Leonardo Hotel Koeln Cologne

... We've been getting along really well but I can't help but laugh at her for being a bit motherly towards me. The kids and I have also been getting along although I'm not exactly looking forward to sitting in the car for them for 5 hours this weekend :-/ We're going to take them to Lego land in south Germany. I'm trying to pretend to be as excited as they are, but it's not Disney we're talking about here and it's cold, not ...

... 1087;оезд 82;а вышла очень сбала 85;сиров& #1072;нной. Это важно. Было много чего. Много новых откр ...

... so I found that fact amazing. I had difficulty as a young, shoe-wearing person. But the views on top were worth the journey, and even more amazing was the trek back down along the ridge of the mountain, sponging along on top of the wonderful peat and dodging errant sheep.
For as beautiful as the country was, the people were even more interesting. There is something very introverted about the Irish. As friendly as those in Westport were, they seemed mostly ...

... time it was the tallest building in the world.
It was awesome inside with the high vaulted ceiling and beautiful stained glass windows. It has a golden alter which contains their relics, supposedly some of the bones of the Three Wise Men.
This afternoon was the time to pack as we arrive in Amsterdam tonight. We’re in the first group to leave tomorrow for the airport and have to be ready by 5:45 a.m.

Koln

After our Rhine cruise we drove in the coach to Koln (Cologne). Cologne is well-known for a few things, including perfume (4711 in particular), its Roman origins (as a colony – hence the name) and for its twin spired Gothic cathedral. We stopped for a little over an hour in the main square.

The cathedral houses the bones of the three Magi ...

... busy and didn’t have time to grab a bite to eat or even go bowling or to a movie. Granted, I didn’t expect her to plan her life around amusing me. Goodness no! But I was hoping to be able to get to know my roommate and hang out with her a few times.

It was during the TAP Seminar that I developed a new goal-to get to know people my age, outside of work. I developed a plan of action and put up an announcement for a tandem partner ...

...on the train! Yesterday (Sunday, July 13, 2008), we went to a castle not that far away from the house, about 30 minutes. We went with the friends of Ulla that you saw from the Schuetzen Fest. It was pretty but not as pretty as others that I have seen. We did not go in it because it has been turned in to a school for finance, so there is not much of the old castle left. We did walk the grounds and that ...

... at it too. I just started straight froward, said Hallo, said my name, age, where I come from and I asked his name. I don't remember it now. I have a horrible memory to names. When he said something I didn't understand, I just started saying "English, English." Then, to my surprise, he spoke fluent english. We went togather to a nearby cafe. He said he was born and raised in ...

(Originally Written December 6, 2007) This morning I woke up thirsty, hungry and extremely crabby. In preparation for the bronchoscopy I was having today, I wasn't allowed to eat, drink, or smoke 12 hours prior to the procedure. Fortunately I had an early morning appointment which began at 8:30 a.m. otherwise I think I would have gone crazy. When Steve and I got to the clinic, we had to sit in the waiting area for a few minutes before the nurse came in to get us. For me it wasn ...

... to understanding people from other cultures, at least that's the impression I have, working in a German office. The Finnish are probably the most open-minded and understanding people in the world. With a few exceptions. Just don't mention Sweden and don't try to make fun of their country. These topics can change a smooth and friendly conversation into a battlelike discussion. As time went by, Mari and Pia addressed the issues to their manager ...