Rio De Janiero. New Orleans. Cologne/Köln/Colonia.

Mardi Gras / (K)Carneval is a big deal in the Rhine region, especially Köln.

I was there last night.

After several hours of enjoying the quaint German folk tradition at the center of this celebration, I went on auto pilot. I was out on the street, suddenly. I was hungry. I ate a Döner Kebab. I rode the streetcar/subway without paying. I checked the train schedule for Köln/Wuppertal. I was in no condition to wait for the next one. I hopped a waiting train to Düsseldorf, thinking I might get a better connection from there (it is closer to Wuppertal). Wasn't awake for the whole trip to Düsseldorf, but did manage to make my stop. I didn't get a better connection. I had some coffee and a muffin. A woman asked me directions and I told her I didn't know. She was upset with me for not wanting to help her. I figured out that she expected me to help her because I was dressed as a cop (costume for Karneval). I said, "Lady, this is a costume". She got it, then thought for a second. "So can you tell me how to get to Rath anyway?" I laughed and shrugged.

I got home a couple or three hours after I left the bar.

I had entered the bar with two friends. One got home an hour or so after me with a cut hand. The other is, presumably, still in Köln.


Alaarf! Helaü!

Menge lasse der Dom in Kölle, denn da gehörder hin! Da Greggie will ihn stehlen: Det mäht doch keene Sinn!