American in Dusseldorf

See New blog

2006-08-28T20:06:00.000+02:00

This is my last post in American in Duesseldorf....please see
http://jamesonthecanal.blogspot.com for the latest in my life.

Madonna Tonight!

2006-08-20T15:57:00.000+02:00

Madonna is playing in Duesseldorf this evening and we will be there early. The opening act is Paul Okenfold!

Here concert is causing controversy for her "disco cross." Here is an excerpt from Deutsche Welle:

That's what prosecutors in Germany are intending to find out when Madonna comes to town to play Düsseldorf on Sunday. Controversy over a mock crucifixion during the concert has dogged the tour so far, and the German regulators will be watching in an attempt to determine whether the scene could be construed as insulting religious beliefs.

Nailed on a "disco cross"

During the offensive section, Madonna is hoisted onto what can be loosely termed a "disco cross" while wearing a crown of thorns. The mock crucifixion has caused outrage in many of the countries in which the singer has performed during the tour to date.

The Vatican is especially upset. Cardinal Ersilio Tonino, speaking with the approval of the pope, recently called the concert "a blasphemous challenge to the faith" and a "profanation of the cross" after Madonna had played Rome. He also called for Madonna, who was raised as a Catholic, to be excommunicated.

Madonna in blasphemy row -- again

"It is disrespectful, in bad taste and provocative," added Father Manfredo Leone from Rome's Santa Maria Liberatrice church. "Being raised on a cross with a crown of thorns like a modern Christ is absurd. Doing it in the cradle of Christianity comes close to blasphemy."

I think if she wants to do such a thing in her act that is her perogative.

This Blog Will End Soon

2006-08-15T23:37:00.000+02:00

FYI: This blog will be ending soon so please update your blogrolls, feeds, links, etc to reflect my new blog that celebrates Amsterdam---my new home as of next weekend. The only left to due in Duesseldorf is to see the Madonna concert this Sunday at the LTU Arena.

The web address is http://jamesonthecanal.blogspot.com

Once you visit my new blog, you will see the look and feel will be similar to this old blog, 'American In Dusseldorf,' however the content will be different--naturally it will contain info on the wonderful, liberal city of Amsterdam.

Additionally, I have decided to rant and rave about the current political climate, both the US and the world as a whole. I have this passion for politics because I believe we should all become involved so as to hopefully create a better world for us all and not leave it up to the corrupt scum that currently dominates the world political stage---especially in the US!

Lufthansa Service Sucks!

2006-08-15T16:20:00.000+02:00

Well, today is day 6 of Matt's checked luggage still missing. Lufthansa has been unresponsive, uncaring and unprofessional during the whole ordeal. Additionally, if you call Lufthansa's lost luggage customer service department it costs you, the consumer with the lost bag based on their negligence, 12 cents per minute!!! Can you believe that?

Then we did some more research online and found out that the airline is only liable for 1,200 Euros per passenger per trip!?! Thanks to this wonderful Montreal Convention which the EU ratified in 2004 and was enforceable effective June 28, 2004.

Let's just hope they magically find Matt's bag because the cost of the bag and its contents exceed 1,200 Euros....

Dreary Weather

2006-08-14T18:32:00.000+02:00

Today it is chilly and rainy here in Duesseldorf. It is 13 degrees C or 56 degrees F. This cooler weather is a welcome relief from what we experienced back in the US. We were strolling around New York City at 103 degrees F!! This is perfect movie weather and tomorrow is "Kino Day" at our local movie theatre...What is playing here in Duesseldorf? Superman Returns--not interested. Over the Hedge--seen it three times on our recent flights. Pirates of the Caribbean 2--not interested. The Da Vinci Code--seen it. The Break Up with Jennifer Anniston--she gets on my nerves....Maybe no movie tomorrow???

Lufthansa service sucks!

2006-08-12T15:38:00.000+02:00

Well, the saga continues. I received my suitcase late yesterday evening, however, Matt´s bag is still missing. Today he will be filing a claim in order to be reimbursed for his missing clothes. Lufthansa admitted that my bag was flown to New York City and was re-routed back to Duesseldorf. How could my bag be sent to the US after heightened security alerts due to a "foiled terrorist plot" involving luggage on flights to the US? Amazing! It is not that we are mad that a bag is now lost, but the way it was handled. Never have they aplogized nor have they handled it professionally...I guess you can not expect professional service these days....

We do have phone service again, but Deutsche Telecom advised our DSL will not be on until Monday. I am relieved that it will happen so soon. I did not expect it to be on before we move to Amsterdam at the end of this month. Time will tell if it indeed is on or not Monday.

Speaking of Amsterdam, I am very excited about our move. I am thinking Amsterdam will be easier for me...We´ll see. Any suggestions on clubs, restaurants, museums or other "must-sees" please leave me a comment...

In Duesseldorf

2006-08-11T12:44:00.000+02:00

We made it back to Duesseldorf Wednesday morning, but Lufthansa lost our checked luggage! It is day three without our luggage and Lufthansa still has no clue where it is except they say the last scan was in Munich.

Then we get back to our apartment and Deutsche Telecom has disconnected our phone and internet service. We call them on the phone and they acknowledge our request was for the end of August, but they disconnected service at the end of July!!!

Is everyone in this world stupid? It seems like everywhere you go or wherever you turn, no one is getting anything right. We cancelled our gym membership for the end of August and after going to the gym this morning they hand us a letter that acknowledges the cancellation for the end of September--we will be in Amsterdam in September!!!?!!! I seriously believe with the modern age and the internet, people are UNABLE to pay attention or focus long enough to get anything right!

Lastly, we turn on the TV the first time yesterday and see the US and the UK is up to the same old tricks. Scaring the populous with fake terror warnings. It is all a scam. Wake up people. We need to throw these fascists out on the street---Blair and Bush (and everyone in their governments!) I am losing faith in humanity and this crazy world.

So enough ranting and raving. Luckily, we are moving to Amsterdam soon....More postings if and when we can now that Deutsche Telecom is full of idiots like the rest of the world.

Posting from 40,000 feet

2006-08-09T04:46:00.000+02:00

oe I am on a Lufthansa flight 425 from Boston to Munich right now. Lufthansa offers wireless internet onboard its trans-atlantic flights at a reasonable rate. It is great to be able to surf the internet on these long, boring flights. Now I am entertained at 40,000 feet!

The movie playing now is "Through the Hedge." I have seen that twice already onboard United Airlines from Boston-San Francisco-Boston. Good thing I have a good book and the internet.

I will be posting more about our up-coming move to Amsterdam soon....

PS. It is such GREAT news that Joe Lieberman is LOSING in Connecticut!!

Last Day in the USA

2006-08-08T16:14:00.000+02:00

Today concludes our three week vacation here in America. We arrived at Boston's Logan Airport back on July 19th, Wednesday afternoon. We spent time in Durham, New Hampshire and the surrounding areas, including all the way up the Maine coast to Portland and out on the cape to Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Additionally, we took a road trip from NH through Vermont over to Niagara Falls, New York. Then we drove south through western NY and into Pennsylvania stopping in Lancaster, PA in Amish Country. How interesting to see a people that today still are riding in a horse and buggy as their main form of transportation. Then we continued our road trip east and north towards New York City where the highs were approaching 103 degrees F or 40 degrees C. Needless to say it was warm, muggy and smelly in NYC, but we visited with a dear friend I've known for many, many years. Finally, we included a side trip flying from Boston to San Francisco...

Now I am sitting in an airport hotel near Boston's Logan Airport waiting for my evening departure to Germany and contemplating our move from Duesseldorf to Amsterdam. I am looking forward to the change of scenery from Germany to Amsterdam. My two favorite cities in the world, thus far, are San Francisco--where I already lived for six years and Amsterdam. There are many reasons why I am looking forward to Amsterdam, but some of them being the government's liberal policies including being the first country in the world to legalize Gay Marriage. I feel the policies of the Dutch government and people are the most aligned with my beliefs.

I hope I end up liking Amsterdam and want to stay there indefinitely because right now I feel a little homeless. Not that we do not have a place to sleep and keep our personal belongings, but I just don't have a place I feel like is home. For example, I love San Francisco and lived there for the last six years (except the last eight months in Duesseldorf--however I was mostly traveling during that time). Also, my mother's side of the family lives in North Carolina and my father's side of the family lives in Florida. I would not like to call either of those places my home. I feel like a visitor when I'm in those locations. There's no sense of connection or grounding to those places, you know what I mean? I use to think San Francisco was my home, but I realize it is too expensive to live there. I want to settle down, buy a home and dig my roots into a location that feels like home. It is a strange feeling--not being connected to some place. So I am hoping Amsterdam becomes that type of place for me. Only time will tell.

My next post will be from Europe. I hope you're all enjoying your summer! Bis bald!

Back in San Francisco!

2006-08-04T18:15:00.000+02:00

We made it to San Francisco. It is nice being back and seeing all of my friends again. The city is just like I remember it.

Last night we went to Happy Hour at Badlands and then for sushi around the corner. It was a great time and I am glad to be back.... More soon.

Road Trip!

2006-07-31T03:20:00.000+02:00

We started our road trip yesterday morning as we left the Three Chimneys Inn back in Durham, New Hampshire. We drove through New Hampshire and stopped in Woodstock, Vermont for lunch. The town was a typical, quaint small town you might see in the movies. We ate at a nice cafe on Main Street that offered delicious, gourment foods. We ended up for the evening in Saratoga Springs, NY. What a surprisingly fun, cute town. They were holding their annual outdoor music festival and we had a great time. We noticed how this cute town was completely obsessed with horse racing. Horses were seen everywhere, including on mannequins in the shop windows--they had horse heads.

This morning we woke up and continued our drive west. We drove through moutainous terrain which eventually flattened until we arrive in Niagara Falls, NY this afternoon. We checked into the Red Coach Inn which is directly across from the rapids. Further downstream is the impressive Niagra Falls. They were truly magnificant. I will post some photos later....

