Bonn-ding

Well, our one and only day in Munster came and went, packed full of amazing experiences and schnappes. We were all sad to leave the charming little city, but it was onward to the former capital of Germany, Bonn.

So we hopped the train, which we are now experts at doing, to Bonn, where we met our hosts for the next couple of days, Brigitte Wenzel and Dr. Gordon Bardeleben. After greeting them and exchanging pleasantries we heard the magic words we were waiting to hear, "do you need to do laundry?" Brigitte, being a former McCloy, knows what the journey is like and if you pack like they tell you to, well, you are running out of things that you should only wear one, if you catch my drift.

So, I had heard that you make lifelong friends on this trip. Well, I say we have very well smashed through that. Due to our limited amount of laundry, each of us having a load made no sense, so what do McCloys do? Commingle...everything. We just felt this was much more cost effective, and hey, we were saving the environment by conserving water. Not just that efficiency thing, actual conservation for my water geeks.

While we were doing this we went and grabbed a coffee and got to know each other and chatted the time away before we toured through the former capital city. The buildings were beautiful, the HARIBO gummy outlet was tasty, and seeing the house Ludwig van Beethoven was born in was quite amazing. Made me feel like I should go compose a symphony. Well, maybe I will just get back into playing the piano first.

After learning about one of the greatest composers to grace this earth, we went to a German History Museum about WWII and post WWII called the Haus der Geschichte Der Bundersrepublik Deutschland. I learned so much about Germany and the happenings that occurred after WWII form the forming of political parties to the set up of ruling governments. I even found John McCloy, the person whom the Fellowship is named after and the first ambassador from America to Eurome  We didn't get nearly enough time there.

After that we went and checked into the Hotel., of which I think I was staying in the largest room ever to be a hotel. We then walked across the street to Brigitte's where she cooked the McCloys and a few other staff dinners for the night. We had a great night getting to know our host and talk issues that the DBV and American ag.

All iin all, it was a great experience and it is time to get some shuteye as we have a full day in the Cologne area. Hope you are enjoying the adventure, I know I sure am.

Nick