Frankfurt, A Bit Like Makati

As I laid down in my bed that night, I reflected on the events of the day. Tired, groggy, exhausted. Those are the words I would usually use to describe a day and night of adventure without even a ten-minute nap.  But at that moment I just felt uplifted. Whilst scribbling down notes on my travel journal, it somehow dawned unto me that the very thing that I was doing used to be just an answer I normally wrote on the slumbook, way back in high school when I got asked to sign for one. What is your greatest ambition : To travel around the world! Who would have thought that I could go this far… a naive boy from the suburbs! 

Anyway, the following morning, our day started with us rushing towards the train station to catch the next train going to Frankfurt. Yes, due to the success of our day trip to Düsseldorf the day before, we decided that it was only fair to give Frankfurt a go before heading to Amsterdam the next day. And since it’s Frankfurt, I was hoping I could have the best Frankfurters in the world!

Right after we got off the train I immediately noticed something different in the place. It was very busy, more modern that the previous German cities we’ve been to and it was full of businessmen-looking people carrying black portfolio cases. And rightly so, because Frankfurt, as we soon found out, is the financial center of Germany. So it may not be the most exciting town in the world, unless you’re an investor, but the brochure we got from the tourism office, begged to disagree (obviously). It says, there are many engaging experiences to be found in this ancient city.

Frankfurt’s skyline is dominated by modern skyscrapers, one of those is the European Central Bank’s headquarter. It felt like we were just walking along Makati Business District; just another concrete jungle. However, the good thing about the city is that it didn’t sell its history for modernization. Behind the modern skyscrapers lie the colorful traditional buildings which is really quite impressive.

Another thing I notice whilst walking along the main street, was the number of adult shops selling kinky sex objects and adult videos. It was erm… wonderfully weird! LOL! Since we are not used to these kind of shops, we made it a point to check almost all of them just to have a good laugh.

After visiting the famous landmarks of the city, usually those that were mentioned in the tourism brochure, we went shopping for souvenirs and called it a day. I think because I’ve already experienced living in a concrete jungle, I no longer find the Frankfurt’s very cosmopolitan atmosphere that interesting. But I have to say that walking along those parks in between those skyscrapers steered a lot of nostalgia in me. It felt like I was just in Makati with my office mates on the way to Starbucks.

They said that Frankfurt is Germany’s most aesthetically pleasing city. I may have to disagree on that, but then again, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

We didn’t have any Frankfurters that day!

 

A Day Trip to Düsseldorf

After visiting almost all the interesting places we could find in the tourist brochures in Cologne, my three friends and I decided to take a day trip to Düsseldorf, since it’s just 25 – 30 minutes train ride from Cologne. After buying our tickets and taking more chocolate than was “allowed” from the train ticket counter (they were giving them as freebies), we were on our way to Düsseldorf.

Welcome to Dusseldorf

You know when they say, karma is a b*tch. Well, better believe it! We got ours that day! We got off at the wrong train station. Good thing the next train wasn’t that long and we didn’t have to pay for our tickets again. So lesson learned, don’t take more chocolates than what you were told to take. LOL!

After that little stop over in the middle of nowhere, we finally arrived at Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof or Düsseldorf Central Station. Düsseldorf is located on the Rhine River and is a major cultural hub in the region.  The city is also known as the fashion capital of Germany. That’s why we tried really hard to fit in! LOL!

Since we were only there for a day, we agreed to visit only those sites we think interesting based on the tourist brochure we got from the tourism office, which on hindsight was a great idea as we soon found out that Düsseldorf is a city that has placed great importance on open space. From the wide walkways on the banks of the Rhine to the large Nordpark, Düsseldorf has plenty of spots that encourage taking leisurely walks or just stopping at a bench to sit and watch the world go by. And boy did we do much walking that day?!

One of the things I noticed whilst we strolled around the city was the sheer number of beautiful sculptures found in the streets. You could actually find gorgeous works of art in almost every corner, a fantastic manifestation of how important arts and culture are in their everyday life. 

