Please Excuse the Mess

It has been a while since I have posted a new post on here. I appreciate all of the comments. I checked in on the site today, and found that my backgrounds, and such are missing.

Please excuse the mess while I work on getting this updated, and will be posting some new material soon!

UPDATE!

I have applied a new template to clean things up a bit. Unfortunately, it is generic, and boring. I have lost several key features to my blog for the time being--

1. Several Widgets
2. Analytic Tracking
3. Several customizations and links
4. DO FOLLOW-- That's right. The blog is momentarily a no-follow blog for comments, so take a break you link loving hounds!

Keeping a Photo Diary

A lot of people try and find ways of documenting their lives, most seem to write in their diaries or journals. I have chosen a different approach which I have found to be very satisfying-- I take a photo of myself every day doing whatever it is that I am doing.

I started doing this on January 1, 2007, and stopped after a while only to have just recently picked this back up. There are some days in my photo diary that have a photo of me doing something really cool, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity sort of stuff, but my absolute favorites are the ones of me doing the everyday sort of things.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind while keeping a photo diary:
1. Keep camera batteries charged.
2. Don't wait until the end of the day. Otherwise you will end up with lots of pictures of you brushing your teeth!
3. Learn not to be embarrassed taking your own picture doing normal things.
4. Include your friends. One day it will be great to see all the people in your life.
5. Give your photos names to help you remember locations, etc.

As a tip, I got a a Joby GorillaPod tripod for my digital camera. These little things are great, as they are very small, and can be wrapped around almost anything to have a picture taken for you on a timer.

What I have found to be really great about this as well is that I always seem to have a camera handy. We have all had moments where we said that we wished we had a camera with us for when something incredible happens. For example, the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile pulls up next to you! :)

Funny Craigslist Ad: Sometimes They Really Make My Day . . .

Even if I don't need to buy something or find a job, browsing around on Craigslist can really be an entertaining time-killer. I have found really good deals on there when I need it-- I bought a killer surf board for $75, and I also bought a Red Bull style bar table for $40 that I turned around for $400. Craigslist really is a win/win situation in my experiences. Sometimes, however, I come across a post on there that just makes me wonder . . .

WANTED recent college grad or retired school teacher
We are looking for dedicated, passionate individual to assist with homeschooling four middle school students. Homeschool loacation is in a seperate building away from the home. Transportation for outings and field trips provided. This would be an ideal job for a college grad who wants to teach but prefers to start fresh in the Fall. We are looking for someone who would be able to committ until June. Serious canidates please email me. References Required.

Ok, so let's recap this little lump of joy . . .

---You want to hire a recent grad or retired teacher.
---You want them to homeschool your kids . . .
---In a building that is not in your home.

Sorry, Craigslist poster, but there is a system that already does this, and the best news is that your tax money already pays for it. It is called the public school system. I realize they probably have a very good reason for this post, but I couldn't help but share in this delightful little piece.

Kölsch in North Carolina!

I have posted before about Kölsch in my blog, but I will give a quick synopsis for the new readers. Kölsch is a type of beer brewed exclusively in Cologne, Germany. There are several popular breweries in Cologne (Köln), including Reissdorf, Früh, Gaffel, Dom, Sion, and more. There are other places in the world that market a beer called Kölsch, however to be officially named a Kölsch it must be brewed in Cologne in accordance with the Kölsch Convention of 1986. In addition Kölsch beers outside of Germany may not be in standards with the Provisional German Beer Law, which sets a high standard for quality and purity.

