Rains start to pound a little harder the next day and the temperature drops further, which makes our excursion to Cologne slightly uncomfortable. We sought refuge in the iconic Kölner Dom for a few minutes and try to listen to the sermon (it’s a Sunday) but we can’t understand a word since it’s in German. Sensing the need for modesty, we leave the church and rush to McDonald’s — the nearest place where we could stay while waiting for the rains to let up. We meet a Filipina expat with her two giggly daughters. The father’s a German, the mom said. The girls don’t speak Filipino but can understand a few words. I smile at them before they walk off to who knows where.

As the clouds finally begin to pave way for a bit of sunshine, we go to a nearby tourist information center and avail of a ticket for a train ride around the city. Inside the train, the stress of traveling overwhelming me, I inadvertently take a short nap, missing the train’s audio commentary of the city. A few minutes later, just as when I am feeling slightly recharged, the rains start anew and we’re forced to cut our tour short, having only visited the Lindt Chocolate Museum and a few unremarkable stores.

We return to Frankfurt that evening, arranged our clothes, played UNO, and watched a German-dubbed Spongebob episode as we prepared for the plane ride the next day to Prague. I checked online to see what weather awaits us in our next destination and find that it will be rainy.

I have no idea how bad it will be.