A week has gone by in Bonn. Hopefully it will be the most
stressful week; the public transportation system took me a while to figure out.
Aside from that detail, the last week blew me away. My two highlights were the
spa in Cologne and the castles just outside of Bonn. These were two great
European experiences, particularly the spa in Cologne.
I did not
even know this spa existed until Collin asked me if I wanted to go. The spa we
visited, Claudius Therme, has a great location nestled next to the Rhine and
among the great city of Cologne. The spa is divided into two sections: one with
nude people, and one without. However, this division is not strictly enforced
because I saw exceptions on both sides of the border. Anyways, the water in the
large pool was the perfect temperature. Just floating around in the somewhat
briny water felt amazing especially in the Texas-like weather we experienced. The water
jets massaged my legs which were mildly sore from walking. Then we had the idea
of visiting the sauna. I love saunas. So naturally, I really wanted to go. The
only catch was that the saunas were across the border. I swallowed my pride,
and Colin and I went across. It really was not as big of a deal as some of my
fellow Americans might think. I did not catch any judgmental vibes; everybody
was just happy to be there enjoying the sauna. I would most definitely do it
again.
Schloss
Drachenburg is the first castle I have ever visited, and hopefully it is not
the last one. My only real complaint is that all of the information in the
castle was in German. On the other hand, the architecture was absolutely
beautiful. Having only been built in the 1860s, the castle was in great
condition. However, I was most fascinated by the ruins at the top of the hill
near Schloss Drachenburg. The ruins have been around since medieval times, and
their history is probably a lot richer. The only downside is that very little historical information on the ruins exist. Instead I liked to create my own
stories in my head while sitting among the ruins on top of the hill.
My
culture shock was not bad. My only scary incident was getting lost on the bus,
but all I did was ask for directions and I found my way. Ordering at
restaurants can be somewhat awkward because the waiter usually speaks to me in
German at first, so I just stare with a really confused look on my face until I
can say “Englisch bitte”. Most Germans are quite affable, and I do not feel
intimidated being here. I look forward to the next few weeks.
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