Needless to say, Germans are serious about their beer. In accordance with the German Beer Law, all beers in Germany must show all ingredients on the bottle. When have you seen ingredients listed on your American beers? The purity law, originally established in Bavaria in 1516 only allows for the ingredients of water, barley, hops, and cane sugar in beer production.
Outside of Cologne, one is probably very unlikely to come across a Kölsch. Germans are very proud of their local brews. For example . . . ordering a Kölsch in a pub in Bonn which is only a short 20 minute train ride from Cologne, would result in a very angry bartender, and possible expulsion from the establishment . . . or so I have been told. Luckily, in the United States, we are very welcoming to testing out the world's finest brews. In two seperate places, I have found real-life Kölsch, and I do not mean some sort of American version of it, but the real thing imported from Cologne.

At the Flying Saucer in Raleigh, North Carolina you can find on the menu of over 200 beers, Reissdorf Kölsch. They also have two others listed there, including Flying Dog Tire Bite, which I would ignore if you are looking for a true Kölsch. Reissdorf Kölsch is arguably the favorite beer out of Cologne, and is a definite favorite of my own. In a close second is Gaffel Kölsch which I have also found in the area.

At Tyler's Taproom found in Beaver Creek Commons in Apex, North Carolina. Tyler's is host to over 80 beers, and although the prices are a bit steep, there is a lot to say about the selection and the food. The food is delicious, and I recommend an order of the pretzels as a appetizer. Each menu item even has a beer recommendation for pairing. All of the beers are also served in their own specialty beer glass. So when I order my Gaffel Kölsch at Tyler's, it is served up in an official Gaffel Kölsch glass. All Kölsch is served in a distinct tall cylinder shaped glass, that is not common for the rest of Germany. Typical Kölsch glasses are 0.2 liters, which is not a lot of beer, but at Tyler's customers are served their Kölsch in a more commercial 0.4 Liter glass as pictured.

A special thanks to my brother who had his iPhone handy to snap a picture of my Kölsch and Pretzel at Tyler's. Check these places out if you are looking to try a Kölsch in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. However, be ready to pay for them, ranging from 5-6 bucks for a pint. Also, don't settle for imitators . . . make sure it comes from Cologne if you ever find yourself ordering a Kölsch.
Prost!

Going Away Party, Gridlock Traffic, and Frog Legs

Well it has been a little bit too busy for a new blog post recently, not to mention not much has been going on of very big importance, so I would hate to bore any readers that I do have! A few interesting things have been happening recently, and one of them is the Holidays. Happy Holidays to all of you around the world, whether you are finished celebrating, or still celebrating, and a Happy New Year as well!

After about seven months of living in Cologne, Germany, I am finally back in the US. Leaving was very bittersweet, as I have made many wonderful friends in my time there, and I would have liked to have more time to be with those people. On the other hand, there was a lot that I had left behind back in the US, so it was good to get back to all of that as well. Before leaving Cologne, I had one last "shabang" in my apartment for a going away party. About 30 folks showed up, and we drank some Kölsch, and had a great time. This is also a photo from the party, and me sporting my awesome 1. FC Köln jersey that was a gift from my co-workers.

After cleaning up from the going away my good friend, Miriam, drove to her family's house in Aschaffenburg. She showed me around her town, and on Sunday, we went to a local castle for a traditional Weihnachtsmarkt in the Medieval tradition. It was a great time, and a great visit. Sadly, on Monday morning, Miriam took me to the airport, and I made the hop over the big pond back to the US.

Now I am visiting some family in good ol' Indiana. It is very cold here, or a lot colder than what I am used to! On the way up here, while trying to cross a bridge over the Ohio River, we got stopped on the highway due to ice over the bridge. We were stopped on the road without moving an inch for over six hours. The highway turned into a solid sheet of ice, and we just waited for the salt trucks to come through. Finally, what should have been a 12 hour drive, turned into a 21 hour drive, but we made it to Indiana. Christmas time has been great here, and it has been good too visit with relatives, but there is no greater Christmas dinner than my Grandmother's famous . . . . . frog legs. It may not be a typical meal for any day of the year, but they sure are good. Fried up, and dipped in hot butter, it is always our request when visiting.

