Party in Germany!

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1. 1
   

   gavinmcbride

   14 March 2012 at 7:06 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   So who is driving you from the airport THIS year? Me? :-)

2. 2
   

   Alex the Pretty Good

   14 March 2012 at 7:09 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   I hear you can get good beer there.

   Lager.

   But for the real good beer, you have to go a little bit more to the west, where there are still monks who do the only thing they’re good for: brew Beer with a capital ‘B’.

   I’ll probably bring some along to show you.

3. 3
   

   keenacat

   14 March 2012 at 7:17 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   JEEBUS FUCKING CHRIST COLOGNE IS ONLY A 1 1/2 HOUR TRAIN RIDE FROM ME!!
   Also, it is AFTER my big exams and I’ll totally have time to go and ZOMG where will I get the monies for a ticket? I also have a few friends at Cologne who might be able to accomodate me.
   And a best friend who will maybe accompany me.

4. 4
   

   bbgunn

   14 March 2012 at 7:21 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   Hope you get to party like it’s 1990. Nein?!

5. 5
   

   Compuholic

   14 March 2012 at 7:33 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   I’m tempted to go there. Just need to find a way to cough up the money for the ticket/train/accomodation. Not that easy to do on a student budget and – no offense – there are things on my TODO-List with a much higher priority.

   Lets hope that there will be a video of your talk.

6. 6
   

   pelamun, the Linguist of Doom

   14 March 2012 at 7:48 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   I really really want to go, but gah… What should I do. Also don’t know anyone in Cologne (in fact it’s the largest city in Germany I’ve never been to) I could crash with…

7. 7
   

   julietdefarge

   14 March 2012 at 7:56 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   Köln
   Does anyone actually call it Cologne,except Americans?

8. 8
   

   pelamun, the Linguist of Doom

   14 March 2012 at 8:12 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   juliet,

   not just the Americans, the English do too. In fact it has many different names.

   Cöln (German variant)*, Cologne (French)*, Colònia (Catalan)*, Colonia (Italian*, Spanish*), Colónia (Portuguese)*, Cołonia (Venetian)*, Colonia Agrippina (Latin)*, Cwlen (Welsh)*, Keln – קלן (Hebrew)*, Keln – Келн (Macedonian*, Serbian*), Kel’n – Кельн (Ukrainian*), Keln – קעלן (Yiddish)*, Kelnas (Lithuanian)*, Ķelne (Latvian)*, Kèlóng 科隆 (Chinese)*, Kerun – ケルン (Japanese)*, Keulen (Afrikaans*, Dutch*), Kjol’n – Кёльн (Russian)*, Koelleun / K’oellŭn – 쾰른 (Korean)*, Kolín nad Rýnem (Czech)*, Kolín nad Rýnom (Slovak)*, Kölle (Cologne Ripuarian [dialect]*, Kölle (Limburgian)*, Köln (Azeri*, Danish*, Estonian*, Finnish*, German*, Hungarian*, Icelandic*, Romanian*, Swedish*, Turkish*), K’oln – Кьолн (Bulgarian)*, Kolon – कोलोन (Marathi)*, Kolon – โคโลญ (Thai)*, Kolonia (Basque*, Polish*), Kolonía – Κολωνία (Greek)*, Kolonja (Maltese), Kūlūniya – كولوني (Arabic)*

   (Source)

9. 9
   

   pelamun, the Linguist of Doom

   14 March 2012 at 8:15 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

   (Also while the Roman city was not the very first settlement, the Romans founded the city as Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium)

10. 10
    

    hermanno

    14 March 2012 at 8:15 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Good beer in Cologne????

    Beware! NEVER LET YOURSELF BE TRICKED INTO DRINKING KÖLSCH!

    They simply can´t brew beer in that place!

    Shalom
    Hermann

11. 11
    

    Hein

    14 March 2012 at 8:30 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Oh damn! It’s just 2 hours by train from me, but I already have plans to visit my girlfriend in London that weekend :-(

12. 12
    

    Maarten

    14 March 2012 at 9:00 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    But dear PZ, with all the trouble with your heart some time ago, you convinced all of us that you had no heart:
    

    Your heart is a shriveled black lump starved of charity, decency, charm, and kindness,” [the nurse who called you said], “a gristly godless clot of marginally functional fibers.”

    Please don’t go soft on us by insisting that they actually grew you one back then.

    For the record, I will not attend. Köln is easily reachable for me, but attending these conventions is not something I find interesting. But since my heart knows kindness, and I know that you like chocolate, visit the Chocolate Museum. That should make up for my absence.

13. 13
    

    greenhome

    14 March 2012 at 9:25 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Eek! My flight to Barcelona is on the 31st, and changing it would cost zillions… I may just have to go to the Reason Rally instead.

14. 14
    

    Stevarious

    14 March 2012 at 9:37 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    You’re not going to break my heart by not showing up, are you?

    Nope. I’m pretty certain me not showing up isn’t going to bother you a bit.

15. 15
    

    sc_7a22dd19afe019500881657c84767074

    14 March 2012 at 10:05 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Hmmmm… I’ll have to see if my friend with JetBlue can get me over there.

16. 16
    

    adamarmstrong

    14 March 2012 at 10:07 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Not sure why my WP log in works for Manboobz, but not here.
    FUWP!!!!