Tomorrow our plans are to visit the Amish Country in Pennsylvania. We have never seen these villages that seem to be stuck in the past. I wonder what causes one to decide to reject the present and live in the past?? If you have any ideas, please comment.

If you have any suggestions for our road trip, please comment. Do you know of any places we should see on our way from Pennsylvania back north to Boston??? Check back for photos later, either in a blog post or by click on the Flickr link....

Boston

2006-07-28T16:44:00.000+02:00

Yesterday we visited Boston. It was hot and humid. Here are a few impressions...

This is a presidential campaign poster for LaRouche in Downtown Boston yesterday:

Revere St and Charles St in the Beacon Hill Neighborhood:

Boston's Old State House, which dates to 1713. This building served as the first headquarters for British government in Boston and was later a landmark in the early days of the founding of the United States:

Why is the USA so backwards?

2006-07-26T17:30:00.000+02:00

Now with the Washington State Supreme Court's decision today, the USA has solidified its role as a discriminatory, backwards nation. It is embarrassing to me as an American to realize how backwards the US really is, especially when compared to Western Europe. Supposedly it is the land of the free, but in reality it is quite the opposite. It is a nation where discrimination reigns and rational, itelligent thoughts are not permitted. Thanks, Washington State!

PROVINCETOWN is my new home!

2006-07-25T02:18:00.000+02:00

I love Provincetown, Massachusetts and I never want to leave...Here are a few impressions thus far:

Here is a sign we encountered on our walk today:

Here I am trying to walk through the tidal flats:

Here's Matt & Annette on the beach today:

Amsterdam or bust!

2006-07-24T03:00:00.000+02:00

Well, the time has come to say goodbye to Duesseldorf. We have lived in Duesseldorf for the last 6 months, however, beginning late August we will be moving to Amsterdam. I am very excited about the move. We already have a nice apartment that overlooks a canal in central Amsterdam. Now I am reading the book, Culture Shock! Netherlands.

This blog will be discontinued and will be renamed....TBD.

In the mean time, we're on vacation in Provincetown, MA; White Mountains in NH; and on our way to San Francisco...

Here are some impressions on our last trip to Amsterdam, excluding when I went to sign our new lease...

I love this crooked building:

Wonderful, colorful tulips at the famous Flower Market:

This is what they call "7 Bridges," according to our canal tour:

CSD 2006 float

2006-07-23T04:52:00.000+02:00


This is a float from Cologne Gay Pride 2006. Notice how the float is passing by an old church.

We made it to Provincetown, Massachusetts!

2006-07-22T23:34:00.000+02:00

We made it to Provincetown today just in time for Tropical Storm Beryl. Luckily we're staying in a beautiful inn, Lands End Inn. We will have a long weekend to enjoy this quaint, seaside village. Photos soon to follow...Have a great weekend everyone!

Back In the US

2006-07-20T14:57:00.000+02:00

We arrived yesterday in Boston after a long, uncomfortable flight on Lufthansa. We both breezed through customs and were met by Matt's sister, Annette. We then picked up our rental car and drove north from Boston to here, Durham, New Hamphshire. It is a cute little town with lots of New England charm. We are staying in the Three Chimneys Inn which is the best place in town. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and dates back to 1649---which in US history is VERY old. :)

Today we will be driving to Portsmouth, NH and check out that place. I will post photos later. Saturday morning we will be heading to Provincetown, Mass. It's nice to be back in the US, but it feels a little less like home this time around...Am I becoming more accustomed to Europe? We'll see.

Here is a photo of one building on the University of New Hampshire campus:

Here is our room at the Three Chimneys Inn:

Another photo of the room:

If you ever must be in Durham, NH, stay at the Three Chimneys Inn.

Christopher Street Day or Gay Pride Cologne

2006-07-16T21:11:00.000+02:00

Today was Christopher Street Day in Cologne, Germany or Gay Pride. It was so much fun. The parade was long, it was hot, there were lots of people, we had lots of fun, etc....

Here are some impressions:

The Ugly American

2006-07-14T23:36:00.000+02:00

No, it's not what you think...It is a coffeehouse that is located in the Pempelfort neighborhood of Duesseldorf. I just learned of this coffeehouse and will be visiting it this weekend for sure. I am a caffeine addict! If you're in Duesseldorf, stop by and check it out!

On Vacation

2006-07-13T16:26:00.000+02:00

Matt and I have been on vacation and I have had limited internet access...therefore, very few postings. I will post more starting Saturday when we return home. So far we have flown to Munich, drove to Graz and Weitz, Austria. We visited a winery in Slovenia. Then we visited the Neuschwanstein Castle, drove up to Ulm and we're now in Nürnberg. More Saturday....

Sunday at the Lake

2006-07-02T18:43:00.000+02:00

Today we had a nice Sunday afternoon at Unterbacht See in Duesseldorf. (Unterbacht Lake) It was nice and warm out. We sat in a cafe by the lake watching all the people strolling and enjoying the lake.

Here are a few impressions from today.

This one is my favorite. This yellow lab was so cute:

Some wildlife on the lake:

Sailboat on the lake:

Windsurfer having difficulties:

Germany Won!!!

2006-07-01T16:39:00.000+02:00

Last night we went out to watch the game in Media Harbor at Eigelstein. The atmosphere was just electric for most of the evening. It was only low when Argentina scored first. Here are a few pics from yesterday:

Big Game Day at 17:00!

2006-06-30T14:18:00.000+02:00

I will be heading out soon to a beer garden to watch Germany play against Argentina in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Today's game is very important because whichever team loses is out. I am so nervous. I am rooting for you Germany, let's do it!!! Everyone keep their fingers crossed that Germany will win.

The USA and the Culture of Fear!!

2006-06-29T20:58:00.000+02:00

I just read on Yahoo.com that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning to travelers to the World Cup, especially those to the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia due to a measles outbreak. What a bunch of bulls***! The article goes on to say that the cases "sprung up" in NRW since January 1st. I live here in Germany in North Rhine-Westphalia and I have not ONCE heard of any measles cases. Did you ever hear a warning from the US officials BEFORE the US team was out of the competition? I am not trying to say they only issued the warning because the US team is out, but clearly the timing is suspect. Especially considering the quarter-finals are being played tomorrow. Why did I just read this warning from the CDC the day before the final-quarters?

This "news" being reported by Yahoo is just another reminder of the Culture of Fear the USA is living in. All of the news is so sensationalized by the media just to boost sales. This sensationalization has another added benefit for the US government, so that the people stay fearful as much as possible. Any time you inject fear into a culture they will look to the government to "save" them. That is why some of the idiots in middle America actually voted for Bush and his cronies. (Don't get me started because I believe the elections of 2000 and 2004 were stolen.)

While I was on vacation in Florida last week, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Everywhere you go in America there is a television set. We ate at this one particular restaurant in Key West that had NINE televisions, NINE! It was so ridiculous. Even at the airport there is television made available. CNN or FOX is blasting headlines: TERROR! TERROR! Americans are reminded and bombarded with "news" to remain on alert and be VERY AFRAID... It is so sickening.

Imagine at Notre Dame

2006-06-28T13:34:00.000+02:00

A Mark Twain Quote

2006-06-25T15:59:00.000+02:00

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.

Mark Twain

Some Pics from Our Trip to Key West

2006-06-24T23:55:00.000+02:00

I couldn't sleep due to jetlag so I wanted share a few impressions of our trip to Key West:

This was Harry S. Truman's vacation home in Key West:

Here is a photo from the drag show at Aqua Nightclub:

Here was one of the better drag queens posing with me at the show:

There are wild roosters and chickens all over the island of Key West:

This is one of the sub-tropical trees seen on the island:

Back from Florida

2006-06-24T17:17:00.000+02:00

We took off from Duesseldorf bound for Florida on LTU with great expectations and trepidation. I was visiting my father and his side of my family for the first time in about fifteen years.

What causes one to discontinue communication with one’s family for that long? What is so bad that requires one to isolate one’s self? I don’t know and I imagine it varies from person to person. Every individual has a unique set of life experience and what causes one to isolate oneself from their family ranges from mundane to serious. I can say that I probably chose to isolate myself from my family under the guise of “coming-out.” I assumed my family would take issue with having a gay son, grandson, cousin, etc. Meanwhile it was I that had or made an issue out of my homosexuality. However, in the end it didn’t matter. It felt like old times again—it felt like home.

I am writing this posting while flying back from Florida to Duesseldorf on air-sickness bags. Then I will type this rough draft into Word and upload it into Blogger when I arrive home.

Now on to the lighter side of our trip. After the family reunion, my partner Matt and his sister, Annette, drove south to the Florida Keys as you know from my last posting. After zipping through the Everglades with a few stops for lunch and to see some alligators and after driving through the western edge of Miami we arrived in Key Largo. We had no reservation that Sunday evening so we drove down US 1 until we spotted a nice-looking hotel. The hotel ended up being the Largo Bay Marriott Resort. The rate was $150 for the night, but that was a walk-up rate so I am sure it is better if you book in advance on their website.

The next morning we continued our road trip from Key Largo on our way south to Key West. I had read online that the best beaches in the Keys were located at Bahia Honda State Park. That led us to take a pit stop in the park and to relax in the water. I have so say the beach was nice, but the old highway that is unused and just built next to the newest one is an eyesore. Why don’t they tear it down? It is just there rusting away in the salt water and rain. Is there more to it than I know? Has it helped create a great coral reef? We continued our journey have about an hour and a half of swimming.

