(Train to Munich, June 27)
the train today.. well a long one... there were some screw ups with the ticket booking.. and a journey that was originally to take 4-5 hours is now going to last about 11 hours.. LOTS of time to think.. and stop in every small town in southern Germany... YAY.. lol...
as we speedily (seriously sarcastic!) venture through the german countryside it seems that every small town that the train stops in sports giant heavy industry chimneys.. they rise into the german skies, often times dwarfing the church steeples.. these chimneys are graced with a background littered with wind power farms.. perhaps this is a sign in the shifting ideals of the german people.. each representing a phase of their development.. shifting from religion to powering their economy... each phase a little newer and shinier than the one that preceded it..
idk.. perhaps i have just had way too much time to think..
Saturday
and what it all comes down to my friend....
(Schmalkalden, Germany, June 26)
i have always found that goodbyes are not easy.. there is always this desire to hold onto something that you know that you will inevitably lose... i use breakups as an example.. for the most part there is never one complete break to start.. there is always a process..
well with schmalkalden.. there is a break.. i leave.. probably not to return..
although this leads to the denial.. is it really goodbye.. i have only JUST started to get to know these people.. it doesn't feel real.. there is this perception that tomorrow will be no different.. the only real thing are the tears shed by some.. perhaps they made the correct connection before the rest of us.. for the rest it will happen at some point down the line..
i have always found that goodbyes are not easy.. there is always this desire to hold onto something that you know that you will inevitably lose... i use breakups as an example.. for the most part there is never one complete break to start.. there is always a process..
well with schmalkalden.. there is a break.. i leave.. probably not to return..
although this leads to the denial.. is it really goodbye.. i have only JUST started to get to know these people.. it doesn't feel real.. there is this perception that tomorrow will be no different.. the only real thing are the tears shed by some.. perhaps they made the correct connection before the rest of us.. for the rest it will happen at some point down the line..
Friday
All i need now is a littleintellectual intercourse..
(june 24th)
heres a little something for you to think about.. and think well.. this question was asked to the class by the professor.. well i guess more of a statment..
all of the worlds problems could be solved by ONE single thing.. that is every problem.. war, suicide bombers, starvation, global warming.... every problem the world faces!..
the answer..
education..
(think about it)....
heres a little something for you to think about.. and think well.. this question was asked to the class by the professor.. well i guess more of a statment..
all of the worlds problems could be solved by ONE single thing.. that is every problem.. war, suicide bombers, starvation, global warming.... every problem the world faces!..
the answer..
education..
(think about it)....
Monday
(schmalkalden, Germany, june 25)
this was the midnight sun lecture.. the final course that i had to take while in schmalkalden.. and the most strenuous course was left for last.. 6pm-6am.. with an exam from 5am-6am.. the course.. the german social market economy.. yeah.. tongue twister for sure!.. however,
there were several bonuses to this...first the course was taught in a farmers field.. well actually it was a hillside overlooking a tiny town outside of schmalkalden.. the point of this.. to watch the sunset and sunrise.. all a part of the course..
the course started off quite hard.. a 3.2 km hike up the hill.. it basically gave you full license to sweat your ass off.. and almost enough reason to turn back and quit the course before it even started.. although the next phase.. was perhaps the most strenuous.. i actually sustained perminant damage from it..
about a minute after we reached the hillside where our lecture would take place.. Frisbees were distributed among the students... after this occurred.. it took me about 30 seconds to careen down the hillside, dive after the frisbee and emerge victoriously with both the frisbee and a fashionable grass stain starting at my left knee and extending down the leg onto my shoe.. yes my shoe had a grass stain as well.. thank god they are green.. (although now thrown out.. they smelled like SHIT!).. anywho..
although i was worried that i did not bring enough clothing.. i brought pretty much everything that i owned.. well that was warm.. and that could fit into my shoulder bag.. well my worst fears were realized about 30 minutes into the lecture.. when we had to sit down with beer (supplied by the uni).. and listen to the lecture.. the wind had picked up.. and i trembled subtly at first, perhaps my meager attempt at looking masculine and tough.. eventually i caved and shivvered like a panzy clamoring and fighting tooth and nail for a sliver of a red blanket..
thankfully we took several breaks during the lecture.. i used these to warm up. more frisbee.. pretty much.. i love being a child!.. but once the stars were out.. i was mesmerized by them.. i had not seen stars like this..well ever.. cause i hadnt seen the stars in germany yet.. and they are all mostly different than those we see back home.. i shall explain.. well they are the same stars.. just different positions within the sky.. orion was not in his prominant position in the centre.. although it was now actually colder outside... i had solved my heating issues by simply stealing it from alex... although i dont think she cared much.. we just stared at the stars above..
having stayed up till 3am numerous times on this trip.. that wasn't new.. however.. conversations at 3am are typically stories that have no point.. or are supermely simplified.. because you are hammered.. this was not the case with the german social market economy.. the terms kept flying.. even at this hour..
in the end there was very few whom survived the whole night keeping awake.. i was pretty proud of myself.... i even passed the exam.. although i have NO idea how.. i was exhausted..
this was the midnight sun lecture.. the final course that i had to take while in schmalkalden.. and the most strenuous course was left for last.. 6pm-6am.. with an exam from 5am-6am.. the course.. the german social market economy.. yeah.. tongue twister for sure!.. however,
there were several bonuses to this...first the course was taught in a farmers field.. well actually it was a hillside overlooking a tiny town outside of schmalkalden.. the point of this.. to watch the sunset and sunrise.. all a part of the course..
the course started off quite hard.. a 3.2 km hike up the hill.. it basically gave you full license to sweat your ass off.. and almost enough reason to turn back and quit the course before it even started.. although the next phase.. was perhaps the most strenuous.. i actually sustained perminant damage from it..
about a minute after we reached the hillside where our lecture would take place.. Frisbees were distributed among the students... after this occurred.. it took me about 30 seconds to careen down the hillside, dive after the frisbee and emerge victoriously with both the frisbee and a fashionable grass stain starting at my left knee and extending down the leg onto my shoe.. yes my shoe had a grass stain as well.. thank god they are green.. (although now thrown out.. they smelled like SHIT!).. anywho..
although i was worried that i did not bring enough clothing.. i brought pretty much everything that i owned.. well that was warm.. and that could fit into my shoulder bag.. well my worst fears were realized about 30 minutes into the lecture.. when we had to sit down with beer (supplied by the uni).. and listen to the lecture.. the wind had picked up.. and i trembled subtly at first, perhaps my meager attempt at looking masculine and tough.. eventually i caved and shivvered like a panzy clamoring and fighting tooth and nail for a sliver of a red blanket..
thankfully we took several breaks during the lecture.. i used these to warm up. more frisbee.. pretty much.. i love being a child!.. but once the stars were out.. i was mesmerized by them.. i had not seen stars like this..well ever.. cause i hadnt seen the stars in germany yet.. and they are all mostly different than those we see back home.. i shall explain.. well they are the same stars.. just different positions within the sky.. orion was not in his prominant position in the centre.. although it was now actually colder outside... i had solved my heating issues by simply stealing it from alex... although i dont think she cared much.. we just stared at the stars above..
having stayed up till 3am numerous times on this trip.. that wasn't new.. however.. conversations at 3am are typically stories that have no point.. or are supermely simplified.. because you are hammered.. this was not the case with the german social market economy.. the terms kept flying.. even at this hour..
in the end there was very few whom survived the whole night keeping awake.. i was pretty proud of myself.... i even passed the exam.. although i have NO idea how.. i was exhausted..
Saturday
its too late tonight....
(Schmalkalden, Germany, June 23)
tonight is the final tuesday night in schmalkalden.. basically what does that mean.. well its the last night that the students club is open late.. and we have to pretty much take full advantage of that..
finally the weather is starting to co operate.. it is finally not raining at night.. i have a hypothesis as to the reason why.. i finally found an umbrella.. yep.. the good ol reverse cursing.. its like putting away winter boots.. it always snows shortly after.. well the reverse curse is the better way to go.. although i am out 7 euro. it was an expensive umbrella.. oh well..
to celebrate the weather.. bbq time.. although the bbqs in germany are pretty much pathetic.. its pretty much going back about 5ΓΆΓΆ years in bbq technology.. the wheel probably had yet to be invented when these bbqs first struck the market.. although i bet they were popular as hell because they are everywhere.. anywho.. the food cooked.. and no one got sick.. just took forever using medievil technology..
along with food there was of course beer.. and wine for the ladies.. but i finally arrive to the reason for my post.. the bbq and predrinking did not actualy last that long.. pretty quick.. an hour or so.. well in the span of that hour.. one wonderful soul within our little gathering decided to down as much as she could.. not a great idea.. she downed a bottle of wine faster than people could down a single beer.. the reaosn i know this... because she was going after peoples second beers before they finished their first.. pretty crazy..
next piece of the puzzle.. she is only 19.. and well 19yr olds do not get drunk elequently.. basically all hell breaks loose.. they have no control.. i only realize this being 5 years removed from being 19.. i now have the ability to become the dignified drunk.. oh.. i still do stupid shit.. pranks and crap.. although with much more poise than 19 yr olds.. they lack.. well just lack something.. i have NO idea when i found it.. i think it just showed up like the montly presents in the tampex commercials.. i feel that i notice this the most when there is a 19 yr old that is drunk among people who are at least 3 years older.. i honestly feel like a parent taking a child to the zoo.... and honestly which one of these things is not like the other..
heres an example.. there are 5 equally drunk individuals.. one 19.. and three 23, and one 24.. the 23 yr olds and the 24 yr old.. chatting relaxed.. playing beer darts.. laughing.. singing the opening song to the lion king.. AND the 19 yr old.. SCREAMING! running around like their hair is on fire.. screwing up the lyrics to the opening song to the lion king.. i know.. the last part is apalling.. i know.. there is worse..
projectile vomit all over the bathroom.. the walls.. the floor.. the outside of the toilet.. i know this because i had to supervise her while she cleaned it up.. i only thought there was crap on the floor.. (i am drunk).. and no.. when she is done with the floor. the inspection reveals puke going down the wall.. ew..
basically that was when we put the kids to bed.. and partyd like adults till the sun came up..
tonight is the final tuesday night in schmalkalden.. basically what does that mean.. well its the last night that the students club is open late.. and we have to pretty much take full advantage of that..
finally the weather is starting to co operate.. it is finally not raining at night.. i have a hypothesis as to the reason why.. i finally found an umbrella.. yep.. the good ol reverse cursing.. its like putting away winter boots.. it always snows shortly after.. well the reverse curse is the better way to go.. although i am out 7 euro. it was an expensive umbrella.. oh well..
to celebrate the weather.. bbq time.. although the bbqs in germany are pretty much pathetic.. its pretty much going back about 5ΓΆΓΆ years in bbq technology.. the wheel probably had yet to be invented when these bbqs first struck the market.. although i bet they were popular as hell because they are everywhere.. anywho.. the food cooked.. and no one got sick.. just took forever using medievil technology..
along with food there was of course beer.. and wine for the ladies.. but i finally arrive to the reason for my post.. the bbq and predrinking did not actualy last that long.. pretty quick.. an hour or so.. well in the span of that hour.. one wonderful soul within our little gathering decided to down as much as she could.. not a great idea.. she downed a bottle of wine faster than people could down a single beer.. the reaosn i know this... because she was going after peoples second beers before they finished their first.. pretty crazy..
next piece of the puzzle.. she is only 19.. and well 19yr olds do not get drunk elequently.. basically all hell breaks loose.. they have no control.. i only realize this being 5 years removed from being 19.. i now have the ability to become the dignified drunk.. oh.. i still do stupid shit.. pranks and crap.. although with much more poise than 19 yr olds.. they lack.. well just lack something.. i have NO idea when i found it.. i think it just showed up like the montly presents in the tampex commercials.. i feel that i notice this the most when there is a 19 yr old that is drunk among people who are at least 3 years older.. i honestly feel like a parent taking a child to the zoo.... and honestly which one of these things is not like the other..
heres an example.. there are 5 equally drunk individuals.. one 19.. and three 23, and one 24.. the 23 yr olds and the 24 yr old.. chatting relaxed.. playing beer darts.. laughing.. singing the opening song to the lion king.. AND the 19 yr old.. SCREAMING! running around like their hair is on fire.. screwing up the lyrics to the opening song to the lion king.. i know.. the last part is apalling.. i know.. there is worse..
projectile vomit all over the bathroom.. the walls.. the floor.. the outside of the toilet.. i know this because i had to supervise her while she cleaned it up.. i only thought there was crap on the floor.. (i am drunk).. and no.. when she is done with the floor. the inspection reveals puke going down the wall.. ew..
basically that was when we put the kids to bed.. and partyd like adults till the sun came up..