I appreciate all of the comments recently, and the support for the blog. Just because I am back in the US does not mean that I am done posting here, so stay tuned! Happy New Year!

General Rules For an American Living in Germany:

I have lived in Germany for over six months now, and in that time I have come up with several rules, or guidelines to follow for any other Americans considering a move, or a long visit to Germany.

1. Don't ask someone where the Autobahn is. There is not just one Autobahn. Autobahn just means highway, and yes, Germany has lots of them just like any other developed country. In addition, yes it is true that there are many parts on the Autobahn without speed limits (only about 30%), but not always.

2. Be sure to become a regular at the many bakeries in Germany. There is always something for everyone at a German bakery. After you leave, you will probably miss the bread more than the beer.

3. Have a clue about what is going on in the world, especially US politics. Germans don't care if you don't know who Angela Merckel is, but don't be surprised if 75% of the Germans you meet know more about US politics than you do, so be ready to be quizzed on it, and have an opinion.

4. Know that Germany is not just Munich. Munich is a city in the state of Bayern. Germany has many other states. Lederhosen, Oktoberfest, and huge mugs of beer (known as a "Mass") are associated with Bayern, which is the most conservative state in Germany. People from other states may find it offensive if you ask why people aren't wearing Lederhosen.

5. Oktoberfest usually takes place in September. Get over it, and plan accordingly. Also, don't bother asking why it's not in October, because most Germans don't seem to care enough to question it, or much less answer it . . . they probably haven't even thought about it.

6. If anyone mentions ANYTHING about Obama, the proper response is "Yes we can!" Germans love Obama whether you do or not. Saying "Yes we can!" will probably make their day, and you might even see a German smile.

7. Don't be an American stereotype. Know your geography, reassure Germans that the US is NOT a hollywood movie, remind them that America doesn't like Bush either, expect a smirk when you walk into McDonald's, Pizza Hut, or Burger King, and don't forget to turn lights off and other electronics you aren't using.

That's all that I have! I hope you have enjoyed reading. As always, comments are welcome, and appreciated!

The German Weihnachtsmarkt

So I still have a couple of weeks here while I am in Germany. Luckily, before I go back the USA, I am getting to experience something very special, and something very unique to Germany-- and that is the Weihnachtsmarkt.

The Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christmas Market, is an outdoor event that happens in various places all over Germany. Here in Cologne we have about four or five different markets throughout the city. They are made up of little houses that sit next to each other containing different vendors of food and crafts, and the whole place is decorated with lights. There is music, lots of happy people, and of course Glühwein.

Glühwein, or in english "glowing wine", is a sweet red dessert wine served hot. Often times it is cooked with fruits such as oranges, and other spices to give it a very unique flavor. Two euros at the Weihnachtsmarkt will buy you a steaming cup of fresh Glühwein served in a special mug. Every market in the city has a different mug that is in general very fancy, and if you are a visitor, like me, it also makes a great souvenir. Every time that you order a "glowing wine" you pay for the drink and you pay extra for the cup. After you have finished, you return the cup to get your money back for it. In German they call this the "pfand", and this is the same rule that applies in biergartens, and also from bottled drinks from the grocery store. When you return the bottle, glass, or mug, your pfand is then returned to you.

The Weihnachtsmarkt is a great place to go in the evening just with friends or co-workers. It gets dark at about 4:30pm here, so it is still a nice atmosphere in the early evening. I am glad that there is something more to experience even in my last couple of weeks before I return home.

