Shannon, Craig, & Heza in front of Bonn's RathausI love how cities try to attract locals into nearby businesses. There are some things that internet shopping and chatting can't substitute, like the occasional personal interaction between neighbors from near and far. Munich has several gimmicks for luring out the folk throughout the year. For example, the Long Nights of Museums, Music and Sports, one of which I took advantage of when the parents were in town. So it was a special treat to travel to a not-so-familiar city and happen upon a similar event just as family from Florida made a quick stop to Bonn for a weekend-long Taekwondo tournament.

Follow up:

Visiting Bonn: 5 hr drive or 11 hr flightMy Uncle Craig and Shannon's plans were brought to us during our January USA visit. We were a bit anxious as to whether everything would fall according to 'hopeful' planning in that we could see them during their first visit to Germany. When we arrived in Bonn near the central train station, the streets were filled with people who had visited the Frühlingsmarkt (Spring Market) in the Münsterplatz or were preparing for the night's upcoming events. I was a little worried we couldn't find my Uncle but the cell phones were a life saver and we found each other in front of the Bagel shop. We walked a little through the city mingling with the crowds, who were enjoying Bonn's first "Lange Einkaufsnacht" (Long Shopping Night) and the street performances.

Shannon and Craig led us to a local 'Stube' near the Rathaus called the Marktkrug, where they previously hung out and spoke with a German couple eager to practice their English. We took a round table near the back, ordered a round of drinks and made conversation that probably got a little too loud to compete with the other lively banter in the bar. That's when the 'look' beamed our way from the little ol' white haired lady standing at the bar. She stared at our table with a scowl or a look like something stinky or unpleasant sounding was coming from our direction. She didn't notice my eyes on her until my Uncle turned around to see what I was looking at. She immediately adverted her eyes in slight embarrassment but couldn't hide the fact that she was unnerved by our English speaking presence.

With that, we left the Marktkrug and I tried to explain that Alex and I typically avoid places that have the lit-up gambling machines near the front window. These places usually have a few older folk with strong opinions and fuzzy logic, and that's while sober. These pubs are like the 'Cheers' for the intellectually impaired. If they don't know you or your name you get the stinky look. But if they find something that pleases them about you, you might be welcomed like an adopted son or daughter. If you're lucky or have perseverance.

In James Joyce Irish Pub. Banjo, Clarinet, Tuba, Trombone and MegaphoneWe wandered around a bit and accidentally found the James Joyce Irish Pub, a student joint with menus in English with German translation underneath, a great place to blend in. Throughout the evening, bands entered the pub from the street and played a few numbers for each room in the pub and cheerfully left without making rounds to collect money. Apparently, the live music was also part of the "Bonn nachtaktiv" (Bonn Night Active) festivities. Not only were Craig and Shannon impressed so were Alex and myself. I personally hope Munich or Regensburg would set up something similar for their cities in the near future.

That evening, I ordered the Irish stew, thinking I wanted something light. But out came this gigantmo white porcelain bowl with matching lid and lion handles. I think my eyes popped out of my head when I heard that the bathtub of soup was all for me.

We enjoyed the rest of the evening with beer drinking and diverse conversation. I couldn't help feeling a bit tickled by the reality of the evening. Throughout my life, I grew up seeing my Uncle from time to time but only in St. Pete/Tampa Bay Area in the company of other family members. Sitting across from my Uncle in an Irish pub in Bonn, the former capital of former West Germany, I got the sense of just how small the world really is. Family can still be brought together with just a little effort no matter the distance, no matter the history.