Another thing I noticed was the fact that trams, buses, cars, and bikes all drive on the same road and if you don’t get out of the way or if you aren’t paying close enough attention, you get run over. They don’t stop or slow down for anything.  It is very scary.  There are train tracks everywhere and it is almost impossible to cross streets. Hence, we were extremely cautious whenever we were near a busy street.

And did I mention that apart from the usual greetings, not one of us understand German language? So we were on our way to Rhine Tower, our last destination before heading back to Cologne,  and it was starting to get dark. Since the front part of the tram was full, we have no choice but to sit at the back. We were so engaged with our conversation that we didn’t realize that we were the only remaining passengers and that the driver had been telling us via the microphone several times that we’ve already arrived at the last stop. Of course he said it in German so we had no idea what he was saying. We thought he was just waiting for the other passengers to get in the tram. He had to make a hand signal for us to understand what he meant, which was pretty funny as we were just there talking and laughing whilst he was frustratingly telling us to get off his tram as he’s going back to the main station. Ah bless him!

Anyway, after taking countless photos with matching far-away look and after almost an entire day walking, we decided to call it a day. We were so tired that nobody talked the entire trip back to Cologne.

Far-away look hahaha!

 

Lumpanug sa Cologne

Dili ikalimud na bisan toud ug bisaya ang pangalan ni aning akoang blog, ala pa jud intawun koy nasulat na binisaya diri, puro jud intawun iningles. Kana wala nagapasabut na wala nako gitagaan ug bili ang unang linguahe nga akong nakat-unan nianing kalibutana. Ang ga-inusarang rasun mao ra jud ang kamatuoran nga halos tanang tawo makasabut ug iningles pero gamay ra ang makasabut ug binisaya. Mao na para mas dali, ininglesun nalang. Bahala nag magkasunggo sunggo!

Sa pagkakarun hinuon, magbinisaya ko. Para ni sa akoang mga kahigalaang bisaya! 

Kining akoang sugilanon mahitungod ni sa akoang paglumpanog ngadto sa Germany niadtong Disyembre dos mil otso. Ala pa kaayo koy kasinatian sa paglaroy laroy nianing mga panahuna, mao na nangita jud ko ug kakuyugan. Basin unya ug masaag ko, ala ra bayay bombo radyo didto! Lisud nah!

Tuod man nakakita kog mga pinoy (puro tagawog) na muadtuay pud sa Germany. Ang naka apan lang kay mag una sila sa akoa kay naa pa silay laing lugar na adtuan unah sila mag Germany. Bisan tuod medyo gaduha duha ko, nidayun ra gihapon ko. Gitahas nako ug byahe gainusara gikan sa London paingun sa Cologne sa Germany. Ang Cologne mao ang ika upat na pinakadako nga ciudad sa Germany. Ang pinakadako mao ang Berlin, dayon ang Hamburg, dayon ang Munich dayun ang Cologne. Sa una abi nakog naay dako kaayo na pabrika sa cologne sa maong lugar tungod sa iyang pangalan. Apan nadiskubrehan namo na ang pangalan diay niya gagikan sa iyang pagkahimong kolonya sa Roma sa unang kapanahunan. Ang iyang tibouk pangalan sa una kay Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. Diha gasugud ang pangalang Cologne.

Cologne Cathedral - night

Pag abut nako sa Cologne, ang pinakauna jud nakong nabatyagan mao ang ilang pagkadako ug pagkahabug nga simbahan. Dili gud maigo sa lente sa ordinaryo ra nga camera ang tibuok simbahan. Ana kadako! Ang bungbung sa simbahan sa gawas gidayan dayanan ug mga istatwa, imahe sa mga santo, angel ug mga hayop. Matud pa, haskang dugaya unah nahuman ang pagtukod sa maong simbahan. Isa ni siya sa mga lugar na naa sa listahan sa UNESCO World Heritage. Pagkanindut nalang sud ungon ang maong simbahan. Mahinumduman nako na gatambay mi sa atubangan simbahan para lang modayig sa iyang kanindot. Kung dili palang lagi perting tugnawa adtong tungura, mabuntagan jud siguro me ug pinungko didto sa atbang sa simbahan.