17. 17
    

    David Marjanović

    14 March 2012 at 10:57 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Huh. That’s being announced on short notice.

    I suppose I should come. Chocolate museum!?! :-9

18. 18
    

    rolak

    14 March 2012 at 11:06 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    I’m coming .. to the convention in Köln. How else should I when it’s that close: Some minutes by feet ;-)

    Hi julietdefarge, even here ‘Cologne’ is used sometimes – but it is only a relict from centuries ago. Imho it’s quite natural for Umlaut-less languages to have a workaround for the mismatches.
    The unknowing German tend to pronounce foreign words & names as they would be spoken when they were a german words. That’s sorta disturbing even for me…

19. 19
    

    keenacat

    14 March 2012 at 11:07 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    http://www.schokoladenmuseum.de/
    Visit it if you’ve got the chance, srsly. They also have nice events, chocolate and wine tasting and similar stuff.

20. 20
    

    trinebm

    14 March 2012 at 11:54 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    I’ll be there! I’ve bought tickets, food tickets, hotel is reserved, and I’ll be going to the Köln Oper Sunday evening to see Tosca! How will we all know each other? I could be wearing my owl-jewelry … tentacles don’t really suit me too well.

21. 21
    

    robro

    14 March 2012 at 12:10 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    I’ll be there in spirit ;–)

22. 22
    

    Cosmic Teapot

    14 March 2012 at 12:21 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Huh. That’s being announced on short notice.

    It was announced here on Pharyngula a few months back, maybe even last year.

23. 23
    

    benjaminbreuer

    14 March 2012 at 12:47 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Counter one sentiment above, Kölsch is pretty good, if not very strong. AFAIK, it’s an ale (top-fermenting yeast). The best ones on my taste buds are Mühlenkölsch (from the Malzmühle brewery) and Päffgen. Früh is a close second, or third.

    If you’re in for that, some places serve excellent blood pudding (Blutwurst), locally called Flönz.

24. 24
    

    pelamun, the Linguist of Doom

    14 March 2012 at 1:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Cosmic Teapot,

    I’m pretty sure that was ironic, given that David M. commented on the original thread if my memory serves.

    Anyhoo, question to all German atheists: do you know the Giordano Bruno Foundation? If so, I’d have some questions about it, maybe by email in order not to derail this thread? Thanks.

25. 25
    

    hermanno

    14 March 2012 at 1:26 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    I second the “Schokoladenmuseum”, but if you feel really adventurous try to get some “Altbier” – MUCH BETTER than Kölsch, but it might enrage the natives – there is a slight rivalry between Köln and Düsseldorf!

    Shalom
    Hermann

26. 26
    

    allencdexter

    14 March 2012 at 3:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Sounds great. I’d love to see Germany. Some of my ancestry is from there, but I’ve only been to Canada and Mexico and have an expired passport. No money for the trip either.

    I’d be happy to settle for a few such things in this country right now, but even they pose economic limitations to a retiree. If a big event transpires in Arizona, maybe I can swing it.

27. 27
    

    ltzippy2

    14 March 2012 at 3:52 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Well, having done Copenhagen and Dublin over the past couple of years (not to mention Burbank,Montreal and Houston), I would be shirking my responsibilities not to….

28. 28
    

    Christian

    14 March 2012 at 4:28 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    I’d be delighted to come, especially as I don’t live very far from Cologne.

29. 29
    

    keenacat

    14 March 2012 at 4:56 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    there is a slight rivalry between Köln and Düsseldorf!

    This might be an understatement.

30. 30
    

    rorschach

    14 March 2012 at 7:11 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Sorry, won’t be able to make it to that one (and the one the week earlier in Berlin).

31. 31
    

    kazzaqld

    14 March 2012 at 7:17 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    I cannot make it this year – but if there is one next year, I’m there!

32. 32
    

    Ray, rude-ass yankee

    14 March 2012 at 11:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Um, PZ? Are you sitting down? Good. Look, It’s not you, it’s me. I just can’t afford to fly to Germany. I wanted to let you down easy, but I just need to say this: I am not showing up. Please don’t cry or anything, I’m not worth it. You’re too good for me. It’s all for the best, you’ll see. I’m sure there will be plenty of other people there to party with who can help mend your broken heart. Chin up.

33. 33
    

    David Marjanović

    15 March 2012 at 10:01 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    I’m pretty sure that was ironic, given that David M. commented on the original thread if my memory serves.

    Wasn’t ironic at all. When PZ mentions it now, doesn’t that mean that, like, tickets are now available or something – only 2 months before the event? I’m used to conferences where registration closes 3 months before the event.

    rorschach, Berlin? Tell me more! That’s where I am!

34. 34
    

    pelamun, the Linguist of Doom

    15 March 2012 at 10:03 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    OK, never mind then. Are you going to Cologne?

35. 35
    

    trinebm

    15 March 2012 at 3:58 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    David: I bought mine about a month ago. They had a sort of early bird-reduction. Might still have that.

36. 36
    

    evader

    15 March 2012 at 11:11 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    So they’re not making a cologne out of all the speakers from the convention? Or have I misread something? :)

    And no, sorry. I probably wouldn’t buy it.

37. 37
    

    tarentolamauritanica

    17 March 2012 at 3:48 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    Ah finally….
    PZ will be in town.
    Some 2 hour drive to one of my city’s most proficient carneval rivals …. but i guess i will have to endure it in order to see the master of tentacles .. the desecrator of crackers .. the man who buries holy books in his garden…

    ;-)

    Beer … no problem there is plenty of it. And actually so many variants that you should read some books about them before comming here :-)

    PS: In case you are interested in the oldest printed bible by Gutenberg …. who knows if you want to bury it in your garden too … take a short trip to Mainz. I could show you where to find it. (http://www.gutenberg-museum.de/index.php?id=41&L=1)

38. 38
    

    tarentolamauritanica

    18 March 2012 at 8:37 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

    By the way ….
    Be aware of the Salafist Movement in Köln.
    Pierre Vogel and his lot live there.