We arrived in Key West on Monday afternoon and when we tried to check-in at La Te Da our room wasn’t quite ready yet so we stored our luggage and headed to their outdoor bar. We enjoyed some cold beers under the ceiling fans while our room was being readied. After about 30 minutes we informed that our room was ready. We meandered our way by the pool, through the lounge chairs, up the staircase and then reached the wooden staircase leading to the second level of the property. We climbed the steep stairs and reached a set of French doors leading into our room, room# 29. As we entered we were pleasantly surprised about how large our room was. The décor and furnishings were again like that of a high-end Caribbean Resort. The wooden floors were charming and it a nice condition. We even had a whirlpool bath tub that would fit two comfortably. The downside of the room was the bathroom. It looked as if it had not been renovated since the late 80’s. The worst part of all was the air-conditioner. It barely cooled the room and with the high humidity we could barely sleep at night. There was a card prominently placed in the room that warned not to turn the unity down below 72 degrees F. It ominously warned that if you did the unit would completely malfunction and it would take hours to repair. We found out on the last night that this warning card is simply to frighten you so as to save the hotel on cooling costs because we decided to turn it down to 68 because we reasoned that it was our last night any way, let’s try it. It did not shut down as warned and it was actually much cooler and we ended up with a good evening’s sleep. I just wish we had done this earlier. So, if you’re staying at La Te Da, just turn down you’re a/c unit as low as you want and be comfortable at night. I have to say the staff was always nice and friendly. The food and drinks were average, but good. The property needs to upgrade the bathrooms and the air-conditioning. Until that is done we would never stay there again. For $250 a night you think you would feel comfortably cool at night while on the sub-tropical island of Key West.

While in Key West we went to a drag show at Aqua. The three entertainers were great. I highly recommend their drag show. What is a trip to Key West without a drag show?

Overall it was a great trip. If you haven’t been to Key West I highly recommend it. Just try to go between September and February when it is cooler and less humid. Then there will be a lot of other visitors, but I say, the more the merrier! It’s great to be home, too.

Drive from Port Charlotte to Key Largo

2006-06-19T05:55:00.000+02:00

Today we left my family in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, Florida. It was so nice to see them all again. I had not seen them in over 12 years. (long story and not appropriate now)

We did not have a particular destination or schedule to fulfill, however, we knew we wanted to get as close as we could to Key West before the 7-mile Bridge. We navigated our way through sub-tropical thunderstorms. The three of us observed turkey vultures, squashed armadillos, flocks of dragon flies and other various wildlife living in the humid, South Florida hinterlands. As the sun was setting and the road narrowed, we decided to stop in Key Largo. We are now at the Key Largo Bay Resort by Marriott. The hotel furnishings have the appearance of a Carribean all-inclusive resort and I can only highly recommend this as a stop-over along the way to Key West. It is the best place on Key Largo. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Sundowners which is a great seafood restaurant right on the water. The sunset was covered by stacks of thunderclouds, but we did manage to observe some pink illuminations in a large section of the twilight sky.

I enjoyed an excellent tuna steak. The flaky fish was garnished by wasabi and freshly-cut ginger as well as a ramican of soy sauce. I sucked down two ice-cold margaritas and licked the salt off the rim before the humidity could melt it away. We then headed over to the Carribean Club for some drinks and music. On our walk back to our hotel it poured down raining. I am talking a tropical storm. Needless to say I ran the few blocks back and jumped into the shower.

I post more later....

Here are a few impressions along the way:

An alligator in the water...

A down-home cafe--the kind you see in the movies--where we stopped for a bite to eat:

Interesting sign seen at Oasis Visitors' Center:

Matt & Annette feeling like their in an American movie (as Germans never having been in the Everlgades):

Half-Time: USA 1 vs. 1 Italy

2006-06-17T21:52:00.000+02:00

I am back in my hotel room before going out to dinner and a comedy club with my family...The score is 1 to 1 and it is half-time. I am hoping the US can win, but I know it is not likely......

We Are In Florida Now

2006-06-17T21:14:00.000+02:00

We made it to Florida after a 10 hour flight from Duesseldorf to Miami. We flew on LTU and it was the best transcontinental flight I have ever been on. The flight attendants were nice and they smiled often. The aircraft we boarded was an Airbus 330. It looked brand new. It was so clean and modern. We paid extra in order to get an exit-row seat because Matt is so tall. (195cm/6'5")

They served our specially-requested vegetarian meals. They were tasty and not overcooked. We saw the movie, American Dreamz, which was ok, but not what I would have chosen. The flight had a fairly light load and it we had plenty of room.

I highly recommend flying LTU if/when you can, however, they are a Duesseldorf-based German airline so I do not expect many of you to fly LTU...

Now for the important part. I visited with my family today and it was nice. It was strange after so many years to see them all again. I visited my grandmother, two aunts, father and step-mother and my step-sister and her family. (husband and three kids) It was great.

Like I said in a previous post, if you are holding a grudge with someone in your family, forget about it. Do what is right, swallow your pride and renew your contact......

More later....

UPDATE: These two photos are my favorite of this trip so far.

Even in South Florida they are sick of Bush, check this out (George Bush wanted for shark bait):

This is Greenland seen from 39,000 feet. Notice the ice swirl in the ocean:

Flying to Florida

2006-06-15T20:14:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow morning we are flying non-stop from Duesseldorf to Miami, Florida on LTU. We are going to visit my father and step-mother on the west coast of Florida. I have not seen my father and his side of the family in over a decade so this will be an interesting trip. This time around I will have my partner, Matt, with me. I am not sure exactly why I did not keep in touch with my father, but you know how family can be.

Regular readers will recall that back in late March my partner's mother passed away unexpectedly while on vacation in Spain. That tragic event deeply affected me and of course, my partner. An unexpected death of a loved one gets your wheels turning. You think about what did I say last? What should I have said? Did I tell this relative, friend, partner, daughter, mother, father or son how much I love them? These words you are reading are just words until that dreadful day happens to you. So my advise to you all: Make amends. Stop ignoring your loved ones due to some power trip or proud moment. In the end it is all not worth it. What matters is you stay in contact with your family and friends. Release that grudge you're holding....Let by-gones be by-gones.....Period. End of story.

After our mini-family reunion, we are then heading to Key West for some relaxtion. When I originally contacted my father and tried to chose a good time for us all to have a mini-reunion, I did not realize this Sunday is Father's Day in America. Sometimes in life you end up with strange coincidences that are hard to explain. All I know is this is the right thing to do.

On a more fun note: Today my partner, Matt, and I met up with Ginnie of the great blog, In Soul. She was so nice and we had a good time. Unfortunately, we were only able to spend a few hours with her in Old Town because we had to do some laundry and finish packing for our trip tomorrow. We ate lunch in my favorite cafe, Balthasar. I felt bad that I had to leave her to explore Old Town Duesseldorf herself, but I knew she was going to have a great time taking more photos.

I will try to post from Florida so stay tuned....Have a great weekend everyone!

What a Great Game! Deutschland!!!!

2006-06-14T22:56:00.000+02:00

That was the best game I have ever watched! Deutschland won!!!!!

Dog Days of Summer

2006-06-14T17:51:00.000+02:00

We are definitely in the dog days of summer, as we say in America. It is so hot here in Duesseldorf, at least in my NON-air-conditioned apartment. Most apartments in Germany are not air-conditioned like in America so when it is warm outside, it is warm in your living space. I have gone to bed and woken up each day sweating. It is not fun sweating yourself to sleep or waking up sweating....I was complaining about the cold back in the winter and now I wish we had it again. My partner says I am one of those people deeply affected by the weather. I have to admit, I guess I am. One doesn't like to think of themself as a whiner or complainer, but when you fall asleep sweating and wake up sweating---it is time for some sort of adjustment. I guess I will be going to by a fan soon.

Do you find yourself less peppy or happy in the gray, long days of winter? If you're like me--you do. There is even a term for this, a Season Affective Disorder. After reading that website, it seems a bit extreme. I just like the warm weather---when I am cool inside.

On to a more fun note: Germany is going to BEAT Poland tonight at 21:00 CET! I really want Germany to beat Poland...

Update: We did have a thunderstorm and it how cooled down drastically. I think I will sleep much better tonight.

Learn German Online

2006-06-13T11:24:00.000+02:00

I learned of a new language course online. So far based on the limited time I have reviewed the site it looks really good. Check it out and brush up on your German! It is always useful to know another language.

A Fun Night Out

2006-06-13T00:27:00.000+02:00

Sunday night M and I went out for dinner and drinks with some fellow expats living here in Duesseldorf. They recently moved here from America (KY) and they are a gay couple as well. We went out for dinner to my favorite Duesseldorf restaurant, Zapata, and we had a great time. Afterwards, we all went to Old Town for a few drinks. All in all it was a fun time and we hope to meet up again soon. I felt like I have known them for a long time...

Here we are on the streetcar leaving Zapata's and heading to Old Town:

This is the nice lady that took our group photo on the streetcar:

USA vs. Czech Republic

2006-06-12T19:38:00.000+02:00

The score is USA 0:3 Czech Republic. I guess the match went as expected, however, I had some hope that the US might surprise us and at least make one goal. Oh well, I am living in Germany now so I am rooting for them. :)

Why Are the English So Obnoxious!??

2006-06-10T13:22:00.000+02:00

After reading some other expat blogs today, I was reminded of my stroll through Altstadt (Old Town) yesterday. Who were the loudest and drunk the earliest? Who were the most annoying? Who were yelling out their car windows and being the most obnoxious? Why, the English of course...

I use to think the Americans were the most obnoxious, but I am happy to report something that many of you already knew---that the English are the winners in "The Most Obnoxious" category. Why? I do not uderstand it. They just do not know how to act. It is pretty sad. How embarrassing for the good people from England....many of them very close friends of mine.

This story really makes me mad: horrible/furchtbar

World Cup Kickoff in 1 1/2 hours!

2006-06-09T16:31:00.000+02:00

Ok, ok...I have caught the World Cup Fever, too! We have plenty of beer and will be turning on the TV any moment to watch the opening of the World Cup in Munich. If you live in Germany it is hard NOT to have caught this Fever. Stay tuned...it is Germany vs. Costa Rica and then later on this evening is the second game,, Poland vs. Ecauador.

GO GERMANY! Go Deutschland!

ps. Seed is performing right now on stage in Munich! Geil!

