Good & Bad

I`ve been in Germany less than 48 hours and have come to a few conclusions, both good and bad.

Bad
-The curious dichotomy of staying in a 21st century hotel with 20th century technology capabilities. No wireless is to be found anywhere, even in the numerous cafes I haunted throughout the city. Thanks to a public computer in the hotel lobby with internet access (which has had a line of people--Americans--hovering around it) that I am able to post this trifle here tonight.
-The German keyboard to this public computer--it´s confoundedly different than an English language keyboard. It took me more than a few minutes (and some errant umlauts) to get acclimated.
-Everyone smokes here, everywhere you turn. Inside, outside, in elevators, in bathrooms. I can`t seem to escape it. I may be a former smoker, but I've gotten used to existing in a non smoking world at home, that this is a bit overwhelming. I fear the clothing I've worn so far is utterly reeking of smoke fumes. Which I hate.
-The bathroom in the hotel room is smaller than the half bath in my apartment in Manhattan. You can pee, shower and wash your hands without walking through the doorway.
-In this city (Cologne), there appears to be a dearth of people who understand more than five words in English. On the other hand, they could just be fucking with me.
-The exchange rate of the Euro to the dollar is horrific...but that's hardly Germany's fault.
-Has Europe ever heard of air conditioning?

Good
-They do have a generous and affectionate understanding of our friend, the potato.
-Wasser mit gasse.
-The people here are wonderfully patient, helpful and friendly, even as I helplessly thumb through a dog eared copy of a German-English language dictionary trying to find the right word.
-They spare no expense when they build a cathedral.
-The strawberries here are so naturally sweet and gorgeously fragrant that I'll be hard pressed to ever buy them again at home without making a no-win comparison.
-The Rhine is a lovely body of water.
-Cold cuts and black bread for breakfast. There's nothing like it.

We're off to the Czech Republic tomorrow for our real vacation and what Fang promises me if unlimited, secure and strong signal wireless over ever square inch of our hotel. We'll see tomorrow.