Tungod kay angat pasko lagi tong pag adto namo didto, naay tabo sa kilid sa simbahan. Arang kadaghan ug mga baligya na pagkaon ug mga abubut. Barato ra unta kaso dili ko gusto magbitbit ug mga pinalit pauli kay medyo bug-at natong daan ang akoang dala na bagahe.

Ang dili jud nako makalimtan kay ang amoang noche-buena. Gapareserba na me daan ug lamesa sa isa ka kan-anan kay base sa amoang kasinatian diri sa Europa, puno jud permi ang mga kan-anan basta ing ani na okasyun. Dili hilig ang mga tao magluto sa ilahang balay, murag ako! Ug wala jud me masipyat, puno jud ang kan-anan pag sulod namo. Pero kay nagpareserba na lagi me daan, deritso na me ug lingkod sa amoang lamesa. Pagkadaghan sa amoang gi-order na pagkaon na ang magtiayun sa pikas lamesa ga cge gud ingun ug “wow” kada abut sa pagkaon. Nakighimamat mi sa ilaha ug amoang gi esplikar na ing ani ang pasko sa pilipinas, perti ka daghan ug pagkaon! Kay hingamigo lagi kuno me, nakig amigo me sa serbidora. Tigulang na si manong, gi ang-gaan namo siya ug Erap. Maayo man sa una, pero ang kataw anan kay sa dihang gitimbaya namo xa ug maayong pasko, anah pa siya na dili pa daw pasko pagka ugma pa daw ang pasko. Gi esplikar sa akoang kauban na kay alas dose naman pasko na. Nakiglantugi jud si manong, ugma pa jud lagi daw. Murag nahulog na hinoon na nakig away siya sa amoa! Hay nalang jud aning mga tigulang lisud pasabtun. Kung dili palang pasko ala jud unta to siyay tip! hahaha!

Noche Buena

Pagkaugma, sirado ang tanang tindahan. Mao pud niy nakaparat diri sa Europa kay magsirado jud tanan kong pasko dlili parehas sa pinas na abierto halos tanang tindahan. Ga bagdoy bagdoy me sa ciudad sa Cologne, baktas taman sa ginhawa, kay bisan naay mga taxi, tram ug bus, dili jud me musakay para malibut lang jud ang tibouk ciudad. Maka pangangha ang istilo sa ilahang mga kastilyo, balay ug mga istruktura na halos na muhalok na sa mga panganud, piso nalang ang pamasahe, langit na, sumala pa sa uban.

Dili ba kabalo na man jud ta na ang mga pinoy bisag asa naa jud. Pero lahi ra jud ang imong mabati kung magkitaay mo sa lahing lugar. Sa amoang paglatagaw sa ciudad, nakahinagbo me ug mga pinoy na gapuyo mismo sa Cologne. Nakighimamat me ug kadali dayon gapadayun na me sa amoang lakaw. Daghan pud kaayog mga turista nga parehas namo adtong adlawa na gapambaktas pud. Siguro mura pud sila ug kami, gusto malibot ang tibouk ciudad.

Cologne Cathedral - day

Kung pangutan on ko ninyo kung isugyut ba nako ang muadto mo sa Cologne. Siguro muingon ko na kung Cologne lang jud ang imong tuyo, ayaw nalang. Kay ang mga talan awun na makita nimo sa Cologne, makita pud nimo sa ubang lugar, gawas sa ilang simbahan. Pero kung naa naman lang ka sa Germany, dalikyati nalang ang Cologne para pud makita nimo ang ilang habog ug nindot nga simbahan.

Siguro mobalik ko sa Cologne puhon, pero dili na isa ka turista. Ang nahitabo man gud adtong amoang lakaw, turista kaayo ang amoang tema. Mas maayo unta to kung naexperyensa namo kung unsa ang pagkinabuhi sa ordinaryong tao nga nagapuyo sa Cologne para mas natagamtaman namo ang ilahang kultura.

Pero cge lang, dili bitaw nah mudagan nang Cologne, makaduaw ra gihapon ko didto ug balik, puhon!