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 K�ln 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 K�ln. We took a train into the city- which was only 15 minutes away from their house- and walked around the town all day. The K�ln 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 K�ln they brew beer a special way. It’s called k�lsch 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 K�ln 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!