Convert Your Pictures to Text at Text-Image.com

I have another random post, but I feel that this website I have found deserves some credibiiity. Today I have come across the website called Text-Image.com. It is a very simple concept, but very fun to use. Basically all you have to do is upload your picture to their website, and choose which text format you want to use; HTML, ASCII, or Matrix. HTML can produce color images by changing the color of the text, ASCII can create very simple text images, and Matrix creates very fun pictures that look very much like the Matrix film. After converting your image, you have what looks like your image, except it is all text. You can copy and paste it and put it in an email, a word document, whatever you want. I used it today to write a Happy Thanksgiving email by converting an image of a turkey into text.
This also saves the hassle of large picture files in an email if it is something simple like just a cartoon turkey! Text-Image.com even allows you to choose what characters you want to use- for example I could use my favorite song lyrics to make up a picture, or if it is a picture of a Turkey I can use the letters found in the word "turkey". As an example, I have a picture of me swimming. I used blue text and converted into ASCII format. Have fun with it, and go check it out at text-image.com!

Whale Wars: Sea Shepherd Fights For Our Oceans

Writing about a television show or something else in the entertainment realm, is not something that I have ever done before. However, when I watched this show yesterday, I was really excited by the pilot episode and I am really excited to watch more of it as it airs on television. The show airs in the United States on Animal Planet, and until this coming Tuesday, it is currently a free download in the iTunes US Store. The show is called Whale Riders and is a documentary type show that follows the organization the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society on their boat, the Steve Irwin, in the Antarctic Ocean fighting to stop Japanese commercial whaling.

Under international law a certain amount of Whales are allowed to be killed every year to be used in research purposes, but it is the belief that Japanese whaling ships are in the Antarctic hunting whales for commercial gain and hiding behind the veil of research. In Japan, whale meat is legally allowed to be sold in markets, and in restaurants, and does appear there. The fleet of Japanese ships in the Antarctic including a hunting ship, a processing ship, and more, are killing more than a thousand whales each year, an already endangered species.

The ship's captain, Cpt. Paul Watson, was an original founder of the organization Greenpeace. He was voted out of the organization because of his aggressive tactics towards saving the environment. He then founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, where he could make his own rules to try and save sea wildlife in danger from hunters, poachers, and extinction.

You don't beg criminals to stop doing what they are doing. You intervene, and you physically, and aggressively shut them down.
-Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Cpt. Watson and his crew consider themselves modern day pirates aboard their black ship called the Steve Irwin. The team's mission is to sabotage, postpone, and stop commercial whaling every year in the Antarctic. They do so by throwing "stink bombs" on board the Japanese ships that make it unlivable, and the whale meat unusable, and even attempt to board the other ships. Each crew member pledges to be willing to give up their own life to save a whale"s life.

The show provides some breathtaking scenery, and an insight to a small war that is going on that could have big consequences. They are volunteers fighting a battle that goes unnoticed, and they work to show people what is going on. I highly recommend taking a look at the pilot episode, as it is very exciting and even controversial. Get it free on iTunes, or watch it on Animal Planet. You can also visit the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society website for more information on the show, and on the organization.

"Kölle Alaaf!" Karneval Has Begun!!!

"What is Karneval?"
Cologne is a very peculiar city, with a rich history, and a rich sense of tradition. One tradition that the city harnesses is what is known here as the "fifth season" or Karneval season. I was lucky enough to be here, yesterday, on the 11th of November which marks the beginning of Karneval at 11:11am every year. The season takes a break during Lent and Christmas, and continues until Ash Wednesday in a large week-long celebration. November 11th is the first taste of what Karneval is all about, and sadly for me, at least for this year, is the only taste of Karneval I will get since I will be leaving in December.
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the celebration, but I knew that it was a big deal. Even as I rode my bike to work I saw people on the streets drinking beer, blowing whistles, and wearing costumes ranging from cowboys, to tigers, and traditional Kölsch garb. When I arrived at work, anticipation was high for those of us that decided to take a half day in order to celebrate the festival.

