What's big in Germany? Little backpacks, inline skates, weird painful-looking body piercing and big clunky shoes with waffley heels. Sound familiar? I spent 3 weeks in Germany in Sept-Oct, visiting with relatives, complaining about how the dollar really sucks and fending off people who kept trying to feed me. I started out in the very north in Hamburg and worked my all the way down to Garmisch-Partinkirchen and everywhere I went I asked that probing question: Do Germans really love David Hasselhof? I learned they often do. It was a fabulous trip -- I learned a lot, had lots of fun, saw 1/2 of an Xfiles episode in German, rode on trains, drank beer, ate chocolate, heard good stories and found out that genuine Levi jeans cost between 130 and 180 DM [Deutsch marks]. At the current exchange rate -- that's roughly $90-$125. Ouch! Already planning my next trip -- hopefully Summer 97.

AND WHAT A GREAT TRAVELER AM I

Before I even left U.S. terra firma I had a series of adventures that I hoped weren't an indicator of what my trip might become. It all started at about 4:30am as I was preparing to depart from my boyfriend's house. I go to put on my shoes and I have 2 LEFT SHOES. I've only owned two identical pairs of shoes once in my life -- these are running shoes which I normally keep each pair on its own shelf at home to prevent such mishaps -- and here I am with two left shoes. So I quickly calculate my alternatives: go home? No time. Wear them? Yeah sure. I decide that German people wear shoes -- I just have to buy some when I get there and wear my dress shoes (the only other pair I brought with me. I'm no Imelda when it comes to shoes). So we go to the airport and guess what? There is a NIKE store at the Portland Airport that opens at 6am -- at 6:15 I'm on my way out wearing my new shoes -- is this a great country or what?? Anyway, we were delayed on the ground so we got to Salt Lake late and I had a connecting flight which I had about 4 minutes to make, completely on the other side of the airport so I had to SPRINT through the terminals, my sweater which was tied around my waist fell off but I had no time to stop ("German people wear sweaters, I'll buy one") and I get to my connection and it's been delayed. Then after 40 minutes it was delayed AGAIN so I went and bought one of those phone cards and started calling all my friends. Finally I decide I should check on the progress of my flight and I go to the gate and IT IS EMPTY! The lady is totally bolting the door shut -- I yell, I run (I feel like a complete idiot) and she's like "where have you been?" sort of nasty. And I said "on the phone," like I've been performing a world service instead of just yaking away.

PAM IN LOVE

Yes, it's true. I have a fabulous boyfriend, his name his Bob and we met in the 2HOT 2HANDLE Hot tub room on America Online. See? Online romances really do work.

CONSUMER PAM Part II

Things I bought because I saw the commercial on TV:
this Neutrogena face wash because a perky Martha Quinn told me she still is troubled by breakouts but this face wash kept her skin clear. I think my skin was clear because I was so excited about washing it 3 or 4 times a day with my new face wash. Also while in Germany they had these commercials for XXL Ritter Sport that are like huge Chunky bars only not with raisins, but with lots of whole peanuts and when I saw it at the store -- I totally bought it. I should probably mention that while in Germany I bought ANY candy that was not nailed down. I came home with literally a suitcase filled with candy. I did share it -- but I still have quite a bit of chocolate in the freezer. Also next time I buy a car I swear I'm getting a Saturn just because of the commercial with Julie, you know the one with the girl who buys her first car? And the salesman drops everything to sit with her when she goes to pick it up -- and they wash it and then drive it out into the showroom and all the other employees stand around and clap when he gives her the keys -- I swear that commercial makes me cry.

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Posted: 4.23.99
http://www.pamrentz.com/pampage/xmas/v5/p2.html