It’s Been a While

It’s been a whole 10 days since I last posted, sorry but I haven’t had a lot of note worthy things to write. I could have written but I doubted you guys wanted to hear about me recovering from traveling and finishing up essays and stuff. But I’m done with that mostly – everything will be submitted tomorrow – and I actually have the desire to go out and do things again! YEAH! Went to a football (soccer) match last Saturday, which was an experience. The only thing I can liken the atmosphere to is an American football game, and this one was a bit of a rivalry so it was like OSU vs. Michigan (really crazy for those who didn’t understand that reference). I haven’t heard so many chants including certain words I will refrain from transcribing onto this page (especially since there were tons of children in the stands as well); but it was really fun. It ended in a tie (2-2) but the second half was a nail biter at points.

We were right on the field so occasionally we had to dodge flying practice balls, but I couldn’t complain over the view. I’m excited to get to go to a Columbus Crew game when I get back – a good comparison. 

I’ll have more things to talk about this week and most definitely next week so stayed tuned – and I’ll be back in the States by the end of next month.

 

Koln says “Wilkommen”

Hello everyone – or I guess for this entry the more appropriate would be Guten Tag! I am back from my 4 day holiday to Cologne, Germany. It was very fun but I am certain I was not alone in thinking (as one of the friends who went with me to Germany also traveled to Wales with me) of that line from Lethal Weapon: “I’m getting too old for this sh*t.” Once again, no I’m not calling myself old – I would get so many messages! – but my ability to just keep going for days then turn around go to another country and keep going there too is starting to wane. Thankfully my travel companions were like minded and we turned in early each night. (I know and we are how old now? No clubs, no pubs, nothing – in bed by 10pm thank you very much)

Cologne was gorgeous – the weather was pretty perfect each day – staying around the high 50’s lower 60’s and sunny, I even got a bit of a sun burn on my face from all the walking around. Our hostel was within waling distance of Neumarket and the Cathedral so we stayed around that areas pretty much the whole time.

The zoo and a cable car ride across the Rhine was day two. I absolutely love zoos so I was very excited about this part. That and most European zoos seem to have animal and photographer friendly habitats. The chain linked fences and high every smudged glass is nearly completely gone. Just wide open areas for the animal to roam and well placed ditches and barriers. Koln Zoo had plenty of animals that I had never seen in person better, and most of them were enjoying the wonderful weather. 

 

Lastly we finished up our trip with the Hohenzollern Bridge (the German version of the Parisian Lock Bridge) and the National Socialist Documentation Center. During World War II Cologne was converted into a military compound of sorts, and the building where the museum is located was the Gestapo Headquarters – complete with a prison in the basement. A chilling reminder of a darker part of this beautiful country’s past.

 

No trip can be complete without food and drama. Firstly the more important: food. Had bratwurst in Germany because we had to, but we found an amazing little burger/ fast food area that we a more filling, less “well this will stay in my stomach for about 7 years” feel. AND WE FOUND ITALIAN ICE CREAM!!! These flavors were amazing! Banana, melon, mango and more! and the actually tasted like what they were supposed to.

Then well I’ve discovered Germany germs are slightly more persistent than germs in the UK. Hadn’t gotten sick since I got here and go to Germany – boom have a nice cold. Yes, I can probably chalk it up to different germs combined with a weakened immune system brought on by the stress of planning and traveling by bus (by bus! Key term here). That and our return journey was delayed for a couple of hours because of mechanical issues. There are two ways for coaches, cars, and other wheeled vehicles to cross from the UK to the Continent: by ferry or by Chunnel Train. The coaches coming to pick us up was going by train and the train broke down. Nearly three hours after it was supposed to pick us up and leave it arrived. It was cold and windy and threatening to rain. That and we had no actual idea when it was going to show up, so that was a bit miserable. So instead of arriving back in London at 7:30 am I got back to Roehampton at 11 am.

But each dark cloud must have a silver lining. If the journey had gone on as schedule I would have crossed the channel at night and missed this wonderful view in the morning

(the picture doesn’t do it justice – taken with my phone through a disgusting ferry window but you get he idea)

Croeso i Gymru

Got back from Cardiff last night – honestly 4 hours by bus feels incredibly long and short compared to Paris and Amsterdam. The hostel was in pretty much the best location it could have been: right in the center. It gave us a great base where we could relax after visiting the things we wanted to (the farthest was the bay, a nice and sunny 25 minute walk), but it also taught us Wales knows how to have a good time. People would be out at the pub early and back late. A grand ole time – unless of course you are trying to get to sleep early enough so that wasn’t always pleasant, but when you travel you should always experience the culture. 

Everything was in bloom and beautiful – I don’t think I’ve seen so many variation of tulips in one area in my life!

Leaving for Cologne, Germany tomorrow evening, so you won’t hear from me until I’m back on Friday — or Saturday when I recover from the 12 hour return bus ride. 

A Race and a War

SO I haven’t posted in a little while… recovering from my Paris/ Amsterdam trip and planning and finalizing everything for my trips to Cardiff and Cologne, and figuring things out for who knows where exactly I’ll be going in Scotland) has left me little time or energy to go around and do cool things to talk about. Well, okay there are two lies in that run-on sentence. First, I do have a good idea of where I’ll be going in Scotland – Inverness on the Northern Coast of Scotland. Second: I haven’t been too busy, more of this is my first week of Holiday and I wanted to be lazy before I had to run around and travel. 

That and I wasn’t too inactive. Took all day Tuesday to recover, that much is true, then saw War Horse on Thursday. Cheap seat – 19 GBP but they were actually really good seats – little blocked view, but only a little and the puppets are so big you can get a good idea of what they’re doing by only see half of them. I wish I could have taken some picture – but I will respect the theatre, and that’s a “no no.” We’ll have to settle for this: 

 

Yesterday, a couple of friends and I popped down to the River to watch the 160th Oxford vs. Cambridge Boat Race. It was fun, better weather than we could have hoped for but not beautifully sunny – perfect English weather.

The river before it rose

Which Blue are You?

 

Oxford and their large lead (they’d win by 11 lengths)

and valiant Cambridge trying to close the gap

 Well I’ll be in Cardiff for the weekend, so no posts until either Sunday or Monday. Then I’m in Germany late Monday through early Friday so I’ll post again when I get back from Deutschland.