Greetings and salutations. Haha, how "ghetto" was that? Writing that line made me feel like a moron so I had to leave it there as a lesson to myself. Never write it if you're going to regret it. Moving on. Today was a great day. Cary and Christian escorted us to Cologne, spelled by the locals as Köln (which I had to pronounce as Colon for fun, even if it's been said a million times), and it was a blast. It's the biggest city in this state of Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia) and is the gay capitol of Germany, or so I'm told. It was a great time. The streets were buzzing and everyone was out in their poshest clothes to advertise their fantastic-ness.
It seemed that Cary and Christian couldn't walk more than a few steps before meeting a former cast mate, or some other acquaintance from their past, and greetings were exchanged. We were introduced to a lovely lady who gave Kierstie and I a kiss on each cheek, I loved it. It was very European to me and the idea of a simple thing like that made me smile. I am terrible with names and hers escapes me, I'm sad to say, but I will never forget that. A simple kiss on each cheek followed by a well meaning smile. Simple things people, do your best to appreciate and savour.
Apologies for yesterday's entry, I was entirely too trashed to contribute. In retrospect, I consider that a bit of a triumph. We should all get too trashed to contribute once in a while, it means we're living life rather than just getting through it. As promised, here are a few of the pics from the medieval festival here in Bochum.
The festival was good fun. The pork pieces pictured above are wood fire roasted and were beyond awesome, I had it more than once, sans saur kraut. Not sure I'll ever be able to like that stuff. The "Hawaiian" bretzl was also amazing. Kierstie and I saw them coming fresh out of the oven and shared that dirty little treat with gusto. Pretzel filled with bacon, then covered in pineapple and cheese...to die for! The highlight for today, however, was the cathedral we saw in Cologne. It was huge, beautiful and forbidding all at once. It brought to mind something I've considered in the past but never really put to words. We're all really just passengers here on Earth. We like to think we're important, that we have a say and that our lives will have meaning. The truth is another matter though. That cathedral has been there, in one form or another, for over 700 years. Think about that. 700 years. Canada wasn't even a country then, at least not in the sense that we know it today. Barring some kind of apocalypse, It will be there long after you and I are gone and it inspired me. It inspired me to do the best with what I have at my disposal and to say to hell with everything else. After all, what else can I do? The beauty was equaled only by the creepy factor. Close up, some of the sculptures were indescribable. They were equal parts of Gothic gruesome and archaic awesome. I've never been a religious man. I've always been of the mind that making your way as best you can was the best we could do, and I still feel that way. But after seeing something like this, I can see why people believe. It's truly awe inspiring. From the gargoyles to the bullet holes, yes you read that right, bullet holes, it's a sight to see.
Inspiration, in my humble opinion, is all about perspective. Some people see a virgin forest and think it's nature, a beautiful landscape with life teeming among the trees and bushes. Others just see a potential site for a productive paper mill. Either way, both parties are inspired and how that inspiration motivates them is perspective, plain and simple. Find what motivates you and get yourself a positive perspective, then run with that bitch...you'll be happier for it.
A small side note. Cologne is famous for many things. One of them is the bridge we crossed over on the train coming into the city. The bridge spans the Rhine river and there is a railing that runs its length where the pedestrians walk. That railing is covered in tens of thousands of padlocks. The story is simple and remarkably heartwarming. Lovers buy a padlock together and go to the bridge. They fasten the lock to the railing with the others, then throw the key into the Rhine as a symbol of their undying love. Seriously hokey and beyond romantic. Kierstie and I have promised ourselves another trip back to do exactly that. The picture below was taken from the train so I apologize for the quality.
I've had a few Rot Wein's again this evening, but I was careful to keep it in check. Can't be a boozer and neglect my blog. I did however get a personal insight and it's tied to the lesson for the day. It's not so much a lesson as an observation, but I think it's relevant. Creative types work better with a little "lubrication", if you catch my drift. With each entry in this blog, I find my insights are clearer to me, the vocabulary more forthcoming, when I have a little glow about me. I learned last night that a glow and a blazing mushroom cloud are NOT the same thing, so I figure self control and Kiersties concerned looks are the best measure of my wine intake limits. I make no apologies though. It's really nice to sit back and have a glass or two of Shiraz, knowing that I'll enjoy my writing all the more for it. Cary feels me on this, we're Shiraz junkies together.
I think one more glass of Yellow Tail, then a snuggle with my BeBe.
Night all, sleep tight.
Ian
I've had FAR too much Rot Wein (red wine to you and me) so I think I'm done. I did take the promised pictures of the festival but can't face a full post this evening. Cologne tomorrow, I believe, with pictures as well, if we go.
Good night, must remember to drink the bottle of water and take my Advil.
