the 533 step program

In only 533 steps, you can achieve great heights. 515 feet, to be exact.

I would say the Cathedral in Cologne (the Kölner Dom, as the natives would say) is a must see, but it's really more of a can't avoid. It is the largest Gothic church in Europe and boasts the second largest church spires and the largest church facade in the world. 

And it's located about 50 feet from the exit to the main train station...

Like I said, you can't miss it! 

I went to Cologne (Köln to the natives) last weekend with the teacher I'm currently living with.  We only had the afternoon in the city, and the bulk of the time was spent at the cathedral. After a careful inspection of the inside, we decided get a new perspective on things. 

1.50€ later we were on our way up the 533 step spiral staircase that leads right to the top of one of the spires. 

Of course I tried counting steps, but once I got to 33 and said to myself "only 500 more to go!" it got a little depressing and I gave up. The majority of the route is a single spiral staircase, maybe about 2 feet wide. Oh, and did I mention everybody is going up and down the same staircase at the same time?

For someone who's not claustrophobic at all really, being trapped in this never-ending, never-beginning, dizzying whirlwind of steps with no less than 75 others was making even me a little anxious. 

However, between the getting to see the giant church bells (seriously. Respect, Hunchback.) and the view from the top over the whole city and the lovely Rhine River, it was totally worth it.  Just see for yourselves...

That time it felt like Georgia in Germany

Let's start this one off with some new vocab: Altweibersommer. 

It means Indian Summer. Or for those of you who had a more politically correct upbringing, it's that time in the fall, after the weather has started cooling off, when it suddenly get's really warm again. 

 

For the past week (and it's predicted to continue for a few more days, at least!), we've been having unseasonally warm weather up in Dortmund. On top of that, the skies have been crystal clear without a cloud in sight. I can honestly stand outside in the warm September sun, close my eyes, and be transported to Georgia.

Cologne, Germany - September 2011

Fall is, without a doubt, my favorite season in Georgia. There is this sweet spot, starting as early as the end of September and going as late as the end of October, where it stops being 1000 degrees, the humidity decides to take a break, the leaves start changing, and the warmth of the sun is combined perfectly with the cool breeze of the changing seasons. If it were always October in Georgia, I would never miss the other seasons.

Piedmont Park, Atlanta, GA - October 2008

Athens, GA - October 2009

   

The season is also associated with a lot of great things which always make me look forward to it. The Oconee County Fall Festival (it is not officially fall until I've had some fall festival kettle corn), the endless Saturdays spent tailgating with friends, settling into the routine of school while it's still new and enjoyable (something that is seriously lacking from the never-ending, dragging semester in spring, where the changing weather is a constant reminder that it's almost summer and your still stuck inside studying). Fall is the build-up to one of my favorite holidays: Halloween, and it gives way to my absolute favorite: Thanksgiving. 

 

All in all, it is the perfect combination of all the good things Georgia has to offer. 

 

So when I go outside on days like today, when I close my eyes and breath in the crisp autumn air, all I really want is to open my eyes and be in Georgia.

Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta, GA - October 2008

what can I say... Fall makes me feel poetic.

This is my happy face!

This is what I look like when I'm not circling the drain of emotional fatigue and self-loathing that is brought on by searching for a WG in peak season (aka right before the university semester begins).

*

That's right, everybody - I am no longer homeless!! After 2 months of emailing, 3 weeks of viewing, 18 Besichtigungstermine, 17 noes, and a little shameless self-promotion, someone finally decide I was cool enough to move in! 

 

the catch: my room is completely unfurnished, but that's nothing some asking around at school, checking out ebay, and trips to Ikea (jag älskar Ikea!) can't easily remedy!

 

The awesome part: the location is amazing! it is right in the center of town. Literally. It's not like when some people say they live in town but really they live in like reasonable walking distance of town... I live like Ted Mosby's apartment to McAlister's Bar close to downtown. Remember how I said I'd been hanging out at Starbucks a lot, I could be at that Starbucks in like 5 minutes. If I walked slowly. It's so downtown that it's where the put the label for the entire city of Dortmund on Google Maps. That is legit.

I'll have one roommate. and from the 30 minutes I got to meet her last Friday, I'd say she's pretty awesome. 

 

I won't move in for another week or two, but life is so much happier knowing I won't be eternally homeless. 

*Maybe that's why I had such a hard time finding a place...

something to consider when visiting Germany...

The difference between beer in Nordrhein-Westfalen/Cologne and in Bavaria/Franken:

Need I say more?

You can't judge a city by its fountains...

But you can totally love way more because of them. Case in point...

That's right ladies and gentlemen, that is a statue of a horn player. But wait, look at the close up. 

Even better, it's a horn player emptying his spit (I mean, really his horn is upside down and just look at the concentration in his face, what else could he possibly be doing?) 



poetic, eh? A horn player empties his spit and thus was born a fountain. I could not think of a more appropriate connection. 

But really, he's called the Bläserbrunnen (the best literal translation I can think of would be the "wind player fountain"... kind of a weird one to translate) and is located in the middle of the Altermarkt (old market) in Dortmund.

Why yes, I also think it's a sign that I belong in this city

Where the cool kids hang out

I seem to remember posting a post very similar to this last year. But what can I say, when you need free wifi, you need free wifi!

And Starbucks is the place to be for free wifi! (it's even more free when you don't buy a drink... not that I've ever done that... a lot)

I've actually been at Starbucks quite a bit in the past week. It's not because I don't have internet at home and am desperately seeking outside sources (nothing the good ol' O2 stick couldn't come out of retirement for), it's just that I'm spending a lot of time in the city killing time between Besichtigungstermine. Since it's a 30 min and 8€ train ride home, it's a little easier to just stay out while I'm here. 

Also, I seemed to have rekindled my love for chai tea lattes! delightful. 

This is my sad face

I made the mistake of checking the number of emails in my WG-Gesucht folder in gmail today. And if I wasn't already depressed after 2 weeks of rejection, I definitely am after realizing there are over 150 emails in that folder with a total success rate of 0%.

This is my sad-no-one-wants-to-live-with-me face. I'm getting pretty good at it.

I'm becoming excessively melodramatic about the whole situation (incase that wasn't obvious). My friend even came to the point of (very affectionately, I'm sure) giving me the nickname "Emoly." 

Basically, this is one of those posts to remind you that even though I like to pretend I'm in Germany avoiding the real world, it's not all sunshine and beer gardens.