So I have officially been here a week today. It has gone by very quickly already and soon we are to start our travelling allll over Germany Monday so Im sure it will go by even quicker now. My friend and roomie Sharon and I got in at noon last thursday. We came to the AIB and then went and got a hotel at the CVJM, which is the equivalent of the YMCA at home... but it has hotels rooms... Anyway, we got our room which was very nice. It had two little single beds and a shower and desk and everything we needed. There were three huge windows that opened up all the way out onto the street. we just sat and watched the people go by for a while and settled in. We went on a walk to find dinner and found this little Italian restraunt on the corner of some streets so we went in and had some pasta. We sat in the seats at the window facing out and ate and watched the world go by. It was a very nice dinner. Our waiter spoke a little english so that was nice. After dinner we started walking back and found this Turkish desert place and decided to go in and try it out. The workers knew no english what-so-ever, but they loved us. We got a few pieces of Baklavar (sp) on the house and Turkish tea. I think they knew we had never had any so they were just letting us try. They also gave us a piece of Turkish Delight... I do not like Turkish Delight. But the Baklavar was amazing. i was pleasantly surprised, it looked weird when i first saw it. After that we just went back to the room and fell asleep at about 8... I know, sad, but we were exhausted.
The next day we met our host family. They are very sweet. The mother speaks english very well, and the father doesnt really at all. It is really funny to try to understand each other when the mother, Sibylle, isnt around to translate. The other day at dinner he asked if we liked Brad Pitt and Britney Spears in broken english. It was really funny. Their daughter does live with them, but she is in the middle of finals and so we dont see her very much. When shes not taking the tests shes locked in her room studying for them.
Saturday we met with the rest of the group and went on a tour of the old town of Dusseldorf. It was nice. We got to know some of the history and some of the places to go. That was basically all we did that day. That night we went out the the Aldstadt (old town) to all of the bars, which is called the 'longest bar in the world' and it gets that name with reason! There were bars as far down the street as I could see, which I guess wasnt far because there were so many people there I couldnt see more than two or three places down the way. It was so much fun. The cocktails we got were HUGE. Think the cups we drink water out of at your house, or coke glasses when you go out... and that was the small. There were Jumbos that you could get that were ridiculous. The were very good though.
Sunday Sibylle took us to the castle that is in Dusseldorf. It was beautiful. We didnt get to go inside because there was some parade going on that day but we walked around the hunting grounds in the back. They were gorgeous. The trees were unbelievable. The castle was built inthe 16th century so the trees were that old as well and huge. It had the dirt pathways that went through the forest. And there was a huge rectangle pond, lake thing in the back next to the castle. It went long way out into the forest with grass around it and it had swan and ducks and such. It was really beautiful.
Monday we had class all day and a little tour of the area that our class is. We went up a thing called the Rhein tour. It is a 175 m (ish) tour with a restraunt at the top. The walls at the top are all windows so you get an amazing view of the city. So that was fun. That was basically all we did Monday.
Tuesday morning we had class and then after lunch we went on a Scavenger hunt around city. That was ok. Just basically walked around and took pictures of places and statues. Then later that night was the welcome dinner with everyone and their host families. That was a lot of fun. We had homemade quiche and pasta salad and smoked Salamon and the works. It was really good. That night we went home and Sharon and I went on a walk around the neighborhood which was very nice. The neighborhoods are very cute and old-style around our house. So that was nice.
Yesterday we took our first of three trips to Köln. We took a tour of the city and the outside of the Cathedral. It was stunning. I cant describe to you what it looks like. And to think that it was built over a hundred years ago is amazing. Pictures do not do it justice. After the outside tour, we went to the Elde Haus which was the Gestapo headquarters of Köln. We took a tour of the first and second floor which was a memorial. Then we went to the basement which was the prison. There were 10 tiny cells basically built for one or two people and just enough to fit a bed and two people. We then learned that they fit up to 30 people in one... I have no idea how that was even possible, but apparently it was done. And on the walls there are still writings from the prisoners with dates and caledars showing how long they have been in there and what was happening. They were done with whatever the people had on them, so some were done in lipstick and eyeliner if people didnt happen to have a pencil or pen on them. It was hard to think about and actually see, but I think it adds a piece of realness to it. It's not just a story you hear or read about in books anymore. It's in your face with writings and artifacts.
After the Elde Haus we went back to the Cathedral to go on a rooftop tour. That was unreal. We went to the top the church part and went up a little part of the north tour. Inside we went on the little 'cat walks' in the inside up by the roof, and when I figure out how to send pics you will see how high that was! I'm not going to lie, my heart was going a little bit faster than normal while we were up there. But to see the detail of everything so close and be able to touch the little tours that are on top and stand under the star that is the center of the cross the church makes was awesome. And it gave an amazing view of the city.
Today so far we have just had class. We aren't going to do much else I dont think. Tomorrow was have class in the morning and then are let out after lunch. Most of the group is going to Amsterdam. I am going to a city called Trier. It is the oldest city in Germany and has Roman ruins from 16 B.C. There are a few of us going, but we're only making it a day trip. We will come back Saturday night, and then Sunday a few will go out to Amsterdam to meet up with the group for a day. I'm going to stay in town and go visit some ruins that are a little north of here and try to go back to the inside of the castle in Dusseldorf.
Sorry this is so freakin long! I wrote part of this to my fam and just decided to keep going for the blog!!!! I promise the next ones won't be as bad... and more broken up...
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