Tuesday
I love you because your deuces are wild....
(bus to berlin, Germany, june 19)
the teenage hghschool antics occuring at the back of the bus highly amuse me, its not like i liked high school... in fact i never even rode the bus... but its like one of those hollywood moments made up in the minds of 30yr olds who parhaps fantasized what an ideal high school moment would look like.. two german add on students, who won the trip in on a test, watch on eagerly awaiting the next prank to emerge from the high school "cool kids" dominating the back of the bus. their eyes lighting up as a childs would on christmas morning.. because.. well lets be honest christmas can be wrapped up in cliches, while i am currenlty explaining one.. i dont even have to describe what happend.. when i say cliche high school bus moment.. instantly a mental image appears in your mind.. chances are you would be correct.. perhaps even down the angry bus driver who shoots back vicious glares through his oversized rear view mirror..
although i think these are the moments that make memories.. they are the events that transpire in between plans.. the wonderful cream centre of the oreo..
at this moment this is a happy place.. regardless of any high school memories anyone experienced.. living within the juvinile pranks and games has reduced everyone to wide eyes and smiles.. at this moment we are no longer complex university students.. we are simply .. content....
the teenage hghschool antics occuring at the back of the bus highly amuse me, its not like i liked high school... in fact i never even rode the bus... but its like one of those hollywood moments made up in the minds of 30yr olds who parhaps fantasized what an ideal high school moment would look like.. two german add on students, who won the trip in on a test, watch on eagerly awaiting the next prank to emerge from the high school "cool kids" dominating the back of the bus. their eyes lighting up as a childs would on christmas morning.. because.. well lets be honest christmas can be wrapped up in cliches, while i am currenlty explaining one.. i dont even have to describe what happend.. when i say cliche high school bus moment.. instantly a mental image appears in your mind.. chances are you would be correct.. perhaps even down the angry bus driver who shoots back vicious glares through his oversized rear view mirror..
although i think these are the moments that make memories.. they are the events that transpire in between plans.. the wonderful cream centre of the oreo..
at this moment this is a happy place.. regardless of any high school memories anyone experienced.. living within the juvinile pranks and games has reduced everyone to wide eyes and smiles.. at this moment we are no longer complex university students.. we are simply .. content....
Monday
Theres no bathroom and theres no sink....
(Schmalkalden, Germany, June 18)
today is the final day of the schmalympics.. and the first event this morning was synchronized puking.. megan and miki paired up quite nicely for this even... they both left the morning class at the same time.. and teamed up in sister stalls... i am actualy unaware of anyone else whom took part... hmmm...
the second event was team skipping.... and we pretty much all took part.. except the keeners who did not take part in the jagger-thon the night before.... oh and by skipping i mean not going to class.. only boxers and yoga instructers still use skipping ropes.. so the place to be was the soccer fields...
seriously though.. tonight was actually the big party... unfortunatly nobody told us this because we treated the jaggernight like itwas the big party.. i guess we just looked like the stupid drunk kids alone in the corner because the party tonight was supposed to be the biggest of the year in schmalkalden.... had i been aware of this.. i would have saved myself for this night. instead the look and taste of beer was enough to have me dry heaving..
the night was still a lot of fun.. the closing ceremonies.. fireworks.. yes fireworks... all paid for by the school.. and give you an idea on the calibre of the fireworks.. well go to the airdrie canada day fireworks.. and watch about the equivilant to what i saw... YET another reason airdrie is ghetto.. a school can put on better fireworks shows..
today is the final day of the schmalympics.. and the first event this morning was synchronized puking.. megan and miki paired up quite nicely for this even... they both left the morning class at the same time.. and teamed up in sister stalls... i am actualy unaware of anyone else whom took part... hmmm...
the second event was team skipping.... and we pretty much all took part.. except the keeners who did not take part in the jagger-thon the night before.... oh and by skipping i mean not going to class.. only boxers and yoga instructers still use skipping ropes.. so the place to be was the soccer fields...
seriously though.. tonight was actually the big party... unfortunatly nobody told us this because we treated the jaggernight like itwas the big party.. i guess we just looked like the stupid drunk kids alone in the corner because the party tonight was supposed to be the biggest of the year in schmalkalden.... had i been aware of this.. i would have saved myself for this night. instead the look and taste of beer was enough to have me dry heaving..
the night was still a lot of fun.. the closing ceremonies.. fireworks.. yes fireworks... all paid for by the school.. and give you an idea on the calibre of the fireworks.. well go to the airdrie canada day fireworks.. and watch about the equivilant to what i saw... YET another reason airdrie is ghetto.. a school can put on better fireworks shows..
Wednesday
Everything thats green and submarine
(Schmalkalden, Germany, June 17)
I have not really made any attempts at describing schmalkalden.. this is actually for several reasons.. its pretty much undescribable.. i have been fortunate enough to have been able to visit some of the most beautiful places on the planet.. and honestly the natural beauty of schmalkalden is really quite hard to put into words.. although it is neither koh phi phi thailand, nor is it longbeach vancouver island.. it is however, in its own rights amazing..
for the second time i return to the post title.. i always believed that the line in pink floyds song was "everything green is slumbering" and that would aptly be able to describe this town.. it has so many hues and shades of green that i find it quite remarkable.. i am sure that it would take an interior decorator at least a week to correctly categorize and name them all, it is literally that staggering.. the architecture remains medieval, as schmalkalden was in former east germany little money was provided to the town to invest in more modern infrastructure, or buildings. as i mentioned before it is nicely situated in the hills of the thuringian forest pretty much smack dab in the middle of the germany. anywho i have explained the green part.. the slumbering part.. well in order for everything to be green.. you need rain.. and a lot of it.. well.. schmalkalden has received a ton of it.. every day that i have been in school, it has rained.. and poured.. its annoying as hell.. i live about 10 minutes from campus, and every morning it decides to rain as i start my journey down the hill to campus.. you would also think umbrellas would be easy to find.. mmm not really.. instead i end up soaked...
the other night it rained so badly i could wring out all articles of clothing.. shoes included.. so the lovely shades of green that have me spellbound, comes at a cost that really annoys the crap out of me.. perhaps if i could find an umbrella i would not have this attitude, alas i have yet to find one in the hamlet that is schmalkalden...
Thankfully today its sunny as hell.. and i feel great.. this is a great thing.. we can sit outside and have a beer in the sun.. mmmm.. although for the party tonight for the schmalympics there is a dj.. and... dj and.. dj and... a jaggermiester street team booth!!!!!!!!.... by the end of this night.. green of a different sort.. we sought enlightenment from jagger.. to be exact our table drank 144 shots of jagger.. 10 of which went down my throat..
not surprisingly.. i went to bed early that night. i was in bed passed out by 12.30.. the next morning when i awoke i had an amazing moment.. when i first opened my eyes the room came into perfect focus.. and i almost jumped for joy.. although it did not take me long to realize that i am normally blind... and i slept with my contacts in.. eek.. and my eyes hurt like a mofo..
maybe green really does mean slumbering??
I have not really made any attempts at describing schmalkalden.. this is actually for several reasons.. its pretty much undescribable.. i have been fortunate enough to have been able to visit some of the most beautiful places on the planet.. and honestly the natural beauty of schmalkalden is really quite hard to put into words.. although it is neither koh phi phi thailand, nor is it longbeach vancouver island.. it is however, in its own rights amazing..
for the second time i return to the post title.. i always believed that the line in pink floyds song was "everything green is slumbering" and that would aptly be able to describe this town.. it has so many hues and shades of green that i find it quite remarkable.. i am sure that it would take an interior decorator at least a week to correctly categorize and name them all, it is literally that staggering.. the architecture remains medieval, as schmalkalden was in former east germany little money was provided to the town to invest in more modern infrastructure, or buildings. as i mentioned before it is nicely situated in the hills of the thuringian forest pretty much smack dab in the middle of the germany. anywho i have explained the green part.. the slumbering part.. well in order for everything to be green.. you need rain.. and a lot of it.. well.. schmalkalden has received a ton of it.. every day that i have been in school, it has rained.. and poured.. its annoying as hell.. i live about 10 minutes from campus, and every morning it decides to rain as i start my journey down the hill to campus.. you would also think umbrellas would be easy to find.. mmm not really.. instead i end up soaked...
the other night it rained so badly i could wring out all articles of clothing.. shoes included.. so the lovely shades of green that have me spellbound, comes at a cost that really annoys the crap out of me.. perhaps if i could find an umbrella i would not have this attitude, alas i have yet to find one in the hamlet that is schmalkalden...
Thankfully today its sunny as hell.. and i feel great.. this is a great thing.. we can sit outside and have a beer in the sun.. mmmm.. although for the party tonight for the schmalympics there is a dj.. and... dj and.. dj and... a jaggermiester street team booth!!!!!!!!.... by the end of this night.. green of a different sort.. we sought enlightenment from jagger.. to be exact our table drank 144 shots of jagger.. 10 of which went down my throat..
not surprisingly.. i went to bed early that night. i was in bed passed out by 12.30.. the next morning when i awoke i had an amazing moment.. when i first opened my eyes the room came into perfect focus.. and i almost jumped for joy.. although it did not take me long to realize that i am normally blind... and i slept with my contacts in.. eek.. and my eyes hurt like a mofo..
maybe green really does mean slumbering??
Tuesday
We say that we will.. but there aint no guarentees....
(schmalkalden, Germany, June 16)
Tonight marks the start of the schmalympics.. you know the thing i mentioned earlier.. well the opening ceremony is tonight.. followed by the beirathelon.. (the crazy event where you drink 10L of beer.. crazy stuff..) and well i have decided that it would not be in my best interests do partake in this event.. for a myriad of reasons.. including my health... lol... no seriously.. i can drink 2.5L of beer in a night... not in 20-35 minutes that the event takes.. it would be pretty much a suicide mission.. i would be puking everywhere... on everything... did i mention everywhere.. cause it would be everywhere..
although worry not.. there is still a canadian contingent in the event.. the three girls i came with have entered a team with one american girl... they have to drink 2.5L of beer each.. although their beer is not normal beer its actually half and half.. half beer half fanta.. its called a rattler.. there is also half beer half coke.. interesting stuff.. the girls were awesome.. they were the only all girl team in the event.. and out of 35 teams they finished 25... and they all waited until after the event to puke their guts out.. and yes.. all the girls puked.. as did pretty much every competitor.. one dude gave it to a shrubbery like there was no tomorrow.. pretty much projectile vomit all over the bush.. the stream was solid enough that if he was a sprinkler at least one or two children could run through it a couple times..
by the end of that evening i am fairly sure that i easily drank 2.5L of beer, although i think that i drank more....just over a longer period of time..lol.. the night ended up at the mexican embassy (the dorm where all the mexicans live).. for an afterparty.. and well that party did not end until 6am.. and i have to say that the sunrises here in schmalkalden are quite beautiful... we are situated in the thuringian forest.. and there are rolling hills surrounding the town just covered in trees, and well the cliche german houses.. adding a sunrise to that picture is enough to make you stop and admire.. even if you are swaying because you cant stand up straight....
Tonight marks the start of the schmalympics.. you know the thing i mentioned earlier.. well the opening ceremony is tonight.. followed by the beirathelon.. (the crazy event where you drink 10L of beer.. crazy stuff..) and well i have decided that it would not be in my best interests do partake in this event.. for a myriad of reasons.. including my health... lol... no seriously.. i can drink 2.5L of beer in a night... not in 20-35 minutes that the event takes.. it would be pretty much a suicide mission.. i would be puking everywhere... on everything... did i mention everywhere.. cause it would be everywhere..
although worry not.. there is still a canadian contingent in the event.. the three girls i came with have entered a team with one american girl... they have to drink 2.5L of beer each.. although their beer is not normal beer its actually half and half.. half beer half fanta.. its called a rattler.. there is also half beer half coke.. interesting stuff.. the girls were awesome.. they were the only all girl team in the event.. and out of 35 teams they finished 25... and they all waited until after the event to puke their guts out.. and yes.. all the girls puked.. as did pretty much every competitor.. one dude gave it to a shrubbery like there was no tomorrow.. pretty much projectile vomit all over the bush.. the stream was solid enough that if he was a sprinkler at least one or two children could run through it a couple times..
by the end of that evening i am fairly sure that i easily drank 2.5L of beer, although i think that i drank more....just over a longer period of time..lol.. the night ended up at the mexican embassy (the dorm where all the mexicans live).. for an afterparty.. and well that party did not end until 6am.. and i have to say that the sunrises here in schmalkalden are quite beautiful... we are situated in the thuringian forest.. and there are rolling hills surrounding the town just covered in trees, and well the cliche german houses.. adding a sunrise to that picture is enough to make you stop and admire.. even if you are swaying because you cant stand up straight....
