Cologne times 2

Well we are here in Cologne. We have used it as kind of a rest break. We have been going 100 mph and needed a break. We showed up and found our hostel that ended up being an apartment that we rented!!! Love it!


After we found our apartment we hung out a bit and rested. After our break we headed to a local Irish bar to eat and watch the football game. As usual, Ireland lost :(
The bar was just like Ireland. We had a blast! And we were reminded how small the would is. Our bartender is from Houston. We got to talking and he told us another of the bartenders was from Amarillo!!! As he was telling us that the guys father walked in and we all got to talking. Low and behold, Celeste is friends with the fathers sister, who lives in Lubbock! So the g called his sister and let Celeste surprise her! The faith was the nicest person ever! He is retired and lives half his year in Germany taking care of his sons wife who has Cologne cancer. It was such a sad story but he was such a kind soul. We sent the night drinking good beer, watching football, and chatting with a bunch of people from Texas!

Day 2 in Cologne
We slept in pretty late today because it was raining in the morning. I spent the morning reading a relaxing. When we finally got up we grabbed a bite to eat and toured the giant cathedral called the dome. It was very tall and there was a bunch of steps to climb! It is the only thing that was not bombed in the town.















After viewing the dome we headed of to get some work done. We took the metro across town to a giant park to find some playgrounds. There was about 4-5 that we found but they were a little disappointing. Not the best playground we have found so far. Still better than anything we have in Lubbock.






On our walk back to find our way home, Celeste stepped on a tile that was loose and ate it pretty had in the middle of the walk path! Fortunately we had a good laugh and she walked away with just a few scrapes.




Tonight we are heading back to the Irish bar to watch some football and then after the game........ We are watching German karaoke!!!!!!!!!! Should be a good night!
Ok the game was wonderful! England vs. sweden. Close game all night. We didnt stay for the singing because the bar was crazy and we have to get up early tomorrow to catch the train. I am off to bed. Night night

Thanks for reading.



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Location:Cologne, Germany

Hamburg in a blink of an eye

The first day in hamburg was very short because it took so long to get there from the forest kindergarten. We really just had time to get there drop off our things and grab dinner. We found a nice Italian place across from the train station. We ate and watched a crazy football mob celebrate their teams game today.



Day 2 in hamburg was FULL! We started our day with a very fun walking tour of the city. Had a very nice Irish tour guide who was very entertaining.






After the tour we started talking to a group of people from the tour and we all decided to grab some food and go to the miniature museum. The group of people was made up of people from Canada, NYC, and Australia. They were a great group of people and we had a blast.






The miniature museum was AMAZING! It was full of small versions of different countries and had moving parts and trains and cars doing different things. It even transitioned from day to night and the city lit up at night. It even had a working Airport with plans that took off and landed.






After the museum we said goodbye to our friends and set off to see some playgrounds (we have to work some time). We found some amazing examples of german play areas! I wish America had this kind of play areas!









On our way from the last play area we heard the loud cheers and music of the football game. We followed the noise to another park that was showing the game. It was the Kia fan fest and it was crazy. There was a lot of energy in the air. We took pictures and then left because it was a little to crazy for our taste.






We took the train back to our stop and walked around a bit and found another public showing of the game but much smaller! So we stayed and had some beers and watched the game with a bunch of Germans. We ran into one of the people who worked at our hostel and her friends so we chated with them and watched Germany WIN!









We are now back on a train headed to Cologne. It has only been a week and I am very tired. We have fit a lot of stuff into a small amount of time! Celeste and I are getting along and every day has been full of good luck. I hope the rest of the trip goes this way!

Just got to our hostel and come to find out that we are staying in our own apartment! It is really nice and lots of space!



Tonight I think we are going to take it easy and prepaid for a full day of sight seeing and playground hunting tomorrow.

Thanks for reading

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Location:Cologne, Germany

What an interesting day!

Today was a LONG day. We woke up at 7 so we could make it to the very norther part Berlin. We were visiting a outdoor Kindergarten. It was quite an experience! We met the class at a park and they started with some songs. The kids were pretty high energy. Then we followed the class onto a public bus. That was a very strange thing to be taking a group of 3-5 year olds onto a public transportation. We got off the bus and went to a botanical garden. While at the garden the kids pretty much had free choice to do what they wanted. It was a very different experience than what I am used to. The whole point of the class is to allow the kids to explore their world and solve there own problems. It is like montessori but more laid back and outside. I help the kids whittle wood (yes they are allowed to use a sharp knife! The teacher said they will cut themselves at first but then learn to respect the knife). I also helped build and explore. It was a very tiring experience. I think I can learn a lot from the school but I also think there was a little to much freedom to the point that I was afraid we were going to loose some kids!













