I'm not sure, but perhaps the four most important words in the German language are:
Eine kugel eis bitte.
Translation: one scoop of (enter flavor here) ice cream, please.
Today is/was Saturday. Which is the German shopping day since stores here are closed by law on Sunday (which is really annoying). So after class this morning, I had lunch with some fellow English teachers, which was great because I was dying for some companionship, even if the company and I don't match personalities 100%. Oh well, it was good. So I went shopping afterwards for things that I needed for my flat. And like the Hebrews cramming through the Red Sea, a billion Germans have crammed onto Aachen's central shopping district, Adalbertsteinweg. It was utter chaos. People stopping you to try and get you to donate funds for something or get you to buy something, etc. You can't move there are so many of them. Note to self: no more shopping on Saturday's if I can avoid it. Anyway, I would say 5 out of 10 Germans was carrying an ice cream cone. That famous German Eis is eaten probably a day by even the most health conscious German. And at 60 Euro cents a scoop, why yes, I'll have an ice cream too. Something about German ice cream, its just better. Mostly inspired by Italian Gelato I presume. My personal favorite: Straciatella.
With that in mind, this afternoon I also began the move in process to my flat. Pictures to come tomorrow. I had planned on posting photos today, but I left my camera in my briefcase and not my backpack so I couldn't take photos of my apartment. I'm in the hotel tonight for the last night (with internets) and then my apartment doesn't have any so i'm going to fall off the face of the earth for a while, well that is of course when I'm not in Starbucks. I do have SAT TV which is supple.
On Thursday I have to drive to a firm to give my lesson. This is beginning to to give me some angst because German's drive as if they have just dropped a pot of scalding coffee on their laps. At least my experience in Taxi cabs have been so. I took a taxis with some of my bags to my apartment today and the taxi drive reached at least 65 mph on some of those little back streets with lots of parked cards only inches from the moving vehicle. Needless to say, I'm a bit nervous. I have to get a German drivers license in a few weeks. That'll be fun too. Turns out I probably have to travel to Frankfurt in the next month to the consulate there. My grandfather left me a sizable estate and the investment firm wants me to go to the consulate to sign paperwork, etc. Which is lame because when do I have time to just jump on over to the consulate to sign some papers.
Tomorrow another English teacher and I are getting together for Starbucks! Yes! Socialization!
2 comments:
Too true! So what time do shops close on Saturday over there? I thought they were closed on Saturday and Sunday. And...Germans eat ice cream in winter, it must be an all-year-round festivity or something. It'll be 50 degrees outside, and someone will have an ice cream cone in their hand! Im glad to hear you've got some socialization. The driving part, however, would cause me some severe anxiety! I have nightmares about driving in Germany...aaaaah! Maybe it's the whole stick shift thing, or the fact that they are so bent on all those rules. I'd def have to take driving classes over there! Hah! Okay mr. supple, i'll talk to ya later! Tschussi mit Bussi!
HOlly
Hey American friends, watch it, the Germans spy on your blog and comments ;-)
Ice cream is just so nice, you can have a scoop whenever you want and even after a big lunch or dinner.
Friend of mine had 8 scoops of different flavours - figure that (kind of repugnant and impressive at the same time)
and about driving: once you get used to it, it's awesome. best thing to do - drive with a German after midnight or so to practice
furthermore, some shops are open on Sunday, the whole of Germany is getting Americanized ;-)
Marcus
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