Run...run...run away....lost...lost...lost my mind...
(Schmalkalden, Germany, June 15)
this is the start of week two of school.. and well decentrilized business strategies is a course offered for the afternoon segment of lectures.. well this course.. and this professor are EXACTLY the reason that i have this desire to leave the busines faculty when i continue my education.. the proffessor was a douchebag.. i actually feel embarrased by having british parents.. the dude was more free market yank than any person i have ever met..
his entire lecture was about how to maximise your return on investment.. basically it means screwing people over to make sure that you get the best bang for your buck.. honestly.. i am surprised that steam did not fly from my ears.. an actual statement from prof douchebag.. "There are some people who believe that treating your employees well has a trickle down effect onto the customers.. but i think thats stupid.. it doesnt matter how you treat your employees.. they are expendable".. NO LIE!!! i seriously hope the dude chokes on his tea, and drowns in a crumpet..
rant over..
this is the start of week two of school.. and well decentrilized business strategies is a course offered for the afternoon segment of lectures.. well this course.. and this professor are EXACTLY the reason that i have this desire to leave the busines faculty when i continue my education.. the proffessor was a douchebag.. i actually feel embarrased by having british parents.. the dude was more free market yank than any person i have ever met..
his entire lecture was about how to maximise your return on investment.. basically it means screwing people over to make sure that you get the best bang for your buck.. honestly.. i am surprised that steam did not fly from my ears.. an actual statement from prof douchebag.. "There are some people who believe that treating your employees well has a trickle down effect onto the customers.. but i think thats stupid.. it doesnt matter how you treat your employees.. they are expendable".. NO LIE!!! i seriously hope the dude chokes on his tea, and drowns in a crumpet..
rant over..
Days when i still felt alive...
(Wartburg Castle, Germany, June 14)
the day after the moment of clarity started off pretty amazingly.. i would compare it to the feeling the next morning after good sex.. but its not really that good of a feeling.. but similar.. just toned down somewhat.. although i also woke up to the realization that i had no food, nor was any place in schmalkalden open to get food.. so before the field trip to wartburg castle i had no food..
like many days on my trip i talk about a theme.. starving would be the theme for this day.. we started at like noon.. no food before the trip.. nothing was open.. 1.5 hour trip to the castle.. again.. no food.. when we got to the castle the tour started quite quickly after we arrived.. so there was no chance to get food.. so its 1.30.. and i had yet to eat.. and we embarked on a tour of this ancient castle.. well more medieval than ancient.. the tour guide was super interesting.. but i continously saw the arbys logo above the chicks head.. it honestly does drown out all of the noise.. although!.. i did learn some things.. martin luthor lived there, i realize this name means little...but he was the dude who translated the new testament into german.. this was done in the castle.. when i walked by the room in which this was done... i did exactly that.. although many people stopped and posed gleefully as if standing beside mickey mouse or something.. overall the castle was pretty sweet.. really old.. old things inside.. although not orignal old things..but i didnt complain.. my mind was more occupied with my stomach..
after the tour there was a museum... there was some old books i took pictures as i walked by.. well not walked.. pretty much ran.. i needed food SO badly.. finally at around 3pm i finally ate.. 1 ice cream cone.. 2 thuringian suasages.... germany.. and schmalkalden is all one big sausage party.. schmalkalden in more ways than one..
the day after the moment of clarity started off pretty amazingly.. i would compare it to the feeling the next morning after good sex.. but its not really that good of a feeling.. but similar.. just toned down somewhat.. although i also woke up to the realization that i had no food, nor was any place in schmalkalden open to get food.. so before the field trip to wartburg castle i had no food..
like many days on my trip i talk about a theme.. starving would be the theme for this day.. we started at like noon.. no food before the trip.. nothing was open.. 1.5 hour trip to the castle.. again.. no food.. when we got to the castle the tour started quite quickly after we arrived.. so there was no chance to get food.. so its 1.30.. and i had yet to eat.. and we embarked on a tour of this ancient castle.. well more medieval than ancient.. the tour guide was super interesting.. but i continously saw the arbys logo above the chicks head.. it honestly does drown out all of the noise.. although!.. i did learn some things.. martin luthor lived there, i realize this name means little...but he was the dude who translated the new testament into german.. this was done in the castle.. when i walked by the room in which this was done... i did exactly that.. although many people stopped and posed gleefully as if standing beside mickey mouse or something.. overall the castle was pretty sweet.. really old.. old things inside.. although not orignal old things..but i didnt complain.. my mind was more occupied with my stomach..
after the tour there was a museum... there was some old books i took pictures as i walked by.. well not walked.. pretty much ran.. i needed food SO badly.. finally at around 3pm i finally ate.. 1 ice cream cone.. 2 thuringian suasages.... germany.. and schmalkalden is all one big sausage party.. schmalkalden in more ways than one..
Monday
We were having a near life experience.....
(Weimar, Germany, June 13)
Weimar was voted to be one of Europes cultural capitals a couple years back.. when this is told to someone, well it gives you the impression that its going to be quite amazing.. well i hate to burst your bubble.. NOT so much actually.. but i dont know how much of that is truely Weimars fault.. back at the orientation we were told that we would be left alone to wander aimlessly around on our feildtrips.. the exact words.. "we have learned from past lessons, that touring with large groups is really hard.. people always go astray".. generally when you say that you have learned from a lesson.. that means you wont make it again.. well guess what.. wrong.. it means we will get you the most awkward tour guide EVER.. he was pretty much afraid of his own shadow... and he can tour you around weimar.. so perhaps my hate for Weimar was the tour guide.. which by the way was ditched as soon as humanly possible.. (does that make me a bad person?).. to let you people know how special weimar was.. president Obama visited the buchenwald concentration camp which is about 10 minutes from wiemar the previous thursday.. in the end i aimlessly wandered around.. found some naked statues.... oh. and the germans never mow the grass... the grass in the parks was like 6 inches.. and people just chillin out.. it looked overgrown to me.. i guess not.. the naked statues also did not complain...
(Erfurt, Germany, June 13)
all of the titles for my posts are relevant.. (they are also all song lyrics taken from my ipod) but to this point.. none so much as now.. i truely did experience a near life experience while chilaxing in the main square.. i had just finished a turkish donair.. which are quite good.. i had never tried one before this trip.. and at the moment i was finished eating i think i was tripping out.. drugs.. it was totally a laced donair.. lsd probably.. anywho.. let me get to the point.. there were 3 buddhist girls walking to the square at about the same time i was.. they were complete buddhist girls.. they had the bags.. the shoes.. the pants.. the shirts.. complete.. and super cute to boot.. although it could have been the buddhist aura that attracted me.. who knows.. at this point in the afternoon the square was all but vacant.. besides the rats with wings.. there was these three buddhist girls.. and a longboarder.. and this square is huge... comparable to nothing i have ever seen..
on goes the ipod.. random songs... PoDdys tunes playlist.. on comes Raine Maida - yellow brick road.. at literally the same moment as the song.. one of the girls gets up and starts practising fire twirling... and the longboarder surfing around the square.. it may sound really odd.. but while the song played i watched the events unfold in front of me as if in a dream state.. the world slowed at that moment, the fire twirlers streamers slowly moving through the air in complete unison.. the longboarder seemed in supsended animation as he fell to the ground after he turned too tightly...and the chorus of the song reverberated in my ears.. "if i know now what i knew then, id back up do it all again.." for one song.. the world stopped.. and i had a moment unlike any i have ever experienced before.. probably the closest to clarity i have ever been.. that one moment justified my trip, and many doubts that lurked in my mind...
there could be many explanations for this event.. one being the laced donair.. perhaps the positive memories i can associate with all the elements involved.. the fire twirlers in thailand.. the long boarder.. well i think it reminds me of surfing.. which i have always wanted to do.. and had seen done on longbeach on vancouver island.. and the song.. i have great memories associated with it.. although that appears to be an explanation i remain uncertain as to why that happened.. but i can still even now as i write this down visualize with great detail that moment in time....
Weimar was voted to be one of Europes cultural capitals a couple years back.. when this is told to someone, well it gives you the impression that its going to be quite amazing.. well i hate to burst your bubble.. NOT so much actually.. but i dont know how much of that is truely Weimars fault.. back at the orientation we were told that we would be left alone to wander aimlessly around on our feildtrips.. the exact words.. "we have learned from past lessons, that touring with large groups is really hard.. people always go astray".. generally when you say that you have learned from a lesson.. that means you wont make it again.. well guess what.. wrong.. it means we will get you the most awkward tour guide EVER.. he was pretty much afraid of his own shadow... and he can tour you around weimar.. so perhaps my hate for Weimar was the tour guide.. which by the way was ditched as soon as humanly possible.. (does that make me a bad person?).. to let you people know how special weimar was.. president Obama visited the buchenwald concentration camp which is about 10 minutes from wiemar the previous thursday.. in the end i aimlessly wandered around.. found some naked statues.... oh. and the germans never mow the grass... the grass in the parks was like 6 inches.. and people just chillin out.. it looked overgrown to me.. i guess not.. the naked statues also did not complain...
(Erfurt, Germany, June 13)
all of the titles for my posts are relevant.. (they are also all song lyrics taken from my ipod) but to this point.. none so much as now.. i truely did experience a near life experience while chilaxing in the main square.. i had just finished a turkish donair.. which are quite good.. i had never tried one before this trip.. and at the moment i was finished eating i think i was tripping out.. drugs.. it was totally a laced donair.. lsd probably.. anywho.. let me get to the point.. there were 3 buddhist girls walking to the square at about the same time i was.. they were complete buddhist girls.. they had the bags.. the shoes.. the pants.. the shirts.. complete.. and super cute to boot.. although it could have been the buddhist aura that attracted me.. who knows.. at this point in the afternoon the square was all but vacant.. besides the rats with wings.. there was these three buddhist girls.. and a longboarder.. and this square is huge... comparable to nothing i have ever seen..
on goes the ipod.. random songs... PoDdys tunes playlist.. on comes Raine Maida - yellow brick road.. at literally the same moment as the song.. one of the girls gets up and starts practising fire twirling... and the longboarder surfing around the square.. it may sound really odd.. but while the song played i watched the events unfold in front of me as if in a dream state.. the world slowed at that moment, the fire twirlers streamers slowly moving through the air in complete unison.. the longboarder seemed in supsended animation as he fell to the ground after he turned too tightly...and the chorus of the song reverberated in my ears.. "if i know now what i knew then, id back up do it all again.." for one song.. the world stopped.. and i had a moment unlike any i have ever experienced before.. probably the closest to clarity i have ever been.. that one moment justified my trip, and many doubts that lurked in my mind...
there could be many explanations for this event.. one being the laced donair.. perhaps the positive memories i can associate with all the elements involved.. the fire twirlers in thailand.. the long boarder.. well i think it reminds me of surfing.. which i have always wanted to do.. and had seen done on longbeach on vancouver island.. and the song.. i have great memories associated with it.. although that appears to be an explanation i remain uncertain as to why that happened.. but i can still even now as i write this down visualize with great detail that moment in time....
Weve been dancing on a volcano...
