ya know, just livin the tourist life in Germany

Learn to play the accordion. adding this to my to do list in life.

Things from home that are better-

Milk. Milk here makes my tummy hurt and tastes weird.

Tap water from a normal sink. I don’t like bathroom tap water, psychological I know, but no one drinks tap water here and so I have to fill my water bottle up with bathroom sink water cause I don’t like their carbonated water for 3 euros.

Dr pepper. The after taste is like cough syrup.

My bed. It’s more comfy than the ones I’ve slept on. Although, they’re doing good in the pillow department because the pillows are HUGE here! And you know how much I love pillows!

Screens on the windows. So you can open your window without getting bugs in your house

Things that are better here-

Music in the streets.

Everyone brings their dogs everywhere with them. To restaurants, on the trains, on the busses, around town, in shopping places. They’re so cute!

Architecture. Nothing is cookie cutter.

Flowers. There are flowers hanging from all the windows and all over the place.

Windows and doors. They are so cute here!!

Mayo. It’s really good here.

Toilets. They have two buttons and don’t make that weird gurgling sound American ones make. They’re like waterfalls here. Also, one had a little robot thing that came out and the toilet seat turned in a circle and the robot thing cleaned it! Not kidding you! It freaked me out because it literally did it right after I got up and I thought someone was going to attack me. And then I starred at it and was very intrigued.

Doughnuts. My lucky stars! Have you people tried Berliners??? They’re my new favorite treat! 2 for a euro fifty. Mmmm

Alright, so let me tell you what I’ve been doing lately.

Cologne is where the first perfume was invented. It’s called 4711. . It smells kind of like soap. But the town is pretty proud of it. I bought a mini bottle for a euro fifty. And by mini, I mean half the size of my pinky. I wanted to bring it home for people to smell the “scented water”

Cologne also has this incredible cathedral. How it wasn’t bombed during the war but most of the rest of the town was, is beyond me. But I’m glad it’s still here!! It’s super ornate! And gothic style with flying buttresses and stained glass windows and it’s huge! Fun fact of the day. This cathedral was the tallest building in the world for quite a long time. Until us American’s showed them up with the Washington monument. Fun fact, huh?

Well, like DC, nothing in the city can be taller than this, so, we climbed to the top of the tower like a boss. 533 stairs in a narrow spiral stair cast with a rail on only one side and steeeeeeep stairs. It was a workout. And it was hot that day. And here in Germany, it’s humid. Today was 75% humidity. It was tiring, but my calves hurt for a while. Going down was worse because I got dizzy in the staircase. The view from the top was pretty cool. It’s right by the Rhine River.

Then we went to one of the largest shopping areas in the world. Called schildergasse. Google it. Things I cannot afford mainly. Fun to see though. I’ve never seen a real Prada store before and most others too. It is a shame that I can’t go on a shopping spree. Because I’m in love with the lace here!! Ah! I saw this lace dress, and if I would have had a spare 320 Euros, I would have bought it and called it my own.  

We went to Dusseldorf and that place is pretty! They have a thing like seattle’s space needle and we went to the top. They have 3 buildings designed by the famous architect Frank Gehry. He’s pretty stellar. He did the Guggenheim, the experience music project in seattle, the fish building in Barcelona, the walt Disney concert hall, etc. we went to a museum and saw a lot more famous artists. Like Picasso again, Jackson pullock, andy Warhol, etc. it was called kunsthalle Düsseldorf.

Today we went to another museum. Ludwig museum. If I was into contemporary art this would be cool. But, there were far too many naked people and especially bare breasts for my liking. Can people not be more original these days??

We went to the lock fence as well. There are sooo many locks on this fence that goes over the Rheine river. Everyone puts a lock on the fence and most of them say something like lucy and bob. June 4 2000. But, since I don’t know who I’ll marry, I put bri + ?. good, right??? :D maybe one day I’ll get to come back and put a real one on. :D

the bridge is full like this. all 1342.5 feet of it.

Then Carsten {or uncle carsten as some have been calling him, aka our professor} made us German potato cakes for dinners. They were good. Both with chives and then with sugar and applesauce.

And then Stacey, Erika, Sylvia, Whitney, Addie, and Beth and I watched both episodes of the bachelorette that we bought on iTunes cause we can’t find it online where we can watch it in Europe. It’s kind of funny that we all were sitting in this tiny hostel room, glued to the little laptop. We’re great.

Welp, I’m off to bed. On to Berlin tomorrow. :

XOxoXO

also, please take a looksy at the awesome tan line. :D
i also have one on my wrist where my pony tail elastic lives. :D
tan lines rock.