Just spent about eight days in Germany and Belgium. First time I’ve ever been to Europe, and it was very interesting — unfortunately it was also for work, so the actual amount of time I spent “visiting” Germany and Belgium was minimal. (Though AJ was nice enough to play tour guide Thursday night before I left Nuremberg, and that was excellent. Nuremberg is a really interesting city, and I can’t wait to visit again.)
I coud easily get addicted to German and Belgian food, once I figure out what things are. 
At one cafe in Brussels I ordered filet américain — which I incorrectly assumed would be cooked. Not so much. I can now say I’ve had tartare, and I can also say once is enough. Obviously, I’ll be sure to pack a phrasebook next time.
If you plan to go to Germany or Belgium, plan at least a day for travel each way — it basically takes a day to get from door to door.
I probably won’t make a good travel writer — I spend time when I’m in a new environment just looking at everything and watching people, trying to imagine what it must be like to live elsewhere and how that shapes one’s viewpoint.
We all know that language shapes thought, but environment must do as well, and I wonder what subtle differences there are in the ways that other people see the world — i.e., if you wake up in Nuremberg every day, and you can see the castle outside your window every time you go into the kitchen, how that must affect your point of view vs. waking up in Denver every day and seeing mountains every day, or waking up in Florida and seeing palm trees outside your window, or little lizards scurrying across the front steps every time you step out to get the mail.
Anyway, without blathering on too much, I had a great time meeting new people, seeing new places, eating different kinds of food, and generally having the opportunity to step outside the world I see every day and that was well worth the jet lag and the other assorted hassles of travel. I feel quite lucky that my work has given me the opportunity to see a lot of places (and people) that I’d not have had the opportunity to see otherwise.