After we were outside with the class we all took the bus back to their classroom and all ate a family style lunch together. The school serves vegetarian and organic food. It was very nice to see all the kids sitting for a meal. We also sat together outside and ate breakfast and all the kids brought different fruits and vegetable and all shared them as well!

We are now on the train headed to Hamburg. I am spent from a full day of learning and bus/tram/train travel!

Made it to Hamburg. Grabbed a quick bit and now time to relax. Doing a walking tour tomorrow and I am spent from the full day today!

Good night, and thanks for reading.


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Location:Amsinckstraße,Hamburg,Germany

Back to Berlin

Another great day! We got up early and ate breakfast and headed to the train station. We caught a train back to Berlin and were there by 1130. We easily found our Hostel and dropped off our bags and headed off to see the town. I convinced Celeste to sign up for a Segway tour that started at 3. We walked around the city for a few hrs and saw some amazing sights.



On top of this building



After a bit of walking we headed off to the segway tour. Let me just say that it was the best tour I have ever done! The Segways were super fun and our guide was very funny and informative. We got to see so much of Berlin in 4 hrs. I didn't want to quit when the tour was over! I feel like I learned so much about Berlin and its history today!












So after a long day of sight seeing, we headed back to our hostel. The guy at the front desk asked if we heard the news about our room? I was a little worried until he said that they didn't have any more double rooms so they had to UPGRADE us the the "penthouse". It is like a small apartment with a full wrap around balcony! Can life get any better? I think it can not! So tonight we just ate dinner in the restaurant next door and are recuperation from a full day. Tomorrow we head to visit an outdoor kindergarten!











LIFE IS GOOD! Good night and thanks for reading!


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Location:Alte Schönhauser Straße,Berlin,Germany

Dresden day 2

Wow! We had a late day. I woke up 2, 430 and 5am today!!! Finally got up at 730 and went down to eat breakfast and then came back up to the room. Laid down to rest for a bit and boom! Woke up again at 12. We got up and did the hop on and off bus tour. It was really handy because they tell you about the places and if you want to get off you just hop off and take the next bus. The northern part of Dresden is beautiful!!!!!
















During the tour we hopped off and ate lunch at a beer garden!




After the tour we walked around the old city center which was full of beautiful architecture.





After that we went to a tapas bar and ate dinner. I has mushrooms, sundries tomatoes, roasted veggies in tomato sauce and of course some German beer!






Now I am off to an Irish pub to watch Ireland play in the euro cup! Ireland was getting a beating and we decided to head back and call it a night early. We have to head to Berlin again really early tomorrow. Don't tell anyone but I really want to do a Segway tour of Berlin tomorrow!

Good night everyone and thanks for reading.

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Location:Dresden, Germany

Off to Dresden

Here is a picture of on of the playgrounds we visited.




Today I woke up wide awake at 230am. This is the first trip I have done where I was really effected by jet lag. We ate breakfast at the hotel. Had some bread fruit and vegetable. Not a bad way to start the day. Made our way to the main train station using the subway. We are pros already. At the moment we are just waiting at the train station for our train to Dresden.


On the train.







I love taking the train and going places that are unknown to me. This trip is crazy because it does not seem real. When we wrote the grant I did not really think that we would actually get it. Even when we got the check it seemed unreal. It is so bizarre to be sitting here on the train heading to another town in Germany.

Got to Dresden and found our hotel. It's a Holliday inn of all places! It is the nicest places I have stayed in while traveling.



View from our room



After we got settled we headed off to find some play areas around town. We found a huge park in the center of town. It had many different areas of green grass, a mini train track, a mansion, and a zoo (which we visited)













We found one play area in the pack and many in the zoo. The zoo was full of crazy animals are really interesting buildings. Dresden was destroyed during the war so most things here have a very modern feel to them.










After the zoo we walked back to out hotel and stopped at a giant skate park to watch a tun of kids skate, blade and bike. It is a great skate park built by the city. I think it is so cool that the city provides so many areas of play and recreation for the public.

When we got back to the hotel we passed out for a short nap and then headed to dinner. Surprisingly we found a place with vegan food!!! Celeste had lasagna and I had a potato stew and of course a beer.....or two.




Now I am sitting in the bar in the hotel with a group of Germans updating my blog and watching Germany play in the European Cup. Every tense down here! The whole of Europe is buzzing with football fever! Looking forward to some good sleep. We are staying in Dresden again tomorrow so we can sightsee and take it easy!

Good night all, and thanks for reading!


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Location:Dr.-Külz-Ring,,Germany