köln

Traveling today was one of my least favorite things I've ever done. We left Leuven this morning on the train, aiming for Köln/Cologne in Germany. We had to transfer trains in Luik/Liége, but the one we were trying to get on was BROKEN. So we ended up waiting in the oppressive heat (seriously Belgium what is this) for about 45 minutes for a bus to pick us and the rest of the displaced passengers up and take us to Aachen where we would supposedly catch another train to take us to Köln. Eventually the bus came, which was more like a city bus than a greyhound bus, so everyone was pretty crammed on. Something I've learned in the last few days is that Europe really doesn't do air conditioning, which makes an hour long bus ride down a highway rather awful.

About 30 minutes in, the bus pulled over into a parking lot. It turns out an elderly passenger fainted or something and probably had heat stroke, so we waited outside for another half hour or so for an ambulance to pick her up. …In the end we made it to Köln, slowly but surely. Erik said Americans really like cold blasts of air in their faces, which I guess we do because that sounds like the nicest thing ever right now. Icy cold baths will have to suffice.

As we were getting into Aachen, I became very excited because I realized I can read more German than I thought I could, based on the signs and ads I could make out. This does not mean I don't panic every time someone talks to me. I just keep saying "danke schön", but I think it's worked so far. I can see how the immersion experience is going to make my German a hundred times better in these two months, because it's like practicing/studying every time you go outside! I'm self-conscious about my accent because I have no idea what I sound like to them.

Our hotel is about two blocks away from the Dom cathedral. It is the most amazing building I have ever seen. Pictures don't do it justice, especially not this one because I can't get it all in one frame. Also there's a really ugly modern building blocking the view from the Platz, good job guys. It is one of the few great Gothic cathedrals left unscathed by WWII and it took 600 years to build. It's really dirty right now, but I think that makes it look more awesome, in the literal sense of the word. It's both a design appreciation and a feeling I get when I look at it that makes it so impressive. We are going inside tomorrow, can't wait.



We also went to the Schokolaadmuseum. It was fun, but the chocolate we were given was too…milk-chocolately heavy-sweet. Not that I'm complaining. I am really amused that they sell liquor in the museum shop, albeit chocolate liquor.



At dinner I decided to take advantage of my parents paying for everything + being of legal drinking age in this country + its reputation and order EIN BIER. I got a Weißbier, which is the best beer I have ever tasted! It was embarassingly large, but I got through it.



Köln has a lock bridge. Soooo many locks, so much love.



Even though my German is pretty basic, I'm increasingly excited for living in Vienna and getting better. I've decided that this is too much effort to waste and Europe is too great to just stop/postpone this language study and I'm going to figure out how to register for a 201 class next semester.