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Some random impressions:
The weather here feels a lot like Akron, Ohio, where I grew up. The snow is wet with big flakes, it’s been overcast most of the time and the wet cold air cuts right through our thin clothes. Everyone has been exceedingly kind. The food is interesting, basic but varied, and of excellent quality. Transportation options abound. People are very attractive and quick to laugh. The architecture and infrastructure is well built and functional.
Even though the German language is mysterious and non-intuitive to me, it sounds like a fun language to speak and you can tell when someone is enjoying the sound of their pronunciation. Lessons would be loads of fun and I think I could learn it without too much trouble. We drink the water out of the tap at the hotel. There does not appear to be a sales tax on purchases.
This is the sort of place that people immigrate to if they can. There seem to be many work opportunities and it appears to be a nice place to raise a family. You see a little bit of graffiti but the streets and train stations feel quite safe. Most everyone we’ve interacted with speaks fair enough English to communicate with us, and there’s no sense that they object to our not knowing German. This probably distinguishes the Germans from the French who, if memory serves from a few years ago, seemed a little more prejudiced toward their own language.
The Rhine rolls through town at a brisk 6 to 8 knots. We saw some kayakers this morning and an “8” shell. My guess is they keep to the bays and wharf areas and out of the main channel. It looks a little hazardous for small craft out in the current.
There is a lot of western cultural influence, however, most things are translated into German. The only English TV we have are CNN and BBC news and it’s kind of a toss up as to which one will turn your brain to mush the quickest. Most of the world news on CNN concerns European fashion shows. The Financial Times is available for more of a pan-European news outlet, however, we haven’t seen any local English language newspapers such as those you find in Asia, though they may well exist.
All in all, this place is quite nice and we could easily adapt to life here.