UPDATE: Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2!!!! Germany will be party central tonight.

Today in Cologne

2006-06-08T22:07:00.000+02:00

Today I was in Cologne and it is hard to miss signs of World Cup Fever. Here are some photos of the ceiling as you enter the Cologne Hauptbahnhof (main train station.) Again, you are seeing football (soccer) scenes even on the ceiling...

Here is the dba aircraft we flew on when we returned from Nice to Duesseldorf painted in recognition of the World Cup:

This last photo was taken at the outdoor cafe just at the entrance of the Cologne Hauptbahnhof. It seems some bees have taken up residence on one of the chairs:

Sunset on 6/6/06

2006-06-08T21:52:00.000+02:00

This was the sunset on the evening of 6/6/06 as seen from my livingroom window:

I don't think it was too sinister, do you?

Schloss Dyck

2006-06-06T01:04:00.000+02:00

Today we visited Schloss Dyck. The castle is only about a fifteen minute drive from our apartment in Duesseldorf to this beautiful place. It was built in 1094 and it is surrounded by gardens from the 17th Century. If you are in Duesseldorf and have time I recommend visiting this location. We even bought some freshly-harvested apples, strawberries and potatoes!!

Here are a few impressions...
Here is a photo of the tree-lined road leading to the castle:

The castle, surrounding moat and the swan:

Here are the horse stables next to the castle with the beautiful roses:

Finally, here are the surrounding grounds:

If you want to see more photos, just click on my Flickr badge on the right-hand side of the blog.

Sunday in Koblenz

2006-06-04T20:55:00.000+02:00

Today M and I traveled from Duesseldorf to Koblenz. It is only about an hour and a half by car and I have never been so we decided to go. It is an old German town located where the Rhine and Mosel Rivers meet. In 55 B.C. Roman troops commanded by Julius Caesar reached the Rhine and built a bridge between Koblenz and Andernach. Click on the link at the end of this posting for eloquently written information about this great town in Germany.

For photos taken by me today in Koblenz, click on my Flickr badge in the right-hand sidebar...

Public Urination in Germany

2006-06-03T15:09:00.000+02:00

I am not sure if other expats noticed this after they first arrived in Germany, but I find it peculiar how many times I witness someone urinating in public. I am not talking about a homeless person or someone who is obviously mentally ill. I am talking about reasonable people. I see it frequently and I am surprised by this behavior. You rarely ever see this in America unless it was a homeless person and this person was most likely mentally ill. Additionally, in America you can be fined or arrested for public urination.

Yesterday I was looking out my bedroom window and I witnessed about 6 guys get off the underground and they all proceeded to a row of bushes to urinate in the broad daylight. It was around 15:00 I believe. They all lined up in a row to relieve themselves and I only grabbed my camera after 4 out of 6 of them had left the bushes. You can see in the second photo one of them buttoning his pants.

Do you find this odd or I am being too Puritanical American-like? I look forward to some comments on this subject, especially from expats.

Here are two out of six or so that I saw in a line urinating into the bushes and notice how one of them is buttoning his pants:

Now they are all done:

Vacation Memories

2006-06-02T16:09:00.000+02:00

Now that we are back and I have had time to reflect on our France vacation I wanted to share some tidbits. When traveling to France be sure someone in your party has a working knowledge of French. It seems to me that if you do not speak French they will purposely make it hard on you. (Sorry Kim & Thomas, that is my objective observation) Case in point: We were at the Musee Rodin and we stopped for a drink at the museum's outdoor cafe on our way into the museum. We had just waited in a long line in the heat behind some American high school class so it was time for a cold beer. The person in line in front of me ordered a beer. I was thinking to myself, score! All I have to do when she looks at me is point at his beer. She is staring at me now so it is obviously my turn to order. I say the obligatory "Bonjour," smile and point to his beer. She says something in French that I do not understand (which is most everything in French) and I simply point to the beer again and say in English, "I want a beer." She says something again in French and I just stare at her. I am thinking to myself, "Why is she making this difficult for me? Why doesn't she just go over there and pour me a damn beer before I hop over the counter and pour it myself." Finally, she realized that I am not going away and I am not going to speak French. She turns around and pours me a beer. Why did she have to be that way? I know, I know--when in Rome do as the Romans do as the saying goes...but it is obvious that I do not know French and never had a French lesson in my life. Luckily, M speaks French very well so most of the trip the language barrier did not rear its ugly head.

One other example. We are at this restaurant in Nice, La Mama, which by the way serves the best Moules & Frites (mussels and fries) in the world. They were so fresh and delicious. You could still taste the seawater. I now know what mussels are really suppose to taste like. I have been spoiled and I am afraid I will never like mussels again unless they are from La Mama. If you are ever in Nice and want to know where to eat, I highly recommend La Mama at 1, Rue de la Tour in Old Town around the corner from Place Garibaldi. Any way, back to the point. The waitress acted as if she did not speak English. M ordered for us in his beautiful, flawless French: deux Moules Frites and a liter of red wine. Later in the evening my paper napkin had somehow ended up in the flame of the candle on the table and caught on fire. I was in such shock I just picked it up which helped the napkin to burn better. I then threw it on the table again. This time the waitress came by and said in pefect English to throw it on the floor. Later on she would come by and say something like, "You are hot tonight!" Interesting how she now speaks English.

Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. I am just telling you like it was. You can take it as you would like. It is their country after all and if they speak French, then fine. I am just glad that in Germany everyone speaks English and they will go out of their way to do so. I feel much more welcome in Germany. (Luckily because I now live here.)

More reflective posts coming up as I digest them....

Our train from Paris to Nice

2006-06-02T03:15:00.000+02:00

You can see our neighbors sitting next to us were playing cards.

What is that bright light coming from the sky?

2006-06-01T20:03:00.000+02:00

Ever since we returned from vacation it has been cold and rainy. However, late today, now at 20:00 there is weird, bright light illuminating the white, fluffy clouds. I can even see some blue sky here in Duesseldorf. What is that bright light?

Finally we have some sunshine just before sundown. I have my bike in storage and still have not felt it was the right time to reassemble it. If you remember, it was disassembled when we moved from San Francisco to Duesseldorf in late December. I am optimistic we will be able to reassemble it. I will keep you updated.

THANK YOU, RA!

Berlin's Love Parade is back this year!

2006-05-30T15:38:00.000+02:00

I just read online that Berlin's Love Parade is back this year on July 15th!

Eurovision and Finland

2006-05-29T16:20:00.000+02:00

This year was my first year enjoying the European-wide talent show, Eurovision. M and I were channel-surfing while propping our feet up after a long day of site seeing in Nice. The show was like Star Search meets American Idol. It was very entertaining and kept us glued to the set anxious for the results.

However, I have to say the results were truly troubling to me. Most countries voted for Finland's heavy metal group that had these monster-like masks on. I have never been a fan of heavy metal so this winner just made me mad. Am I that out of touch with the current vibe or do Europeans like heavy metal more than I do?

In my opinion, Turkey should have won. The Turkish act was great. It was probably less original, but definitely more fun to listen to and to watch. The act consisted of a beautiful blonde chirping the typical pop/dance tune while four hot guys danced around her with star-buckled belts. The star, of course, referring to the Turkish flag.

My pick for the winner, Turkey:

but the winner was, Finland:

Monaco

2006-05-27T15:51:00.000+02:00

Here are some impressions from our trip to Monaco. You can click on my Flickr badge on the right-hand side of this blog for all the photos taken during our trip.

Here is the sign announcing the beginning of Monaco. We took a bus from Nice to Monaco, bus line 100:

The famous Monte Carlo Casino:

We visited the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, too, and it's director was Jacques Cousteau:

Of course, they were setting up for the Formula 1, Monaco Grand Prix that is being held tomorrow:

Back in Duesseldorf

2006-05-26T15:46:00.000+02:00

We made it back to Duesseldorf where it is raining and cool. I want to get back on the plane and go to Nice....More soon. We have to unpack and do some laundry. Stay tuned for more beautiful pics of the Cote D'Azur including Aix en Provence, Eze, Cassis, Monaco, etc.....

Cote d'Azur

2006-05-22T23:10:00.000+02:00

We made it to Nice on May 18th and are enjoying Southern France. I think I have found my new favorite place on Earth. Here are just a few photos for now:

Spices in Old Town Nice:

and some more:

The Nice Port and very close to where we are staying:

The Matisse Museum in Nice:

Paris Update

2006-05-16T22:18:00.000+02:00

We have really enjoyed these last few days in Paris. Tomorrow we are heading to Versailles. Here are a few impressions....

We went up the tower to the top of the inside portion of the Sacre Coeur:

We went to the famous cemetary, Pere Lachaise, and visited the some notable gravesites, the most visited of course is Jim Morrison:

Additionally, we saw the tomb for Oscar Wilde:

Of course we stopped by Moulin Rouge:

We Made It to Paris!!

2006-05-13T22:19:00.000+02:00

We made it to Paris today around 16:00. We were scheduled to take an Air Berlin flight in the morning, but last night we were talking and decided we hate to fly. Airline employees are so rude and annoying these days. No matter if they just started their shift at the airport or if they just started their first flight of a new trip, they are all treating you as if you interrupted their peace and quiet time. (Sorry to all my friends that are airline friends, including ticket counter agents and flight attendants. I was even a flight attendant for three years and I have to say they are usually rude to customers due to burn out, but that's another post for another day.)
Back to the subject at hand, Paris and getting here today.

We took a train from Duesseldorf to Cologne to pick up a direct train to Paris on Thalys. It is a train company that is comprised of several different national railways. We booked first class and it was worth it. The slight difference in fare was more than worth it by the service provided by attentive, friendly train attendants. As well as the comfort provided by the extra wide seats that even reclined in such a way that you felt comfortable enough to fall asleep. The seatback and the seat itself reclined at the same time so you were cradled in comfort. We enjoyed a delicious South African cabernet from the mini bottles just like they serve you on the airplane. We even got a lunch after departing from Cologne. The meal was slightly smaller than the portions served on the airplane, but was still tasty.