Ian
Well, let me tell you. Today was a day...and not much more. I woke up cranky and annoyed. Kierstie and I had coffee and after about an hour of me muttering, she dragged my ass back to bed and we went back to sleep. A little "Baum Chicka Baum Baum" after that made the day much better, how well Kierstie knows me. Best Wife Ever! We hit the town again, grabbed some nibblies and walked around, but it was cold today, so we started back and stopped at the Cafe Ferdinand for a beer/wine before coming home. We hit up a couple of episodes of Deadwood (wicked show) and fell asleep...again. I know, it's a hard life for us here.
There's a festival going on in Bochum right now. It's some kind of renaissance/street festival with people in medieval costumes and swords and live performers. It was fun to walk around and check out the booths but the cold was sucking Kierstie's will to live, so that's when we left. I neglected to bring the camera, so no pics yet, but I'll be sure to bring it out tomorrow and get some to share.
This blog is opening my mind. Feedback from family and friends has been positive and encouraging. It's making me realize that if I can write something like this and entertain people, then maybe me writing a novel isn't as impossible as it sometimes seems. Let me take this opportunity to thank all of you who've sent encouragement. The blog is now being read all over the world. Besides Canada, I have readers in the US, Germany (obviously), Sweden and even Turks and Caicos. The Turks and Caicos reader might just be a friend on vacation (thanks Omar) but still, it looks neat on my statistics map in Google Blogger. I'll take what I can get.
As I said, today was much ado about nothing. As a result, the subject matter of this post is rather Seinfeld-esque...somewhat irrelevant but hopefully entertaining. On a funny note, I'm loving my apparent increase on the hotness scale since we arrived here. Now, I know it's got nothing to do with me personally. I'm sure everyone wonders what it would be like to travel to a far away land and be the exotic foreigner. Well, it appears that German women like exotic foreigners. I have gotten hit on more in the last 2 weeks than in the last 2 years. For example, the night of the costume party there were 2 German girls who were really trying hard (according to Kierstie) to get into my pants. I tend to be a little clueless about it sometimes but Kierstie assures me that they wanted to be the bread in an Ian sandwich. Hello ego boost!
Now I'll think I'll sign off. I'm suddenly feeling the need to drink and watch Vikings.
Lesson for the day. Be excellent to each other...and party on, dude!
Outie...
Ian
Hello all. Today was a day of revelation for me. No the biblical kind, just a simple realization that Canada has crossed some lines that probably should never have been crossed. I'll elaborate on that a little later, but for now, I'll just explain the basics of the day.
Kierstie and I hit the streets, on a mission to pick up a few more things to make our lives easier and to help Cary get his flat more organized (Org-Gasm's Baby!). We cruised, had some baked goods, both savory and sweet, then met Cary at the Rathaus to hit the train to Poco. Poco is a store they have here in Bocum that sells junk. And I do mean junk. Every item Kierstie picked up was over-priced and was on par with the original Hyundai Pony, quality wise. After purchasing a shoe rack, which was plastic and therefore not total junk, we went next door to Real, basically a German Wal-Mart. We had much better results, buying food and other goodies. It was fun to shop like a North American for a while. We headed back and installed, mounted, re-arranged and organized. Kierstie was very happy and Cary had some nice surprises when he got home from his show this evening. All in all, a productive day. It did rain however. The pedestrian lifestyle gets a lot less romantic when sheets of freezing cold rain are falling from the heavens. Needless to say, I sprang for a cab back to the flat and we dropped Cary off at work on the way home.
Lets get back to crossed lines. I've seen things here that I've seen before in Canada, but they've all mysteriously disappeared. Please see below...
As I said, no bubble wrap here in Germany. The kids play on every dangerous (and cool) playground toy there is. Monkey bars, teeter totters, the spinning wheel of death, it's all good here. I have to admit, I kind of respect them for that. They simply operate under the assumption that the children have parents that actually pay attention to what their kids are doing...imagine that. Instead of the government legislating common sense, like my beloved Canada seems to be doing, they operate under the assumption that the parents actually know what's best for their child and let them decide. Kids climb on ridiculously inappropriate things and if they fall, well, a trip to the hospital, a cast or some stitches and then the child knows better. It's called growing up.
