Gadgets!

Trying to get cell phone service in Jena has been an ordeal.  We haven't been 100% convinced we wanted them, and when I didn't have a job, they just seemed way too expensive.  You can purchase a pay as you go phone quite easily here, but it seemed silly for us to burn minutes to each other with that kind of plan.

Recently, Jason was told by his doctor that he needed to have his appendix removed.  Without phone service, he had to go home, go online to see if I had gchat open at work (luckily I did).  But I wasn't at my computer, so he had to wait for me to return to let me know he was going to his office to find someone who would go with him to the hospital (our last experience taught us that we might need a translator).  Luckily, I was able to get to Jason quickly, but I had to leave the southwest side of town to head to the north side of town to meet up with someone who could call the person Jason was with to find out where he was so I could meet them.  And the hospital is on the southeast side of town.  Luckily, the bus schedule was on my side that day and I was able to meet up with Jason and Totally Awesome Friend (TAF) before they got to the hospital.  Once Jason saw the doctor, we learned that he did not have appendicitis, so no surgery!  Yay!  But boo for a totally stressful experience.  Jason's parents and sister all decided we needed a better way to contact each other, and set the ball rolling for our new amazing gadgets.

I have an iPhone.  And Jason does too!

After much nail-biting over contracts (do we sign a two year contract when our visas are only for one year?  will T-Mobile actually approve us for a contract? why can't they approve us on a Saturday?), we finally signed a two year contract (after learning that we can break the contract if we move out of the country) on two iPhones.  (2 contracts since family plans are not available here... never to fear though, they only charge minutes against outgoing calls)  The iPhones themselves were only a Euro each (woot!), though the plans are not cheap.  However, they are all inclusive for internet and 3G browsing, so I'm happy.  And so is Jason.

These apps are great!  I didn't realize I'd be an app addict, but I am.  I made chocolate chip cookies today and was able to use my iPhone to find the recipe and have it on hand without having to waste paper to write it down or drag my laptop into the kitchen (of course, 6 months ago I had this particular recipe memorized, so it's funny that I needed it today).  Epicurious has an app that allows me to look up recipes and create a grocery list from the recipe.  You can even check off the items as you get them!  The public transit system in Germany has an app that allows me to access the tram/bus schedule.  It even finds out where you are to show you the closest tram/bus stops without you having to type anything in!

I've only called one person (Jason), and I think we've used a total of 10 minutes in the last week, but we are able to communicate so much more efficiently these days.  When we were out on Wednesday night, Jason checked his email from his iPhone (we were both playing with them... he wasn't ignoring me) and discovered that some friends of his were going making last minute plans to hang out.  It was lovely to be able to join folks on such short notice!  Communication has given me a sense of freedom.  I know that I can make a last minute decision to go somewhere and not have Jason freak out for me being so late getting home (and vice versa).  Thank you iPhone!  :)

Do you have an iPhone?  What is your favorite app?

Globalization....

can be a good thing.  Because sometimes you just need a slice of home!

After much searching, I am still unable to find "real" brown sugar.  The brown sugar available here has a much lower molasses content, such that "packing" it would be impossible.  The flavor is fine, but it's not up there with the stuff available in the US.  So, I decided to make my own brown sugar.  In order to do that, you need molasses.  Well, I can't find that either.  The regular stores don't carry it, but others had mentioned the organic grocery might carry it.... but no luck.  However, I did happen upon Pepperidge Farm cookies at the grocery yesterday.  I was actually looking for Oreos because I've been catching up on my podcasts of The Eclectic Review and Glory had asked whether Oreos were available everywhere.  I've seen them here before, so I was looking again to buy some and take a picture to send her, but I found these cookies instead!  What's even better about these beauties?  I can't read the nutrition facts so that means they don't have any calories... right?  (Notice that the nutrition facts are a sticker placed over the US nutrition facts)

Oh, and if you are looking for birthday gift ideas for me, check out my wish list on Amazon.co.uk!  ;)

Day 2 in Cologne

The word of the day for December 28, when Helen and Mauritz came to visit us in Köln was pleasure.  We spent time going through the gorgeous cathedral, drank plenty of beer, and enjoyed the Schokoladenmuseum.  I have to admit, I was the one pushing to go to the Chocolate Museum.  When Helen and I were discussing the trip, I had asked here is they were interested in the museum, and all around everyone seemed interested in chocolate, so why not?  Of course, the night before Jason and I left for Cologne, my fingers did their thang and I found the website... complete with museum opening hours, and a big fat: Closed on Monday sign.  I was bummed.  Jason and I could still go, but Helen and Mauritz were only going to be in Cologne on Monday, so they would miss it.  And then I saw something flashing on the left sign of the screen: Open Mondays in December!  SCORE!!

But I'm ahead of myself.  When Helen and Mauritz arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that they were staying overnight, so we would have the opportunity to spend more time together.  We were all hungry, so we set off in search of lunch.  The first place had no empty tables, so we wandered around looking for something else.  We stumbled across another place, which upon inspection of the menu posted outside, we determined to carry German cuisine.  Not wonderful for Jason's not so happy stomach, but we thought he could find something, so in we went.  This place was packed, but it was also HUGE.  Mauritz found us the only empty table left in the place, though I think we could have sat down at one of the larger tables that was not filled and it wouldn't have been frowned upon.  Our waiter came up and asked how many beers we wanted.  And it suddenly began to dawn on me that we had entered one of Köln's famous breweries.  We were in Früh, established in 1904.  As long as we kept finishing the beer, more would be brought without us really having to ask. Helen and I both ordered traditional German cuisine, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Klöße on the menu, despite the fact that it's a traditional food from the state Jason and I live in.  Helen insisted I take pictures for the blog, so Jason let me play the tourist and I took some pics for your enjoyment!  

My small goose dish in gravy, with Klöße and red cabbage sauerkraut with apple and spices.

Helen's bratwurst and potatoes.

Bellies filled, we wandered around the Dom, and then headed over to the Chocolate Museum.  We arrived about an hour before it closed, so we didn't have much time, but we were promised samples, so in we went.  At the desk, we paid for our tickets and received a Lindt chocolate truffle each!  The entire museum smelled like chocolate!  We went through the first room, and I was afraid we had wasted our money.  It was like a really bad children's museum on the history of chocolate, and we could not figure out why it was located in Cologne instead of Berlin, where one of the main chocolate dudes had lived.  We moved on, and found the small, completely working, chocolate factory!  No wonder the entire place smelled of chocolate!

Jason and Helen checking out the machinery.

   

Our first glimpse of chocolate in progress!

Talk about a chocolate fountain!  This thing was huge (and we all got samples!).  In the background you can see the lights from the other side of the Rhein.  The museum is in a beautiful spot.

One floor up from the factory was a room filled with beautiful chocolate creations.  This guy is actually quite large, probably two and a half feet tall!

Since Helen and Mauritz went as Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf for Halloween, I just had to get a picture of this one too!

The last exhibit had lots of old chocolate boxes.  We eventually discovered that the museum is in Cologne because a factory was once located here.  It employed women (or should I say girls) from 14-16 year old.  If I remember correctly, they worked seven days a week (80+ hours), with only Sunday afternoon off.  Yikes.

On our way to the chocolate museum, we passed the beer museum!  Since the chocolate would be closing, we stopped by the beer museum afterwards to check it out.  Turns out, it was only a bar!  But we weren't too disappointed!  I had an urbock, Helen had a Leffe, and Jason and Mauritz had a smoked beer that literally tasted like bacon.  It was weird.

To familiar faces in strange places.

Many thanks to Helen and Mauritz to coming out to visit us!