"Mom, I swear, it's just culture!"
Since the official festival began at 11:11am, I was still in the office, and worked up until 12:00 where I then proceeded into the break room. There, several of my colleagues and bosses were wearing their costumes, drinking Kölsch (Cologne's Beer), and eating a large breakfast.
Directions got a little bit mixed up on our way out, and I lost our group for a little bit before calling someone to meet up shortly after, however while I was lost, I was caught in huge amounts of people gathered in the old part of the city (city center), singing, drinking, and dancing all in costume. A girl dressed up as a nurse came up to me and was trying to check my heartbeat, and tried to give me her phone number when a camera crew for a big TV station here came up to me asking why we were exchanging numbers and such, which only added to the chaos that was around me. I am sure that my German was hardly understandable as I was dealing with the shock of a tv crew in my face while getting my heartbeat checked by a nurse (no, she wasn't a real nurse!).
Anyways, I finally met up with my group in the south part of the city, and we were in a traditional Cologne bar that was packed full of celebrators. We were there for hours dancing to the typical Köln Karneval music, drinking Kölsch, and having a good time. At 6:00pm we left and grabbed some Turkisch food, and I headed back to my apartment and fell asleep not to wake up again for hours. I swear, Mother, it is all part of the culture! It wasn't just young people celebrating Karneval, it was all ages, young to old, men and women, celebrating a tradition hundreds of years old.


Karneval was a great experience, and I had a great time out with all of my colleagues. Even though I won't be here in Cologne for the end of the celebration in February, hopefully it will not be my last time here to celebrate Karneval.

Obamamania in Deutschland!

Credit: United States Senate
Copyright: Public Domain
Ok, so we aren't slaughtering our best bulls for Obama like they are in Kenya, but there was a feeling of relief here in Germany today. Anyone who has been paying attention to the election knows that Obama was very much favored by the world population, and that is very much true here in germany. Polls conducted in Germany stated that over 80 percent of Germans would have voted for Senator Barack Obama if they were able to. Everyone I speak to is a supporter of Obama here, except for one friend who said (before the election) "I hope that McCain wins, because Heidi Klum said she would go back to Germany if he does!"

I stayed up a lot of the night watching the election, and even here there has been a lot of talk building up about it the past few weeks. It was obvious to me that this election meant a lot more to a lot more people than the election did four years ago. Germans, who feel very betrayed by Bush's actions, especially in Iraq, are ready for change, just as the world seems to see this change in Obama.

I went into work this morning wearing my red white and blue, and throughout the day many people congratulated me as if I had won personally myself. My coworkers helped me by being witnesses on my absentee ballot, so they knew that I was closely following the election. I think that many people here want to have a positive picture of America again, and Obama, and the odds that were against him, are a beacon of hope to the world.

Get My Photo in Cosmo!!!

OK, so I posted a few days ago about it, but I took some photos for my roommate and her friends for a contest about the TV show Sex and the City for a TV station here in Germany. One of the photos that I took landed a top 15 spot in the contest. I am not a sex and the city watcher, nor do I read cosmo, but I am still pretty excited!

Please vote for our photo!!!!

The winning photograph gets 4000 euros for shopping and an article published in Cosmopolitan Magazine in Germany. The girls get the shopping, and I get a sweatshirt and my photo published.

The site is in German but directions are easy!!!!!!

1. Follow the link (opens in a new window):
CLICK HERE TO GO TO VOTING PAGE

2. Click on the button for picture #4. The text says "Bild Nr. 4" If you click on "Lupe" the image will zoom in.

3. Once the button has been selected, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "absenden".

That's it!!!! Voting will go through the month of November!

Thank you, and it would be great if you have a friend who can do the same!!!!

Germany: Land of Open Windows and Closed Doors

Every once in a while, it is good to post about some cultural differences. As an American living in Germany, there are lots of things that I notice that are different. Some things I didn't notice at first, and other things were more apparent when I first arrived, however one thing that I have learned during my time here is the way that Germans use windows and doors.

It doesn't seem like it would be that big of a deal really. I mean, what could be so different? People go in and out through doors, and windows let the light in. Well, the differences between Europeans and Americans when it comes to windows and doors is HUGE.

