german randomity

1.) The flight from Manchester to Cologne only took one hour and five minutes. On the way back, with the whole jet stream thing not working in my favor, it took an hour and ten minutes. That's approximately 700 km.

2.) I took out 100 euros from a bank on the border with the Netherlands, thinking I would want to buy more than just postcards and chocolate for the relatives back home. I have 51.89 euro left.

3.) I almost had a marijuana muffin in Maastricht from one of those "coffeeshops" whose specialty is not coffee. Why didn't I have it? I honestly forgot to get it before leaving and moving on to Aachen that day.

4.) Very nearly went to Liege, Belgium. Very nearly.

5.) None of my neighbors noticed that I was gone for four and a half days. I was really looking forward to answering the question, "I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?!" with "Germany." Damnit.

6.) One of the highlights was catching a glimpse of the driver of an SUV that advertised a business promoting American Indian culture and line dancing--with an emblem that reminded me of the Redskins. He was dressed all in black, wearing a black cowboy hat. Channeling Garth Brooks ca. 1995, perhaps?

7.) I only saw one German flag. I know what you're thinking, but they just express their nationalism differently.