(schmalkalden, germany, June 11)
generally i hate eating at the same place twice.. especially while i am travelling.. i like to experience new foods, and interesting experiences at the restaurants themselves.. today was no exception.. lindsay and i walked around schmalkalden.. this town is tiny.. and really old.. well architecture wise.. and most restaurants are not open during eating times.. they close early.. or just dont serve food.. basically pretty messed up... i think anyways though..
anywho.. in the mindless wandering we happen upon a pub type place.. the menu in the window box is handwritten.. and all in german.. amazing....as we enter.. well its now referred to as grannys place.. it looks like all grandparents houses.. old furniture.. way too many trinkets.. and that musty old people smell.. we were taken to.. well a dining area... that was an old dining table.. the old hand carved wood type things.. with the doily table cloth.. i am aware that i am speaking in old people cliches but seriously.. i would never lie to you.. .. then.. the waitress comes..
and yes.. she was like a granny.. a tiny old german lady.. kinda like the granny from the sylvester and tweety show.. just heavier.. and speaking german.. NO english.. and the menu.. was written on notepad paper.. not full length sheet.. there were 5 choices.. german something.. german something.. another german something.. some german food.. and FINALLY im not exactly sure.. but i think it was german.. and this lady spoke no english.. so in her attempts to explain what each item was.. she spoke to me as you would a child.. slowly and fully anunciating each word.. although german when spoken slowly and clearly.. well it doesnt make me understand it better..lol.. in the end i asked granny to give me the best item on the menu.. RANDOM food.. it was like my birthday, surprises..
when the food came.. well i dont want beat around the bush.. it was amazing.. the best food i have had in germany so far.. i dont know if the meat was pork.. or beef.. it was something.. probably pork though.. with onions.. and roast potatoes... and some sort of salad.. and i ate it all.. funny thing is that i do not eat salads at home....i generally hate them.. not the vegetables.. the dressing.. vinegar.. eeek..........
generally i hate eating at the same place twice.. especially while i am travelling.. i like to experience new foods, and interesting experiences at the restaurants themselves.. today was no exception.. lindsay and i walked around schmalkalden.. this town is tiny.. and really old.. well architecture wise.. and most restaurants are not open during eating times.. they close early.. or just dont serve food.. basically pretty messed up... i think anyways though..
anywho.. in the mindless wandering we happen upon a pub type place.. the menu in the window box is handwritten.. and all in german.. amazing....as we enter.. well its now referred to as grannys place.. it looks like all grandparents houses.. old furniture.. way too many trinkets.. and that musty old people smell.. we were taken to.. well a dining area... that was an old dining table.. the old hand carved wood type things.. with the doily table cloth.. i am aware that i am speaking in old people cliches but seriously.. i would never lie to you.. .. then.. the waitress comes..
and yes.. she was like a granny.. a tiny old german lady.. kinda like the granny from the sylvester and tweety show.. just heavier.. and speaking german.. NO english.. and the menu.. was written on notepad paper.. not full length sheet.. there were 5 choices.. german something.. german something.. another german something.. some german food.. and FINALLY im not exactly sure.. but i think it was german.. and this lady spoke no english.. so in her attempts to explain what each item was.. she spoke to me as you would a child.. slowly and fully anunciating each word.. although german when spoken slowly and clearly.. well it doesnt make me understand it better..lol.. in the end i asked granny to give me the best item on the menu.. RANDOM food.. it was like my birthday, surprises..
when the food came.. well i dont want beat around the bush.. it was amazing.. the best food i have had in germany so far.. i dont know if the meat was pork.. or beef.. it was something.. probably pork though.. with onions.. and roast potatoes... and some sort of salad.. and i ate it all.. funny thing is that i do not eat salads at home....i generally hate them.. not the vegetables.. the dressing.. vinegar.. eeek..........
Wont you come with me, to a litlle place, in a little town...
(Schmalkalden, Germany, June 9)
First thing this morning was the orientation.. well it was supposed to be the class registration.. but in germany there is no registration.. you just go to class...completly optional and the only time your presence is recorded is when you show up to write the final exam.. kinda interesting.. but not the point i am driving towards.. in the orientation we were explained several events that are going to take place during our three week tenure at this university.. among them the schmalympics.. an annual event that the school is really proud of.. this event boasts the usual competitions.. running, swimming, volloyball, football (european), spinning, and the pinnacle event.. the bierathelon..
its the bierathelon i want to elaborate on.. in the description of the event.. a team of 4 people.. preferably all boys or all girls... a 4km run.. 2km uphill.. 2km downhill.. straight forward..yes?.. well add beer to the mix.. and before i go any further.. this is a university sponsored event.. they love this event.. they promote it heavily.. yadda yadda yadda.. the beer... 10L of beer between the 4 peope on the fun.. 2.5 litres of beer for each person to drink during the race.. the rules.. in order to cross the finish line after the 4km, all beer must be finished.. for each bottlecap you do not have 1min penalty.. for each time you puke.. 5min penalty.. the beers here are all half litre bottles...so you must complete 5 per person... thats fucked up.. for many reasons.. one!.. no north american universtiy would condone that kind of binge drinking.. two! kinda related to one.. any NA university that would condone it.. would get their asses sued.. and finally three! i am trying to figure out if i can do this...lol...
the welcoming party was a blast.. and marked another night i got drunk in germany... well the second to precise.. although the welcome started in a church.. complete with a choir group.. "all the sinners go down to the river".. and "jesus is amazing" usual rhetoric that occupied the songs.. kind of uncomfortable.. although the free food and beer.. supplied by the university was amazing.. i got drunk at the universities expense.. another thing that would never happen back home.... i am starting to like this school... first they support binge drinking.. secondly.. they give us booze for free.. NO complaints.. well minus the choir..
to complete my night.. tequila.. germans love tequila.. so much so that its cheap like 2 dollers a shot.. and they like to give them to people that they have never met.. ME.. i had 5 shots.. and did not pay for one of them.. i do not remember how i got home.. i just know that the sun was rising when i made my attempt.. (a glimpse i remember)..
(June 10)
i attempted to go to class at 10am the next morning.. i got up.. tripped over something.. probably the floor.. fell into my alarm clock.. grabbed it.. tripped back over the floor.. threw the alarm clock across the room, and fell back into bed.. i took this as a sign.. and remained there.. just a while longer..actually.. i waited until things stopped spinning.. and it was around the start of my second class...
First thing this morning was the orientation.. well it was supposed to be the class registration.. but in germany there is no registration.. you just go to class...completly optional and the only time your presence is recorded is when you show up to write the final exam.. kinda interesting.. but not the point i am driving towards.. in the orientation we were explained several events that are going to take place during our three week tenure at this university.. among them the schmalympics.. an annual event that the school is really proud of.. this event boasts the usual competitions.. running, swimming, volloyball, football (european), spinning, and the pinnacle event.. the bierathelon..
its the bierathelon i want to elaborate on.. in the description of the event.. a team of 4 people.. preferably all boys or all girls... a 4km run.. 2km uphill.. 2km downhill.. straight forward..yes?.. well add beer to the mix.. and before i go any further.. this is a university sponsored event.. they love this event.. they promote it heavily.. yadda yadda yadda.. the beer... 10L of beer between the 4 peope on the fun.. 2.5 litres of beer for each person to drink during the race.. the rules.. in order to cross the finish line after the 4km, all beer must be finished.. for each bottlecap you do not have 1min penalty.. for each time you puke.. 5min penalty.. the beers here are all half litre bottles...so you must complete 5 per person... thats fucked up.. for many reasons.. one!.. no north american universtiy would condone that kind of binge drinking.. two! kinda related to one.. any NA university that would condone it.. would get their asses sued.. and finally three! i am trying to figure out if i can do this...lol...
the welcoming party was a blast.. and marked another night i got drunk in germany... well the second to precise.. although the welcome started in a church.. complete with a choir group.. "all the sinners go down to the river".. and "jesus is amazing" usual rhetoric that occupied the songs.. kind of uncomfortable.. although the free food and beer.. supplied by the university was amazing.. i got drunk at the universities expense.. another thing that would never happen back home.... i am starting to like this school... first they support binge drinking.. secondly.. they give us booze for free.. NO complaints.. well minus the choir..
to complete my night.. tequila.. germans love tequila.. so much so that its cheap like 2 dollers a shot.. and they like to give them to people that they have never met.. ME.. i had 5 shots.. and did not pay for one of them.. i do not remember how i got home.. i just know that the sun was rising when i made my attempt.. (a glimpse i remember)..
(June 10)
i attempted to go to class at 10am the next morning.. i got up.. tripped over something.. probably the floor.. fell into my alarm clock.. grabbed it.. tripped back over the floor.. threw the alarm clock across the room, and fell back into bed.. i took this as a sign.. and remained there.. just a while longer..actually.. i waited until things stopped spinning.. and it was around the start of my second class...
Thursday
A nice place for astrologists and blow up dolls..
(Berlin, Germany, June 7)
this day was probably one of the most epic and random days i have ever experienced..there is no way that it could possibly translate onto paper.. well i guess its not paper now that its blogged.. but into writing.. alas i shall try..
to start things off.. i meet Matt and Ken in my hostel.. they are two dudes from San Diego (which in german.. means a whales vagina..lol.. sorry in germany it had to come out).. and i also met Kara and emily.. whom they had met the day before, while on a bike tour of the city (a tour i plan on doing when i return to berling june 20-21).. emily is a fellow canadian.. and kara is from north carolina.. so now we have the charecters.. the 5 of us hit berlin.. and hit it hard..
i was forced to wear a yammeka? (the jew hat) in a cemetary we randomly stumbled across.. i thought i would melt, fizzle and disappear like the wicked witch of the west.. i do not like to participate in religious practices, simply because of my religious views.. i am all for watching, and taking it in.. just not participating in any way shape or form (although call me horrible, but i would love to go to a black church one day.. where they sing everything.. anywho).. so we can call the hat i had to wear a form of kryptonite for me.. GOOD news.. i didnt melt, fizzle or disappear.. nor did i become useless like superman... i remained the same, and checked out this cemetary with extremely old gravestones.. it was erie because there were several knocked over, and the trees and vines had reclaimed the area stolen by the graves...the vines and overgrown grass dominated the cemetary.. it was like a graveyard in the middle of a rainforest... a site for sure...
when we finally could figure out the maps we headed to a sunday flea market.. it was huge.. our team of 5 navigated it as best we could... but 5 random people have 5 different interests.. so we lost each other quite often.. just outside of the market we found a wall.. entirely spraypainted of course.. everything in berlin is spraypainted.. i have no idea how they reach some areas, alas they are painted just the same... i have established that grafitti is as much of the berlin culture as nascar is to the trailer parks.. they go hand in hand... and can and should be enjoyed for exactly what they are.. although i loved the spray paint, im a fan of pop art.
the jewish theme would run throughout the day.. oddly enough in a city that is vastly void of a jewish culture since the end of WWII.. well actually during.. but we know what happened.. and its understandable as to why they left... but we checked out the jewish museum.. a new museum that was errected to i think commemorate the jews, and held in a sort of memorium.. in conjunction with the jewish national memerial.. which i visited later on.. although due to map difficulties we ended up at checkpoint charlie, before we arrived at the jew museum.. checkpoint charlie was a legacy left over from the fall of the berlin wall.. and like all legacies it remained fairly unchanged.. although commercialized just the same... giant H&M bilboards surrounded the monument. honestly i would have prefered random grafitti over billboards..
there was a very annoying theme to the jewish museum.. it was all "open to your interpretation".. so in order to achieve this.. lets slant the floors.. slant the walls.. and enter tim burtons dreamworld.. nothing is level.. everything is off.. and we are supposed to interpret it as we will.. the walls and floors created a sober drunk walk through jewish culture and the holocaust.. there was the garden of solidarity or something.. and guess what.. slanted.. and open to intepretation.. there was a tower room.. that was the interpretation i believe i got correct.. it was supposed to represent the gas chambers...but i dont really know if i was right.. because its open to your interpretation, and you could think it was.. well i dont know.. it was creepy cold, barren and silent in that room.. and of course open to your interpretation.. (have i said that enough to annoy you yet.. cause i was pretty fed up with the whole concept myself).... there was also a really interesting example exibit i call it.. it was called the void.... it represented 10,000 jews absent from modern berling.. there were 10,000 metal cutout faces strewn across the floor... in the end we spent 4 hours in that museum.. and learned a ton, in fact info overload... i found a superman yammeka.. i thought it was funny (the seinfeld/superman thing).. and there was an exhibit about how hitler tried to achieve the arian nation.. super interesting.. and disturbing..
after the museum.. and more map shenanigans.. by this point Matts map was split into east and west berlin.. quite litterally, his map was in shambles... but we found hitlers bunker, where he commited suicide during the fall of berlin.. the bunker was dug up and filled in, the ceiling was 3m thick.. and the walls i think 3 ft.. so it could not be entirely destroyed.. just the roof removed.. and dirt filling in the rooms...it is currently a parking lot for a housing complex.. there have been thoughts to resurect the bunker, but fears over a neo-nazi pilgrimage to the site has hampered that process.. ironically enough.. the hitler bunker is within eyesight of the jewish national memorial.. i think its odd.. but whatever.. the jewish national memorial was intense.. and open to interpretations.. its a bunch of stones arranged like a graveyard, with different heights.. and in the centre the ground is uneven.. its hard to describe.. but left me with a feeling of uneasyness.. i dont like this open to interpretation stuff...
after.. chick on a stick.. the brandenburg gate, and the reichstag.. at this point it is 10pm... and we had been walking for 12 hours.. so food.. and booze it was.. matt, ken, kara, emily and i brought out the maps again, as the girls wanted to see the hookers in the red light district.. and we needed to find the beach bar for 1L cocktails.. which were amazing..
in the end the night finished at around 5am.. in total around 17 hours with the group.. and to be honest, it was amazing the group of 5 got along so well for that long stretch of time.. i was amazed and thrilled to have met, and traveled with the group.. although not looking forward to being hung over on another long train.. Berlin also marked the end to my backpack trip part one.. i start school in two days... and not exactly looking forward to it, especially after my long ass day..