I did insane things as a child. Skateboarding down a steep hill followed by a face plant. No rules races on a GT snow-racer through trees at Esther Lorrie park in Rexdale. I was also a huge fan of projectile weapons growing up, enough said on that front. Don't even get me started on water sports, I did some ridiculous things. And now, having done them, I know just how ridiculous they were. I don't claim to be an expert. I am the last person who should give parenting advice, since I obviously don't have children. Unfortunately for you all, I'm like my father. My lack of experience in a particular subject doesn't mean I won't have an opinion on it. The truth is, Canadian government has been systematically taking away minor freedoms. They are obvious things, such as no smoking in a car with a child present. A good rule, in theory, and it's just common sense. As a smoker, I would never smoke with a child in a car...ever. I wouldn't even smoke with a child nearby. But, like every legislated common sense law, there's no thought behind it. I offer as evidence a story I heard a while back about an 18 year old who was pulled over for a minor traffic infraction. During the course of the stop, another 18 year old passenger in the back seat lit a cigarette (her own) and the driver was charged because the smoking girls 15 year old sister was in the car. Atrocious! Another one that drives me bonkers is that kids can't have peanut butter at school. Seriously? I understand that there are kids who are deathly allergic. I get it,
truly. But are there not children with bee allergies? Did they ban
bees at schools? What about the million other things that ANYONE
can be allergic to? I went to grade school with a kid who had a deadly serious
allergy to sesame seeds. Well, we just didn't give him sesame seeds and last time I checked, it was okay to send your child to school with a pack of sesame snaps. Imagine the simplicity. If you're allergic to something, don't eat it. I myself had
an allergy to homework while growing up, but they still shoved it down
my throat. ;-)
The hard truth is this. Legislating common sense gives people a legitimate, government issued, excuse to be stupid. Don't worry, the government will tell us what to do. At its basest level, that's playing with natural selection. I know, that's a stretch, but if you ponder a bit, you'll likely see it's not as far a stretch as you might think.
I love Canada. I miss it too, even after only a couple of weeks. I miss dishwashers and dryers. I miss 24 hour Wal-Marts and McDonalds menus that don't include anything with "wurst" in the name. But I also miss old Canada. The Canada where you could go down a 15 foot metal slide with no safety rail, then jump up to the rings hanging from chains and hang upside down until your head felt like it would pop.
Lesson for the day. Think for yourself. Pay attention to the laws that elected officials are passing without asking your opinion. I guarantee you that 5 minutes of Googling will open your eyes to a world of lunacy that you never knew existed.
Hope that wasn't too deep for you all and I also hope that anyone with a differing opinion will have the courage to tell me so, I love a good debate and, if you're good, you might even get me to admit I'm wrong. Like the old saying goes, opinions are like assholes...everyone has one. Well, I made a new saying. Opinions are like hands...Only one of them is the right one!
Nighty night all...
Ian
Another beautiful day in Bochum today. 21 degrees and partly cloudy with a 100% chance of beer. We walked the city again today, on the lookout for any available org-gasm materials while snacking on whatever was handy. Cary and Christian took us to the Rathaus (city hall) to register ourselves in the city. We still need to go to the Auslander (foreign) office next tuesday to get official and acquire our visas for getting jobs and being eligible for social programs, etc. Apparently the state sponsors German school, so we're really looking forward to that. Anyway, we went and Christian spoke for us, as he usually does, and we got an official piece of paper that says we have an address here. Apparently that's very important to Germans. You can't get anything without an address. No bank account, no cell phone, nothing. In any case, while we were at the office, it occurred to me that everyone knows that we left Canada to try things here in Germany, but most people may not know why.
In all honesty, it started as a pipe dream. We've all seen shows like "Live Here, Buy This" and "House Hunters International" and both Kierstie and I would say We could to that, it would be really cool. The truth is, we all say that. It's easy to say, but when the chips were down and the fit hits the shan, we honestly just ran out of reasons not to do it. The chances of us having children are slim to none. We're not prepared to make ourselves into guinea pigs for fertility doctors and we really don't want all the pressure that comes with all of the treatments, so we just said to hell with it. If it's not meant to be, then it's not meant to be. Once we reconciled ourselves to that, we quickly realized that having jobs to pay for a 3 bedroom house that we no longer need seemed remarkably stupid. We considered moving to a smaller condo, like my parents did, and once we made that leap, it was a simple matter of saying If we're doing that, then why not try somewhere new? Enter Germany, Cary and Christian.
We came to Germany specifically because Kierstie's brother had a flat here and we thought it would be best to have someone we know and trust to help us get our feet under us. Well, both Christian and Cary have been remarkably helpful. Allowing us to invade their space and helping us with every little thing, they've been beyond amazing. I'm sure we've annoyed them a million times since we arrived but we're getting on very well. Kierstie's dual citizenship (Canada/Britain) makes the leap here easier. She is entitled to a visa and, because I am married to her, I am as well, although I'll have to jump through quite a few more hoops since I am just an plain ole' Canadian.
