So I am working in two different institutes here. One is located in an old underwear factory. The professor has the entire building with space and staff equivalent to our department of 20 faculty, 20 research staff, and 70 postdocs. His office is the biggest office I have ever seen. My office is probably the biggest office I will ever have with very very high ceilings. When on the tour of the chem labs I was awestruck by the giant windows looking out onto some old old church. My office also has big windows and looks onto this old church. However, the offices don't have AC and it gets warm here. My chairman will love this; I have complained about my limited office AC for years and now I have two more summers without any at all. Three weeks ago it was freezing and we were wearing coats. Now it is in the low 80s with more to come. Doh!
If you know about Europe, you know they don't put ice cubes in their drinks. Even at McDonalds when you get your $3 coke they only put maybe 5 ice cubes in. We are on the lookout for a compact ice machine that runs on 220V. What is it with Germans and lack of cooling? It is bad enough that you have to walk to public transit to get on a bus or train without AC. Then you walk to the fourth floor into your office without any AC and no ice cubes in your drink. At least the beer is usually cold.
But the coffee is amazing! One lab has a totally automated system that grinds and brews and disposes for every cup! They run about $1000 to $1500 here and appear pretty common.
I heard that Coors was the new exciting import in Germany. I have not seen it, but I have not been dragging the family out to a lot of bars. so far.
Thursday: Oxx lager .33 l. Closest thing to American beer I have seen. "Mild hops" so that means weak taste? Sorta like drinking a Bud.
Friday: Dinkel Acker CD-Pils. Good overall. Not too hoppy, tasty, went well with pizza.
