Hello from Köln!

Getting to Germany was an adventure—it started thundering and pouring just before my flight was supposed to board. They couldn’t load the luggage or meals because the weather was so bad, so that was an additional delay. (Keep in mind that the flight was supposed to leave at 10:20 PM—I was worried that it would be delayed until the following morning!) Fortunately, we were able to leave around 12:15 AM, but it was a pretty bouncy ride due to the weather. I arrived in Frankfurt, got my luggage, bought a discount train card and a train ticket to Köln… and the train to Köln got delayed.

Dragging my bags onto and off the train was another challenge, especially when I got to Köln and couldn’t find an elevator or escalator. I figured out a way to carry one suitcase (47 pounds)  and my backpack (23 pounds) while thumping the other suitcase (44 pounds) down the stairs behind me, but a very nice Kölner guy picked up the other side of the thumping suitcase because I was making so much noise. (Danke.)

The hostel is just around the corner from the train station, and it’s pretty nice, especially compared to the sketchy ones I’ve been to in New York and Prague. I’m rooming with another Fulbrighter whom I met online, and we’re on the fourth floor (third floor in Germany). There’s no elevator. Yeah, that was fun. She took one suitcase while I dragged the other one, but I’m not looking forward to lugging it back down the stairs. We asked to use the freight elevator, but the lobby management didn’t seem to like that plan. (It was worth a try, right?)

Anyway, Köln is a nice, walkable city. We walked to the top of the Kölner Dom (533 steps, not including the steps in the observation area), wandered around the Altstadt, and visited the chocolate museum. It wasn’t quite as cool as the Zotter factory that we toured in JYM (no hot chocolate!), but if you ever end up in Köln, it’s worth visiting. After that, I went back to the hostel and took a nap, and then M and I looked for an affordable Chinese restaurant, failed miserably, and ended up eating Turkish food again. Mmmm, falafel.

By the way, did I mention that I appear to be allergic to my watch, which I’ve and worn for almost four years? Don’t laugh. I itch.

Plans for tomorrow: art museum?