Post-Iraq fun in Europa
Sorry LJ, you've been much neglected...
I've been back for about a month now I've been doing practically NOTHING at work. I've Just been sitting behind my desk, talking with my NCOIC, shooting the shit with others, and practice writing with my right hand on my desk calender. Yeah, can write (print and cursive) with my right hand once again and so now I am ambidextrous!
As far as the social scene goes, well...I've been doing quite well. I've went out with some of my German friends and had a great time drinking and dancing at the clubs downtown. I spent X-Mas with my friends family, and It was interesting and fun! I thought I was going to feel uncomfortable, me being a Buddhist and never ever celebrating X-Mas, but it was most pleasant and festive!
For New Years Eve. I flew to London with friends for four days. It was by far the best NYE, beating Amsterdam last year hands down! It was my first time in London and I loved all the sights and people, but not their exchange rate. I even saved a young toddler from certain death. Oh yes, that I did. Can you believe that all the pubs were closed on the night of NYE? We couldn't get behind that! And so we were all pissed that we couldn't get our alcohol. BUT, we did have a bottle of wine and sparkling wine. We were across from the eye of London and watched the countdown as it was projected on the building adjacent to the eye. It counted down from 60, and I believe I counted all 60 numbers in German. What came after the clock struck 1200 was truly wonderful. I bore witness to the greatest fireworks spectacle ever! Well, at least the greatest I've seen. The show turned the night into day and I was going crazy! By this time we were done with the wine and were now drinking the sparkling wine. After that, it was just celebration with people, yelling "Happy New Years!" and "God Save the Queen!" to everyone and anyone. My friend Ashley was helping me not to go astray, because I was just walking up to random groups of people and doin' my thing...mostly dancing. The pubs were now open and so continued our libation consumption while chatting' it up with the Brits. I guess it goes without saying I threw up that night.
A day after I then flew to Italy to visit my friend and his family in Vicenza. We visited Venice and Verona. In the first few hours I was in Vicenza, I bought 350 euros worth of nice antique-style furniture. I also bought some cool stuff in Venice. I got to see the Church that was in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade! That was a real plus for me because of the love the Indiana Jones films. I knew I was going to see it someday. Shoot, I've been withdrawing money out of the ATM, Gelbautomat, Bancomat, in unprecedented amounts. It's a good thing I have much in my savings account so that I can cannabalize on my checking acccount.
This past weekend, was spent in Garmisch, which is in Bavaria, bordering Austria. I went to see the Neuschwanstein castle, which the Disney castle is modeled after, and I went snowboarding...on my birthday! Yay, I'm 25! I carved up the slopes of the Bavarian Alps with friends, ate Goulasch in bread, and drank cappucino. The cappucino was cold in 20 seconds. Yeah, t was cold...very cold, with bursts of insane cold winds. It was even more cold when we went to the Zugspitze, which is the highest mountain in Germany. It was -8 degrees C, or 13 degrees F.
The drive back to Heidelberg was better than the drive to Garmisch. It was less boring for some reason. I was rippin' it up on the autobahn, too! For the most part I was going around 80-100mph, with some long stretches at 115mph. I'm gonna go for 120 soon enough.
When I first got back from Iraq I was like, "Yeah, I guess I'm glad I'm back in Germany," but now I can say with confidence, "F* yeah, I'm glad to be back, I love Europe!"
-Albear von Heidelberg
I've been back for about a month now I've been doing practically NOTHING at work. I've Just been sitting behind my desk, talking with my NCOIC, shooting the shit with others, and practice writing with my right hand on my desk calender. Yeah, can write (print and cursive) with my right hand once again and so now I am ambidextrous!
As far as the social scene goes, well...I've been doing quite well. I've went out with some of my German friends and had a great time drinking and dancing at the clubs downtown. I spent X-Mas with my friends family, and It was interesting and fun! I thought I was going to feel uncomfortable, me being a Buddhist and never ever celebrating X-Mas, but it was most pleasant and festive!
For New Years Eve. I flew to London with friends for four days. It was by far the best NYE, beating Amsterdam last year hands down! It was my first time in London and I loved all the sights and people, but not their exchange rate. I even saved a young toddler from certain death. Oh yes, that I did. Can you believe that all the pubs were closed on the night of NYE? We couldn't get behind that! And so we were all pissed that we couldn't get our alcohol. BUT, we did have a bottle of wine and sparkling wine. We were across from the eye of London and watched the countdown as it was projected on the building adjacent to the eye. It counted down from 60, and I believe I counted all 60 numbers in German. What came after the clock struck 1200 was truly wonderful. I bore witness to the greatest fireworks spectacle ever! Well, at least the greatest I've seen. The show turned the night into day and I was going crazy! By this time we were done with the wine and were now drinking the sparkling wine. After that, it was just celebration with people, yelling "Happy New Years!" and "God Save the Queen!" to everyone and anyone. My friend Ashley was helping me not to go astray, because I was just walking up to random groups of people and doin' my thing...mostly dancing. The pubs were now open and so continued our libation consumption while chatting' it up with the Brits. I guess it goes without saying I threw up that night.
A day after I then flew to Italy to visit my friend and his family in Vicenza. We visited Venice and Verona. In the first few hours I was in Vicenza, I bought 350 euros worth of nice antique-style furniture. I also bought some cool stuff in Venice. I got to see the Church that was in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade! That was a real plus for me because of the love the Indiana Jones films. I knew I was going to see it someday. Shoot, I've been withdrawing money out of the ATM, Gelbautomat, Bancomat, in unprecedented amounts. It's a good thing I have much in my savings account so that I can cannabalize on my checking acccount.
This past weekend, was spent in Garmisch, which is in Bavaria, bordering Austria. I went to see the Neuschwanstein castle, which the Disney castle is modeled after, and I went snowboarding...on my birthday! Yay, I'm 25! I carved up the slopes of the Bavarian Alps with friends, ate Goulasch in bread, and drank cappucino. The cappucino was cold in 20 seconds. Yeah, t was cold...very cold, with bursts of insane cold winds. It was even more cold when we went to the Zugspitze, which is the highest mountain in Germany. It was -8 degrees C, or 13 degrees F.
The drive back to Heidelberg was better than the drive to Garmisch. It was less boring for some reason. I was rippin' it up on the autobahn, too! For the most part I was going around 80-100mph, with some long stretches at 115mph. I'm gonna go for 120 soon enough.
When I first got back from Iraq I was like, "Yeah, I guess I'm glad I'm back in Germany," but now I can say with confidence, "F* yeah, I'm glad to be back, I love Europe!"
-Albear von Heidelberg