Monday, January 7, 2008
Strasbourg, France
To make a long story in bad English very short... Francois (resident Frenchman and driver) thought it necessary that we make a stop in France. Not because Strasbourg is a beautiful city... not because it was relatively on the way... but because he insisted upon having French wine. All in all we didn't spend very long in Strasbourg, just long enough to visit the Christmas market and see the city center.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
In case I die in the Alps...
Francois (France), Okan (Turkey), Sam (Alabama), and I are going (by car) on vacation together over the holiday break.
Fran's driving... I'm a little worried... we're driving through the Alps... it's winter... and I get car sick...
Here's what we're going to do if we don't die in the Alps:
December 22nd:
Depart Dortmund at 4 a.m. and head to France. Visit wine cave.
December 22nd (later):
Arrive in Milan, Italy (after surviving the Alps).
December 25th:
Arrive in Venice, Italy. Celebrate the birth of Christ... most likely with pizza and a water-taxi.
December 27th:
Arrive in Vienna, Austria. Find "Sound of Music" postcard for Sam's grandma.
December 30th:
Arrive in Prague, Czech Republic. Celebrate the New Year and enjoy the dollar to CZK exchange rate.
January 2nd:
Arrive in Dresden. Return to Germany and experience Dresden's emergance, "as a cultural, political, and economic centre in the eastern part of Germany" since the reunification in 1990.
January 4th: Return to Dortmund.
Fran's driving... I'm a little worried... we're driving through the Alps... it's winter... and I get car sick...
Here's what we're going to do if we don't die in the Alps:
December 22nd:
Depart Dortmund at 4 a.m. and head to France. Visit wine cave.
December 22nd (later):
Arrive in Milan, Italy (after surviving the Alps).
December 25th:
Arrive in Venice, Italy. Celebrate the birth of Christ... most likely with pizza and a water-taxi.
December 27th:
Arrive in Vienna, Austria. Find "Sound of Music" postcard for Sam's grandma.
December 30th:
Arrive in Prague, Czech Republic. Celebrate the New Year and enjoy the dollar to CZK exchange rate.
January 2nd:
Arrive in Dresden. Return to Germany and experience Dresden's emergance, "as a cultural, political, and economic centre in the eastern part of Germany" since the reunification in 1990.
January 4th: Return to Dortmund.
Friday, December 21, 2007
My Family Quilt - Thanks for the mail
Thanks for all the birthday, Christmas, Dear-Andi-I-miss-you-lots-mail... it's all greatly appreciated.
And here's a picture of the quilt you all helped in making (I've had request to post a picture).... so requested granted...
And here's a picture of the quilt you all helped in making (I've had request to post a picture).... so requested granted...
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
I think I solved the roommate problem!
I think I solved, or at least partially fixed, my roommate problem.
I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier...
PASTRIES!
I baked the other day... I bake much better than I speak German... anyway.... blueberries and and cream cheese in flaky pasty shell with pretty edges. I gave said pastry treat to each of my roommates (the two that were home anyway... the two that generally ignore me or yell at me) and today... one of them spoke to me... NICELY!
Now I feel bad about spitting in her pastry.
Just kidding... I don't feel bad.
(What I mean to say is that I didn't spit in her pastry....)
I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier...
PASTRIES!
I baked the other day... I bake much better than I speak German... anyway.... blueberries and and cream cheese in flaky pasty shell with pretty edges. I gave said pastry treat to each of my roommates (the two that were home anyway... the two that generally ignore me or yell at me) and today... one of them spoke to me... NICELY!
Now I feel bad about spitting in her pastry.
Just kidding... I don't feel bad.
(What I mean to say is that I didn't spit in her pastry....)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
I'm impressed by...
... the marzipan industry's amazing ability to shape ground almonds, sugar, and eggs whites into just about anything. Pigs, potatoes,... whatever.