this day was probably one of the most epic and random days i have ever experienced..there is no way that it could possibly translate onto paper.. well i guess its not paper now that its blogged.. but into writing.. alas i shall try..
to start things off.. i meet Matt and Ken in my hostel.. they are two dudes from San Diego (which in german.. means a whales vagina..lol.. sorry in germany it had to come out).. and i also met Kara and emily.. whom they had met the day before, while on a bike tour of the city (a tour i plan on doing when i return to berling june 20-21).. emily is a fellow canadian.. and kara is from north carolina.. so now we have the charecters.. the 5 of us hit berlin.. and hit it hard..
i was forced to wear a yammeka? (the jew hat) in a cemetary we randomly stumbled across.. i thought i would melt, fizzle and disappear like the wicked witch of the west.. i do not like to participate in religious practices, simply because of my religious views.. i am all for watching, and taking it in.. just not participating in any way shape or form (although call me horrible, but i would love to go to a black church one day.. where they sing everything.. anywho).. so we can call the hat i had to wear a form of kryptonite for me.. GOOD news.. i didnt melt, fizzle or disappear.. nor did i become useless like superman... i remained the same, and checked out this cemetary with extremely old gravestones.. it was erie because there were several knocked over, and the trees and vines had reclaimed the area stolen by the graves...the vines and overgrown grass dominated the cemetary.. it was like a graveyard in the middle of a rainforest... a site for sure...
when we finally could figure out the maps we headed to a sunday flea market.. it was huge.. our team of 5 navigated it as best we could... but 5 random people have 5 different interests.. so we lost each other quite often.. just outside of the market we found a wall.. entirely spraypainted of course.. everything in berlin is spraypainted.. i have no idea how they reach some areas, alas they are painted just the same... i have established that grafitti is as much of the berlin culture as nascar is to the trailer parks.. they go hand in hand... and can and should be enjoyed for exactly what they are.. although i loved the spray paint, im a fan of pop art.
the jewish theme would run throughout the day.. oddly enough in a city that is vastly void of a jewish culture since the end of WWII.. well actually during.. but we know what happened.. and its understandable as to why they left... but we checked out the jewish museum.. a new museum that was errected to i think commemorate the jews, and held in a sort of memorium.. in conjunction with the jewish national memerial.. which i visited later on.. although due to map difficulties we ended up at checkpoint charlie, before we arrived at the jew museum.. checkpoint charlie was a legacy left over from the fall of the berlin wall.. and like all legacies it remained fairly unchanged.. although commercialized just the same... giant H&M bilboards surrounded the monument. honestly i would have prefered random grafitti over billboards..
there was a very annoying theme to the jewish museum.. it was all "open to your interpretation".. so in order to achieve this.. lets slant the floors.. slant the walls.. and enter tim burtons dreamworld.. nothing is level.. everything is off.. and we are supposed to interpret it as we will.. the walls and floors created a sober drunk walk through jewish culture and the holocaust.. there was the garden of solidarity or something.. and guess what.. slanted.. and open to intepretation.. there was a tower room.. that was the interpretation i believe i got correct.. it was supposed to represent the gas chambers...but i dont really know if i was right.. because its open to your interpretation, and you could think it was.. well i dont know.. it was creepy cold, barren and silent in that room.. and of course open to your interpretation.. (have i said that enough to annoy you yet.. cause i was pretty fed up with the whole concept myself).... there was also a really interesting example exibit i call it.. it was called the void.... it represented 10,000 jews absent from modern berling.. there were 10,000 metal cutout faces strewn across the floor... in the end we spent 4 hours in that museum.. and learned a ton, in fact info overload... i found a superman yammeka.. i thought it was funny (the seinfeld/superman thing).. and there was an exhibit about how hitler tried to achieve the arian nation.. super interesting.. and disturbing..
after the museum.. and more map shenanigans.. by this point Matts map was split into east and west berlin.. quite litterally, his map was in shambles... but we found hitlers bunker, where he commited suicide during the fall of berlin.. the bunker was dug up and filled in, the ceiling was 3m thick.. and the walls i think 3 ft.. so it could not be entirely destroyed.. just the roof removed.. and dirt filling in the rooms...it is currently a parking lot for a housing complex.. there have been thoughts to resurect the bunker, but fears over a neo-nazi pilgrimage to the site has hampered that process.. ironically enough.. the hitler bunker is within eyesight of the jewish national memorial.. i think its odd.. but whatever.. the jewish national memorial was intense.. and open to interpretations.. its a bunch of stones arranged like a graveyard, with different heights.. and in the centre the ground is uneven.. its hard to describe.. but left me with a feeling of uneasyness.. i dont like this open to interpretation stuff...
after.. chick on a stick.. the brandenburg gate, and the reichstag.. at this point it is 10pm... and we had been walking for 12 hours.. so food.. and booze it was.. matt, ken, kara, emily and i brought out the maps again, as the girls wanted to see the hookers in the red light district.. and we needed to find the beach bar for 1L cocktails.. which were amazing..
in the end the night finished at around 5am.. in total around 17 hours with the group.. and to be honest, it was amazing the group of 5 got along so well for that long stretch of time.. i was amazed and thrilled to have met, and traveled with the group.. although not looking forward to being hung over on another long train.. Berlin also marked the end to my backpack trip part one.. i start school in two days... and not exactly looking forward to it, especially after my long ass day..
im on a train...
(train to berlin, June 6)
so i am trapped yet again in an interesting train situation.. i am not a huge fan of the train cigarette boxes they put us in.. i would just love normal bus type seating.. not the little train cars.. first off.. NO legroom.. the lady sitting across from me doesnt really care, because her feet cant touch the ground.. but god forbid i take up her legroom.. shes like a 5 yr on a swing, kicking gleefully..
leg room aside.. i am still intrigued by the couple sitting across from me..(yes the above mentioned lady is in the older couple).. i have no idea what language they are speaking, i think its polish.. but they have a giant tourism poland folder.. maybe russian.. but they also have a polish life insurance policy booklet.. i know this because ALL the booklets they have are in english.. odd.. i think.. but there is also one for hand surgeries.. the lady is reading it quite intently.. so i find this extremely interesting.. and looking at her hands to figure out why the supreme interest.. (its a 3 hour train, yes im bored)... well her hands look fine.. its the fact that she has 6 toes!!... yep.. there is an extra digit just hanging out on her foot, she even painted its tiny toenail to match the others.. now i have nothing against extra toes.. in fact they would just be added balance.. but humor me while i ponder the fact that she is reading a hand surgeries booklet.. these people are amazingly odd charecters..
there is also a runaway on the train.. well thats what i am calling her.. she has no ticket.. she just buys them on the train.. she has a suitcase with her.. and well she just looks like someone who is running.. she speaks good english.. but i feel like ignoring my fellow caucasions today.. i am too hungover to really engage myself into mindless chatter..
so i am trapped yet again in an interesting train situation.. i am not a huge fan of the train cigarette boxes they put us in.. i would just love normal bus type seating.. not the little train cars.. first off.. NO legroom.. the lady sitting across from me doesnt really care, because her feet cant touch the ground.. but god forbid i take up her legroom.. shes like a 5 yr on a swing, kicking gleefully..
leg room aside.. i am still intrigued by the couple sitting across from me..(yes the above mentioned lady is in the older couple).. i have no idea what language they are speaking, i think its polish.. but they have a giant tourism poland folder.. maybe russian.. but they also have a polish life insurance policy booklet.. i know this because ALL the booklets they have are in english.. odd.. i think.. but there is also one for hand surgeries.. the lady is reading it quite intently.. so i find this extremely interesting.. and looking at her hands to figure out why the supreme interest.. (its a 3 hour train, yes im bored)... well her hands look fine.. its the fact that she has 6 toes!!... yep.. there is an extra digit just hanging out on her foot, she even painted its tiny toenail to match the others.. now i have nothing against extra toes.. in fact they would just be added balance.. but humor me while i ponder the fact that she is reading a hand surgeries booklet.. these people are amazingly odd charecters..
there is also a runaway on the train.. well thats what i am calling her.. she has no ticket.. she just buys them on the train.. she has a suitcase with her.. and well she just looks like someone who is running.. she speaks good english.. but i feel like ignoring my fellow caucasions today.. i am too hungover to really engage myself into mindless chatter..
Tuesday
Took ten cops to pull me over....
(poznan, poland, June 5-6)
there is good news and bad news.. the good news is that i am no longer sick.. the bad news is that monika did not save money on her car insurance by switching to geiko..now why would i add that?? because she drives 130km/hr in the city of poznan..the limit is 50km/hr.. but everyone here does it aparently.. although she got busted once.. and didnt even have to pay a big ticket.. she pulled the student card.. and got the ticket cut in half.. not even the cry.. "just the im poor and a student".. i was busted for 12 oveer the limit a month or so ago.. and guess who had the bigger ticket...yep.. the wannabe highway bylaw cop gave me a bigger ticket than the actual -not just pretending to be a cop- cop gave monika.... where is the justice!!!
in my final full day in poznan i am finally healthy.. and pretty much back to shape... SO we celebrate by going to the oldest church in poznan.. one that was not fully destroyed in WWII.. just mostly destroyed.. like everything in poland.. as a history lesson.. Poland is basically a new city.. just made to look like an older city.... i love the the architecture of churches so great idea to rebuild them.. cause the new churches are just full of lack.. anywho.. amazing building.. gothic.. and quite simple.. i noticed this when i was in frankfurt, and some other churches in poznan.. they lack the insane wall carvings the british and french churches i have seen are adorned with.. oh well.. they still boast the crazy pillars and massive size.. although one thing more than any other caught my eye.. the priests whom were entombed here...
The tombs in this church were an oddity.. they had the usual writing on the wall.. "this is where so and so is".. and the stone carving of said priest.. although the priests all look like a hustler centerfold models... no joke.. half proped up on their sides.. pretty much the pose from titanic.. where the drawing is happening... i just thought of that.. and it works.. what carving dude would place priests in like sexual poses.. the pose alone is worth a million photos.. but it gets better!! they are smiliing!!!!.... celebate my ass.. they are trying to seduce you..there is no way that smile is because the dude is dead.. its cause he is inviting you.. come to me children.. (bad taste...probably.. but the problem had to start somewhere)... and i counted three playboy priests.. different areas of the church.. same pose.. same smile..
Monika also got some passes that enabled us to visit the basement of the church.. this was really cool.. although kinda scared the crap outta me.. i am not religious.. churches and churchy things scare me.. add a creepy environment.. fuck no.. terrified.. so i am glad that monika joined me.. otherwise i am sure i would have like lit on fire or something.. but the basement of this church was different.. well they were hiding something down there.. something that if revealed would shatter the foundations of the catholic church WAY more than the DaVinci Code ever could... the original stone foundations for the first church placed on that ground were preserved down there.. so there is like blocks and sand.. but WAIT!.. they totally raked the sand... in japanese rock garden designs.. you know where the sand is actualy water, and the rocks represent land.. THAT fun stuff.. well last i checked that wasnt christian.. actualy more of a buddhist/shinto belief in harmony creating mini worlds.. well wtf.. first playboy preists, and now buddhist crap.. this church has got some issues...while the playboy preists didnt garner the same laughs from monika.. the japanese rock garden had here questioning.. they are closet buddhists!!!... another reason for me to love poznan!!..
my evening was squared out with a return to a polish mexican restaurant.. and this version of mexico believed that french fries are served with every mexican meal.. um.. i think wrong.. but oh well.. it was the only restaurant to chose from. as i was GO KARTING...yes.. i tried my best.. the karts were super fast.. but i got my ass laped twice by marta (peters gf, peter would be monikas brother).. and even peter beat me pretty badly.. but i drive speed limits.. and yeild to the right.. not in poland.. they drive crazy fast.. and pass wherever they can..
since i was finally healthy again, i would finally have my night out on the town in poznan...Monika had been waiting for this moment.. she wanted to take me out and party since i arrived.. and finally it came.. the last night.. i like to finish strong.. so 10% beer.. actually good.. tasted like coke.. they wanted to take me to a dance club.. well i wasnt drunk yet so rock bar it was.. and damn.. polish zepplin cover band.. till 2am.. i was in heaven.. then when the band left the stage...what would you play after zepplin??.. well regular rock wont do.. so lets chuck on white zombie, and slipknot!!!!!!... mmmmm.. i could have died happy.. although it was only 2.30am, there are no ugly lights here... its early for polish bars.. so we ended going to three more bars.. and things still going strong 3,4,5.. right about the point at 5.30am where youd think wou would get tired, some dude in front of us made out with a plastic plant.. oh yeah!.. tongue.. gropping, hands going for the bra.. in this case searching for the non existant bra.. CAUSE IT WAS A PLANT!.. it was crazy.... and i didnt stop partying till 6am.. and i have another reason to love europe.. you dont stop partying till the sun comes up.. and even then.. fuck it.. its past noon back in canada so keep drinking..
