After our successful Thursday night Mexican-American meal...
Friday:
The morning began with sleeping in.. for real this time! ...9 am baby!!! :) Viktor and Indira made a fantastic breakfast of scrambled eggs n' spinach, and cucumbers, tomatoes, mozarella cheese and bread/butter on the side.. And hot tea too of course! Mmm... These two know how to cook! (They spoiled us! I dont even eat that good -and healthy- at home!.. hmm, perhaps I should start re-thinking my grocery list...)
Anyway, after breakfast and a bit of sittin around and shootin the breeze about whatever (probably politics.. we did that quite a bit), we got ready and set off for an adventure in Düseldorf!
At this point, because Indira had to take responsibility and be the good student that she is (like Viktor did the day before) she prepared for class as Viktor, Jason and I headed out to meet up with their awesome friend Nina. **These 3 people by the way -Viktor, Indira and Nina- ALL such fun, witty, and amazing individuals! Fantastic new friends whom I already miss!**
SIDE STORY:
"The little old lady from... Duseldorf?..."
-- pre-train ride we met an older woman who I just know I would have had one of the best conversations with!... had I spoke German. She was 81 years old (but had the spirit of someone MUCH younger), married to a well-known artist in the area (??) and is from Duseldorf, Germany. She was smiley and spunky and had the firmest handshake ever! --I just had to comment on it (because I haaaaaate fishy/wimpy handshakes) so I had Jason translate.. She agreed and confrmed the same dislike. :) --Anyway, by the end of the train ride, I got a group picture with her, a big hug (something that Ive NOT been getting enough of) and huge smile! She said something to me in somewhat of a whisper.. of course I had no clue what she said, but her eyes spoke volumes!.. Precious lil' woman she was.... Anyway, so she was my inspiration for the day :)
Cont....
The four of us went to the top of the Rheinturm once in Duseldorf (a tall, circular and glass-framed building (at the top) that slowly spun at the top for a panoramic view of the whole city.. what a view!) and after goofing around a bit and working up our appetites, we treked on to find food! More meat is what we really found. :) Of course Jason is a HUGE fan of meat, even if it looks like a giant (raw) leg of a pig!.. Which to me it almost did... yeah, not my cup-o-tea. But we ate up whatever we ordered, and headed on back to Cologne to meet up with Indira.
Viktor, Nina, Jason and I in front of the Rheinturm
J and I hovering over one of the slanted windows...
"The meat"
It was here that we split off from Viktor for the evening (who had a prior engagment to attend) and so the 4 of us (Jason and the 3 of us ladies) went off to explore the Dom (Cologne cathedral). What an amazing structure! So much detail it drives me crazy! Its no wonder that it took over 500 years of construction. The "hot" fact about this dom (aside from its beautiful stained glass windows and attention to detail) that makes it so dang popular and the "must see" site in Cologne is the housing of the 3 wise men.. Yup, that's right! Inside 3 gold caskets lay the remains (or what was) of the 3 kings who presented Jesus with gifts after his birth. Pretty cool...
Post cathedral exploration, we toured through the crazy streets of the city (remember.. Friday night.. futbol.. beer... EVERYONE is out by this time!) and found a local pub where we got us some delicious cocktails and just chatted the night away. Some of the most simple times were the best!
Indira, me, Jason and Nina
... However, the simple time that evening turned a little sour.. here's why: When the 4 of us left the apt earlier that eve, I was the last one out.. Naturally if you're the last one out, you close the door behind you.. right? hmm... Well, the door automatically locks once closed, and Indira kinda left her keys inside.. Doh! soooo.... that night after the pub (and after Nina had headed home) Jason, Indira and I hung out all over the place, trying to dodge the cold and rain, until about 1am when Viktor got home. Our hero! :) A game of chess for the boys, conversation for the girls, a cup of hot tea and an hour later, 2am hit and we were all off to bed!
Saturday agenda:
*Began with another yummy breakfast, courtesy of Viktor and Indira :)
*By 11am, Jason and I were making our way up the spiral staircase in the dom leading up to the bell tower.. 509 stairs! Ridiculous.. but worth it!
*Just after noon time, the 4 of us met up with Nina, and we bused ourselves out to Seilbahn Berg to see *drum role please!* a castle! :) The trip in and of itself was incredibly fun (the people made it such), but the castle was pretty cool too. (only half of us toured the inside.. and I wasnt one of em.. boooo me, I know. I just have the Heidelberg castle stuck on the brain that it didnt appeal to me at the moment) Next time!
The whole gang!
View from the castle
Indira and I... :)
My night in shining armor..?
*Post castle we headed back to Cologne (saying our goodbyes to Nina halfway thru), arrived home around 7pm, made some yummy dinner (chicken, rice n salad), had some chocolate for dessert, played a few rounds of poker (Indira smoked us all!!!) then booked it back to the train station so J and I could catch our 11:40pm train. So it was goodbye Viktor, goodbye Indira, and goodbye Cologne!
.. I am determined to go back and visit. I will!..
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