We took the Metro from Paris Nord to our vacation apartment here in the historic center of Paris only 9 blocks from Notre Dame. After putting our bags into the apartment and getting situated we headed out the door for a walk. We wandered into Notre Dame just in time for mass. We only stayed for a short time and then walked back towards our apartment. We stopped by a supermarket by the name of Ed where we picked up some groceries and wine. We are now here drinking a good glass of red wine and the bottle only cost 1 Euro. Ed is located across the street from Centre Pompidou--a modern piece of architecture where the building is turned completely inside out. All of the brightly colored pipes are on the outside of the building rather than the inside.

Stay tuned for more updates and photos to follow....

People Who Should Be In Drag!

2006-05-12T23:33:00.000+02:00

If you want to see all the photos, just email me and I will forward it to you. Here are a few examples. I have not had a good laugh like this in a long time! I would credit whomever made these photos, but I do not know who it was...

This one makes you almost like them:

This one is very close to looking like Camilla:

I don't know what to say about this one....

What To Do In Duesseldorf (Part I)

2006-05-12T11:51:00.000+02:00

If you're looking for a great place for beer in Duesseldorf then head Old Town (Altstadt.) You will find plenty of places to go drinking! The best place to go for real Duesseldorf beer (Alt beer) is Uerige. It is in Old Town basically next to the Rhine. Ask any one where is Uerige (pronounced: your-a-gee). Pronounce the last syllable as gee, not as in ENERGY, but as in GEAR. Take that G sound from the English word GEAR and place a long vowel at the end. eeee

One other suggestion, right next to Uerige is a little bar and a store next to it for the famous Duesseldorf liquor: Killeptisch! It is so good. It is similar to Jagermeister, but so much better. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. If you are sluggish after a hearty German meal and a few too many beers, go have a shot of Killeptisch, but drink it slowly...it is meant to be enjoyed. Afterwards you will be wide awake and ready to hit Old Town for more bar hopping!

If you are looking a more traditional German pub like the ones you always imagined seeing in Bavaria, but find yourself in Duesseldorf check out Fueschen (fox.) It is located at Ratinger Strasse 28 in Old Town.

There are so many bars and restaurants in Old Town Duesseldorf that it would take weeks to try them all. One of my favorite places is Anaconda. It is located at Andreasstrasse 11 and their phone number is 0211/ 8693939. Click on the link and then click "Program" to find out what the DJ's are spinning the night you want to go. Sometimes they play lounge/chillout, but every time I have been they are playing the best house music. Yes, I am gay, but this club is mixed, but mostly straight. Europeans are not as uptight about sexuality so go have fun where ever you like.

If you are looking for a great seafood restaurant in Duesseldorf, look no further than Fischhaus. It, too, is in Old Town located at Berger Strasse 3-7, telephone number 0211/8549864. The decor is a little outdated, but the food is always tasty. The last time I was there I had the Provence Mussels. They come in a huge, metal pot and they serve a very generous portion of them. I could not finish the whole pot myself. Don't worry, they will provide you with a menu (Speisekarte) in English if you request one.

I can't mention restaurants in Old Town without mentioning my absolute favorite pizza place in the world, Lupo Pizzeria Trattoria located at Bolker Strasse 52, telephone number 0211/131535. The pizzas are not the typical American thick pizzas. No, these pizzas are thin and amazingly delicious. I always order the pizza margherita (cheese pizza) and add the garlic later. They will bring you garlic and pepperinchini's that are swimming in I assume olive oil. You just take the spoon and smear it all over your pizza.

Finally, I can not forget about Media Harbor. This is a relatively new section of Duesseldorf. It is located on the Rine in the shadow of the Rhine Tower. There are many restaurants and bars in the area along with some of the world's most stunning architecture. One of the coolest bars is Eigelstein located at Hammer Strasse 17, telephone number 0211/ 6027477. What is most noteworthy about the place is that they serve Koelsch beer. That is the beer from Cologne and in the past you could not find a bar in Duesseldorf that would serve a Cologne beer. The two cities have an old rivalry dating back centuries. I will let you in on a little secret, SHHHHH!, I prefer Koelsch over Alt beer! I hope I don't get run out of town now....

Last, but not least...if you want to see a movie (Kino) in English head to CineStar. It is a large cineplex in Duesseldorf located in the Oberkassel neighborhood. They usually have 4-5 movies running in English. Check their program guide and look for OV--original version. One tip: You can drink BEER at the movies!

Enjoy Duesseldorf, I sure do!

Wuerzburg, Germany

2006-05-11T00:00:00.000+02:00

My partner and I drove from Nuremberg back to Duesseldorf today. On our way we stopped in the beautiful city of Wuerzburg. I was really impressed with this city. It looks like an old city from the medievel times right there on the Main River.

We visited two of the main sites: The Fortress Marienberg & The Wuerzburg Residence.

I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful, Franconian city of Wuerzburg!

Wuerzberg seen from the Fortress MarienbergWuerzberg Residenz or in English, the Wuerzberg Palace (think Baroque style and on the edge of tacky--but I have to say I like it):
I loved these trees! They are in the gardens surrounding the palace:
This was so beautiful I had to accidentally take a shot. No photography allowed in the palace. I guess I was just being the typical American and doing it any way:

Smoking in Germany

2006-05-09T13:27:00.000+02:00

If you are coming to Germany to visit or live, be aware that a lot of Germans smoke. I** am amazed every time I go out to eat and someone at the table next to me lights up a cigarette. It is disgusting. I should not have to eat while breathing in deadly cigarette smoke. When is the German government going to step up and ban smoking in public places? I miss California because you were not permitted to smoke even in a bar! It was great. Now I go home from even a restaurant and my clothes, skin, hair, etc stinks like smoke. If you are in Germany reading this blog, QUIT now. If you do not quit have the decency to not endanger others by smoking inside.

Here is a good reference for you:

**Disclaimer: I can make these statements because I used to smoke, but quit. If I can quit, any one can.

In Nueremberg

2006-05-08T16:51:00.000+02:00

I have not posted lately because I am in Nueremberg (Bavaria) right now on another family emergency. Back in early April my partner´s mother passed away unexpectedly while on vacation in Spain. We are here to assist his father and all is well again. We will be driving back to Duesseldorf soon and then packing for our vacation to France that we have been planning for since February.

We are flying on Saturday morning to Paris and will be there for 5 nights. Then we are taking a train to Nice and will be there for 8 nights. If any one has any suggestions on sites to see in Paris and/or Nice & Provence please leave a comment. We do have excellent travel guides, but word-of-mouth is sometimes better. We have checked Tripadvisor.com as well.

More soon...

My First Piece of German Junk Mail Today!

2006-05-04T12:13:00.000+02:00

For those of you in Germany, this may seem like an odd post, but for those of you in America it will come as a surprising fact. After landing in Duesseldorf December 31, 2005, I received my FIRST piece of junk mail today. Back in America my mailbox would be overflowing with junk mail almost daily. Well, in Germany, you rarely receive junk mail. I almost feel honored to have received this junk mail today. It is for an online casino and I do not know where they got my name, but I am honored. :) I feel like I am finally a recognized resident of Germany! Hurray!

Food From Home?

2006-05-01T16:20:00.000+02:00

Are you new to Duesseldorf? Where can you find some of your favorite foods from back home?

I go to Karstadt on Schadow Strasse 93. Just go in the main entrance off Schadow Strasse, straight ahead of you will be an escalator down to the grocery store. In there you will find salad dressings from home (the US) like Newman's, Kraft macaroni & cheese, tacos, tortillas, black beans, refried beans, salsa, microwave popcorn, Betty Crocker cake mixes, all the delicious healthy foods you are craving from home.

There's another store I have been meaning to go to, but haven't yet. It is the American & British Foods Store located at Cornelius Strasse 45.

When I have a craving for some Hershey's chocolate syrup for my ice cream I go to the International Food Store at Kurfürstenstr 28, near the Hauptbahnhof.

Lastly, you can go to yahoo.de to find their map/locator service. It is called Routenplaner. Here is the link.

If any one has any other suggestions, please leave a comment.

HDR

2006-04-30T23:06:00.000+02:00

High Dynamic Range imaging creates some amazing photos. You can go to Flickr and search the tag, HDR, for more public images available. I find them truly amazing and want to know how to create such images.

Some of my favorite public images available from Flickr:

The White House Correspondents' Dinner

2006-04-30T20:51:00.000+02:00

Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central was so EXCELLENT in his performance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. It was all billed as comedy, but he said what everyone is thinking. You can see that the correspondents and invited guests were noticeably nervous and uncomfortable. The guests include military generals, Scalia of the US Supreme Court, other govrnment officials, including the supreme idiot/dictator--Bush.

You have to see this! I love it! He really challenged the President/Dictator Bush like no one in the media EVER will. Check it out.

For more details and commentary on the event, click here.

Here is a preview of the article:

Colbert, who spoke in the guise of his talk show character, who ostensibly supports the president strongly, urged the Bush to ignore his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, “and reality has a well-known liberal bias.” He attacked those in the press who claim that the shake-up at the White House was merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. “This administration is soaring, not sinking,” he said. “If anything, they are re-arranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg.”Colbert told Bush he could end the problem of protests by retired generals by refusing to let them retire. He compared Bush to Rocky Balboa in the “Rocky” movies, always getting punched in the face—“and Apollo Creed is everything else in the world.”

Duesseldorf Neighborhoods

2006-04-30T14:13:00.000+02:00

If you are moving to Duesseldorf or just want to know a little more about this nice city, this post is for you. By and large Duesseldorf is a safe city with excellent public transportation so where ever you live it will be great. I do not live in one of these eight areas, but I am two underground stops away from major shopping, restaurants and nightlife. So as long as you live in central Duesseldorf and not in a suburb, then you have no worries.