(i know this is a long entry.. but there is more)
polish drinks..
10% beer.. nice again.. tastes like coke.. very dangerous.. cause i love coke.. i think the alchohol free beer probably tastes like pepsi.. so pepsi drinkers unite!.. ill go get hammered drinking coke...
Vodka martini- with sprite- monika bought this contraption for me.. very good.. i have never had a martini before.. i enjoyed it.. although i think at this point i couldnt really taste anything anyways..
the mystery drink.. while i was chilling listening/watching the polish people dance to "sweet home chicago" monika tried to get me a drink that is very interesting.. i never found out what alchohol it was.. but they had run out.. but the premise.. vermouth.. and something else..... light it on fire.. then cover the fire with a coaster with a straw poked through.. then suck up the fumes.. and drink through the straw.. aparently the fumes.. mess you right up.. THANKS monika!!.. lol.. anywho..
i have to thank Monika, and her brother Peter for having me for like 4 days.. you two are amazing i love both of you!!.. and a special thanks to monika, thank you for answering all of my questions and tolerating my very politically incorrect comments... i constantly asked about WWI, WWII, and the communist reign in poland, and you answered gracefully.. thank you a million!
berlin next....... (dont mention the war..lol)
there is good news and bad news.. the good news is that i am no longer sick.. the bad news is that monika did not save money on her car insurance by switching to geiko..now why would i add that?? because she drives 130km/hr in the city of poznan..the limit is 50km/hr.. but everyone here does it aparently.. although she got busted once.. and didnt even have to pay a big ticket.. she pulled the student card.. and got the ticket cut in half.. not even the cry.. "just the im poor and a student".. i was busted for 12 oveer the limit a month or so ago.. and guess who had the bigger ticket...yep.. the wannabe highway bylaw cop gave me a bigger ticket than the actual -not just pretending to be a cop- cop gave monika.... where is the justice!!!
in my final full day in poznan i am finally healthy.. and pretty much back to shape... SO we celebrate by going to the oldest church in poznan.. one that was not fully destroyed in WWII.. just mostly destroyed.. like everything in poland.. as a history lesson.. Poland is basically a new city.. just made to look like an older city.... i love the the architecture of churches so great idea to rebuild them.. cause the new churches are just full of lack.. anywho.. amazing building.. gothic.. and quite simple.. i noticed this when i was in frankfurt, and some other churches in poznan.. they lack the insane wall carvings the british and french churches i have seen are adorned with.. oh well.. they still boast the crazy pillars and massive size.. although one thing more than any other caught my eye.. the priests whom were entombed here...
The tombs in this church were an oddity.. they had the usual writing on the wall.. "this is where so and so is".. and the stone carving of said priest.. although the priests all look like a hustler centerfold models... no joke.. half proped up on their sides.. pretty much the pose from titanic.. where the drawing is happening... i just thought of that.. and it works.. what carving dude would place priests in like sexual poses.. the pose alone is worth a million photos.. but it gets better!! they are smiliing!!!!.... celebate my ass.. they are trying to seduce you..there is no way that smile is because the dude is dead.. its cause he is inviting you.. come to me children.. (bad taste...probably.. but the problem had to start somewhere)... and i counted three playboy priests.. different areas of the church.. same pose.. same smile..
Monika also got some passes that enabled us to visit the basement of the church.. this was really cool.. although kinda scared the crap outta me.. i am not religious.. churches and churchy things scare me.. add a creepy environment.. fuck no.. terrified.. so i am glad that monika joined me.. otherwise i am sure i would have like lit on fire or something.. but the basement of this church was different.. well they were hiding something down there.. something that if revealed would shatter the foundations of the catholic church WAY more than the DaVinci Code ever could... the original stone foundations for the first church placed on that ground were preserved down there.. so there is like blocks and sand.. but WAIT!.. they totally raked the sand... in japanese rock garden designs.. you know where the sand is actualy water, and the rocks represent land.. THAT fun stuff.. well last i checked that wasnt christian.. actualy more of a buddhist/shinto belief in harmony creating mini worlds.. well wtf.. first playboy preists, and now buddhist crap.. this church has got some issues...while the playboy preists didnt garner the same laughs from monika.. the japanese rock garden had here questioning.. they are closet buddhists!!!... another reason for me to love poznan!!..
my evening was squared out with a return to a polish mexican restaurant.. and this version of mexico believed that french fries are served with every mexican meal.. um.. i think wrong.. but oh well.. it was the only restaurant to chose from. as i was GO KARTING...yes.. i tried my best.. the karts were super fast.. but i got my ass laped twice by marta (peters gf, peter would be monikas brother).. and even peter beat me pretty badly.. but i drive speed limits.. and yeild to the right.. not in poland.. they drive crazy fast.. and pass wherever they can..
since i was finally healthy again, i would finally have my night out on the town in poznan...Monika had been waiting for this moment.. she wanted to take me out and party since i arrived.. and finally it came.. the last night.. i like to finish strong.. so 10% beer.. actually good.. tasted like coke.. they wanted to take me to a dance club.. well i wasnt drunk yet so rock bar it was.. and damn.. polish zepplin cover band.. till 2am.. i was in heaven.. then when the band left the stage...what would you play after zepplin??.. well regular rock wont do.. so lets chuck on white zombie, and slipknot!!!!!!... mmmmm.. i could have died happy.. although it was only 2.30am, there are no ugly lights here... its early for polish bars.. so we ended going to three more bars.. and things still going strong 3,4,5.. right about the point at 5.30am where youd think wou would get tired, some dude in front of us made out with a plastic plant.. oh yeah!.. tongue.. gropping, hands going for the bra.. in this case searching for the non existant bra.. CAUSE IT WAS A PLANT!.. it was crazy.... and i didnt stop partying till 6am.. and i have another reason to love europe.. you dont stop partying till the sun comes up.. and even then.. fuck it.. its past noon back in canada so keep drinking..
(i know this is a long entry.. but there is more)
polish drinks..
10% beer.. nice again.. tastes like coke.. very dangerous.. cause i love coke.. i think the alchohol free beer probably tastes like pepsi.. so pepsi drinkers unite!.. ill go get hammered drinking coke...
Vodka martini- with sprite- monika bought this contraption for me.. very good.. i have never had a martini before.. i enjoyed it.. although i think at this point i couldnt really taste anything anyways..
the mystery drink.. while i was chilling listening/watching the polish people dance to "sweet home chicago" monika tried to get me a drink that is very interesting.. i never found out what alchohol it was.. but they had run out.. but the premise.. vermouth.. and something else..... light it on fire.. then cover the fire with a coaster with a straw poked through.. then suck up the fumes.. and drink through the straw.. aparently the fumes.. mess you right up.. THANKS monika!!.. lol.. anywho..
i have to thank Monika, and her brother Peter for having me for like 4 days.. you two are amazing i love both of you!!.. and a special thanks to monika, thank you for answering all of my questions and tolerating my very politically incorrect comments... i constantly asked about WWI, WWII, and the communist reign in poland, and you answered gracefully.. thank you a million!
berlin next....... (dont mention the war..lol)
Monday
Imagine you are at eden...
(poznan, poland, June 4)
first off.. fully sick.. i have zero energy.. in fact the only thing i want to do today.. sleep.. and perhaps watch a movie.. LUCKILY.. monika felt the same way.. well she was not sick.. but she felt like seeing a movie. remember before i mentioned the one guy who dubs everything for american tv shows?.. well thankfully he sticks with his day job and doesnt butcher films the way does television.. so english movies are subtitled in polish in the theatres here.. YES!!!!..
my UofL film club rears its head again on my trip and we decide to check out "antichrist" the new lars von trier film.. and well we had both read articles about it.. it premeired at cannes a couple weeks before i arrived.. and well some people walked out of the movie.. some people booed the movie.. others hailed it as a masterpeice.. basically in a nutshell that means you have to see it.. to figure out which of the above three categories you subscribe to..
well its a horror film.. and i love horror movies.. although they often scare the crap out of me.. and i have to either get rex my roomates old dog.. or one of my roomates to watch with me cause i am so scared.. and wont continue watching the film.. ie.. rec.. and martrys... well with this film.... i would not need either.. although i think i walked out more confused and.. well i still dont know how i feel about this film.. there is more sex in the film than your average horror movie.. and it also includes a wonderful penetration shot.. backgrounded by classical music and a choir.. oh.. and while they are screwing their child jumps out their second or third storey window... this in the first 5 minutes.. unfortunatly its also not like it followed any classical horror convention.. those who had sex did not all die.. i think its an art house interpretation of horror.. i wish i knew...i did however stay for the whole film.. in the end i did not boo.. i did not cheer.. i mumbled what the fuck was that.. in either sheer amazement, sheer panic, or sheer disgust.. i have NO idea..
in the end.. for a sick day in polish paradise.. a movie in the brewery mall was my favourite thing to do..
first off.. fully sick.. i have zero energy.. in fact the only thing i want to do today.. sleep.. and perhaps watch a movie.. LUCKILY.. monika felt the same way.. well she was not sick.. but she felt like seeing a movie. remember before i mentioned the one guy who dubs everything for american tv shows?.. well thankfully he sticks with his day job and doesnt butcher films the way does television.. so english movies are subtitled in polish in the theatres here.. YES!!!!..
my UofL film club rears its head again on my trip and we decide to check out "antichrist" the new lars von trier film.. and well we had both read articles about it.. it premeired at cannes a couple weeks before i arrived.. and well some people walked out of the movie.. some people booed the movie.. others hailed it as a masterpeice.. basically in a nutshell that means you have to see it.. to figure out which of the above three categories you subscribe to..
well its a horror film.. and i love horror movies.. although they often scare the crap out of me.. and i have to either get rex my roomates old dog.. or one of my roomates to watch with me cause i am so scared.. and wont continue watching the film.. ie.. rec.. and martrys... well with this film.... i would not need either.. although i think i walked out more confused and.. well i still dont know how i feel about this film.. there is more sex in the film than your average horror movie.. and it also includes a wonderful penetration shot.. backgrounded by classical music and a choir.. oh.. and while they are screwing their child jumps out their second or third storey window... this in the first 5 minutes.. unfortunatly its also not like it followed any classical horror convention.. those who had sex did not all die.. i think its an art house interpretation of horror.. i wish i knew...i did however stay for the whole film.. in the end i did not boo.. i did not cheer.. i mumbled what the fuck was that.. in either sheer amazement, sheer panic, or sheer disgust.. i have NO idea..
in the end.. for a sick day in polish paradise.. a movie in the brewery mall was my favourite thing to do..
Illuminate the `no´s on your vacancy signs...
(poznan, poland, June 2-3)
Although my late evening arrival into Poznan suited me just fine.. Monika had been waiting for me at the train station the entire time.. even though i was compeletly aware that i would be about 2.5 hours late... they like to play tricks on people in poznan and not update the status very often.. oh well...the rest of my night was pretty awesome.. i love being surrounded by people.. and the main square in poznan was filled with exactly that.. it was amazing.. followed by some sort of wrap.. that blew my mind.... at this point i think the lack of hot water in Frankfurt had completly caught up with me.. as i started to feel sick... NOT a great way to pretty much start off a vacation.. and i thought i would be fine with taking ice cold showers... stupid sean!
sure enough the next morning when i woke up in monikas BEAUTIFUL house.. okay i have to mention the house.. there is a TV in the shower.. although most of the channels were in polish... i still watched house.. with a polish dubbing.. and i feel so sorry for the pols.. because when their tv shows are dubbed.. its just one dude.. with no expression in his voice.. for guys and girls.. its like monotone hour.. alas i hear american shows are super popular..the rest of the house.. well we can leave it to the fact that i spent most of my gawking at the tv in the shower.. but the whole house made me jealous.. when i return home i have something to aspire to.. but first i have to buy things, and replace all that i sold to afford my current journey... but back to sickness.. i woke up after my first night in poland to a sore throat and NO energy... and i had this totally energetic host.. i was struggling to keep up.. we went back to the main square to try and check out the ram clock.. at noon the town church tower thingy.. has two rams that come out and ram heads.. well we missed it by 8 minutes.. NOT close at all.. not like we saw them go back in.. we walked.. heard the bells.. and yep.. late.. i thought of running.. but i also thought of puking.. i decided neither would do..
okay time to quickly list interesting things about poland..
first.. hot chocolate usually the powder in like hot water.. not in poland!.. its literally hot liquid chocolate.. i know that i hate hot drinks.. but you dont as much drink it as much as you do eat it.. so its quite amazing..and i dont think i will ever go back to hot chocolate again.. well maybe starbucks peppermint white chocolate hot chocolate...mmmmm....
second.. poznan poland has a mall that won the mall of the year award.. it is an old converted brewery.. its prehaps the best mall i have ever seen.. well like super fancy and such.. the food court in the mall.. not one fast food place.. they are all restaurants.. you order.. they bring you the food.. i think at this point i was falling in love with the place.. and then i got my food which helped.. i cant even remember what it was.. but fantasy fits just fine for me..
third.. monika is an amazing host... she took me to a brewery.. and the tour was in english.. although i have to say after going to the big rock brewery in calgary.. i have to say i was dissapointed because the lech brewery was pretty much completely automated.. just people monitering while @ big rock they made the beer from scratch.. alas.. at the end of the tour.. free beer.. mmm.. they really take their beer seriously....
