Pig feet and women

Last night I went to an Irish pub with my suite-mate from India and some of his friends. Talk about a mix! One American, one Frenchman, one Chinaman, two Indians, and ten Guinness. (Thanks, I'll have your order at window #1!)

It was a night of cultural clashes, beginning with the discovery of two very obvious pig feet in our kitchen sink. I'm talking toes, skin, bones, the works. My Chinese suit-mate, Run, was getting the feet ready to wok (har har). Run offered me a taste, which I was eager to accept, but I was on my way out. (I really was eager. Pig feet wouldn't be the worst thing I've ever eaten, by a long way).

Cultures from three different continents were represented our table, which was covered in beer glasses, so the conversation got very interesting very fast. Topic #1: Women. We were all guys so what did you expect? Things got a little volatile when the Indians in our group asserted that all women were by nature inferior to men, and then tried to prove it. Their broad statements about a woman's intelligence and emotional stability were so offensive that, at first, I was convinced they were joking. Most of these arguments weren't even scientific. It was strange to see such a prejudice in such intelligent people. These guys develop nano-scale technologies for a living, and then turn around and claim that a new-born boy is inherintly more intelligent than a new-born girl!

It's not the first time I've heard these arguments from people from the sub-continent. I've even heard similar stuff from an Indian woman! It's a little hard to know how to act in these situations. I usually point out people like Marie Curie, Ada Lovelace, Margaret Thatcher, etc.

After women in general came the subject of girlfriends. Of all the people at the table, only I had a girlfriend, sparking an "ah, that's so American" kind of attitude from our beer-table Indian demographic. Our resident Frenchman was also experienced in romance, but rather than discuss it with us, he actually demonstrated by visiting a girl at a nearby table. Ah! The French. (FYI, it was an unsuccessful assay.)

It was an entirely enjoyable night, but I'm always impressed by how different people's opinions can be on fundamental issues. It makes you wonder how your opinions may be "flawed", and who has the "right" opinion in any case.

In my opinion, I'll have another beer.

Lucky Penny

I had a cultural adventure this morning.

There's a charming little bakery next door to my apartment with every kind of delicious German baked good imaginable. (The buttercroissants are my heavenly reward for an early morning run.) The proprietor of said establishment is a charming old girl with two children, aged 25 and 30, who insists on speaking her uniquely Germanized English to me. She's completely charming.

This morning after handing me my change she gave me a single penny. "There! That is a lucky penny for you. It is lucky because I spit on it. I spit on it three times. Put put put! Like that."

I'll keep it forever.

Back in Jülich!

Well folks, I'm happy to report that I have returned to Forshungszentrum Jülich for the summer! A professor in Jülich is footing the bill, which, unfortunately, means no travel budget. Travel will be powered by Ye Olde All-Mighty Greenback, which our dearly inept government has reduced to just a little more than half it's value (vs. the Euro) in one short year. In spite of all that, I plan to do a bit of travel this summer. Brussels for certain, and maybe the alps? I brought hiking shoes....

For example, I've been here a week now and already visited Köln and Aachen again. The European rail system is legendary and deservedly so. 8.50€ sends me two hours down the tracks and into the city. I would have preferred to stay in Jülich for the entire work week, but there was a German national holiday on Thursday so work was closed Thur - Mon. Jülich during a national holiday is like you're average church-goer: old, quiet, and asleep. Most people get out of town.


Kölner Dom! My new camera takes much better photos of architecture.


It's a bad day to be Stephen. You get all dressed up and people throw rocks at you.


Ever wonder how to say "Sunflower" in German?

The highlight of the weekend was my visit to Saskia in Simpelveld, NL. Saturday we wandered in and out of old churches and fancy cafés, catching up on the news and eating fresh strawberries. (The strawberries and asparagus are being harvested now so both are cheap and oh-so-tasty). I spent the night in Simpelveld and in the morning we visited a colorful christian church called "The Vineyard", which was very like my old church Calvary Chapel in Utah. But in German. ("Triff und unterhalt sich!" is the closest I can come to "Hang out and fellowship!").


The sunsets around here are great.

Here's a few funny things that have happened so far:

Desperately board, I riffled the research center library for English fiction. I found such classics as "Day of the Dead! The world's scariest film is now a novel!", "The man who loved cat dancing" and the discrete early 1970's documentation of African-American culture entitled "Mammies, Blackies, Half-breads and Bucks".

Jülich's castle mote is perfect for running laps.

My taxi driver from the airport was a Croatian named (I think) Ganni. He didn't speak any English, but is an avid fan of George Bush, Bill Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, and American foreign policy in general. He was totally ecstatic to be driving an American and told me about how he had decorated his home with photos of George Bush and American flags. I think he was the first person I've met in Europe so enthusiastic for America's war in the Middle East.

My trip to the Jülich library wasn't entirely fruitless. I turned up a copy of "12th Night" and "Bluebeard" by Kurt Vonnegut, all 264 pages of which I devoured in a single sitting. I finished 12th night on the train to Aachen.

Also on the train to Aachen was a man playing, very badly, an electric keyboard and carrying, also very badly, a blind-man's cane because he was clearly able to see. (Grammatical mistakes intentional. How many ways can you interpret that sentence?)


Fireworks in Jülich to celebrate some something or other. I watched from my 10th-story balcony.

In Köln I saw the end of the world. Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Dunkin' Doughnuts side-by-side! And both were packed! Oh, great job Germany! You've already got a negative birth rate, so go stuff yourself on greasy food. I'm sure Hefty Helga with her 2-meter waist line has no trouble finding a mate! Dunkin' Doughnuts indeed!

Well, whatever they're eating doesn't seem to be clamping down on baby-making. German babies are everywhere! I didn't remember this many kids and babies last year, and it seems every woman has either a baby or a bump. Ahoy white whale! (or "Ahoi Weißwal!" as they would say)

This might have something to do with the European openness to sex. I'd almost forgotten how prevalent adult stores are in Germany. The main shopping district in Köln sports several, and I got a good laugh from watching a skinny man with an overbite and pink Lacosste shirt weave in and out of every sordid establishment on the street. You could have written "pervert" all over his forehead and it wouldn't have been more obvious.

Last note. This year I was careful to buy some decent-looking shoes before landing in Germany since Germans seem to judge you buy your shoes. (Last year both my shoes and socks were mentioned.) People no longer stare at my feet, which got me thinking. Wearing bad shoes in Germany must be like having large breasts in America. Except in Germany, they're on your feet. So that's what it feels like to be Oprah!

Cheers all!