Bonn und Köln!

Hello lovely people one and all!



Well, as I said yesterday, I will update the blog on all things that have been lacking from it henceforth. Except for videos, they take so long to upload and to be honest, who has that kind of time in GERMANY!!!



So... 6-10-08



This morning, we met our group at the bus station next to the Neues Rathaus at 10 am! We got on our little blue bus and road out to Bonn!!!



To be very truthful, the only buildings in Bonn that we saw, were the ones we saw from the bus rides in and out of town. The whole time we were in Bonn, we were at a Museum. This museum was like "Eine Geschichte von Deutschland" or something to that effect, basically meaning, "A History of Germany."



The Museum was really interesting. It basically started off with WWI\II and went forward. The first level of the Museum was a bit sobering. Many pictures of fallen Jews, Germans, people alike were shown. It was hard to see, then there were videos of Germany after the war. It showed what the cities had looked like before hand, and then afterward. I almost feel that Dusseldorf was the worst of the ones I saw on the video. Everything was bascially gone.



It almost makes me feel a little badly that America had to go in and bomb all those places. However, then I saw images of American Troops liberating people from Nazi camps and I didn't feel sorry anymore. We had a reason to do what we did in WWI\II and I for one am not ashamed for that.



The museum moved on into the USSR period. It was intersting, this museum was all in German, may on or two English lines here or there, but very few and far in between. It really made us use our German. However, like I was saying, the Museum had all different types of Artifacts, pictures, radio broadcasts, documentary type things, T.V show broadcasts, tangible objects, pieces of the Berlin Wall, the center of an Airplane that was used to bring food to the Germans in the U.S Sector of Berlin during oen of the more desperate times of the Berlin Wall. It was a fantastic Museum.



Everyone wished that we had had more time there, we were only allowed two hours, which for this museum, just wasn't enough!



There were some really cool exhibits, like a senate type room, with chairs for people to sit and vote in. A group of very rowdy German Teenagers came through and they pretended to hold a very, very, very, noisy session of the Bundesland senate (I am not quite sure hwo to classify the system). It could be heard throught the entire buidling. The Guard on duty for that section jsut let them go at it and I think he actually personally really enjoyed the spectacle. However, when they moved onto a new section and were goofing around, the Female guard there got up in their faces and told them to have some respect that this was a Museum and not a bar! lol!



There were several exhibits that I really enjoyed. Therewas one, where the different sections were set out for you such as British, American, French, and Soviet union sections of Germany. You could then press on a section and listen to the radio broadcasts from those areas. Each one was quite different from another I can tell you that.



There was a t.v. exhibit, where you sat in a small half circle around 4 tv's and they were branched off into those kind of sections like before and you could watch German television through the ages. We saw the Kennedy speech where he exclaimed " Ich bin ein Berliner" Which actually means I am a doughnut or like a Bismark Doughnut. But I think that the Germans got what he was trying to say. He wanted to saw I am a Berliner, a person from Berlin liek you, working for you, etc. We also saw old time German like cartoons, except they use marionnetts it was cool!!!



There was a era with juke box music, lol, Elvis and that whole music era bit. There was also like music from the 60's and 70's from the States and of course Britian (The Beetles).

Matthew's favorite part of the Museum was the post war posters that were anti US and anti Communist. There were posters with like little boys on them saying "Ami, Go Home!" Another one said "Todays Germany's Military tomorrow the Soviet Republic's."



It was way fun, not a drag at all, and even though I didn't read too terribly much, I understood what things meant, etc.



After the Museum, we got back on our little blue bus (p.s. you know how when you are on a chartered bus, that the bus usually picks you up at a specific point that is most convinent for the travelers. Not here, we had to walk like 15 mins, to our bus in bonn and in Köln ( Cologne)) and we left for Köln!