First, windows. In the US, we have windows, and lots of them. There is no difference there. We also have screens on virtually every window. If there is no screen, it probably doesn't get open. We have got to keep the bugs out, and the screen is the only way to do that. We also don't really open windows much. We open them if we need to let the carpet dry out, or to get the fish smell out of the kitchen. If we want to be outside, we will just go outside. Now, in Germany, and from what I have seen also in other places in Europe, it is quite the opposite. Fresh air is highly valued, and the fresh air is not indoors. As the weather is getting colder outside, I thought I would start to see windows closing. i was wrong. As I sit at my desk at work, someone will get up, open the large window in the middle of the room, and sit back down as the what-was-once-toasty temperature drops about 20 degrees. After about five minutes, when everyone is cold, the window will get shut again. As soon as things start to feel nice again, and I am all warmed up . . . "Hey, can you open the window?" "What? Why? Why would you want to open the window?" Well, it is just culture. There is a value of fresh air. And if anyone from work is reading this, don't worry, I have found it to be a good thing, just very different.

Now, for doors. It is just simply amazing how many doors there are in Germany. Every room has a door. That may sound a bit silly, but it seems like in the US, we like large open spaces, so we have a kitchen, a dining room, and living room all in one large open space. Here, it would all be seperate rooms, each with a closing door. There may even be a door in the hallway that just goes into the other half of the hallway. When you enter the room, you close the door. It is as simple as that. I could try to explain this difference to a European, but it is just too normal for them. There is nothing wrong with it, it is what it is, just a difference.

I know that that seems like small things, but it is these small things that really make you feel like you are in a different country. I find it weird sometimes how we can be so much alike in two different worlds, but it is the small cultural differences that can make the world of a difference to a foreigner.

Contest Entry Photoshoot

A few days ago, my roommate, Agathe, had asked me if I could help her and her friends with a contest that they were entering. The contest requirements were to make a photo that depicts themselves in the television series Sex and the City. I was very willing to help since almost all of my photography here has revolved around my travels, and taking pictures in very touristy situations. My roommate and her friends got dressed up and did all of their own makeup and hair, and we went out to the train station to get some photos. I do not have hardly any experience in photographing people, so it was good for me to apply direction. I told them where to walk, how to hold themselves, etc. Even though we ran out of time due to the sunlight fading down, I was really pleased with the way that some of the photos turned out. It is not abnormal, but I took almost 100 photos in 10 minutes, and have come out with about five photos that I am pleased with.
As we were out at the train station, there were many people that were stopped to watch us. My roommate told me that because I was speaking English to them and taking pictures, people probably thought that there was something important going on. Even though I am not a watcher of the show, I still had fun taking the pictures, and was glad to help out, and get some practice in. I am wishing them luck in the contest!

A Great Visit from Slovenia!

One of the best parts of being over here in Europe is knowing that I always have someone that I can count on somewhere close by me. I have had the pleasure, of course, of making new friends here, but in addition I have friends here from before I arrived this summer. I have my friend Michael in Baden-Wuerttemberg that I have visited a couple of times (and still will more), I have Anna a few hours away in Poland, my German roommates from the US are now back here, and many other wonderful people, like my friend Brigita who lives in Ljubliana, Slovenia.
A couple of weekends ago (sorry for the late post), Brigita drove about eleven hours to get from Ljubliana to Cologne, to come visit for a weekend. It was not her first time in Germany, as we had studied together in Bremen in 2006, but it was her first time in Cologne. I was thrilled to see her again, and had the opportunity to show her around the city.
We saw pretty much all of the major sites in the city, including the world famous Dom Cathedral, the bank of the Rhine River, the Altstadt (old city), and some good shopping. We ate Turkish food, ice cream, and sampled a couple of German beers. Most importantly though, we spent a lot of time just hanging out all weekend and catching up.
It is a wonderful feeling to know that even when so far away from home, there are still plenty of people that care about you, just like great friends like Brigita. Just thought I could give a small post to share in my excitement, even though it was a couple of weeks ago!

