yesterday, we went to köln once more, this time to "take in" the city. see, we've been there several times, but once was just to see the dom, once was for the carnival parade, and once was on our train station before amsterdam. SO, we finally got to explore the city!
for part of the day, we went to the dom-treasure exhibit. quite magnificent! so much gold! we saw relicarys containing bones, busts of cardinals, chalices, rings, and vestments made of gold. one weighing 60kg! it was so impressive.
OH, and on the way TO to the treasury, we got to experience part of a mass (one being done specifically for japan) and i FINALLY got to hear the organ played! in one of the most famous cathedrals in the world! this, for me, would be like someone hearing their favorite musician play in the coolest arenas possible. (so, a pretty big deal) Dear Xian, if you still read my blog, i'll have to send you the photos of all the organs in so many cathedrals. you'd have enjoyed it, so much!
then we went to a part of town that had walls from over 2000 years ago. can you possibly imagine?! (ok, i'm sure some of you can, but let indulge me in my childlike wonder)
shortly after that, we met up with miriam at elisabeth's office, and went to the bridge over the Rhine. there is a tradition, in which two people lock a, well, lock, on the fence of this bridge, sealing their love. then, the key is tossed into the rhine, and it's fun times. (i'm sure to some, this is cheesy, but, it was also pretty nifty seeing all of these locks. thousands and thousands of them.)
we made our way through part of the inner circle of the city, and saw where when a few years ago they tried to build a judaica museum, they unearthed centuries old houses. some of which where from prominent jewish leaders, themselves! so, we got to see an excavation of sorts. hard to believe all of these houses were under the street we were walking upon!
after that, a bit more walking through the inner city, stopped in a department store, then again in an apotheke for scott, and took the train back to leverkusen. it was a bit sad on the train, though, when i realized this would be the last time on the DE-Bahn, aside from our train ride to DUS on thursday when we leave. i've grown very fond of having such easy access to public transit, in particular, public transit that makes sense.
i also got bummed out when i realized i had only a short time left here in deutschland, itself! it took SO long for this trip to get here. months and months of waiting.. and then, it just FLEW by! while i am happy to go home and see my friends/family, dogs, and bike... i really love this country. i can't really find the correct words to explain how it feels, but it feels right. unlike anywhere else i've ever visited. which, of course you realize, means that i must eventually make DE my home, right? ^_^ it just must be! (even if it's only for a year or ten.)
Showing posts with label köln. Show all posts
Showing posts with label köln. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Carnival parade
Sorry, I didn't get a chance to update last night. Yesterday was a kind of long day. This update will be very short, as well.
Yesterday we went back into Köln for the carnival parade. The train was PACKED! So many people that we had to squish in all together. But apparently today is an even bigger parade, and it would be even more packed on the train.
When we got to köln, it was swarming with people. We had to stay very close not to get lost from one another. We found a relatively empty space near the end of the parade route, and then stood. We waited there for about two hours for the parade to get there, but the time was fun, anyhow.
1st because there were all sorts of people in costume going up and down the street. They were all acting goofy and it was lots of fun.
2nd because there were a group of five polezei near us. They were all VERY attractive, and because little kids kept coming up to them and putting paper streamers on them. It was very cute!
Then it got SO busy as the time grew closer for the parade to come by. So busy, in fact, that eventually, we were unable to keep taking photos. Just crammed with people.
Eventually, the sun went behind a building, and the wind picked up significantly so we decided after standing there about five hours it was time to head home.
Got home, had a very good dinner (part of it was a cooked red cabbage dish with currants, amazing), and then spent the evening talking.
Ok, it's time to put iPad away and join everyone for breakfast.
Yesterday we went back into Köln for the carnival parade. The train was PACKED! So many people that we had to squish in all together. But apparently today is an even bigger parade, and it would be even more packed on the train.
When we got to köln, it was swarming with people. We had to stay very close not to get lost from one another. We found a relatively empty space near the end of the parade route, and then stood. We waited there for about two hours for the parade to get there, but the time was fun, anyhow.
1st because there were all sorts of people in costume going up and down the street. They were all acting goofy and it was lots of fun.