Are you wondering which neighborhoods are the best neighborhoods for quality of life? Here are my top choices:

1. Oberkassel/Niederkassel--Nice, quiet residential neighborhood with good restaurants on the other side of the Rhine, opposite Old Town.

2. Derendorf/Nord Strasse--Lively shopping, residential area within walking distance of Old Town and "downtown" shopping.

3. Altstadt--Bars and restaurants galore with quiet residential side streets in a central location.

4. Friedrichstadt--Convenient shopping and residential area just south of Old Town and Koenigsalle.

5. Golzheim--Upscale residential area in the northern part of the city, close to the Rhine, airport, Congress center/Messe, and easy Autobahn access.

6. Duesseltal--Clean, quiet residential area with good shopping and a little east of Old Town.

7. Unterbilk--Affordable residential area with a larger University student population with many bars and cafes.

8. Zoo--Quiet residential area near Duesseltal neighborhood. Several streets with big, expensive homes and the residents are on average a bit older.

There are some outlaying suburban areas that have good access to Duesseldorf. They tend to be of higher income brackets, families with kids and significantly higher rents and home prices. Such as Kaiserswerth in the north of Duesseldorf and Meerbusch in the west on the other side of the Rhine.

US Healthcare vs. German Healthcare

2006-04-29T18:52:00.000+02:00

This is a long post because I am amazed about what I have discovered. I came across this information after researching this topic on the web. Continue reading for more info...

I have psoriasis, and it is an embarrassing skin disorder that turns your skin very red in certain areas, namely your legs and elbows. I cannot remember the last time I wore a short-sleeved shirt or shorts because of the appearance of my skin on my elbows and legs. There are many people in the public at large that are not aware of psoriasis and may believe it is contagious, so to save myself the embarrassment, I just do not wear short-sleeved shirts or shorts in public.

Up until December 2005 I had Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, an HMO, as my health insurance provider. As a sufferer of psoriasis, I had to visit my dermatologist at least once every six months. Every time I had an appointment with her, I would tell her that the lastest cream she prescribed was NOT working and my psoriasis is negatively impacting my life. (I could not wear short sleeves, I cannot wear shorts, I can not go swimming--which I absolutely loved). I would inquire about a new treatment or drug that was approved by the FDA, and she would just say something like, "Oh, well, Kaiser doesn't approve of that drug." She would then prescribe a new cream that did not clear my psoriasis in any way and worse, would actually burn my skin to the point where I could not use it. So I learned to live with my psoriasis and could never go swimming or wear shorts, even if it was 110 degrees Farenheit (or 43 degrees Celsius) in Arizona. [I visited Arizona frequently because I lived there for 6 years and still have close friends there.]

All of that history brings me to the main reason for my post. I visited the dermatologist here in Duesseldorf yesterday for the first time. The doctor was very friendly and obviously cared about treating my condition effectively. He wrote me two prescriptions, and I went to the Apotheke (pharmacy, for those of you in America) to have them filled. I went home and immediately applied the cream to the affected areas. I could see a noticeable difference after only one application. The intense redness begain to subside almost immediately. Today is day two, and it is continuing to improve dramatically. I am even optimistic that by the time two weeks have elapsed and we're in France on vacation, I may be able to wear shorts and a short-sleeved shirt.

Now tell me, why did I not receive similar results from Kaiser back in the US??? I can tell you why. Because Kaiser Permanente is the most corrupt, careless, money-grubbing machine in the US. The patients are treated like cattle. For more information on how bad Kaiser really is, click here.
I am glad I was able to receive treatment that really works here in Germany! Kaiser is about maximizing profits and minimizing costs. Who suffers because of this greed? The patients. Patients are human beings with their lives being severly impacted by the greed of Kaiser.

My German dermatologist was so friendly. He was really busy and I was not even a patient with an appointment. He had this caring aura about him. It reminded me of the old days when I was a child. I remember the doctors being friendly and they really cared about providing quality healthcare for their patients. Sadly, today it is all about MONEY in the US.

I invite other expat bloggers to tell me what they think of the German healthcare system vs. the US healthcare system. I can say, thus far, Germany has the US beat! Of course, any one and all are welcome to leave comments....

Madonna Tickets On Sale Friday Morning!

2006-04-26T19:35:00.000+02:00

Madonna's "Confessions On A Dancefloor" tour begins this summer. The tickets will be on sale starting Friday morning. We will be going to see her in Duesseldorf on August 20th, Sunday! Let's keep our fingers crossed that we get excellent, front-row seats!

UPDATE: WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THE SECOND-BEST CATEGORY, ROW 13 even though we logged on the moment tickets went on sale for those that had signed up for a pre-sale special. We are going to try again tomorrow morning for the first general sale. We will aim for the highest category, the best seats, which are 193 Euros each. That may seem expensive, but we have not been to a concert in quite a long time....(M said he hasn't been to a concert in 10 years. His last concert was Tina Turner in Switzerland in 1996. My last concert was Depeche Mode in Miami, Florida and I am not going to even give the year. (wink, wink)

Update II: My partner received a follow-up email from eventim.de advising some more tickets have been released. We logged back on to the website and were able to secure Category I tickets. We even have Category II being sold to new fellow bloggers in Duesseldorf. Check out his blog here.

Today in Duesseldorf

2006-04-23T18:58:00.000+02:00

Today M and I strolled around Duesseldorf enjoying the mild weather. Here are some impressions...

This one is titled: "German Advice." It is on the side of a bank in Altstadt Duesseldorf. (Old Town) The translation: This fairytale will never come true. Life teaches us to be wise and save (money).

This was so beautiful I had to take a shot:

More Spring flowers to enjoy:

This sign was so interesting to me. You would never see such a sign in America. At most you would see a sign that reads: Please do not feed the animals. The Germans are very precise. Bread for Ducks is Death for Ducks:

Another Mexican Restaurant in Duesseldorf

2006-04-23T13:51:00.000+02:00

Last night we dined at one of Duesseldorf's other Mexican restaurants and let me tell you, it is not worth a visit. I ordered the "enchiladas." What I received was two miniature burritos, side-by-side on the plate covered in a flavorless, red sauce. The beans were the kind of beans that the British eat for breakfast (not very good to say the least), the rice was ok (you really can't go wrong with rice), and the saving grace was the margarita. It was very close to the real enchilada, let's say. ;)

If you live in Duesseldorf or if you're ever in Duesseldorf and want good Mexican food, skip El Paso's and go to Zapata's in Oberkassel, just across the bridge from Altstadt (Old Town.)

Sad and Funny Story

2006-04-20T19:41:00.000+02:00

BERLIN Apr 20, 2006 (AP)— A retiree in northern Germany flushed some 30,000 marks (euro15,300, US$18,900) down the toilet, believing the old bank notes were worthless, police said.

Officials were alerted by a blocked pipe in the northern city of Kiel. A cleaning company employee extracted soggy bundles of bank notes, but more money got away as the water started flowing again......(click link for the rest of the story from ABC News)

Volkswagen Commercial Airing on American Television

2006-04-19T23:53:00.000+02:00

My sister-in-law recently arrived in Germany due to the family emergency I mentioned recently on my blog. She brought to my attention a series of funny Volkswagen commercials airing in America now. They are hilarious. You can go to Google Video and do a search for "vw commercials" and see the entire series.

Hilarious Berlitz Commercial

2006-04-19T23:28:00.000+02:00

Easter Weekend

2006-04-17T22:00:00.000+02:00

We are back in Duesseldorf now. Over this past weekend we spent time with M's family in Nuernberg and Kulmbach. Here are a few photos from our weekend. More postings this week.

We went to the Nuernberg Volkfest and here is what we enjoyed:

We also visited M's relatives in Kulmbach. Here is the castle in Kulmbach:

I don't remember ever seeing this in America, but it is all over Germany. As you can see from the photo, people in Germany decorate bushes in their yard with Easter eggs. Those without yards will place some branches in a vase and place it in a prominent place in the home during Easter:

Holiday Weekend

2006-04-15T22:06:00.000+02:00

I am back in Nürnberg with my partner and his family. It is Easter weekend and it is a 4-day weekend in Germany. We visited family today and ate lots of food. I understood maybe 50% of what was said today, but it was nice meeting the family...More later...

A Complete Lesson on the Word Fuck

2006-04-12T22:51:00.000+02:00

If you are easily offended, please do not click on the link.

Thank you, ITALY!

2006-04-11T23:15:00.000+02:00

OUT WITH BERLUSCONI !!!!!!! Thank you, Italy!

Now if only we could get rid of Bush in the US...

Update: Good morning, Beverly in Orange County, California! Thanks for reading my blog!
If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please e-mail me at james.ashburn@gmail.com.

Hunde Verboten (No Dogs Allowed)

2006-04-11T11:02:00.000+02:00

As you may know from earlier posts, I was out of town on a family emergency. While in Nuernberg I was walking in a park and stumbled across this cute sign. The sign was placed by the entrance to a soccer field enclosed by a chain-link fence. The sign is warning that no dogs are allowed in the soccer field so as to keep it free of....well, you know. :)

How to Operate a German Window

2006-04-10T20:17:00.000+02:00

I have some useful information for those of you who are going to be visiting Germany in the near future. It may seem trivial, but I assure you it is not. After talking to other expatriates and fellow German language classmates from around the world, the windows in Germany are a little tricky.. If you do not perform this task correctly it can have some serious side effects, namely a bump on the head.

It took me probably a month to learn this. I am not sure what that says about my mechanincal abilities, but here ya' go:

How to Operate a German Window:

1. If you want it to be closed and securely locked, be sure the handle is in the 6 o'clock position like so:

2. If you want to open the window inwards and have it pivot from the wall, turn the handle to the 3 o'clock position like so:

3. Finally, if you want to open the window inwards and have it pivot from the bottom window sill, turn the handle to the 12 o'clock position like so:

It seems simple, but wait until you operate your first window.....you'll see what I mean!
GOOD LUCK!

