Why Germans like to drink beer

Have you ever wondered where Germans' fascination with beer stems from? Well, wonder no longer. This photo should explain it all:

This cute little guy is Mauricio, the son of my cousin Paddy and his wife, Claudenice. I'm currently staying with them in Cologne, after spending a few days in my old hometown of Schleiden and sampling the beer culture there. My old buddy Tom obviously learned well as a kid, and he knows how to pour a mean mug:

These past few days—first in Aachen, then in Schleiden, now in Cologne—have been absolutely great as I've been reconnecting with old buddies whom I had not seen in ages. The last time I had been in Schleiden was about seven years ago, and that had been just for an overnight stay. Walking around town and seeing the few subtle changes (as well as what has not changed) felt good and right. I had a chance to talk to old neighbors of ours, and I heard about the latest gossip. Still, this was once home but now is only a place to visit.

Panoramic view of Schleiden

Tonight, I am sure, Paddy and I will take care of a few more Kölsch before I'll head back to Frankfurt tomorrow morning via high-speed train and then embark on my roundabout flight back to the hub city—roundabout via LAX.

Jürgen