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4th of July... in Germany!
Spending the 4th of July in Germany was certainly a unique experience. When we arrived at work nobody else really knew that it was Independence Day (as we expected) and when we told everyone that it was the 4th of July, a few of our co-workers said their “Happy 4th of July” wishes. It was very weird to be at work on a day when every American back home was out grilling hot dogs and watching fireworks. The day was most definitely redeemed however when we were invited to Frank Blase’s home for dinner. Frank is the CEO of igus® and a graduate of Texas Christian University so it was great to spend time getting to know his family and enjoying some American-style hamburgers!
American Food?
One interesting thing about 4th of July in Germany is that some of the local grocery stores have specials on “American Classic Foods” during the weeks leading up to the 4th of July. Some of the things for sale include doughnut mixes, cookie mixes, ketchup, hot dogs, and various American flag themed napkins and plates. It is hard to believe that these items are popular with anybody but the occasional ex-pat living in Germany but perhaps the fascination with American foods goes beyond American fast food chains! German shoppers will get a very interesting view of U.S. food-culture when they see the things offered and will probably have serious doubts about the health of the American population.
Nate, Brandon and Anthony with Frank and Daniela Blase at their home on 4th of July.
Ben Folds entertaining the eager fans... eager for the next band that is!
57 Minutes on the Street Tram: WORTH IT
On Saturday we went to RhEINKULTUR, a free music festival in Bonn, a city not far from Koln. I think it is fair to say that we underestimated how many people would be at this festival. I mean sure, we knew it had five different stages showcasing all different kinds of music, but I think we were still shocked when we saw the line to get in. I’m not sure what we were expecting from a free concert- of course every bored high school student living in a close radius to Bonn is going to come!
One nice thing that we have taken note of at events in Germany is that they don’t seem to inflate the food and beverage prices. In the United States you would probably pay $8 for a beer at a music festival. The price for beer at RhEINKULTUR was 2.80 Euros (about 4 dollars). Although this might seem high when you convert Euros to Dollars, it’s not unreasonable. On a side note, at the movies food prices are extremely low as well. One bag of candy is around 80 cents- compared to $3.50 that you would pay in the United States.
Matt, one of our good friends from TCU, also came to visit for the weekend. He works for American Airlines so it wasn't too difficult for him to find his way over to Cologne for the weekend. It was great seeing him for the first time in two months and catching up on everything happening back home. Our only disappointment at seeing him was that he didn't bring us anything from Chic-fil-a, our favorite American fast food restaurant.
Brandon, Matt and Nate enjoying the music festival.
We then made our way over to one of the main stages where one of our favorite artists, Ben Folds, was playing. Since the mid-nineties, Ben Folds has been a favorite of American pop music enthusiasts. During the height of his popularity, he could be seen on MTV, or as a headliner at huge music concerts. His hit single, “Brick” is a staple for any mix tape made by a hopelessly romantic American high school student.
Ben Folds success and popularity apparently has not transcended well from the U.S. to Germany. The crowd was less than amused by his usual concert antics and covers of Dr. Dre; they were more excited about the rock band, Sportfreunde Stiller, coming on next. Regardless of the rest of the audience’s lack of excitement, it was a great moment for us to witness such a talent musician as he played his first Germany music festival. Wonder if he will ever return.
The Tanzberg stage where DJ Tuettchips (our co-worker) preformed. This particular stage featured electronic music- very popular in Europe.
The event draws over 140,000 music fans. That makes for a LOT of people in a small area, especially when it's pouring rain!
Tschüss!
Brandon & Nate
