This so rarely happens to me, but I actually slept through the alarm and didn't wake up until 10am. I think that must be the latest I've stayed in bed for years. Feeling refreshed I order breakfast and set about writing yesterday's blog before answering a bunch of e-mails and then off to the gym for my daily run. It's a day off so I have no time constraints and take everything at a leisurely pace.

It's 2pm by the time I'm done and showered so I decide to go for a walk in a different direction (that's deeper than I intended). I end up in what appears to be Cologne's central park. It's nice to be in nature again after nearly a week away. Sometimes I take it for granted living in the hills in LA, surrounded by trees, no traffic. When I'm in a condensed metropolis I miss the quiet. If I open my hotel window all I hear is traffic, at home all I hear are birds. I sit on a park bench and enjoy the relative tranquility, facing away from the giant T-mobile telecom tower that spoils the vibe somewhat. After a while I take a slow stroll through to the other end of the park and try to plot a circuitous route back towards my hotel. Fifteen minutes later I stumble across a church that I've passed on a previous day and start to recognize where I am, I realize that I'm starting to become familiar with Cologne. I arrive back at the hotel just in time to video conference with the kids before they head off to school, it's fun to see them all sleepy eyed and half awake.

Roland calls around 6pm to see if I'm up for Japanese food for dinner which sounds good to me. The hotel has recommended a good restaurant about 10 or 15 minutes walk away. We set off around 7pm and within five minutes we're lost. I ask to look at Roland's map and realize he has no sense of direction, I take the helm and ten minutes later we arrive. The food was delicious and we spent the time discussing US and UK politics before taking a more direct route back to the hotel. We had arranged to meet a couple of the guys from the tour and go to an Irish pub to watch the Liverpool/West Ham game. Roland and I will be willing West Ham on as Liverpool are above us in the league and them dropping points would be a good thing. It's a 0-0 draw, a boring game but exciting if you're a Manchester United supporter.  

It's 11pm and we stop by the hotel bar to chat with a couple of the Angels In Harlem choir before I retire to my room to catch the kids as they leave school.

Tomorrow is the day after today.

EZEZEZ

Papa S.