Back in Duesseldorf

2006-04-09T21:02:00.000+02:00

I am back at home now. I just endured the most emotional, saddest 11 days of my life. I will post some more starting this week. I am going to my Berlitz class tomorrow, but I don't know how I can concentrate on learning German right now....

Family Emergency

2006-04-03T17:43:00.000+02:00

I am out of town on a family emergency....

The New Summer Hit Movie from America: The World Has Had Enough!

2006-03-27T21:19:00.000+02:00

Another goodie e-mailed to me by from friend in San Francisco..Thanks, David:

A Day at the Races in Duesseldorf!

2006-03-26T19:55:00.000+02:00

Today we spent a nice, warm afternoon in Duesseldorf strolling in Old Town along the Rhine and catching a quick view of some race cars zipping around Konigsallee. Even all the shops were open in Old Town today. YES! On Sunday, all the shops were open here in Duesseldorf. It was great!

There were so many people out today due to the race and some concert where Melanie C was performing. I didn't know who she was, but found out she is a former member of the Spice Girls. She was in Duesseldorf for the DTM Auto Racing event held at Konigsallee today. I tried to capture some of the racing action via snapshots, but I was never able to capture the cars because they were just zipping by. I have a few Google Videos uploaded of the action that I was able to capture. It is mostly video of a few blurs of them wizzing by...

Today it was so warm out. It definitely was the warmest day yet since I have moved to Germany three months ago. I love the warm, sunny days. Today it reached a high of 63 degrees F or 17 degrees C. After the races, we went to Old Town to stroll along the Rhine and we found a nice table where we could sip some beers and do some people watching. Afterwards, we walked into the middle of Duesseldorf and visited a cool lounge for a few drinks. Finally, we went home for the evening. Overall, today was a very nice, calm Sunday.

Here are a few impressions we had today.

Waiting for the race cars to zip by:

I have seen this billboard all around Duesseldorf and today I had my camera and wanted to share this cute ad with you all:

Killepitsch! If you can find this where you live, I highly recommend that you try it! It makes you all warm and fuzzy:

This was our last stop today before heading back to our apartment:

Spring Has Sprung!

2006-03-25T15:16:00.000+01:00

The above photo was taken last weekend. It is so warm and sunny today here in Duesseldorf! It is 57 degrees F or 14 degrees C. It is great! Now I am going out for some more sun....enjoy your weekend!

Important update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC of Atlanta

2006-03-25T00:10:00.000+01:00

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease. The disease is contracted through dangerous and high-risk behavior.The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim and pronounced "gonna re-elect him."

Many victims contracted it in 2004, after having been screwed for the past four years. Cognitive characteristics of individuals infected include: antisocial personality disorders, delusions of grandeur with messianic overtones, extreme cognitive dissonance, inability to incorporate new information, pronounced xenophobia and paranoia, inability to accept responsibility for own actions, cowardice masked by misplaced bravado, uncontrolled facial smirking, ignorance of geography and history, tendencies towards evangelical theocracy, categorical all-or-nothing behavior.

Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed at how this destructive disease originated only a few years ago from a bush found in Texas!

Am I The Only One?

2006-03-22T22:04:00.000+01:00

Have I completely lost it or am I the only person on Earth that really has a problem with this illegitimate government that has hijacked the US? Did you believe in the bullshit they tought you in school about the grand ole US of A? About freedom and justice for all??**

I sometimes question my sanity when I think about what the US government has done and are still doing in the name of democracy. It is a sham. The Bush administration should be tried and convicted for international war crimes. I am dumbfounded that they are still in control of all branches of government. Where is the outrage? When are we going to protest in the streets and surround the White House like those admirable students in France demonstrating for their rights?

I don't know what else it is going to take? How many lives have to be cut short for the hording of natural resources? Ok, enough of my soapbox. I probably should just create a new blog for political commentary. Thanks for listening....

**unless your of a minority race, gender or sexual orientation

SPIEGEL Online wants content from expat bloggers living in Germany

2006-03-21T15:20:00.000+01:00

I learned of this via an e-mail I received from Spiegel Online:

A quick note to our friends out there in the blogosphere. As you've probably noticed, we began a partnership last fall with Technorati to provide citations and links to blogs that write about our stories. The feature has proven incredibly popular with our readers and we're hoping to expand our cooperation with them in the near future. In the meantime, however, we have another new opportunity for expat and German bloggers here. On Friday evening, we launched a new project at Spiegel Online: The Germany Survival Bible (http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,k-6896,00.html). The plan is to create an irreverent online guide to German culture -- the good, the bad and the ugly. It'll cover the shit shelf, the appallingly small selection of products at grocery stores, weird cultural traditions like greeting people in elevators or the absolute taboo of crossing the street on red. But our aim here isn't just to have fun at the expense of Germans and our adopted home country. We also want to include the cool quirks -- like the fact that things actually work here. Public transportation is reliable, obsessions with the environment, clean energies and the environment. We'll be posting contributions from our readers regularly, but we would also like to open this up to bloggers. If you have any existing blog entries that would be interesting to SPIEGEL Online, please submit them to us. If we republish the blog, we will also include your blog's name and a link back to your site. You've got the content and we've got the traffic and the platform. If you're interested in participating, please send your links and editorial contributions to spon_feedback@spiegel.de. Also, I don't have email addresses for everyone in Germany and would be grateful if you could pass this on to other bloggers in Germany or post it to your site. Thanks and happy blogging!

Daryl Lindsey Editor, Spiegel Online

Earthquakes in Duesseldorf?

2006-03-20T16:10:00.000+01:00

I felt an earthquake here in Duesseldorf no more than five minutes ago. It is now Monday, March 20, 2006 at 16:10 and my desk and apartment was shaking back and forth ever so slightly. I know for my apartment building was shaking. We are on the top floor, the 6th floor in the terms of a US count and the 5th floor for a German count. It was rocking back and forth. I am going to locate online some type of recording of the seismic event and update this post later.

I never thought there were earthquakes in Germany, but a friend of mine that lives here in Germany says he has even felt them. So I know they exist, but I didn't believe it until today. Amazing. I thought when I left San Francisco I would not feel another earthquake. Wrong.

Zapata

2006-03-19T18:46:00.001+01:00

Zapata, originally uploaded by James in Germany.

We ate at this Mexican restaurant last night in Oberkassel, a neighborhood in Duesseldorf located across the Rhine. I was pleasantly surprised how authentic the food was. The chips and salsa was very tasty. We ordered guacamole for the chips and even that was delicious. I ordered a fish burrito which was sehr lecker! ('very delicious' auf Deutsch) The fish was a white, flaky variety grilled to perfection. It contained black bleans and a delicious creamy sauce poured over the flour tortilla. Even their margaritas were good! They were made exactly the same way they're made in the US and Mexico. I mention this because I have ordered margaritas at other bars in Germany and they never come out right. For example, one time the waitress brought the margarita and it was green, no ice, in a martini glass. It looked like a green cosmopolitan and didn't taste anything like a margarita. So the ones made at Zapata's are authentic.

I now have a new, favorite restaurant. If you're ever in Duesseldorf and you're missing some good Mexican food, go to Zapata.

Anti-War Protests Around the World

2006-03-19T12:23:00.000+01:00

This weekend marks the third anniversary of US-led invasion of Iraq. Anti-war protesters marched around the world including San Francisco. End the occupation now!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2006-03-17T08:18:00.000+01:00

I am off to my German language class now. It starts at 9:00 AM. Today is my last day at the Sprachcaffe. I am going to miss it. I have been attending class there daily since January 9th. If you're looking for a good language school in Germany, go to the Sprachcaffee-Duesseldorf.

By the way, Monday is the first day of Spring! I am ready for some sun and warmth.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK's DAY!

The Genographic Project

2006-03-16T15:35:00.000+01:00

I have learned of a new project, the Genographic Project. I am going to participate and have my DNA analyzed. I encourage everyone to become involved. You can learn about yourself and where your ancient ancestors came from.

1. What is the Genographic Project?

National Geographic and IBM are embarking on a landmark five-year study that will assemble the world's largest collection of DNA samples to map how humankind populated the planet.
The Genographic Project will use sophisticated computer analysis of DNA contributed by hundreds of thousands of people—including indigenous populations and the general public—to reveal man's migratory history and to better understand the connections and differences that make up the human race.

The Genographic Project has three core components:Field Research—The core of the project is the collection of blood samples from indigenous populations, whose DNA contains key genetic markers that have remained relatively unaltered over hundreds of generations making them reliable indicators of ancient migratory patterns. Dr. Wells and a group of 10 scientists from prominent international institutions will conduct the field and laboratory research. One additional research center will focus on analyzing DNA from ancient remains. The Waitt Family Foundation is funding this component of the Genographic Project. An international advisory board will oversee the selection of indigenous populations for testing as well as adherence to strict sampling and research protocols.

Public Participation and Awareness Campaign—The general public can take part in the project by purchasing a Genographic Project Public Participation Kit and submitting their own cheek swab sample, allowing them to track the overall progress of the project as well as learn their own migratory history. These personal results are stored anonymously to protect the privacy of participants. National Geographic will regularly update the public and the scientific community on project findings, including through the website and through National Geographic's many other media platforms worldwide.

Genographic Legacy Project—Proceeds from the sale of the Genographic Public Participation Kits help fund future field research and a legacy project, which will build on National Geographic's 117-year-long focus on world cultures. The legacy project will support education and cultural preservation projects among participating indigenous groups.
The 10 research centers are located around the world and will represent their respective regions. The centers are located in Australia (Australia/Pacific), Brazil (South America), China (East/Southeast Asia), France (Western/Central Europe), India, Lebanon (Middle East/North Africa), Russia (North Eurasia), South Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa), the United Kingdom (Western/Central Europe), and the United States (North America).