Personally, I came here to write. I've always said I would write a novel, since I love to read. At home I was reading 4-5 novels a week, mostly sci-fi/fantasy and action novels with some classics mixed in for variety. Here in Germany, my reading has dropped considerably, there's just so much always happening, but I've still managed to complete 4 novels since we arrived. Still liking the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne, it's good stuff, if a bit wordy at times, but I'm all about the vocabulary expansion lately. The cover of the 4th book in the series comments that his main character (Atticus O'Sullivan) could be the heir apparent to the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher. Well, lets not go too far now. It's good reading, or I never would have made it to the fourth book, but it's no Harry Dresden. If you're a reader, try a Dresden novel, they're fun and witty and they make you laugh. If you're not a reader, read one anyway. And why not? Like I said, they're fun and witty and they make you laugh. Don't have time? Then make time. I learned this in my first two weeks here in Europe. If it's truly important to you, you'll find the time somewhere. As a side note, I am happy to recommend novels based on my reading. Chances are I can suggest something you'd enjoy after a few simple questions. My mother is loving the Dresden series so far.
I haven't written a word in my newly proposed novel yet. I've started 2 others and they fizzled, lack of conviction in the idea I guess. I have new ideas now, far too many it seems, and I can't seem to make up my mind. I've read advice columns and tutorials and I know just enough about writing to know they're mostly full of shit. In any case, this blog is at least helping me get into the swing of writing daily, more or less. I hope to start soon and if I get stuck, I can vent my frustrations to all of you in the hopes of a brilliant breakthrough.
I've reviewed this entry now and have concerns that it might be a little too deep to be entertaining but then I remembered some feedback I gave my mother about her possibly pending blog. I said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "there's no right or wrong, it's just about getting across what you want to convey" so I guess I'll follow my own advice and run with it. Battery on our camera was dead today, but Kierstie and I have taken a couple of snaps with our phones over the last two weeks of some particularly amusing products we discovered. I thought I'd share so you can giggle inappropriately, just like we did...
The lesson for today is actually something I learned many years ago as a child, but obviously forgot. Put simply, don't go down a hill on roller skates without knowing what's at the bottom. Cobblestones and roller skates are not good bedfellows and I was moving far too fast to stop before I hit about a thousand proverbial, yet literal, speed bumps. If my heart wasn't already pumping from the exercise, the thought of face planting surely would have got it going. My expertise (yeah, right) and luck saved me from mortal injury, so it all worked out. But keep an eye out, just in case. My 4th glass of wine is being finished as I write this last line, one more chapter of Iron druid, then a snuggle with my BeBe.
Nighty night folks, wish me luck.
Ian
I know I missed a post yesterday, but hey, we all need a break, right? Even from ourselves. In any case, yesterday was relaxing. Some minor shopping but no new revelations, per se. We had a beer here and a coffee there, the usual. Cary and Christian went to a friends house to watch RuPaul's Drag Race. It's truly hysterical TV. It's a reality show where drag queens compete for the ultimate title and 100K, etc. Honestly, it's a lot like Honey Boo-Boo. Hysterical to watch, but most people won't admit to it. I am unrepentant, however. Part of this journey is getting all the laughs we can, even if it is cheesy TV.
Today was a lovely day. We went to a park in the centre of Bochum and had a lovely little picnic. I also kept a promise to my readers, I roller skated. I skated for a long time, but I have to admit, I fell on my ass once. In my defense, it was after a couple of beers. On our way back, I was feeling cheeky because things were going well. I had good control and was confident so I got a little fancy. Fate gave me a little shove and I ended up on my butt, no damage done. Kierstie had a heart attack but once she found out I was fine, I think she was secretly pleased. She figured I was going to fall and she hates to be wrong (wink wink). Cary, the obvious expert, kept telling me to bend my knees. I guess I should have listened a little better but I was honestly expecting to fall more than once so I was happy with the result. I plan to keep at it, there's a path nearby that runs quite a ways, all paved and flat. Perfect for some skating!
Kierstie and I just got off the Skype with my parents in Oakville. They told us the weather has been cloudy, cold and windy for the last little while, not nice at all. It was gorgeous here in Bochum today, and I feel great about that. No hard feelings, I hope (snicker). The park was beautiful and there were scads of people out cycling, blading or roller skating. No wait, there was only me roller skating, everyone else had the blades. I got all the stares from the hot German girls because I was kickin' it old school, hehe. We grabbed sandwiches (Belegte Brot, remember?) from Kamps, Cary and Kierstie's favorite place for sandwiches, then headed out on the bus to the park. We walked (or skated) in about 2 KM's and grabbed beers and sat out relaxing and watching the world go by. Both Kierstie and Christian went chasing after a feral cat that came to check us out, they never got close.
It was our first time on a bus here, and I made a new discovery about the Germans while on board. It appears that school children here are fascinated with with people who speak English. While we were on the bus (which was amazingly clean and nice) we passed by a school and school was out, so about a thousand kids piled on while we were on board. They were extremely loud, as school children are, but very nice and respectful in general. They talked and laughed but everyone behaved very well. I was stuck in a seat away from Kierstie and the others, so when Kierstie called me to a vacant seat next to her, I had to part a sea of children. I stood up and they cleared the way, thinking I was exiting the bus, but I had to go through them so I pointed and said "I gotta go that way, guys". They all stopped in mid sentence and looked at me like I was from Mars, then parted before me like I was Moses. I walked to the back of the bus and, in typical German fashion, they stared at me the entire way and continued to stare at all of us as we talked. They all started whispering then, looking closely at our clothes and what not. I felt like they were taking notes, I couldn't help but smile.