... how disgusting my roommates are. Yesterday I put an end to the five day toilet paper strike (that's right... there was a strike... everyone was refusing to buy toilet paper. Luckily I had some I'd hoarded in my room) by buying toilet paper and attaching a note expressing my attitude toward hygiene (it's a good thing).
... how EXTREMELY disgusting my roommates are. Today I smelled something strange when I woke up from my nap. A quick scan through my olfactory told me I was smelling burnt fish. (My roommates are infamous for leaving fish in the kitchen (on the counter) for two or three days at a time). Anyway, I went to the kitchen to check and sitting on the stove is a pot with boiling rice. On top of the pan is a place with a large fish head on it, and some other (mid-section?) piece of fish. The fish was clearly cooked... OVER cooked... but just the same, thirty seconds after I enter the kitchen, so does my fish cooking roommate who instead of going, "Wow, this smells like total #%^##!$%^@$%$@!~, I should take it off the stove," decided that the better idea would be to continue cooking it for another twenty minutes. Our entire apartment smells like a fisherman's backside.
... the gypsy that robbed Radim in Mallorca. (She sold him a flower, gave him change, and picked his pocket all at the same time while Francois and Katrena watched.)
... Rilo Kiley (Jenny Lewis).
... the writers of "Grey's Anatomy"... well, most of the time, but not always. "Seriously!"
... how disgusting my roommates are. Yesterday I put an end to the five day toilet paper strike (that's right... there was a strike... everyone was refusing to buy toilet paper. Luckily I had some I'd hoarded in my room) by buying toilet paper and attaching a note expressing my attitude toward hygiene (it's a good thing).
... how EXTREMELY disgusting my roommates are. Today I smelled something strange when I woke up from my nap. A quick scan through my olfactory told me I was smelling burnt fish. (My roommates are infamous for leaving fish in the kitchen (on the counter) for two or three days at a time). Anyway, I went to the kitchen to check and sitting on the stove is a pot with boiling rice. On top of the pan is a place with a large fish head on it, and some other (mid-section?) piece of fish. The fish was clearly cooked... OVER cooked... but just the same, thirty seconds after I enter the kitchen, so does my fish cooking roommate who instead of going, "Wow, this smells like total #%^##!$%^@$%$@!~, I should take it off the stove," decided that the better idea would be to continue cooking it for another twenty minutes. Our entire apartment smells like a fisherman's backside.
... the gypsy that robbed Radim in Mallorca. (She sold him a flower, gave him change, and picked his pocket all at the same time while Francois and Katrena watched.)
... Rilo Kiley (Jenny Lewis).
... the writers of "Grey's Anatomy"... well, most of the time, but not always. "Seriously!"
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Christmas Market/Weihnachtsmarkt
Keeping it brief (after the monstrous post I just made)... and because I'm pretty much a Grinch when it comes to the holiday season...
Dortmund has a Christmas Market... lots of stands selling various goodies... mainly food... warm candied nuts, cheeses, schnitzels, doofy looking heart shaped cookie necklaces, and let's not forget Glühwein (warm sweet wine). On Friday nights, with weather permitting (which is never, but the Germans seemed to have developed an immunity to bad weather called "the scarf"), the place pretty much turns into a large outdoor bar with nomadic patrons. Below are 1) A picture taken near Reinoldikirche and 2) a picture of Dortmund's Christmas tree (actually, it's like 1200 trees stuck together to make one huge tree).
Dortmund has a Christmas Market... lots of stands selling various goodies... mainly food... warm candied nuts, cheeses, schnitzels, doofy looking heart shaped cookie necklaces, and let's not forget Glühwein (warm sweet wine). On Friday nights, with weather permitting (which is never, but the Germans seemed to have developed an immunity to bad weather called "the scarf"), the place pretty much turns into a large outdoor bar with nomadic patrons. Below are 1) A picture taken near Reinoldikirche and 2) a picture of Dortmund's Christmas tree (actually, it's like 1200 trees stuck together to make one huge tree).
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