2. What makes this project so different?

Most of what we know about anthropological genetics is based on DNA samples donated by approximately 10,000 indigenous people from around the world. While this has given us a broad view of the patterns of human migration, it represents but a small sample of humanity's genetic diversity. Over the next five years, The Genographic Project will attempt to collect and analyze DNA blood samples from over 100,000 indigenous people making it the world's largest study of its kind in the field of anthropological genetics. The resulting data will map world migratory patterns dating back some 150,000 years and will fill in the huge gaps in our knowledge of humankind's migratory history. This data will eventually comprise the largest database of its kind.
In addition to the field research component, the Genographic Project is reaching out to the public. The general public around the world will be invited to participate in the study by purchasing a Genographic Public Participation Kit. By sending in a simple cheek swab sample, a participant can learn about his or her own deep ancestry while contributing to the overall Project.

World66 Travel Site

2006-03-15T21:13:00.000+01:00

I recently disovered a travel website similar to TripAdvisor. It is called World66. It has open content and you can update places you have visited to help others. You can even update a world map identifying where you have visited, lived and where you would like to visit. Check out my page, click on the link in this post.

(You can also check out those detailed maps at the bottom of my blog, scroll to the footer at the end of this blog page.)

Modern technology vs. jobs

2006-03-14T18:54:00.000+01:00

Recently we ordered some books on Amazon.de. After my exhausting German language class today I returned home and checked my mail box. Inside was this green postcard from DHL. It listed an address for a Packstation on my street. If you're now wondering, "What is a Packstation?" I am about to explain. I had no idea either until today.

I entered the address on Yahoo.de under Routenplanner (map) so I could figure out where in relation to my apartment I had to go. Thankfully it was only two short blocks away. I schlepted out in the cold with my notice and my camera. I knew I had arrived when I saw there were two large yellow, metal machines that looked like a futuristic vending machines. I stood numbfounded in front of these two machines for about 10 minutes hitting every button and even realizing there was a barcode reader about the level of my belt. I placed my card in front of this reader, nothing happened. I looked at the screen and realized through the glare from the sunglight that their were fingerprints all over the screen. In that flash of conciousness, shivering in the cold, I decided to touch the screen. Presto! Like magic the screen had newly illuminated instructions, however in German of course--I guess that makes sense because after all, I am in Germany. Luckily, once again, the Germans have provided instructions in English by simply pressing the large British flag on the screen. Now I knew what to do. The on-screen instructions asked me to place my delivery notice in front of the barcode reader, check. Then it instructed me to type in my first and last name, check. Suprisingly it instructed me to sign for the package using my finger on the screen, just like you do at the check-out counter with the stylus at say, for example, Trader Joes. I scrolled my signature with my finger, check. Pressed confirm, check. Then off to my right I heard a click a door began to open very slowly and there was our Amazon package. I retrieved the package and the soon thereafter, the door closed. It was an interesting way to retrieve a package.....

I can see some day UPS, DHL and Fedex installing these machines in central locations and you will have to retrieve your packages this way. If you do not, you will have to pay extra for delivery to your door. Considering the high costs of fuel, the congestion in major cities and in the interest of reducing air pollution, maybe they should implement this system sooner rather than later.

I remember at the end of the process the on-screen guide suggested if I liked this system to log online to enroll in the service. For more info, click here.

I will upload photos as soon as blogger is able to do so....

Sunday afternoon around Duesseldorf

2006-03-12T17:46:00.000+01:00

Today we went for a walk around Duesseldorf. Here are some impressions:

All of these round bulletin boards around Old Town have people or a person on them and I always do a double take:

This is one of the public toilets:

This church is near our apartment and I thought the modern art in front of it would make a great contrast:

Airline meals online

2006-03-12T12:42:00.000+01:00

If you're like me, you love to travel. Well, in our March issue of Conde Nast Traveler there's an interesting article about airline food. The traveling public is invited to take photos of their food served onboard the aircraft and then upload the photo to the website. Check it out. It is pretty interesting.

Tip: Get your own ESBN

2006-03-11T21:30:00.000+01:00

There is a new system for identifying electronic media similar to the ISBN system for print. You can get your own ESBN for your blog. Check it out!

Join the (R)evolution and tag your (C)opyright!

This is from the website:

Numly.com assigns Numly Numbers (Electronic Serial Numbers / ESNs) for digital content and media. These unique identifiers provide digital rights management capabilities as well as third-party, non-repudiation measures for copyright proof via real-time verifications. Numly Numbers are simple and quick to generate and can also allow you to track content viewership, monitor ratings, and can be used as permalinks.

My number is: 95529-060309-872429-66. If you scroll to the very bottom of my blog, in the bottom footer, you will see my ESBN or now called Nuly Number citing possible trademark infringement claims, ESBN.ORG has changed its name to Numly.com.

Lastly, there is a blog about the Electronic Serial Numbers. Click here.

UPDATE: To find out how to add DiggIt! and Del.icio.us at the end of your postings, visit this great blog.

Interesting tidbits about Germany

2006-03-09T17:59:00.000+01:00

I have some interesting tibits of information about Germany that you probably do not know, unless you live in Germany:

1. Almost ALL homes/apartments/condos in Germany do NOT have closets.
Yes, it is true. I do not understand it, but there must be a reason for it. Of course, everyone must own an armoire in this country.

2. If you buy a home or even rent an apartment in Germany, it may not have a kitchen!
Yes, hard to believe, but true. Of course there's a room where you must install your kitchen. When someone owns a home in Germany and if/when they move, they take their kitchen with them. They take the cabinetry, the appliances and even the kitch sink.

3. Recycling your garbarge is not an option, you must recyle and sort the items by type.
For example: green glass, brown glass, paper and organic waste. Otherwise, the garbarge collectors will not pick up your refuse.

4. Germans will share a table with strangers in a restaurant.
As an American, I find it a bit unnerving, but I have gotten use to it.

5. You must bring your own bags to the grocery store or you have to pay for them.

6. In order to use a shopping cart you must insert a 1 Euro coin into the slot to release the cart.
I guess it is a good idea beause everyone returns the carts where they belong and they're not rolling around the parking lot denting and scraping all the cars.

While I am on the subject, I read a very interesting book titled: "Germany-Unraveling an Enigma," by Greg Nees. (ISBN 1-877864-75-7) I read on page 92 about the Germans' sense of distance. Gree Nees writes,

"Because Germans dislike spectacles and prefer to remain formal and reserved in public, they will usually wait until they are in close proximity before greeting someone on the street. Hollering or waving to catch a distant person's attention is something only younger or impolite Germans do. If fact, loud foreigners irritate the more traditional Germans, which causes considerable resentment and social tension."

No wonder I got some stares on the streetcar yesterday after class. My German language classmate (she's from Barcelona, Spain) and I were riding home and there was an announcement on the streetcar, obviously in German. She and I both looked at each other because the announcement sounded ominous. We both started laughing and of course we got the stare down from this elderly man seating across from us. The situation made me think of the movie, "Speed" with Kenau Reeves. Remember, if the bus had slowed down it would explode. Well, we went on to make up a story that if we got out of our seats the streetcar would explode. The story just snowballed from there and we laughed all the way home. I guess the announcement had nothing to do with an explosion because when we exited at the Hauptbahnhof we all lived to tell about it.

If you have any other interesting tidbits about Germany feel free to use the comments section. I am sure there are more things I am forgetting right now.

Billet/Bahnkarte/ticket

2006-03-08T13:20:00.000+01:00

Our train ticket from Paris to Nice arrived in the mail today. We got a special deal online at tgv.com which allowed us a free upgrade from second class to first class. I am assuming it was because we booked and paid for our ticket so far in advance. The train is one of those double decker trains. The trip will take 5 1/2 hours from Paris to Nice. I love trains. They are such a better way to travel than getting on an airplane. Your stress level is almost non-existent compared to dealing with airport security, the RUDE airline employees, the other passengers, crying babies...I could go on and on about how much I do not like to fly. I use to like flying. I was even a flight attendant for three years so I have flown quite a bit, but after taking trains in Europe, I realize that is the only way to travel!

Cote d'Azur and Cannes Film Festival

2006-03-06T16:17:00.000+01:00

We had no idea when we booked our vacation yesterday that we would be in the Cote d'Azur at the same time as the Festival de Cannes or the Cannes Film Festival. I checked online today and it runs May 17th through May 28th. The opening film this year is the Da Vinci Code*** directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks. I am loooking forward to seeing this film. The book was excellent and I hope the movie will be, too.

Any way, if anyone has any great tips for Nice and the Provence area please let us know.

***This is a great website for the movie, but takes about one minute to load (using a high speed connection) so be patient.

Time to book vacation, any suggestions?

2006-03-04T12:56:00.000+01:00

Well, now that my partner's vacation time has been approved for 2006, it is time for us to decide where to go. I am open to any and all suggestions. Any secret place you've been to and would like to share? I want it to be in Europe or the near vicinity. Right now we are leaning towards Paris for a week and then take an overnight train to Barcelona. Then staying there at least 4 nights and fly back to Duesseldorf. If you're providing suggestions I would appreciate links to websites, for example apartmentsinparis.com....something like that. Thanks in advance!
UPDATE: Further clarification...1. 2 weeks; 2. in May, 3. Preferably larger cities, 4. Somewhere not too hot, like maybe Scandinavia. We are leaning towards Scandinavia and a side trip to St. Petersburg, Russia. Finally, I am very sensitive to water. I get sea sick VERY easily. We took our first cruise in November 2004 and I was sick the whole time. If I am getting on a boat I have to take medication so we will avoid any water trips. I hate it, because this is a fairly recent development. I use to love boats and water. I'd rather be at the beach than anywhere, but not any more. We considered easycruise.com and try to see the French Riviera really cheaply, but I cannot imagine getting on another cruise ship.
SECOND UPDATE: We have already booked our flight from Duesseldorf to Paris. We will be in Paris for five nights and then we booked a train from Paris to Nice where we will be staying for eight nights before flying on dba back to Duesseldorf.