Thursday, August 7, 2003

On the rode again. Last night was nice. Went and saw an IMAX show that was 3D. If that is the direction movies are going, I cannot wait. There were parts that I almost thought things were sitting in my lap, even though I knew they were not. During the credits, people were standing up to leave and I thought they were going to get hit with asteroids that were coming at us. Had a Kebob that was a sandwich and not on a stick. Drank a couple of beers and went to sleep. Woke up at 5 to see everyone in the room active.

Evidently, one of the guys staying in the room had done something to his ankle and they had to call on ambulance because it was so swollen. After all the commotion, I kept thinking if something happened, I really do not know what to do. This kid was one of a group of six, so he had some help.

I like to say I do not conform to peer-pressure, at least not as bad as most, but I think I do enjoy an audience. In the right circumstances it is a rush. But with risk comes pain. I cannot imagine how seriously I could have actually got hurt on that escalator or caught some illness in the Gap, but so far, the stupid things I have done in my life have left some scars, but no real damage.

Quincy is definitely a German town and Koetters is definitely a German name. Although it is mispronounced by our family. “oe” sounds like “oo” in smooth. And the “tters” is pronounced “tears”. That is not right. The second “e” is like the “ai” in stairs. So it should look like Kootairs or something like that. Anyway, people here recognize it as a German name, even if I butcher its pronunciation. And I saw a man who could have been Ralph Koetters. And a lot of familiar looking people once you get outside the tourist areas. And the older couple on the train that I am sitting by could be on vacation from Quincy.

Patty was right about Northern Germany. It does remind a person of Illinois, but Southern Germany is, now that I think about it, a lot like Southern Illinois. More hills, less fields. Less than a week left and I really do not know how to feel about leaving. Ready to get home, but always wanting to see more. My eyes have never been so busy. That IMAX 3D made them work so hard that it almost gave me a headache. Knowing how much I have seen, yet so little in the large concept of the world makes me a little discouraged. Somebody was telling me yesterday that when we learn something new, it only makes us realize how stupid we are and how little we know. I really do not want to walk through life with that attitude. There is no satisfying a person like that.

My God is it hot in Frankfurt. Not only is it hot, it is the hottest heat wave Europe has seen in a long, long time. I almost measured their highest temperature ever. I repeat, ever.

A bunch of things have popped into my head and I figure here is a good place to put them. First, who came up with the term African American? I mean, I think I used to agree that it sounded less negative than black person, but does it really make a difference. They are just 2 different words that mean the same thing. The reason black is bad is because it conjures up negative ideas in our head. African American does the same. We still make people out to be different. This is what really got me thinking, should you call a black person from Germany, and African German. I have never heard that before. How arrogant are we to call black people African Americans.

Another thing. There are a lot of grown men over here walking around with ice cream cones. I have seen construction workers to business men ordering ice cream cones during their lunches or breaks. Either that tells us they are not worried about their appearance, eating ice cream does not effect your appearance, or the ice cream is really, really good. Next time you are in Berlin, try the smurf flavored ice cream.

Another thing, Frankfurt is too much like an American big city to be enjoyable. Tall skyscrapers and the lot. This hostel is in the middle of the red light district. Nothing but porn shops and strip clubs on all sides. I would not recommend Frankfurt except that they have a nice railway station and evidently a nice airport. This has also been my first repeated town. I remember spending my couple of hours here on the way down to Rome. Boy that seems like an age ago. I am not only eager to get home, see Michelle, drive my car, but to start looking back at the crap I have written. I have not looked back at all since I started. It should be interesting. I really wonder how much I have already forgotten.