Friday, July 30

For those who know German, don't get on my case for omitting the correct umlauts. Get uber it.

Ich bin sehr mude. That means OMG I am so tired. I slept until 10:30 a.m., though it was fitful, nothing more than a couple hours at a time. My hotel room is right on the street and it seems that people (and ambulances) are going by all the time. It's a nice overcast day, though, a sprinkle here and there, but no heavy rain. Since I'm a bit north of the downtown area, there's no one around here who seems to be in the city for the Games.

It's a couple kms to the Registration area, so I decide to hoof it. That's the most likely place to run into someone I know, and at least feel a part of things. Not ready to risk the sideroads, I meander down the main highway. Not much interesting to look at, very efficient buildings, etc. Since Koeln was largely destroyed during the war, most structures are very similary, stucco 4-8 story apartments, just varying in color scheme. The wonderful thing to observe, though, is the great public transportation system, used so heavily, along with all the bicyclists, pedestrians, and small vehicles. It's amazing that we Americans seem to think that we MUST have an SUV. I have yet to see a single one here. The biggest auto I've seen is a Jeep Wagoneer. One.

Koelnmesse, the Registration convention center has begun to pick up in activity. Rob Smitherman, a friend from Chicago, is the lone familiar face, and he's beginning to look harried trying to get everything in place for the Registration and the basketball players.