This morning while Kierstie and I were having coffee out the kitchen window, we noticed a trio of polizei (German police) setting up a speed trap outside our building. Two of the officers stayed in a van around the corner while a third setup the radar gun. The radar operator was a very rotund man. He huffed and he puffed and he finally got the damned tripod setup, then he proceed to rub his stomach for 10 minutes while making unrecognizable hand gestures to God knows who. After that, he spent another 10 minutes "aiming" the radar gun, stopping every minute or so to shove his finger as far up his nose as he could get it without causing himself a stroke. Then he rubbed his belly some more and stared through the gun like it was a view-master full of pork schnitzel pictures. He finally pulled one poor guy over, who was not happy about it, and then decided his last hour was productive enough, so he grabbed his tripod and jaywalked across the street (a big no-no here in Germany, Germans are very strict about the lights and such). Whoever you were Herr Officer, thanks. You gave Kierstie and I a great laugh.
All in all, a great day today. After reviewing my blog from a "readers" perspective, I thought it might be a little difficult to read due to the busy background. As a result, I trying a new template to see if it makes it more user friendly. As previously mentioned, comment and questions are welcome, I believe you can make comments on posts at the bottom of the page. If you can't and want to, Facebook me and I will try and see where the problem is.
Lesson for the day today is a simple one. It may sound corny, but today was a day for stopping to smell the roses. Everyone should honestly make time and do exactly that. I know, you don't have the time. Well, that's why it's called "making time" and Europeans are very good at it. All government offices, Doctors and banks all close up shop at 1:00 every Wednesday. I bet that takes the sting out of hump day! Anyway, we laid out on a blanket in the grass and dozed and listened to Madonna while staring upward through the trees as they rocked in the wind. I enjoyed my first WeissBiere since we arrived (like Rickard's White, but much better) and got to sneak a peek up Kierstie's hot dress as we reclined. The sun, a beer, a blanket to lay down on and a tiny little bit of perversion. I love it.
Last night was a staff birthday party for 3 of the cast in Starlight Express. To celebrate, the cast threw a party at a local club and costumes were the order of the day. The theme was "What you always wanted to be" and there were some lively and unusual costumes, to say the least. Cary went as the Flash (Spandex people!) and Christian went as Rum Tum Tugger from the Cats musical. Kierstie looked amazing as a belly dancer and I went to the the Tedi (Euro store) and bought 4 cheap barbies and sewed them to myself. The "Chick Magnet" is an old stand-by that was overplayed in Canada but got a good reception here. I had a group of 20 something girls sing most of "I'm a Barbie girl" every time I walked by...classic. The music was pumping and the Jagermeister and beer were flowing freely, we didn't get back to the flat until after 4:00 a.m. Everyone was wasted except Kiersite, she nursed a glass of wine and danced like nobody was watching.
Needless to say, today was a slow day. I woke up in the P.M. with a semi headache since I was a good boy and took Kiersties pre-hangover cure, which is 2 advil and at least one bottle of water. It works like a charm. We did take a walk to get some stuff but other than that it was Game of Thrones (Daenerys Targaryen is totally hot), some Big Bang Theory and a whole lot of not much. Tomorrow is the putting up of wall mounted items. We have a TV and Exhaust fan to mount, it appears I have a lot of mounting to do tomorrow.
Lesson for the day today is one I will keep close to heart. DO NOT, under any circumstances, give a ridiculously hot blonde woman with a dragon a whole shitload of super-soldiers after insulting the hell out of her. I can assure you, it won't end well.
Nighty night.
Ian
Sunday is like a weekly holiday here in Bochum. The couples all walk the streets with coffee, hand in hand looking at all the shop windows and commenting on the wares. The older gentlemen sit at the tables at Cafe Central on Sudring Strasse (Southring Street) with beer or coffee. They have woolen blankets on their laps because the air is chilled and they smoke and talk and stare. It's quite a scene, very European.
Kierstie and I sauntered down Massenbergstraße (
the ß is a funky German letter and sounds like ess) looking in windows and hunting for the Back Werk (a chain bakery). I fell in love with the Gefugelrolle. It's a hot turkey roll surrounded by pastry and cheese and it's to die for. Kierstie had a Belegt (sandwich) and we each got a sweet and sat down at the table on the street, watching the pedestrian traffic while sharing treats and coffee. The table across from us had 4 men talking and laughing animatedly. The entire time, they were all worrying some kind of prayer beads in their right hands gesturing and generally having a good time, as if the beads were part of their hands.
