Moving to Germany (Bonn / Köln) for a few months

As part of a research fellowship I'm going to work at the University of Bonn until May. Anyone here familiar with the Bonn & Köln area? Stuff worth checking out? I figure I have to check out the Kompakt shop in Köln (assuming it's still open)...

EDIT: fuck wrong forum, could someone please move to GenBan? thx

Don't mention the war.

(Sorry I wish I had more useful advice)

*jots it down*

*bump*

Last call - no Rheinländer on WATMM?

learn Turkish

I've been moving from France to Germany eight month ago but that's in Leipzig and I can't say a lot about Bonn and Köln. I've been to Köln but that was quite quick (arrived during the day, worked during the night, gone the next afternoon). I've not been seeing much than the city center and that famous cathedral, which was really impressive (what a huge building...).

As for mentioning the war, some Germans will probably do it before you're thinking about it. Some of them are even really good at jokes about Hitler (although that's not so surprising when you think about it).

What I can say in general about my experience in Leipzig is that it's the most pleasant city I've been knowing so far (there's a really laid back atmosphere around), and there's a really good local life (it's quite a big city, at least for someone coming from France, but still you don't feel it like this, sometimes you could even think you're in a village or something). That said all the areas of the city are not like that and I'm not sure Köln is the same. It's a big city though and I'm sure there are a lot of things to do around.

Do you speak German and if not do you plan to learn it ?

Thanks for the info. Yes, it sounds like Köln is a big city, but Bonn seems a bit more laid back. It's smaller than Leipzig population-wise.

I read German quite well, and I can speak just about enough to get by, but I'll definitely be using this experience in part to improve my active vocabulary and become a better speaker. Where are you from in France?

im german, but i never visited the rheinland or köln/bonn.

just dont drink the beer which is made there, alt/kölsch is disgusting.

have fun on the autobahn

Hello, welcome to the Rheinland...

It's kind of wintery right now innit, so i spend most of the time at University, which is KHM ( www.khm.de ). If you're interested in media arts, you might drop by and check out the place, there are some really enjoyable seminars.. Music related things include a noise class, last Wednesday we had John Wozencroft from Touch Music as a guest, he's a great guy, was talking about drugs and music and was spinning some disks... in November there was a lengthy talk by Markus Popp (Oval) which was neat too. And there's the Nocturnes, a series of free concerts which so far were always absolutely worth seeing ( http://www.khm.de/kmw/klanglabor/ )

Seen some good concerts at Stadtgarten (http://www.stadtgarten.de) too, these were organized by these guys: http://www.aufabwegen.de

There's also a lively scene of Neue Musik & Jazz musicians doing a lot of smaller gigs...

You should see this jazzband if you get the chance: http://www.nanoschlaf.de

Then there's my fav+ place: http://baustellekalkpost.blogspot.de

It's a tiny, unofficial venue (gigs have to be over at 10pm, shhhh the neighbors), this is done by a small group of girls with an clectic taste in music, had some great acts... but currently there's the winter break.

Personally, I don't really go out that often... haven't found a club that I really like.... there's always a rather high density of drunk idiots in town which puts me off. if the weather is nice you can bicycle from Bonn to Cologne along the Rhine or something, that is the stuff i enjoy doing lol, besides going to concerts, and hanging out at the school...

kölsch is undrinkable jesus

what's good is that if you want to fit in the serious dialect is all based in infinitives.

ISH BIN AM LESEN.

  On 1/11/2013 at 4:03 PM, phling said:

Hello, welcome to the Rheinland...

 

It's kind of wintery right now innit, so i spend most of the time at University, which is KHM ( www.khm.de ). If you're interested in media arts, you might drop by and check out the place, there are some really enjoyable seminars.. Music related things include a noise class, last Wednesday we had John Wozencroft from Touch Music as a guest, he's a great guy, was talking about drugs and music and was spinning some disks... in November there was a lengthy talk by Markus Popp (Oval) which was neat too. And there's the Nocturnes, a series of free concerts which so far were always absolutely worth seeing ( http://www.khm.de/kmw/klanglabor/ )

 

Seen some good concerts at Stadtgarten (http://www.stadtgarten.de) too, these were organized by these guys: http://www.aufabwegen.de

 

There's also a lively scene of Neue Musik & Jazz musicians doing a lot of smaller gigs...

 

You should see this jazzband if you get the chance: http://www.nanoschlaf.de

 

Then there's my fav+ place: http://baustellekalkpost.blogspot.de

It's a tiny, unofficial venue (gigs have to be over at 10pm, shhhh the neighbors), this is done by a small group of girls with an clectic taste in music, had some great acts... but currently there's the winter break.

 

Personally, I don't really go out that often... haven't found a club that I really like.... there's always a rather high density of drunk idiots in town which puts me off. if the weather is nice you can bicycle from Bonn to Cologne along the Rhine or something, that is the stuff i enjoy doing lol, besides going to concerts, and hanging out at the school...

Awesome, thanks for all the info! I'll definitely keep an eye on what's happening at those venues.

I know there are some beautiful wanderwegs nearby that go into the countryside, also many long bike trails.

All I know about Bonn is the Deutsches Museum and that they have Dunkin Donuts. Terpentintollwut might be able to help you out with Köln/Düsseldorf. Maybe there´s a toytown/reddit subforum where you can chat with some locals?

Berlin vs. Köln ?

uhhh berlin

  On 1/11/2013 at 5:15 PM, dr lopez said:

kölsch is undrinkable jesus

doppelbocks ftw

Be sure to swing by Düsseldorf.

It's fucking beautiful.

  On 1/12/2013 at 7:19 PM, plstik said:

All I know about Bonn is the Deutsches Museum and that they have Dunkin Donuts. Terpentintollwut might be able to help you out with Köln/Düsseldorf. Maybe there´s a toytown/reddit subforum where you can chat with some locals?

Dunkin' Donuts? Really?

  On 1/12/2013 at 10:21 PM, Npoess said:

Be sure to swing by Düsseldorf.

 

It's fucking beautiful.

Yeah, a few people have said this. I'll definitely have to explore.

Go to Music Messe later this year