Drive by post :)
Greetings from Aachen. We're in a lovely hotel - it's huge and very posh and very comfy :)
Did Aachen today and we're going to do Cologne tomorrow.
Have to say, not impressed with Aachen's tourism; if you want tourists, best to actually have some stuff in English. How many tourist attractions do you know that only have audio guides in the native tongue? Canterbury Cathedral has had audio guides in at least five languages for as long as I can remember. Also, make sure that the one written guide you do have in English is not 14 years out of date!
Shopping and eating was good though - I actually spoke German today (is proud). Okay it was brief and probably so bad grammatically that it sounded like a five year old, but I tried and the very nice waitress understood me :). Haven't had to speak much German otherwise since the moment someone realises we're English they start speaking in perfect English. I keep trying to say thank you and simple stuff in German though, so that I don't feel totally ignorant :). It's terribly embarrassing to know our education system in the UK is so behind when it comes to languages. We had a lovely server in the bar at the hotel last night and she was speaking perfect English to us, Dutch to another couple and German to everyone else. She was brilliant and made the most wonderful cocktail. She wasn't on tonight though and the chap who was on was no where near as good - was very disappointed.
Was very disappointed to only find Tokio Hotel in two magazines today though ;)
Did Aachen today and we're going to do Cologne tomorrow.
Have to say, not impressed with Aachen's tourism; if you want tourists, best to actually have some stuff in English. How many tourist attractions do you know that only have audio guides in the native tongue? Canterbury Cathedral has had audio guides in at least five languages for as long as I can remember. Also, make sure that the one written guide you do have in English is not 14 years out of date!
Shopping and eating was good though - I actually spoke German today (is proud). Okay it was brief and probably so bad grammatically that it sounded like a five year old, but I tried and the very nice waitress understood me :). Haven't had to speak much German otherwise since the moment someone realises we're English they start speaking in perfect English. I keep trying to say thank you and simple stuff in German though, so that I don't feel totally ignorant :). It's terribly embarrassing to know our education system in the UK is so behind when it comes to languages. We had a lovely server in the bar at the hotel last night and she was speaking perfect English to us, Dutch to another couple and German to everyone else. She was brilliant and made the most wonderful cocktail. She wasn't on tonight though and the chap who was on was no where near as good - was very disappointed.
Was very disappointed to only find Tokio Hotel in two magazines today though ;)