A new German observation from me again today. Germans love their dogs. Not surprising considering the amount of breeds that come out of Germany. The Rottweiler, the German Sheppard, the Dachsund, the Doberman and more. Here the dogs are everywhere. They are in the restaurants laying at the feet of their masters sleeping quietly and causing no issues. Most stores have water dishes and dog treats outside and the dogs walk into the stores just as casually as the people. Most dogs are leashed but there is the odd one walking free, dutifully weaving in and out of the legs just behind it's master. Short version, they are Hund crazy over here.
For your viewing pleasure, a view from our flat, facing south...
Lesson of the day, Sundays are for relaxing. Having a beer, a coffee, not doing much of anything. I used to hate Sundays for the simple reason that they inevitably led to Mondays and now I have to concentrate to even remember what day of the week it is. Right on!
Ian
Today was a banner day for us. We finally got to see Cary in Bochum's production of Starlight Express. The theatre is...in a word...amazing. The industrious Germans got their act together and built the thing 1988 in only 3-4 months and it's seriously cool. The ramps all move and there are multiple levels where the cast skates around the audience. They have seat in the middle that rotate 360 degrees so you can spin your chair to see the entire show. It's impossible to see it all, there's too much going on at once. They fly around the stage down moving ramps and flying up the walls on their old school 4 wheeled roller skates. Obviously the production was all in German, not that it mattered much. It's a simple story and is more about the singing (excellent) and skating (really excellent), so we had no trouble keeping up.
Cary was hysterical. His garish makeup and wacky antics made me pee my pants. His character was Dustin, the fat coal car (for those of you who don't know, the characters in the show are train engines and their associated cars). They put the poor bastard in a fat suit costume that weighs a ton and he totally killed it. The kids love him because, let's be honest, what kid doesn't love a fat man on roller skates? Kierstie was both delighted and terrified. I could tell when she was afraid Cary would hurt himself because she would grab my arm when he went flying down a ramp or up onto the halfpipe the have on the main part of the stage. She screamed as loud as she could every time he went by and even ran down to the track with the kids near the end of the show to give Cary "five" as he skated by. The rest of the cast was awesome as well, it was a great time had by all. Special thanks to Cary for the great tickets.
Newsflash! Cary lent me his spare skates from the show, expect pictures of me on wheels in the near future. Whether the wheels are on the skates or on a gurney remain to be seen.
Our exposure to German culture was limited, since we took a cab to and from theatre, but I did take a walk to procure costume supplies earlier today and strolled through the city hitting Euro stores (dollar stores, duh!). They are all over and are fun to browse through. I grabbed a Starbucks (Kondense Milch, yech!) and hit the bricks with my iPod pumping. Fun stuff, that. I figured out that I look at least a little local today because I had quite a few people ask me things on the street. My standard response is Sorry, I don't speak German,
and then they just usually proceed in some form or other of English. The couple next to us at the show were nice and spoke English perfectly. I got back to Kierstie in a cleaning mood then we cleaned up, we had a coffee and hit the bricks for the show.
We hit the Netto when we got back, to stock up for Sunday. Yes, that's right, no Sunday shopping here. Netto is one of the 3 grocery stores that I could hit with a rock from our roof. Being honest, the first time I went in I thought I was going to starve to death. When I saw a brand I recognized, which wasn't often, I wanted to buy it whether I needed it or not. I calmed down and am now more familiar, but it's a work in progress. It took me 10 minutes to find parmesan cheese earlier today. I thought it might be interesting to share our shopping list so interested parties can compare (in Euros).
Sesame Snap treats (200g, addictive) - ε1.45
Large Ciabatta Loaf -
ε0.75
Chicken Breast (400g) - ε2.69
Mozzarella Ball (200g) - ε0.49
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (175g x 2) ε1.29 each
Pesto Sauce (jar) - ε2.89
Lasagne Noodles (boxed) - ε1.79
Pepsi (can x 2) - ε0.39 each
Warsteiner Beer (half-litre x 2) ε0.63 each (yes, a half litre bottle for under a Euro)
Australian Cab/Shiraz (Bottle x 2) ε2.29 each (it's not Vintages, but it's still good)
Lindt Dark Chocolate (100g bar) ε1.45
Milka Chocolate Cookies (bag) - ε2.09
Butter Cheese (400g, sliced) - ε1.89
Hygienic Wipes (bag) - ε0.65
Deli Chicken Breast (100g) - ε0.89
A Bag - ε0.10
All that, totaling around 27 Euros, or $36 Canadian. It's seriously cheap to live here. A full access pass to all trains and buses within Bochum is ε47.00 per month, inclusive. Trips outside the city can be purchased as add on's to your existing pass on an as need basis. My only complaint is that the ticket machines don't have language options. I guess it's just another reason to learn German quickly. Below is a picture of the street taken from the window of our flat, facing north. Netto is the yellow sign across the road.
