Germany for a week

Welll…. even though it’s not 100% right now, it’s close enough that I don’t feel like I’ll jinx anything by posting. Looks like I’ll be in Germany for a week of work, in mid-July. I got contacted by the Portland office, because I’m one of the few seniors in the firm who has German listed as an alternate language spoken/read. A few others were asked, but I guess I was the only one persistent in finding out whether a decision had been made (no idea why someone wouldn’t keep following up on something like this!)

I found out recently that I’ll be working over there alone, which means much more freedom of schedule. So, I’ve been looking at how to maximize “free time” on the weekends before and after work for some tourism stuff, and minimize cost. Found a good deal on a week-long train pass for around the Cologne area, and found very good departure/arrival times into Frankfurt-Am-Main. It’s not the CLOSEST airport to where I’ll be working (in a little town southwest of Cologne called Dueren) but the fares there were a few hundred dollars cheaper, so it evens out.

I just found out that the night I get into town (which I should get there around noon or so) the annual Cologne Lights will be going on. TOO COOL! So, I will take full advantage of THAT spectacle. Then the next day I plan to take a cruise down the Rhein (to wherever… anywhere is good). The German railpasses I will be getting (expensed through work) will get me on the boats for free, which is a plus.

Work will be Monday – Friday, and the senior in the Portland office said it’ll be limited scope or limited procedures. I’m sure it’ll be WORK, but hopefully not a lot of work (not that I mind). Gotta go remind myself if Germans are early workers or what. I can’t remember offhand.

Saturday morning I plan to strike out to the Black Forest for a (loooong) day of hiking one of the northern stages of the Westweg. That weekend, I also plan to stay in Baden-Baden and get one of the famous Roman-Irish spas at Friedrichsbad (check out the glowing reviews 🙂 Sunday might be spent taking an exploratory train route around southern Germany, and then a nice 11:20am flight back home from Frankfurt to arrive in Houston on Monday evening around 7:30pm.

I am sooo looking forward to this!!

Best parts are that this is a business trip, and most of the time WILL be at work, but it’ll be about 90% expensed, AND I’ll be home with plenty of time for Ivy’s 1st birthday on the 23rd. I wonder if she’d like a cuckoo clock?