Germany Week 02

 Cologne, Germany

I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Cologne for the second time in my life and found the cathedral to be as astounding the second time as it was the first. Unlike many of the other cathedrals I have seen in my life, this one holds a special relic that even the most infamous ones, like Notre Dame, lack. The Cologne cathedral possesses the shrine of the three wise men. It is rumored that the three wise men were buried inside the cathedral, and although it is not known for sure, the idea of it all seems surreal. The time of Christ is such a phenomenon and for there to be a lasting piece of evidence of biblical stories makes it so modern times seem so in touch with ancient times. '

Moreover, I thoroughly enjoyed our time with the tour guide. He was so interesting to listen to and had very funny quips he would make here and there. I thought his recollection of the things that made Cologne the way it is today and the impact of its ancient history on its modern societal and city structure was fascinating. I never knew that Romans would build on top of the already existing foundation when they had new renovation plans and so learning that Cologne was situated on top of many Roman archeological structures interested me greatly. 

Norderney, Germany

Norderney is everything I imagined it not to be. With empty streets, that at times almost made it seem like an abandoned city, and lots of sightings of people under 90 years old, this was not the Norderney I had in mind. Moreover, the people here do not look like sauna people. Professor Wasser had excitedly taught us about the wonders of the saunas in Norderney, and although I don't know what sauna enthusiasts (Prof. Wasser) look like, the people on this island do not seem to be that. I had expected every resident to look like they spend 24 hours of the day in a bathhouse instead of inside the house sipping tea and chatting. Though there is nothing wrong with that, in fact doing those two activities are my favorite way to pass the time, I suppose I just expected the population here to not look as hip as they do. 

In addition to that, I had envisioned Norderney to be a small town that was buzzing with old people with a subdued Miami Beach vibe going on. Instead, the entire island resembles the American dream. It is very suburban and calm. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I had arrived on the weekend, a time when Germans like to be more laissez-faire, but as of right now, I have never felt more tranquil or in tune with the world around me.  

While I am too tired to join the group on the beach tomorrow morning, I am excited for what the next three days will hold for me in Norderney. I want to experience this island the way Prof. Wasser has described it: with enthusiasm and fascination for the world surrounding me.