I think that's it for the evening, need to slurp some wine and read and I'm too comatose to proofread this entry right now. I will be a good boy and fix any mistakes tomorrow. Lesson for the day. If it's your blog and you don't want to edit it, then don't. Creative laziness, at it's best.
Ian
Well, day 9 is done and I've discovered another thing that Germans are passionate about...football. For the uninitiated, that's soccer. In any case, it was a madhouse on the train. We went to Dortmund early this afternoon to shop for costume supplies for a party we're attending this weekend. On the way back, we saw the crowds of scarf wearing (Black and Yellow for Dortmund, Blue and White for Bochum), beer guzzling fans. This was still early too, hours before the game. Cary was eager to get back before the trains got really rowdy and packed. I made a mental note to pay attention to game days and then be careful what colour I wear when I go out. Still, it was an experience. I could hear the crowds chanting from the stadium in the distance, and it's not close, at least 2 KM's away.
Dortmund is a bigger city than Bochum, sort of like Toronto and Mississauga. We went there to shop at Primark, a chain clothing store. It's like Old Navy meets Stitches, on crack. The place is multiple floors with people everywhere, it's truly a nightmare. Today I discovered that I can just pop in some headphones and listen to music while shopping. I followed Kierstie around while she browsed and shopped and I listened to music and ignored the commotion around me. She would occasionally hold up something for an opinion, I gave a nod or a shake. My kind of shopping. While walk to lunch at Vapiano's, an italian place that's popular all over Germany (and worldwide, I believe), we found a wine shop and Kierstie fell in love with a Sauvignon Blanc from Slovenia. We walked in and asked for a New Zealand wine but they didn't have it, so they suggested this one and popped a bottle out of the cooler for her to try it. How awesome was that? Is this good? Try some and see for yourself. Awesome.
Moving back to Vapiano's, the food was good but the whole process is just plain weird. As you walk in, you get a card. It's like your virtual charge card. You walk around and order what you want, either from the bar or at the food stations and scan your card. It's cafeteria style, with no wait staff, just bus people clearing. Everything is self serve. Just don't lose your card. Apparently they charge you 50 Euros if you do. It was all too much for me to handle right then so I sat at the table and drank beer while the others did their thing. Krombacher beer, good stuff. We walked the streets for a bit after lunch and saw a full orchestra playing music in a platz (square or plaza) close to the hauptbahnhof (central train station, every city has one, like Toronto's Union station), it was quite cool. Then we hit the hooligan express back to the Bochum HBF
We returned to the flat after purchasing some supplies in Bochum, we chilled out and watched TV (Loving Vikings, and lamenting the completion of the Spartacus series). In short, we were lazy as hell. Why not, I say.
My lesson for the day. It was particularly satisfying feeling to get up this morning and put on socks that I got out of an actual drawer. Something so simple, hysterical. Sorry, forgot the camera so no pictures today. Boo me.
Ian
Well, it's been a day. After a solid week of living on a mattress on the floor with suitcases strewn about our room, we've finally conquered the Ikea and have purchased ourselves a bed and some furniture. Cary (Kierstie's brother and our host here in Bochum) was also kind enough to offer us the use of two shelving units for additional storage, so Kierstie has been hanging and folding all night while I've been screwing (snicker) and hammering all of our purchases together.
This was our second trip to Ikea since we arrived in Bochum. The first time was a fiasco. We were tired, unsure of the procedures and, like an idiot, I forgot the measurements that I dutifully took of each and every square inch (or centimeter) of our bedroom. Kierstie and I pored over all the options. I configured and reconfigured based on the measurements provided and we came up with an attractive design that would have looked fabulous. In the end, Kierstie just looked at me while we were in the middle of selecting a higher end bed and she said "I think we should just buy the cheap one.". So, we did. We have the cheapest dressers (20 euros each), the cheapest bed (39 Euros) and the middle of the road mattress, which came rolled in a bag and was easy to carry. We had a ton of other stuff as well. If there was a way to organize something, Kierstie wanted it. Racks and hooks and bins and hangy things. She got em all and is still in the process of putting things in their place as I type. Anybody who knows Kierstie, knows she hates disorder. She's taming the beast right now and she's very happy with her "Hobo Chic" furniture, having her Org-Gasms,as I call them. She is remarkably satisfied after a good organization session. After a week in a suitcase, the cheap stuff is really quite...awesome.
A special mention for Christian, who was the pack mule of the day. We had so much stuff from Ikea that the taxi we hired only had room for one of us. Christian went while the rest took the train back to the flat. When we arrived, he'd hauled every piece of it to the flat on the 4th floor. Honestly, I was dreading that carrying it all up 4 floors, it was an amazing surprise. Thanks again Cristian.