Lastly for now.. the polish dont really make great mexicans.. i went to a polish mexican restaurant.. i am fairly sure real mexicans would go ariba on the cliches employed by the pols.. but the food was pretty decent.. even if the servers looked more like the lone ranger than they did a mexican.. and isnt zorro an american spanish creation??
although i feel myself getting more and more sick.. this is not cool..
Although my late evening arrival into Poznan suited me just fine.. Monika had been waiting for me at the train station the entire time.. even though i was compeletly aware that i would be about 2.5 hours late... they like to play tricks on people in poznan and not update the status very often.. oh well...the rest of my night was pretty awesome.. i love being surrounded by people.. and the main square in poznan was filled with exactly that.. it was amazing.. followed by some sort of wrap.. that blew my mind.... at this point i think the lack of hot water in Frankfurt had completly caught up with me.. as i started to feel sick... NOT a great way to pretty much start off a vacation.. and i thought i would be fine with taking ice cold showers... stupid sean!
sure enough the next morning when i woke up in monikas BEAUTIFUL house.. okay i have to mention the house.. there is a TV in the shower.. although most of the channels were in polish... i still watched house.. with a polish dubbing.. and i feel so sorry for the pols.. because when their tv shows are dubbed.. its just one dude.. with no expression in his voice.. for guys and girls.. its like monotone hour.. alas i hear american shows are super popular..the rest of the house.. well we can leave it to the fact that i spent most of my gawking at the tv in the shower.. but the whole house made me jealous.. when i return home i have something to aspire to.. but first i have to buy things, and replace all that i sold to afford my current journey... but back to sickness.. i woke up after my first night in poland to a sore throat and NO energy... and i had this totally energetic host.. i was struggling to keep up.. we went back to the main square to try and check out the ram clock.. at noon the town church tower thingy.. has two rams that come out and ram heads.. well we missed it by 8 minutes.. NOT close at all.. not like we saw them go back in.. we walked.. heard the bells.. and yep.. late.. i thought of running.. but i also thought of puking.. i decided neither would do..
okay time to quickly list interesting things about poland..
first.. hot chocolate usually the powder in like hot water.. not in poland!.. its literally hot liquid chocolate.. i know that i hate hot drinks.. but you dont as much drink it as much as you do eat it.. so its quite amazing..and i dont think i will ever go back to hot chocolate again.. well maybe starbucks peppermint white chocolate hot chocolate...mmmmm....
second.. poznan poland has a mall that won the mall of the year award.. it is an old converted brewery.. its prehaps the best mall i have ever seen.. well like super fancy and such.. the food court in the mall.. not one fast food place.. they are all restaurants.. you order.. they bring you the food.. i think at this point i was falling in love with the place.. and then i got my food which helped.. i cant even remember what it was.. but fantasy fits just fine for me..
third.. monika is an amazing host... she took me to a brewery.. and the tour was in english.. although i have to say after going to the big rock brewery in calgary.. i have to say i was dissapointed because the lech brewery was pretty much completely automated.. just people monitering while @ big rock they made the beer from scratch.. alas.. at the end of the tour.. free beer.. mmm.. they really take their beer seriously....
Lastly for now.. the polish dont really make great mexicans.. i went to a polish mexican restaurant.. i am fairly sure real mexicans would go ariba on the cliches employed by the pols.. but the food was pretty decent.. even if the servers looked more like the lone ranger than they did a mexican.. and isnt zorro an american spanish creation??
although i feel myself getting more and more sick.. this is not cool..
Friday
If something is nothing...then it most not be something...
(Poznan, Poland, june 2)
My arrival into poland was something out of a 1950s gumshoe movie.. well i mean there was no crime.. perhaps it was the feel of those films over the content.. although mystery and intrigue, it kinda had?.. the train arrived 2.5 hours late.. the train broke down somewhere in germany, although dont ask the german conducters because they conveniently didnt understand english at that moment in time, and the polish conducters LOVED to blame the germans for the late train, im fairly sure they knew how to do this in many languages.... i love rivalries..
i however dont place much importance on the delay.. i mean i could have.. there was no AC in the train car we had.. so 3 bodies in a tiny box in a railcar, 20 degree heat and a magnifying glass window.. pleasent for sure.. but we sat there just sweating away.. although i think i wasted most of my uncomfortable sweating situations last year in malaysia.. this wasnt really much.. especially since the two other people in the car were asian!!.. and chinese at that.. i probably felt like i was back in KL.. just sweating away on a train with ripe asians.. complete with broken english.. and the mundane chatter that kept my asian counterparts from tearing the conducters to peices.. they were angry.. i didnt really care.. i had to be in poland.. but i didnt really care when i got there..
my arrival also sparked some more memories of KL.. but i forget most of them now, they come in fleeting pulses.. perhaps it was the trauma..oh well...lol.. as i arrived i was SO happy to see Monika.. whom i had not seen in almost a year.. and even our last meeting was in quite different circumstances.. a crowded vancouver airport.. vs.. the poznan train yard... hmm..
okay back to my thrilling allusion to 1950s gumshoe movies.. my arrival into poland was in the dark.. okay so things looked black and white... check one for my comparison.. it had been raining all afternoon in poland.. and was just clearing up.. so we have the damp cold chilled air.. check... even the water on all surfaces.. which always adds that much needed dramatic element.. its got a bit of a sheen to it.. check check check.. then you add the polish architecture.. typical of most european cities.. although just take one or two bricks out of place.. (okay its the eastern block.. so a bunch to a lot of bricks out of place).. enough to make you realize that you are not in a cookie cutter city. .. no poznan has charecter.. there are stories here.. each building cries out... and 1950s elements all present..
i return back to my train car passengers.. just more single serving friends... although i was tired from my frankfurt adventure... i relished the fact that i could in fact speak to these people.. 2 of them were an asian couple from some city in china i totally forget which one.. but pretty much the a typical conversation with chinese people.. stitched together with rephrased sentences and a cyclical topic.. a while into my train ride we were joined by a polish student... he was interesting.. although creepy.. he sat too straight....i think that was it.. either or.. he asked me the strangest question ever.. with all sincerity he asked "is it true that canadians are afraid of the dark?".. um.. i laughed.. before i felt bad for doing so.. this was something he heard.. from god knows where.. i i was expecting the usual..do we live in igloos?.. own dogsleighs?.. something like that.. but no.. darkness.. i wish after the fact that i played into that.. and had a flashlight on me or something.. but i was too tired to amuse the polish boy..
My arrival into poland was something out of a 1950s gumshoe movie.. well i mean there was no crime.. perhaps it was the feel of those films over the content.. although mystery and intrigue, it kinda had?.. the train arrived 2.5 hours late.. the train broke down somewhere in germany, although dont ask the german conducters because they conveniently didnt understand english at that moment in time, and the polish conducters LOVED to blame the germans for the late train, im fairly sure they knew how to do this in many languages.... i love rivalries..
i however dont place much importance on the delay.. i mean i could have.. there was no AC in the train car we had.. so 3 bodies in a tiny box in a railcar, 20 degree heat and a magnifying glass window.. pleasent for sure.. but we sat there just sweating away.. although i think i wasted most of my uncomfortable sweating situations last year in malaysia.. this wasnt really much.. especially since the two other people in the car were asian!!.. and chinese at that.. i probably felt like i was back in KL.. just sweating away on a train with ripe asians.. complete with broken english.. and the mundane chatter that kept my asian counterparts from tearing the conducters to peices.. they were angry.. i didnt really care.. i had to be in poland.. but i didnt really care when i got there..
my arrival also sparked some more memories of KL.. but i forget most of them now, they come in fleeting pulses.. perhaps it was the trauma..oh well...lol.. as i arrived i was SO happy to see Monika.. whom i had not seen in almost a year.. and even our last meeting was in quite different circumstances.. a crowded vancouver airport.. vs.. the poznan train yard... hmm..
okay back to my thrilling allusion to 1950s gumshoe movies.. my arrival into poland was in the dark.. okay so things looked black and white... check one for my comparison.. it had been raining all afternoon in poland.. and was just clearing up.. so we have the damp cold chilled air.. check... even the water on all surfaces.. which always adds that much needed dramatic element.. its got a bit of a sheen to it.. check check check.. then you add the polish architecture.. typical of most european cities.. although just take one or two bricks out of place.. (okay its the eastern block.. so a bunch to a lot of bricks out of place).. enough to make you realize that you are not in a cookie cutter city. .. no poznan has charecter.. there are stories here.. each building cries out... and 1950s elements all present..
i return back to my train car passengers.. just more single serving friends... although i was tired from my frankfurt adventure... i relished the fact that i could in fact speak to these people.. 2 of them were an asian couple from some city in china i totally forget which one.. but pretty much the a typical conversation with chinese people.. stitched together with rephrased sentences and a cyclical topic.. a while into my train ride we were joined by a polish student... he was interesting.. although creepy.. he sat too straight....i think that was it.. either or.. he asked me the strangest question ever.. with all sincerity he asked "is it true that canadians are afraid of the dark?".. um.. i laughed.. before i felt bad for doing so.. this was something he heard.. from god knows where.. i i was expecting the usual..do we live in igloos?.. own dogsleighs?.. something like that.. but no.. darkness.. i wish after the fact that i played into that.. and had a flashlight on me or something.. but i was too tired to amuse the polish boy..
So much braver than i give you credit for..
(frankfurt, Germany, June 1)
today was my alone day in frankfurt.. my first ever day alone in a totally foreign city.. apparently it is also a holiday for the germans.. i woke up early because of the time change.. and the streets are barren.. i feel like the dude from 28 days later.. isnt this city supposed to be populated.. there are no cars and no people.. it is 9.30 am but even still.. even deathbridge has people around.. odd.. there also is some sort of festival going down.. there are random stages everywhere... i walked past one this morning with skipping ropes.. another with american style dance troops... another with belly dancers.. and finally the one with people on bikes.... they are mostly down by the river, there is also what looks like a fireworks barge.. hmm..
my american roomate joined me for breakfast this morning. he is leaving europe after a 4 month stay.. he tried and really enjoyed couch surfing.. told me i have to try it out.. perhaps.. although it was odd.. i had a chat with him last night for about like 2 hours. just sittting on our bunks.. its been a while for a conversation like that.. who would have thought it would happen here.. anywho.. your info on the guy.. spent 4 months in poznan.. the city i leave for tomorrow.. he gave me some random sites to check out.. although he isnt easy to understand.. he is from arkansas.. at least he doesnt smell like the people on the plane..
i also kept true to my UofL film club roots.. the only museum i checked out here in frankfurt was the German Film Museum.. they had an exibit all about H.R. Giger.. although i dont know how to properly pronounce the name.. could be a hard G, soft G, or silent.. and fuck there are two of them.. i tried to listen how the german lady who sold me the ticket said it.. but i couldnt tell when she mentioned the name..
she also scared the crap outta me.. she is the one who sold me the ticket.. i buy it all happy to check out HR Giger stuff.. then she runs from behind the counter yelling at me.. after i entered the exibit because she needs to see my ticket.. the ticket SHE just sold me!!!... anywho.. this is the dude who created the alien.. yes.. the alien.. the one from the 1979 film, he has messed up sexual artwork all over the walls.. as the inspiration for the design... i swear after seeing this.. alien is now a porno.. he loves falic objects.. the elongated head for the alien.. well first draft have that as a penis.. the extra jaws.. yep.. penis.. so we have a penis head.. that has a protruding penis from the jaws... i think this guy was sexually frustrated.. i would have loved to take pictures of this.. but yelling grandma didnt trust me so she followed me through the museum..
the best parts.. the original alien costume.. the original alien animatronic head used in the first film.. AND the 1980 academy award for best visual effects.. i stared for 5 minutes.. they are huge.. far bigger than i would have thought.. i wanted a picture of this.. but that crazy grandma was behind me.. NEIN!!!..
