Last Thursday, I took a four-hour train ride to Germany to celebrate the yearly Cologne Carnival that started at 11:11 on November 11.
And who was dressed up in a pink suit like someone from Saturday Night Fever when I stepped out of le train?
My friend, Martin!
Taller than six feet with a flamboyant suit and bright smile, he stood out in the crowd. What a great welcome to Deutschland!
We left all of mes affaires in a locker at the train station and headed to meet his friends and start the celebration.
Giant frogs, cats, cows and all kinds of colorful masqueraded people paraded on both sides of us while a group of musicians played an upbeat song with their saxophones and drums... "Kölle Alaaf!" or "Cologne Alive!" could be heard by the crowd.
We met his friends: vampire, disco man, plumber, little girl. What a fun group this was during carnival! "Prost!" or "Cheers!"
And that was only the first day in Germany... that night, we took the train to where he lives, Bonn. We were prepared to pay about 20 euros each, but le controleur let us get off without paying because we were almost at our destination. Lucky us!
The next two days were filled with delicious cuisine allemande, a sightseeing bus of Cologne, a pizza and film soirée and interesting discussions. On Sunday, it was time to leave Germany behind and its lively scene, cobblestone streets and chilly weather.
Martin drove me back to Lille on the famous German "autobahn". It took three and half hours, and of course, we were hungry arriving to Lille. We ate some moules-frites au sauce à l'ail paired with some white wine.
It could not have been a better ending to a beautiful weekend in Germany.
Thank you so much for everything Martin! Merci beaucoup! Danke! :)
Martin and I first met during the 2008 presidential election in Phoenix, Arizona where John McCain was giving his speech. I interviewed him for a news story for the Cronkite School about international media that was covering the historic election. Martin is a reporter for Phoenix TV in Bonn, Germany.
What you got to go on the Autobahn!! I am so jealous that is my dream you will have to tell me all about it! :) And how do you just randomly run into someone (Martin) that you know on a train to Germany, you must have contacted him before right? Or did you just happen to make him your friend in a matter of minutes by using your famed feminine charms ;p j/k lol "famed" I crack myself up, lol
ReplyDeleteWe went 160k/hr so about 100 m/hr because it was a rented car, but my friend has gone up to 220km/hr! It was fun :) And I didn't just randomly run into Martin haha Although, that would be something I would do... I planned the visit a while back and he hosted me. How we met is explained at te bottom in BOLD lol
ReplyDelete"Famed"-- your jokes just keep getting cornier and better lol :P