Who would have thought cologne came from Cologne

Twas the week of the 23rd of January and all through Bonn, everyone was beginning to feel at home and walked on the Dom.

That was stupid. This past week we finally broke out into our device design group to begin working on the project. I like my group of three. I think we all bring very different qualities to the table and will be able to come up with some really cool ideas to bring back to the Man with the Deep Voice of Enmodes. On Tuesday of that week, we went to Cologne!

I had heard my host parents and Dr. Wasser talk about the Dom Cathedral in Cologne but I did not expect it to be as big as it was. It was absolutely incredible and nothing like I had ever seen before. The fact that it began construction in 1248 and didn't finish until 1842 blows my mind. Also, the fact that there will always be a scaffold on it because it is too large and too vast to complete all restorations at once also is crazy to think about. As we were taken around the city of Cologne, our tour guide was able to tell us that cologne actually originated in Cologne and that it was originally used as medicine. I mean, it makes sense but I just never put two and two together. Then the tour guide took us to the bridge of love that had all the locks attached to it. While he was explaining, I ended up sneezing probably 10 times within 5 minutes. I must either be allergic to cologne, Cologne, or love. I'm hoping it was just to cologne. I've already accidentally toasted without making eye contact and we all know what that means so I can't afford to be allergic to love as well.

Then we walked on top of the cathedral. I never really was afraid of heights but it was quite an awe shocking view. It was incredible to look out and see the landscape of Cologne, the Rhein river, and even being able to see Bonn in the distance. One thing that really stood out to me about the cathedral thought was that even during the Nazi  occupation of Cologne, they still had to make repairs on the cathedral. In order to make restorations to the cathedral, the blocks had to have the year and a swastika carved into each. It was very eery to know that these symbols were etched into such a magnificent cathedral. Our tour guide explained that since they are out of the public's eye, it is basically like a historical document atop the cathedral. I still think it is very strange to have these on a cathedral.

School the rest of the week was fine. Nothing too exciting or awe inspiring. Oh, except for the fact that doctors used to think that hysteria was only found in women because of their wandering uterus's. That was quite the prediction.

This weekend I stayed in Bonn and decided to save my money and not travel. I went into town and got a costume for Karneval, I finished a lot of homework for the coming week, and then had a movie night and watched In Bruges and Liar Liar.

Can't wait to see what this week has in store.