The Honest Truth

As promised, a recap on Alexi’s last night: Bought 10 beers for 9 euros and went to the park by the Maastricht river. Tons of little groups of people congregate on the grass. One man provided the entertainment by singing American music from his ipod so loudly it provoked a younger guy to bust out his lighter. Reminded me of being by the Ottawa river, just with more people and booze.

After downing some beers we had sushi. Yes! Sushi in Maastricht. The sashimi was really good. The maki, a little less so.

After sushi went to the apartment of Alex and Ruth’s Dutch friends. The two girls, Inika and Marie-Helene were preparing for the graduating art presentation at the college of design. They worked in a room with a door facing the patio where us non-students sat making a tower of empty beer bottles and drinking red wine. It was very romantic. A hot Maastricht night. Art students working on their projects, and us, enjoying the other worldliness of it all.

The next morning I went to Germany.An hour on the bus from Maas and I’m in a sweet little town called Aachen. Known for its churches, it’s big plaza in the centre, and being founded by Charlemagne, the King of Franks, in the 800s.

There are a couple of main differences between Aachen and Maastricht: In Germany, most people don’t speak English and things are cheaper.  Both towns have many churches, and big plazas where people sit for a long time consuming various things.

Upon arriving I walk till I find the nearest schnitzel and coffee and sit down to eat and people watch. I don’t go deep enough into the city because I’m STARVING and realize later there is better food at better prices a quick walk away. Caught in the tourist trap.

But, hey, fried meat is fried meet. The plaza is beautiful, and I take pictures of street performers with white faces who rather than being clown-like, are smoking cigarettes or napping.

People all over sit at the hundreds of chairs, smoking and drinking beer. There’s a beautiful church near a square with German flags.

I learnt that payphones are “old technology” and that Germans are friendlier than their reputation. After a lovely glass of wine on a street off the main plaza, I made my way back towards the train.

Tomorrow, my friend Andrea and I go to Rotterdam to SLAM out. Also, hopefully soon I can upload my own pictures, but since I forgot the chord, enjoy the freedom of the internet.