You say tomato, I say tomahto...

Tomorrow we are taking a train to spend the weekend in Cologne, Germany. At first when I went to go look for train tickets I could not find the destination. I know the trains go there; it's the fourth largest city in Germany. And then I realized the Dutch name for the city was Keulen. Problem solved; train tickets booked.

But wait, there's no Cologne or Keulen in my trusty Rick Steves' guidebook! Maybe this wasn't a city we wanted to visit after all; I mean if it's not the guidebooks it must be a whole in the wall or a dump or just plain uninteresting.

But a quick Google search told me the real name of the city, as far as Germany or should I say Deutschland is concerned, is Koln. And don't worry Koln is in the guidebook!

Now, why do we rename cities and countries? As Matt pointed out we should either: A) spell them the same and pronounce them differently or B) pronounce them the same and spell them appropriately.

I find it highly embarrassing when filling out electronic forms that have drop-down menus that I have to go ask someone where I am from according the country we are currently in. I got Estados Unidos in Spanish. While I might have gotten Les États-Unis in French without help, I never would have gotten Verenigde Staten in Dutch. I can only guess what my nationality will be next month in The Czech Republic.

Well, off we go to Cologne...I mean Koln for the weekend!

"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"
Fred Astaire

you say neither and i say neither
either, either, neither, neither
let's call the whole thing off

you say tomato, i say tomato
you eat potato and i eat potato
tomato, tomato, potato, potato
let's call the whole thing off

but oh, if we call the whole thing off then we must part
and oh, if we ever part then that might break my heart

so, if you wear pajamas and i wear pajamas
i'll wear pajamas and give up pajamas
for we know we need eachother so we
better call the calling off, off
oh, let's call the whole thing off

you say after and i say after
you say laughter and i say laughter
after, after, laughter, laughter
let's call the whole thing off

you say havana and i say havana
you eat banana and i eat banana
havana, havana, banana, banana
let's call the whole thing off

but oh, if we call the whole thing off then we must part
and oh, if we ever part then that might break my heart

so, if you say oysters and i say oysters
i'll eat oysters and give up oysters
for we know we need each other so we
better call the calling off, off
oh, let's call the whole thing off