Ok, now for a few more things I've noticed about Germans and Germany. Firstly, it appears that old German ladies think it's okay to simply walk up to a counter you've been waiting for service at and just butt right in there like they own the place. I'm not entirely sure if it's because we're foreign, or just because they're older so they think we should wait, but Kierstie damn near bit the head off the second lady to try it at the bakery today.
The beer here is a culture. Not like in Canada. I know Canadians are proud of their beer, and they should be. It's damn good beer. It's good here too, but it's not just about the quality, it's about quantity. They drink a lot of beer here, and I do mean A LOT. The average German consumes 107 litres of beer per year. The average Canadian consume about 68 litres per year. Crazy, considering I know how much beer Canadians drink first hand. Germans drink it like mothers milk. They drink it on the subway, in the street and everywhere else they can, except in their cars. Germans seem very offended by drunk driving, and it's not there isn't a train to everywhere here so there's no need for it.
Germans stare. I am not yet used to it and I don't like it. In Canada, if someone stared at me like the average German does, I would say "Can I help you with something?". Here, it's just normal, I guess. Young or old, fat or thin...they stare. Cary just waves and says a cheerful "hello". I stare back and scowl while promising death with my eyes. So far, I've never been the first to look away. Muahaha.
We went to Essen a few days ago. I popped a pic of a beautiful cathedral and got a snap of Kierstie and I at a cafe.
Also, some before and after pics of our bedroom.
More to come, tomorrow is now a "relax" day. Comments and questions are welcome.
Ian
Ok, we made it. Our first week has been a blur of beer steins, wine glasses and excessive amounts of pork. So, a few fun facts for all you curious folks, some things I've noticed about the day to day life here Bochum, Germany.
- Beer is, in fact, cheaper than water here. At least it's cheaper than bottled water.
- Germans are ridiculously fond of bakeries, and who can blame them. There are almost as many bakeries as there are places to have a beer and they are filled with amazing breads and treats to grab and eat as you walk...Awesome.
- Things are cheaper here, and more expensive. Eating out, having drinks, buying food at the supermarket and buying hygiene products and such at DM (The German Shoppers Drug Mart) is all MUCH cheaper than in Canada. Like ridiculously cheaper. For example, Kierstie and I had two 23cm Pizzas (9 Inches), a beer and a bottled water for 13 euros, tip included. Not that you have to tip, nobody here does. But hey, we're Canadian. Electronics and anything "cool" is about 20-25% more than at home. Clothing is about the same, unless the brand is from America, then it's WAY more than home. Hollister is popular, and pricey here.
- The train system here is amazing. At least the little bit that Kierstie and I have had experience with. We've been to Essen, a neighboring city, and we also took the train from the Airport in Dusseldorf to the Flat here in Bochum. It was 20 Minutes from the airport with 8 bags. It wasn't easy, but we managed and carrying all that stuff up to a 4th floor walk up wasn't fun. Special thanks to Cary and Christian for that. I think the metrolinx peeps should grab Rob Ford and Karen Stintz and come here for the scoop. There's a train line right outside our flat and the train is literally quieter than the cars.
- The mix of people is something else. Everyone lives much closer together so the freaky, weird people are all up front and on display. So far I have seen a raving madwoman who swilled wine right from the bottle while screeching at random, Sid Vicious style punk people and a very diverse range of beggars. The "normal" people just walk on by the weirdos and beggers as if they don't exist and everything just moves along, it's all very metropolitan. All in all, it seems that the key is to mind your business and everyone else seems to as well.
- Finding common things (to us) can be hard. There are things that they just don't do here. For example, coffee cream. Simple half & half that you can get in any gas ststion or grocery store at home is all but non-existent here. We searched for days and Kierstie finally came up with Kaffee Sahne, or Coffee Cream. You're thinking "Well, there you go.." but nobody buys it so not many places even have it and it comes in a little tiny package that is totally cool and foreign all at once. They either use milk or condensed milk here. Not cream. Even Starbucks uses condensed milk. Sacrelige! Other examples are Kuering coffee machines/pods (Oh how I miss you), barbeque sauce (they have it, but it sucks), prime rib (they are pork people here) and wine from New Zealand.
- Not everywhere takes a Visa credit card. We were shocked to find this out. Major retailers like Saturn (German Best Buy) and even Ikea don't take Visa.
There are dozens of other differences, I'll do my best to explain as I go. Maybe I'll even convince Kierstie to post something from time to time. Until then, it's off to the Rathaus (City Hall) either tomorrow or the next day to see about getting us "official" in Germany. We heard that the state sponsors beginner German classes so we are excited to see where that takes us. We're picking up bits and pieces of the language here and there but in all honesty, I have yet to meet a person who couldn't understand English. I'm told it's common for English speakers in the area to never bother learning German. That won't be us, we're here for the experience and learing a culture mean learning the language, right?
Until next time...
Ian