2nd because there were a group of five polezei near us. They were all VERY attractive, and because little kids kept coming up to them and putting paper streamers on them. It was very cute!
Then it got SO busy as the time grew closer for the parade to come by. So busy, in fact, that eventually, we were unable to keep taking photos. Just crammed with people.
Eventually, the sun went behind a building, and the wind picked up significantly so we decided after standing there about five hours it was time to head home.
Got home, had a very good dinner (part of it was a cooked red cabbage dish with currants, amazing), and then spent the evening talking.
Ok, it's time to put iPad away and join everyone for breakfast.
Friday, March 4, 2011
köln dom und deutsche-bahn.
today was spent partly in köln. this city was incredibly busy because of fasching right now. oh my gosh, there were people EVERYWHERE! it was kind of exciting to see so many people around! there were so many people in costumes and there were carts everywhere. miriam and her mother tell me this is not what the city normally looks like. they were like "please, don't think our city is this messy!" LOL
they also board up a lot of the shop windows because this weekend, there will be over 1 million people added to the city, and it gets so packed, that they worry the glass might break. we will be going back on sunday, so please pray for me LOL!
it was also our first day on the detusche-bahn. this was a lot of fun, and only slightly confusing. we bought the ticket, a 4 ticket. one for each of us, each ride back and forth. THEN, we had to stamp the ticket on this OTHER machine, twice. once for me, and once for scott. because the DE-bahn workers are on strike right now, miriam made me wait to stamp the ticket, in case the train didn't show up. (slightly confusing)
by the way, for any of you that are going to germany, please come to me when you have questions, because the info i'd been given, made everything more confusing. no offense to those that told me info, but it could have been explained so much easier.
anyhow, we also toured the köln dom. it was ABSOLUTELY amazing! we went up into one of the towers. OH MY GOSH! it was so tall! 98 meters (about 322 feet) that we went up! so many stairs, and such a skinny space. we looked out over the city, and that was terrifying, even with all of the safe guards.
yikes.
tonight, samuel (miriam's brother) made me a requested dish (that was SO not something i would normally eat) He made curry-wurst. this is a big deal, because it is made from pork, and im not eating pork regularly. big deal! had a glass of very nice bubbly white wine, and now i'm ready to fall asleep. UNFORTUNATELY, with the aid of my sleeping pill, because all of a sudden, i feel not tired (even though, after the 535 steps, i was incredibly tired.)
tomorrow, i think düsseldorf? or maybe back to köln? n8i meinen freunden.
they also board up a lot of the shop windows because this weekend, there will be over 1 million people added to the city, and it gets so packed, that they worry the glass might break. we will be going back on sunday, so please pray for me LOL!
it was also our first day on the detusche-bahn. this was a lot of fun, and only slightly confusing. we bought the ticket, a 4 ticket. one for each of us, each ride back and forth. THEN, we had to stamp the ticket on this OTHER machine, twice. once for me, and once for scott. because the DE-bahn workers are on strike right now, miriam made me wait to stamp the ticket, in case the train didn't show up. (slightly confusing)
by the way, for any of you that are going to germany, please come to me when you have questions, because the info i'd been given, made everything more confusing. no offense to those that told me info, but it could have been explained so much easier.
anyhow, we also toured the köln dom. it was ABSOLUTELY amazing! we went up into one of the towers. OH MY GOSH! it was so tall! 98 meters (about 322 feet) that we went up! so many stairs, and such a skinny space. we looked out over the city, and that was terrifying, even with all of the safe guards.
yikes.
tonight, samuel (miriam's brother) made me a requested dish (that was SO not something i would normally eat) He made curry-wurst. this is a big deal, because it is made from pork, and im not eating pork regularly. big deal! had a glass of very nice bubbly white wine, and now i'm ready to fall asleep. UNFORTUNATELY, with the aid of my sleeping pill, because all of a sudden, i feel not tired (even though, after the 535 steps, i was incredibly tired.)
tomorrow, i think düsseldorf? or maybe back to köln? n8i meinen freunden.
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