Anybody live near Aachen

[Mr Sunshine]

Well does anybody?  I'm curious as to what the weather like, terrain and riding is like in that area.

[Orson]

I rode just south of there.

Some nice biking roads near Saarbruken. Nothing as steep or as scenic as the Alps but, good fun on a motorcycle nevertheless  

The Nurburgring race track and the Eiffel Mountains are within a day's ride of Aachen

The road along the River Mosel is very scenic with hillsides lined with vineyards. Follow the river into Luxembourg and there are some nice roads in northern Luxembourg as well as in the Ardennes in Belgium.

check out www.bestbikingroads.com

[RBEmerson]

+1 on the Eifel Mountains and running along the Mosel.  Trier is a fascinating city to visit, too.  Following the Mosel brings you out to the Rhine and from there Koblenz and Köln are easy to get to.  

[Mr Sunshine]

Sounds good but what I need to know is how's the beer in that region?

[RBEmerson]

Um, you haven't heard of the German [beer] purity law?  It's all good!  

Keep in mind that running along the Mosel and Rhine means you're in serious wine country.  Now there's where the challenge kicks in!  

[Mr Sunshine]

Um, you haven't heard of the German [beer] purity law?  It's all good!  

Keep in mind that running along the Mosel and Rhine means you're in serious wine country.  Now there's where the challenge kicks in!  

Even with the purity law...some beer has to be better than others.  

[Ralf]

IMHO Bitburger is one of Germany's best beers, especially on tap. Weather-wise the Eifel can be very inclement, even in the summer.

[RBEmerson]

Even with the purity law...some beer has to be better than others.  

It becomes a matter of personal taste.  Pun not intended.  

I'm partial to Franziskaner.  (You have to give the site your birthday in the form dd/mm/yyyy to get in - honest, you're being carded to even see the site)

[Mr Sunshine]

Looks like I'll get to be visiting this place sometime soon.  

[RBEmerson]

Ich wünsche dir viel Erfolg in die neue Arbeitstelle!  Und naturlich auch viel Spaß in Aachen!  

[Mr Sunshine]

I'll be heading over on November 6th to do my interview loop on the 8th and then fly home the next day.  Gonn be great to check out the place.  But it's gonna be a couple long flights in just a few days.  

[Ralf]

I'll be heading over on November 6th to do my interview loop on the 8th and then fly home the next day.  Gonn be great to check out the place.  But it's gonna be a couple long flights in just a few days.  

Good luck! But remember, November in Germany is one of the most dreary times of the year.

[Mr Sunshine]

Good luck! But remember, November in Germany is one of the most dreary times of the year.

Thankfully November is also the start of the crummy season in Seattle, so it'll be just like home.  

[Mr Sunshine]

So I had my interview loop this past Monday, Nov. 8th.  Nothing like flying out of Seattle on Saturday night, arriving at the hotel in Aachen Sunday night around 11pm, spending all day in 6 interviews and then leaving the hotel at 5am to start heading back and getting home at a little after 5pm on Tuesday.  

Anyhow now I wait.  While I wait I have a bagillion questions and what if's.  The biggest of one is...if I'm offered the position, would I be happy living in Germany?

So we'll see....

[stefrrr]

I'm late to the game, but you'd also be close to some GREAT wine regions.  

I'm leaving for Munich Thursday!  

[Mr Sunshine]

I'm leaving for Munich Thursday!  

Cool....that explains the european hair dryer request.  Going for vacation?

[stefrrr]

I'm taking a course on Bavarian history. Part of it is a 10 day study abroad tour in Munich.  

[Mr Sunshine]

I'm taking a course on Bavarian history. Part of it is a 10 day study abroad tour in Munich.  

So you are taking a 10 day beer drinking course?  

Have a good time over there.

[Ralf]

I'm taking a course on Bavarian history. Part of it is a 10 day study abroad tour in Munich.  

Where are you staying in Munich? Wanna meet up for a beer?  

[stefrrr]

Yes! Wednesday or Thursday next week?

[MisterSmooth]

So you are taking a 10 day beer drinking course?  

Oh my Aachen head.  

[Mr Sunshine]

Hey you two...while I think its nice for you to hook up in Munich.........start you own damn thread!  

[Mr Sunshine]

Oh my Aachen head.  

lol haha funny  

[stefrrr]

You're just jealous because you didn't get to go to Munich.  

[Mr Sunshine]

You're just jealous because you didn't get to go to Munich.  

Am I *that* transparent?    

[Ralf]

Am I *that* transparent?    

Ja, Munich's the best place in Germany: safest and most prosperous city in the country, top recreational offerings (e.g. Alps), and we have the Oktoberfest!  

[Ralf]

Yes! Wednesday or Thursday next week?

Wednesday I have night school, but Thursday would be fine. I'll send you a PM.

[Mr Sunshine]

Ja, Munich's the best place in Germany: safest and most prosperous city in the country, top recreational offerings (e.g. Alps), and we have the Oktoberfest!  

You are missing one key ingredient....and position at Microsoft in a mostly English office.    

[dtor]

Ja, Munich's the best place in Germany

Munich is nice and is close to the Alps, but Hanseatic Hamburg, the bustling, vibrant seaport, is my favorite. Then comes Freiburg.

[Ralf]

You are missing one key ingredient....and position at Microsoft in a mostly English office.    

Did you get an offer?

[Mr Sunshine]

Did you get an offer?

I was told last Monday that they hope to get back to me next week as there are a couple of other people in the loop.  They also just opened up two other positions under a different hiring manager and I could have sworn I was getting interviewed for those positions based on the questions I was asked and the description of the positions.

So we will see.  I don't have high hopes because I felt like I bombed the interview.  Out of practice and little bit weiry caused me to not be totally on my game.

[Ralf]

I was told last Monday that they hope to get back to me next week as there are a couple of other people in the loop.  They also just opened up two other positions under a different hiring manager and I could have sworn I was getting interviewed for those positions based on the questions I was asked and the description of the positions.

So we will see.  I don't have high hopes because I felt like I bombed the interview.  Out of practice and little bit weiry caused me to not be totally on my game.

Ok, wait and see, but good luck anyway!

[Mr Sunshine]

The wait is starting to kill me....am I just being American?  

[Mr Sunshine]

Well...I didn't get the job.  They found someone with a bunch of experience in the exact technical area of the job.  Oh well....it was a great try.  There will be future opportunities.

[Ralf]

Well...I didn't get the job.  They found someone with a bunch of experience in the exact technical area of the job.  Oh well....it was a great try.  There will be future opportunities.

Sorry to hear about that. "One door closes and another opens..."

[RBEmerson]

What he said.  

'Sides, there's a ton of snow on the ground here and even regular gas is up to 1.35-1.40€/liter at the moment - you're not missing much.  

Added: (sorry - that's the price for diesel, add 10 euro cents for regular and 20-30 cents for premium.  And it snowed about 3-4" last night and it's started up again, with maybe 1 -2" this afternoon.  Oh, yeah, and there's not much room for the plows to shove more snow off the streets - and this about an hour west of Frankfurt, where this amount of snow is not the norm.)

[Mr Sunshine]

Just so you guys know I'm not bummed or anything.  It was worth a shot.  Now time to go do the American thing and spend money.