed. SHe says at home the food is fresh and simple. Chicken tastes like chicken, beef tastes like beef. The meat on your table comes from the farm nearby and has not been treated with chemical. J has a sister that lives in Michigan but she has never been to the states. She knew enough to say that the winter in Michigan is very cold and the sun rarely shines there! She asked me about president Obama and my opinion of him. It seemed to her that he has not been too active and Michelle has been more quiet than expected.
We went for a very long walk along the Rhine. It was a very warm day (about 80 degree) so it seemed like the whole city was out enjoying the weather. I love the Altsteadt. It's a place for tourists and locals. There's live music, lots of restaurants with outdoor seating and over 300 bars in a very condense area. Next to the river there are wide walkways that invites a leisurely stroll.
I had to call it an early night since I was meeting Angela in Brugge (Belgium) the next morning and still needed to pack. Glad to have a chance to get to know J a little better. We will be doing an assignment together in France in october. I thought it was important to get to know her before we started working closely together for 3 weeks. I think we will do ok together.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
It's a different work culture here....
It's been a week in the DD office now and I'm getting the hang of it. Around 7:30 each morning I do my 20 minute brisk walk to the office. The campus is not so intimidating now and I'm finding my way around. I get there in time to make a quick call to Gary to say good night since it's 11pm phx time. People start to come into the office between 8:30 and 9. At noon we start to gather the troop and walk to the cafeteria which ranges from 5 to 15 minute walk depending on which of the 4 you go to. I love the salad bar but they have other good food as well. During lunch we don't linger over the meal. It's a quick half hour meal or less. Sometimes someone will say, "coffee?" and we all proceed to another section of the cafe where there is a machine that will make you whatever kind of coffee you want. You just scan your card, put a cup under the spout and push a button. You can get expresso, cappucino or regular coffee. I have become addicted to the Latte Mochiano. Part of the fun is watching the process starting with hot milk being foamed out of two spouts and when the glass is full there's final squirt of espresso. I'm told that if it's done right you will see separate layers of milk and espresso. There's a separate section that you hang out to drink your coffees. Very cool. Very few people bring their lunch but instead use the lunch time to network with colleagues either within or outside of their department. Also, I found out the hkl gives each employee $55 a month for meals in the cafes so there's incentive for them to eat there.
Guido is a good office mate. Most of the time we are working but sometimes would take a break to chat. I am learning more about the german culture everyday. Today we talked about the lower level of service and Guido explained that it's only been recent (as in the last 20 years) that Germany has gotten into privatization. There has been little competition so there's little incentive for customer service. Nevertheless, I am so impressed with the germans and their forward thinking. They are so high tech and efficient. Yesterday I learned that when I buy my train ticket on line for destinations within or outside of germany, I can enter my address and the computer will tell me which local tram to take to the main train station at what time, how long it will take to walk from the tram stop to the platform of my train. Damn if I knew about this when Megan & I went to Aachen we wouldn't have missed our tram!
It's funny to see so many people getting around work on their bikes. I no longer do a double take when I see someone riding the bike in their business suit. The other day I saw a girl in a pant suit and heels riding her bike. She had some kind of tape around the ankle to prevent the pants from getting caught in the chains, very strange!
Another strange sight is people walking around with a bottle of beer in their hands. I guess there are no rules around glass bottles. In the Altstaedt (old town) it gets a little rowdy on the weekends so there's broken glass in the street but it's cleaned up by the next day. Today I passed a guy waiting at the bus stop with a big bottle of Becks beer in his hand. So strange!
Guido is a good office mate. Most of the time we are working but sometimes would take a break to chat. I am learning more about the german culture everyday. Today we talked about the lower level of service and Guido explained that it's only been recent (as in the last 20 years) that Germany has gotten into privatization. There has been little competition so there's little incentive for customer service. Nevertheless, I am so impressed with the germans and their forward thinking. They are so high tech and efficient. Yesterday I learned that when I buy my train ticket on line for destinations within or outside of germany, I can enter my address and the computer will tell me which local tram to take to the main train station at what time, how long it will take to walk from the tram stop to the platform of my train. Damn if I knew about this when Megan & I went to Aachen we wouldn't have missed our tram!
It's funny to see so many people getting around work on their bikes. I no longer do a double take when I see someone riding the bike in their business suit. The other day I saw a girl in a pant suit and heels riding her bike. She had some kind of tape around the ankle to prevent the pants from getting caught in the chains, very strange!
Another strange sight is people walking around with a bottle of beer in their hands. I guess there are no rules around glass bottles. In the Altstaedt (old town) it gets a little rowdy on the weekends so there's broken glass in the street but it's cleaned up by the next day. Today I passed a guy waiting at the bus stop with a big bottle of Becks beer in his hand. So strange!
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