"Sorry, Officer. I Don't Speak German!"

Every day I ride my bike to and from work. I am usually in a rush, and in general pretty careless of things such as pedestrians, stop signs, other vehicles, etc. Well, today it finally caught up to me, and I was stopped by the German police, or "Polizei". I was crossing the street at a green cross walk on my bicycle, and on the other side of the street there is a bicycle path next to the road. I usually go over it and onto the sidewalk to pass the other bikers who are always incredibly slow. Well, I saw some police there, but didn't think anything of it, and I was planning to just ride right around them. A policewoman stepped right in front of me and held her hand up to stop, and I stopped my bike right in front of her. She started to tell me (in German) that I am not supposed to be on the sidewalk, and that there is a reason for the bike path. I replied with a very convincing "Uhhh, I am sorry, mein Deutsch ist nicht so gut." She asked what I speak, and I replied "English". Then, very politely, she explained that it is illegal for me to ride my bike on the sidewalk, and that I should proceed to the bike path. I knew it was illegal, but I had no idea that they actually enforce a rule like that, especially since the bike path was out of my way for the direction that I was going. Anyways, I spoke to my colleagues at work, and apparantly those police were there for the sole purpose of enforcing bike laws. They were also supposed to give me a 20 euro fine, which I managed to get out of. Sometimes it pays (or saves in this case) to be a foreigner!

A Trip With Two of My Roommates to Bonn

Well, there is a lot of catching up to do in this post! I have been working so hard on getting the new blog up and running that I have neglected to actually write anything new in it! If this is your first time on the new blog, and you are familiar with my Cologne blog, I think you will find this one to be much cleaner, and functional. I am much happier with the design, and I am not going to have it specific to Cologne, so I can keep this one when I finally arrive back home in the US . . . hopefully with Obama as the new President. Otherwise I might be trying to find a ticket back!
First things first, a couple of weekends ago, two of my roommates and I took a trip to Bonn. Bonn is only about 20 minutes south of Cologne by train, and is a wonderful place to visit. It is a big city, but it feels more like a small town then Cologne does. We got there at about noon, and did a little bit of walking around. Our first stop was at the Museum of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany, located in an area of Bonn that has a road that consists of a mile long stretch of varying museums. It was an enormous museum that detailed the history from the end of World War II, until modern times. It was a good educational experience for me, especially since most of the history lessons we have in the United States on Germany involves war-time history.
Next, we found our way to a farmer's market, where we bought some fresh veggies, and the girls then found a couple of shops to browse through. We grabbed a quick bite to eat of some bratwurst (typical, I know), and then saw some other sites including the Beethoven house. Beethoven was actually born in Bonn, and his house still exists that he was born in. It is now a museum, and located in the city center. We didn't go in, but you can see the picture of the house.
Before dinner time we headed back on the train home. It was a good deal that day, as we only had to pay about seven euros each for the train tickets. My bratwurst cost two euro as well, and the museum was absolutely free. So nine euros to see a new German city wasn't too bad of a deal!

New Blog, New Blogger Template, and a Li'l Dust

I have finally moved to my new blog! I am currently living in Cologne, and have a blog for my time here, but since I will be moving back the the US very soon, then I will need a blog that is more broad than just my time in Cologne. So I have been getting this blog ready to launch for when I return back to the US.
One advantage to having this new blog is I have done a little bit of extra work to create a better template, and also to remove the 'nofollow' tag on the comments. For info on the dofollow movement read my last post. It will explain what 'nofollow' is. I have removed the tag in hopes of getting more visitors to the site, and also more comments here.  

Since the new blog is still pretty new, please expect to see a little bit of dust on here.  I am still working on features, and coding, however I think it is coming along nice, and a lot more how I would like it to look.  

