CHAPTER VII

For the most part, this week was classes, homework, and see some more of Bonn. I found a nice café that’s on my side of the Rhine. It has Wi-Fi and is definitely welcoming to people who need to stay for a while and work on homework. (I haven’t quite figured out which cafes are okay with this and I miss the college station coffee shops that are open til 1 am.) I’ll definitely be spending some more free mornings at Café Cultura.

On Wednesday, we visited Bayer as a group. Bayer headquarters are only an hour away from Bonn in Leverkusen. We spent all of our time in the Baykomm, their PR and communication area. They have many small exhibits showing the history of the company, their current work, and goals for future directions. The company history was really interesting. They started out as a textile dye company and transformed into working with other chemicals, mostly pharmaceuticals. Recently, they have identified ten major challenges to overcome, all about innovation and paving the way for future cures.

 

On Friday, I went to the Deutsche Kunsthalle with some friends. It was the perfect size for a short trip to an art museum. They had a nice variety of art! One of my favorite rooms looked like a kid’s creation. They walls were covered with colored cardboard, and all of the craft supplies and workshop area was carefully staged in the middle. It reminded me of the countless crafts I made up with my sister. We decided to take the long way and walk back along the Rhine to get to our bus. I really, really appreciate the Rhine. It’s lovely and relaxing, I could spent lots of time just watching the river and boats go by.

I went on a couple runs this weekend. There’s some nice trails a few bus stops past mine – I haven’t quite made it that far on any of my runs, but once I’m in better shape, it will be the perfect spot! I think I’ve finally adapted to the cold water; I’m a little less fazed by now and suddenly 35 degrees seems like a warm day. We have also been getting lots of sunny days recently! Lois and I explored the woods behind our house too.

Sunday, we went to the Beethoven House museum. I had forgotten that Beethoven lost his hearing so early. They had some of his hearing aids on display. It just makes some of his work all the more impressive! Another interesting tidbit from the house from a newspaper ad for Beethoven’s concert. His father published that he was only 6 instead of his real age which was a few years old to gain attention as a true prodigy. To top of the day, we find a shop that sells a scoop of gelato for only a Euro! It was a great discovery, even for a cold day.

Random Takeaways

The woods are meant to be explored. "Just use your phone as a compass and walk through the woods" - Regina