Dusseldorf, Germany

Apr 23-25, 2008

Here we are. We are in Dusseldorf, Germany!
Yoshi has several meetings here along with a big exhibition to attend to. Normally on his business trip of course I am at home waiting for his back but this time he brought me with him!

I am just on my own while he is at work. It means I have plenty time to look around! At first I had quite cold feet but as I get more used to the town and the atmosphere I walk more freely and relaxed.
I found Dusseldorf clean and beautiful. There are not so many exciting places or historical buildings compared to other famous cities such as Paris and Rome but I still like it. I prefer comfort to excitement or very much adventure. Anyway.

What I think fantastic about Dusseldorf is the coexistance of artificial buildings and the nature. You will see old brick buldings and modern ones next to a huge park with lots of old trees,pretty little flowers, birds chirping behinds leaves and branches, and nerve soothing water sound from a fountain in the middle of a pond and geese and swans floating on the surface... You can go for a picnic right after lunch time starts!
Well, it stinks a little when you walk by those ponds though.. Smells like .. kind of pee.

Also I like sitting on a bench looking at shimmering and glittering surface of Rhein River. People walk and ride a bicycle, sometimes mommy pushing a stroller making a smile for her baby. Also quite many people walk a dog. Dogs in Germany are all well-behaved.

I have heard that food sucks in Germany but I judged it was not true. I did not try traditional German food but, all food I ate at retaurants and bakeries were relatively tastey. Tastes just like I eat in Japan.
The first night Yoshi and I met Yoshi's colleague who work with him at the meetings. We together had dinner with Alt beer. ---You know Alt is local beer of Dusseldorf.--- Yoshi and Iida-san found the unrefined beer delicious. They seem really like it.
The second night we met Yoshi's two other colleages and 5 of us went to old town to find a restaurant that serves good white asparagus. White asparagus is in season, said one of us from France. I have heard from Yoshi that there was a French guy who was dainty that seems so a typical French man. Hmm, yes. That is him. We checked several crowded restaurants and finally got a table for 5. We had Alt beer and white asparagus and pork steak. We had a good time until a waitress charged a wrong amount to the other colleague's credit card. She immediately found the mistake and tried to correct it but it took her quite a long time. The French guy and the one who owns the credit card (from England) are getting irretated. Unlike Japanese people they express their feelings very clearly. I am sure it is good for your mental health. I wish I could behave like them.. It feels much more natural. Anyway..

The third day, in the afternoon, Yoshi and I moved to Koln by train. The city has a gigantic cathedral in front of the train station. I am so overwhelmed by the world helitage! This city is also nice but I found less cleaner than Dusseldorf..

One of our missions during this trip is to buy a Remowa suitcase. Remowa is a laggage company based in Germany that makes high quality yet stylish suitcases. Yoshi has two. I want my own. The forth day we left to Brussels, Belgiem without Remowa.. Uh, oh.