i ended up getting lost trying to find my way out of the pub district.. although they were mostly pizzerias..odd?.. i ended up in the ghetos of frankfurt.. they were clean ghetos and much like the rest of the city, abandoned... not one single person.. seriously that freaked me out moreso than a crowded street would have.. i was lost for 2 hours.. i serisously missed the grid system.. i walked in a circle for 45 minutes i swear.. but alas it took me 2 hours to refind my way.. i tried to tackle the maps.. although there was no "you are here" arrow.. or even the german equivilant.. although i always figured i was about an inch away from where i needed to be.. i found a lot of random things.. including a gargoyle pig spraypainted pink..
to finish my night... i was tired of not being able to speak english. once i was found myself.. i tried desperatly to find food and a conversation.. i had just spent the whole day in silence.. i just watched people speak german.. its frustrating.. i mean.. i would try to like listen in on conversations..figure out why people are laughing.. i like jokes.......but nope.. german.. i would understand one word..then i would be lost in the harsh dialect.. i found an irish pub where i might finally speak english.. but the bartender had no interest in a conversation.. it sucked.. he wouldnt even talk to the girls flirting with him.. he was more interested in the french open..yes he ditched girls for tennis.. i must admit the girls were not first class.. but either or.. i figured bartenders would reciprocate flirting no matter what.. instead i had three beers.. and surprisingly staggered back to my hostel.. i swear. it was the time change.... i hadnt been used to it yet.. lol..
so the first day.. well first complete day.. 10 plus hours walking around.. i dont miss home..
today was my alone day in frankfurt.. my first ever day alone in a totally foreign city.. apparently it is also a holiday for the germans.. i woke up early because of the time change.. and the streets are barren.. i feel like the dude from 28 days later.. isnt this city supposed to be populated.. there are no cars and no people.. it is 9.30 am but even still.. even deathbridge has people around.. odd.. there also is some sort of festival going down.. there are random stages everywhere... i walked past one this morning with skipping ropes.. another with american style dance troops... another with belly dancers.. and finally the one with people on bikes.... they are mostly down by the river, there is also what looks like a fireworks barge.. hmm..
my american roomate joined me for breakfast this morning. he is leaving europe after a 4 month stay.. he tried and really enjoyed couch surfing.. told me i have to try it out.. perhaps.. although it was odd.. i had a chat with him last night for about like 2 hours. just sittting on our bunks.. its been a while for a conversation like that.. who would have thought it would happen here.. anywho.. your info on the guy.. spent 4 months in poznan.. the city i leave for tomorrow.. he gave me some random sites to check out.. although he isnt easy to understand.. he is from arkansas.. at least he doesnt smell like the people on the plane..
i also kept true to my UofL film club roots.. the only museum i checked out here in frankfurt was the German Film Museum.. they had an exibit all about H.R. Giger.. although i dont know how to properly pronounce the name.. could be a hard G, soft G, or silent.. and fuck there are two of them.. i tried to listen how the german lady who sold me the ticket said it.. but i couldnt tell when she mentioned the name..
she also scared the crap outta me.. she is the one who sold me the ticket.. i buy it all happy to check out HR Giger stuff.. then she runs from behind the counter yelling at me.. after i entered the exibit because she needs to see my ticket.. the ticket SHE just sold me!!!... anywho.. this is the dude who created the alien.. yes.. the alien.. the one from the 1979 film, he has messed up sexual artwork all over the walls.. as the inspiration for the design... i swear after seeing this.. alien is now a porno.. he loves falic objects.. the elongated head for the alien.. well first draft have that as a penis.. the extra jaws.. yep.. penis.. so we have a penis head.. that has a protruding penis from the jaws... i think this guy was sexually frustrated.. i would have loved to take pictures of this.. but yelling grandma didnt trust me so she followed me through the museum..
the best parts.. the original alien costume.. the original alien animatronic head used in the first film.. AND the 1980 academy award for best visual effects.. i stared for 5 minutes.. they are huge.. far bigger than i would have thought.. i wanted a picture of this.. but that crazy grandma was behind me.. NEIN!!!..
i ended up getting lost trying to find my way out of the pub district.. although they were mostly pizzerias..odd?.. i ended up in the ghetos of frankfurt.. they were clean ghetos and much like the rest of the city, abandoned... not one single person.. seriously that freaked me out moreso than a crowded street would have.. i was lost for 2 hours.. i serisously missed the grid system.. i walked in a circle for 45 minutes i swear.. but alas it took me 2 hours to refind my way.. i tried to tackle the maps.. although there was no "you are here" arrow.. or even the german equivilant.. although i always figured i was about an inch away from where i needed to be.. i found a lot of random things.. including a gargoyle pig spraypainted pink..
to finish my night... i was tired of not being able to speak english. once i was found myself.. i tried desperatly to find food and a conversation.. i had just spent the whole day in silence.. i just watched people speak german.. its frustrating.. i mean.. i would try to like listen in on conversations..figure out why people are laughing.. i like jokes.......but nope.. german.. i would understand one word..then i would be lost in the harsh dialect.. i found an irish pub where i might finally speak english.. but the bartender had no interest in a conversation.. it sucked.. he wouldnt even talk to the girls flirting with him.. he was more interested in the french open..yes he ditched girls for tennis.. i must admit the girls were not first class.. but either or.. i figured bartenders would reciprocate flirting no matter what.. instead i had three beers.. and surprisingly staggered back to my hostel.. i swear. it was the time change.... i hadnt been used to it yet.. lol..
so the first day.. well first complete day.. 10 plus hours walking around.. i dont miss home..
A little frayed around the ends..
(frankfurt, germany, May 31)
my first night was perhaps one of the most bizzare ive had in a while.. but oh well.. i dont think that there is much better than randomly walking around the streets of a foriegn city.. my hostel is called easy bed 24.. in the red light district.. i have NEVER linked to two.. until i got here.. and they became much clearer.... oh..this is the place people bring the hookers.. good to know.. lol.. i think the druggies are my favourite.. they are roaming the streets slurring german words.. so much that i think they may actually be speaking english..
maybe better than the druggies are the bulgarians.. who are just staring at the druggies dancing all bulgarian like to their music blaring from their little bistro place... or the hobo singing as he digs through the trash bin.. i have decided that frankfurt is a musical.. add these elements up.. the only thing missing is the correographed dance troop in the street.. the druggies are trying.. but they just cant quite hit it..
maybe this is the reason for my trip.. to observe people.. to people watch.. fuck the zoo go to europe.. the people make better exhibits.. and you can walk around their cages. just dont feed the druggies.. i love this!!.. also dont touch the prostitutes in the frankfurt red light district.. but they can be backup singers in the musical....
my first night was perhaps one of the most bizzare ive had in a while.. but oh well.. i dont think that there is much better than randomly walking around the streets of a foriegn city.. my hostel is called easy bed 24.. in the red light district.. i have NEVER linked to two.. until i got here.. and they became much clearer.... oh..this is the place people bring the hookers.. good to know.. lol.. i think the druggies are my favourite.. they are roaming the streets slurring german words.. so much that i think they may actually be speaking english..
maybe better than the druggies are the bulgarians.. who are just staring at the druggies dancing all bulgarian like to their music blaring from their little bistro place... or the hobo singing as he digs through the trash bin.. i have decided that frankfurt is a musical.. add these elements up.. the only thing missing is the correographed dance troop in the street.. the druggies are trying.. but they just cant quite hit it..
maybe this is the reason for my trip.. to observe people.. to people watch.. fuck the zoo go to europe.. the people make better exhibits.. and you can walk around their cages. just dont feed the druggies.. i love this!!.. also dont touch the prostitutes in the frankfurt red light district.. but they can be backup singers in the musical....
Everything passing by is not coming back
Hey.. well this is the first post.. and well it is taken from my journal of sorts.. so it is written today on june 2.. but actualy takes place may 30-31.. it is more or less taken right from my journal..
(calgary, canada, may30)
so i have decided that now.. and pretty much only within the last two hours has this trip actualy started to become a reality.. i have spent the last month at home well.. cocooned in a little shell.. i knew this was coming.. people kept asking if i was excited.. well to this point.. no.. not really.. the 30th was just another day...although i frantically spent my last moments in my house updating and creating a playlist for the ipod i was so generously lended..200 songs to keep me company for two months... i swear i will hate ALL of it when i get back..although PoDdYs tunes will keep me company.. i tried to keep some original songs on their.. their randomness appeals to me.. there is nothing better than walking around a city.. going why is this here..lol.. lol.. it was at that very moment where i was like "oh fuck" i am actualy doing this again.. it was a crazy thought.. but as i sit here now in the airport my heart is jackhammer.. (yes i am borrowing that from metric).. but seriously.. 2 months.. i am not sure i am ready for this again.. but oh well.. its a tad late now because the airplane is right there..
(airplane, somewhere, may 31)
so 2 things.. well katie and sarah have been bumped up to first class.. WTF.. seriously!!.. i wish i had connections.. i unfortunatly occupy the space right beside the bathroom...there is something about flushing toilets and people who hack up their lungs while dropping a deuce.. well not really.. apparenlty this is the flight of the rant.. hmm... best part.. 4 hours in.. ambers ipod.. this thing has kept me sane.. i can say lifesaver for sure.. screw the yellow life vest .. if this plane comes down fuck the life vest.. ill grab the ipod.. we have to be honest planes dont generally survive crashes.. so id prefer to pick the right song.. instead of clumsily figuring out what cord to pull.. ANYWHO.. back to the flight.. my single serving friends (watch fight club if you dont get the pop culture reference).. are a nice couple looking to return to germany for the first time in 40 years.. aparently it was the last time they also wore deordorant.. but i think im just bitchy cause im freezing my ass off...
random child screaming.. cant sleep.. the little airplane dude says we are at 39000 ft.. jumping out here isnt really an option.. but damn.. i wish i did that before i left...
i return to freezing my ass off.. i wonder if they are as cold in first class.. i mean seriously.. i have two tshirts on.. a sweater.. and no blankets.. they dont have any more.. i want first class.. i wish i could have been fortunate enough to be transfered there.. although if i went to first class could i ever return to coach.. it was seinfeld.. the first class upgrade. and once youve experienced ityou cant go back..
BEST PART of the flight.. paul blart:mall cop.. the food was shit.. the plane was freezing.. and all i smell is the people i sat beside.. ah!
(calgary, canada, may30)
so i have decided that now.. and pretty much only within the last two hours has this trip actualy started to become a reality.. i have spent the last month at home well.. cocooned in a little shell.. i knew this was coming.. people kept asking if i was excited.. well to this point.. no.. not really.. the 30th was just another day...although i frantically spent my last moments in my house updating and creating a playlist for the ipod i was so generously lended..200 songs to keep me company for two months... i swear i will hate ALL of it when i get back..although PoDdYs tunes will keep me company.. i tried to keep some original songs on their.. their randomness appeals to me.. there is nothing better than walking around a city.. going why is this here..lol.. lol.. it was at that very moment where i was like "oh fuck" i am actualy doing this again.. it was a crazy thought.. but as i sit here now in the airport my heart is jackhammer.. (yes i am borrowing that from metric).. but seriously.. 2 months.. i am not sure i am ready for this again.. but oh well.. its a tad late now because the airplane is right there..
(airplane, somewhere, may 31)
so 2 things.. well katie and sarah have been bumped up to first class.. WTF.. seriously!!.. i wish i had connections.. i unfortunatly occupy the space right beside the bathroom...there is something about flushing toilets and people who hack up their lungs while dropping a deuce.. well not really.. apparenlty this is the flight of the rant.. hmm... best part.. 4 hours in.. ambers ipod.. this thing has kept me sane.. i can say lifesaver for sure.. screw the yellow life vest .. if this plane comes down fuck the life vest.. ill grab the ipod.. we have to be honest planes dont generally survive crashes.. so id prefer to pick the right song.. instead of clumsily figuring out what cord to pull.. ANYWHO.. back to the flight.. my single serving friends (watch fight club if you dont get the pop culture reference).. are a nice couple looking to return to germany for the first time in 40 years.. aparently it was the last time they also wore deordorant.. but i think im just bitchy cause im freezing my ass off...
random child screaming.. cant sleep.. the little airplane dude says we are at 39000 ft.. jumping out here isnt really an option.. but damn.. i wish i did that before i left...
i return to freezing my ass off.. i wonder if they are as cold in first class.. i mean seriously.. i have two tshirts on.. a sweater.. and no blankets.. they dont have any more.. i want first class.. i wish i could have been fortunate enough to be transfered there.. although if i went to first class could i ever return to coach.. it was seinfeld.. the first class upgrade. and once youve experienced ityou cant go back..
BEST PART of the flight.. paul blart:mall cop.. the food was shit.. the plane was freezing.. and all i smell is the people i sat beside.. ah!
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