When we arrived in Köln, we had to walk like 15-20 mins to the Kölner Dom from a random drop-off point. We walked and when we reached the Dom, we had 1 hour in which to do some shopping and eat lunch. Matthew got a huge order of fries from a Doner Kebab stand and I got a Doner Kebab. We went and sat next to the Kölner Dom next to an old Roman archway.

Lunch was quick, but at the same time, hilarious. 1. Beucase this must be the mating time for pidgeons, so all the males were fluffing out their necks and chasing the girls and the girls weren't having it. lol. it was hilarious. 2. Because there was a group of 4 British teenage girls, who every time a pidgeon swooped past them, they would scream! (Actually, that was more annoying than funny). Moving on...

So after lunch at 2 pm we had a city tour of Cologne. We saw little bits and pieces of buildings, the Rathaus, and we saw an archeological dig, where they had found a Jewish Synagoge from way back in the day under the current level of brick. It was super cool.

Our guide also told us about how they were at one time renovating and cleaning the Kölner Dom structure. Because the stone that was once basically was now black! So they were renovating it and the sandblaster was too much for the Kölner Dom exterior and it started to break off chunks of this delicately but very strongly built Cathedral! So they stopped soing it, and I jsut goign to leave it the way it is, and I think everyone is just fine with that. It has been this way for so long, that a while Kölner Dom would just be awkward.

After our tour, everyone (Except Erin who has a huge fear of heights) climbed the like..... way, way tall kölner Dom stairs. Yes mommy, Thats right! Emily has done it again. Remember how bad it was last time. Remember how we wanted to die and you almost gave up.... Yea, that was me this time. I did make it to the top, but being in such a small space, for such a long time, was not good for my tummy. I got way stressed out. It is just a small spiral staircase that goes up forever. (Margaret, you would have had a panic attack, I had a very small one).

After the walk to the top, we decided to chill in the Cathedral to get our bearings again. After this, Matthew and I went to a ridiculously cheap stores where I bought a pair of cute black flats for €3 and a German flower lay for Soccor Fever for €1. It was nice. Then a bunch of us went to eat at the Chicago Steakhouse.

Matthew had a Kolsch (beer made in Cologne) and the steak plate with a baked potato. I had the mixed vegetable plate with 3 small steak pieces (one of which I am certain was still mooing!) and a Kolsch. We had a good time eating and chatting with our friends.

After Dinner, it was time for the Orgel Konzert (Organ Concert). There were 5 pieces played with two encours. Two of which were Bach pieces the first Bach piece was "Sei Gegrüsset, Jesu Gutig" with 11 variations. There were also 3 pieces by french composers, one was from the 1900's and the other two were from .... I have the program in my room, I will have to check back and report.

However, what is really cool about the Kölner Dom is the fact that they have two organs, which are really one Organ, but they can play separately from each other and then together. The one has a deeper reedy qulaity to it and the other has more of a pan flute quality I want to say. It is called the Querorgel. It was so fantastic and Matthew and I just reveled in the fact that we were in Germany listening to an Organ Concert like those in the times of Bach and Buxtehude. We were totally geeking out!!! It was amazing.

After the concert, we headed back to our bus. The bus ride was long (and again we had to trek it out to the bus!!!), people were really loud, rowdy, and some had bought beer and brought it onto the bus with them, proceeded to consume and spill the beer on the bus, Matthew and I were ready to murder someone by the time we reached Mayen. Thank God we got off the bus. lol.

The day was fantastic. Matthew remarked several times that the Kölner Dom is probably the most impressive building he has yet to see and it is by far his favorite site yet!

I am going to upload pictures now, but I thought I would post the blog first so you could read while you wait. lol.

Much love to you all. Matthew and I leave tomorrow right after class for the trainstation. We are going to Regensburg in Bavaria to visit our good friend who was at Luther for a year: Michael M.

We are very excited to see him!!! I am not sure what my access options to the internet this weekend will be, but if I am allowed the opportunity I will update the blog!

We hope that you are all doing well and we wish you well!!! I suppose. hehe! :3

Much love and laughter, Biss Dann! :D