Blogging
From Abroad

Before coming to Europe I had never ever riden a plane by myself… but now I can say that I have successfully traveled – by myself- from one country to another one without even thinking about it. This past weekend I went to Köln and Leverkusen, Germany! Back in Pittsburgh we had neighbors who moved from Germany for a few years to work for Bayer and then moved back 5 years ago. Since I was in Europe it they invited me to come stay with them! It was such a great weekend! It was awesome to walk out the doors of the baggage claim area and see people I knew waiting for me!!

Saturday we spent the day in Köln. We took a train into the city- which was only 15 minutes away from their house- and walked around the town all day. The Köln Dom aka the Cologne Cathedral is the main attraction in the city. It’s huuuugggeee and beautiful. The city is one of the more modern cities I’ve been to in Europe- but still had some older buildings that gave it that European feel. There were tonssss of shops and there was even one that I found called Gold Kraemer (which is my mom’s madien name!). It was a beautiful day 28 degrees – which is about 86-88 degrees F- so there were tons of people out. They took me to their favorite bierhaus- Bierhaus en D’r Salzgass. I told them to order me the typical meal and the bets kind of beer. Well. I’m going on record about this- the beer I had was honestly. hands down. the best beer I’ve ever had. In Köln they brew beer a special way. It’s called kösch beer and it’s sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!!!!! (My second favorite is Pilsner Urquel in Czech). I had this huge pork thing with potoates to eat. OHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh german food. It was delicious!!!!!!!!!!! I loved it!!

Sunday we spent the day around their town of Leverkusen. It was only a 10 minute walk from their house – and it was so cute!! I realized that germans ride their bike EVVVEEERRRYYWHHEERREE. There were so many people out riding around.
After spending the day walking around there we went to a park on the Rhine River. It was once a garden show that they made into a huge rec park. It was beautiful. I could have spent all day there.

Since they came to Pittsburgh they fell innnnnnnnnn love with the Pittsburgh Pens. So the day we were in Köln we had to take the train to go pick up their car because they were getting a decal put on the back. All over their house were pics of Pittsburgh and Pens stuff- I loved it. I was so happy that I got to go stay with them- I didn’t want to leave!!!

Also they live right by the autobahn so I can now say I’ve rode on it!!
I realllllllllly liked Germany so much.
I’ve already decided that my next trip back to Europe will be this:
Munich, Berlin, Probably a stop back to Leverkusen to see Merten and Patricia, Krakow and Warsaw Poland, and Istanbul Turkey(so I can be in Europe and Asia at the same time!).
If you wanna go just let me know- haha!

Ciao <3 Julie!