People that are familiar with my Cologne Blog might notice that I also imported all of my posts from that blog into here including any comments.  I did this because I will soon be abandoning that blog, and the posts are still relevant to this one.  

Let me know what you think!  Comments are always appreciated, and for those looking for a link, enjoy some link love with your quality message!

Widget for Blogger Brings in More Visitors and Comments

Working in the field of internet marketing has brought me all sorts of insights into the business than I had ever known before.  There are so many tips and tricks that can be used, and so many variables that effect the number and quality of the visitors on your site.  Content is absolutely crucial to bringing in visitors to a blog.  If you don't have the proper content, get out, because you do not have anything to offer your visitors!  Content drives the search engines, and it is also what keeps visitors to coming back to your site.  

Now there is not widget installed here that brings visitors to this blog, however, as has been experimented on several other sites, having the keywords in the title of this post will be the right keywords in to bring in more visitors.  Perhaps you are one of them?  Again, content is key to any high ranking, high traffic site.

A recommendation that I have for blogs as well is to join in on the dofollow movement.  Dofollow refers to removing the 'nofollow' tag in the code of the comments section of a blog.  The 'nofollow' tag makes it impossible for search engines to pull out link information that a commenter has left on a blog, and therefore taking away the reward of the commenter.  On this blog, you will see that the 'nofollow' tag has been removed, and yon the top of the page you can see the badge that reads "U comment I follow" letting readers know that the tag has been removed.  This should help reward visitors with a link for visiting and commenting on the site.  

A Short Trip Back to Baden-Württemberg

A few months ago, while on the phone with a friend of mine's mother, she and the family had invited me down for a visit to celebrate Michael's father's 50th birthday. A large party was planned, and of course I said I would definitely be there. As time got closer, and the birthday nearing, I started to look for a way to get back down to Berlichingen again. The last time that I went, I found a ride on a ride sharing website called mitfahrgelegenheit. The guy driving me, Dennis, was very friendly, and the cost of gas was quite cheap, however, this time I had no luck finding a ride that way. My next option was to look at trains. Most train tickets were pretty expensive going that way, but the Deutsche Bahn does offer a “Schönes Wochenende” ticket, or “Have a Nice Weekend” ticket. Honestly, they should be more careful with what they call this ticket, because even though it is relatively cheap, it is only good for one day, and only good on the slowest possible trains that stop at every known train station along the way to your destination, and even some stops not so along the way. Anyways, I bought two schönes wochenende tickets, one for Saturday, and one for the return journey on Sunday. Michael had arranged for me to meet up with his cousin, and her boyfriend in Frankfurt, and after I took a train there, got on a city tram, I met up with them, and they drove me the rest of the way to Berlichingen.

As soon as we arrived in Berlichingen, we went directly to find the party. After some directions from some villages folks, and after a humorous parking spot search we finally walked down the steps into the cellar of what is the village community hall. The cellar was actually what appeared to be a converted wine cellar, well over a hundred years old. I spent time with Michael, his family, and all of their friends (about 50 people were there). They had a great dinner of schnitzel, spätzle (soft, thick noodles popular in Baden Wuerttemberg), and a plethora of cakes made for dessert. I ate a piece of Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (black forest cherry torte) cake made by Michael’s grandmother, and was rather delicious.

The night went on until about five the next morning. It was a night full of old German singing, eating, drinking, and happy people- an experience that I am sure is not typical for a foreigner.

The following day, Sunday, I woke up a little bit late since we were awake for so long. We ate breakfast, and before I knew it, after spending some time with the Haak family, it was already time for me to leave back to Cologne. This time I would take a train from the nearby town of Möckmühl all the way back to Cologne. The car ride from Michael’s place to Cologne is generally only about three to four hours long depending on traffic, however, it took me about seven hours to get there by train, and I had to switch to different trains four times! Oh well, the important thing is that I was able to be there for the party, and have some relaxation time outside of the big city with Michael and his family.