I've been there in 2024 but just a short stay and only visited the big church.

I have no homework last week so I took a 2 hour train to Köln to see the night view of the city.

When I stepped out the train station, I was astonished by the church, it was like a big monster standing there under the night sky, even looks more terrifying than I saw it last year.

But I didn't not stay around the church, I went across the river and went up to the top of the Triangle building, where people can see the whole city.

I waited for around 40 min till it's all dark, and whith the lights on, the view was fantastic.

So I went out to buy the light bulb.

But after I came back I find thw bulb dose not fit the lamp at all.

There are actually 2 types of bulb and I chose the wrong one.

There's a huge river and I heard the city is vibrant.

My student ticket allows me to travel within the state freely so it's cheap to visit cities around.

Like it only takes 1 hour from my University to the Düsseldorf airport, and the train station is in the uni.

Anyway, I took the train to Düsseldorf and walked from the central station to the AltStadt (old town) and it's by the Rhein river.

It's Sunday, most shops were closed but some restaurant near the river were still open.

I walked alone the river and took some nice pictures. Weather like this became rare now.

I had only one beer because my stomach was not good.

The party was in a classroom and the student council moved the tables and chairs to somewhere else so we can have the room for the party.

Everybody was standing in the room and we had this list to complete, which is to ask as many as possible people who is...

I talked to like 2/3 of the people and finally finished it. We can only put one name from one people so there are some crosses on my list (sorry Alex and Martim).

I met people from all over the world, Columbia, Uruguay, Tajikistan, Egypt, Turkey, Korea... and also there some local German students.

The most difficult one for me is to find a people who started his or her semester exactly 3 semesters before me. Because this is my 2nd semester so I need to find someone who is in 5th semester.

But luckily I found her.

To my shock was there are at least 3 lefthanded people in the party.

Anyway, it's a nice experience.

On the bus there was a little girl around 2 with curly hair. She laughed and I laughed back. What a pretty day. 

The park is big so I just walked around the lake and took some pictures.

And this is my first time seeing wild goose flying.

Odajima himself holds complex feelings towards Kataoka. Seven years ago, Odajima was found and taken in by the boss, and he became as close as family with another young member, Asahi. During a fight with a group, Asahi took a bullet for Kataoka and died. Odajima, however, believed that Asahi was killed by Kataoka, giving him a dual motive for the assassination. Thus, the two embark on a journey of wandering.

During their travels, Odajima discovers Kataoka's charisma and repeatedly misses opportunities to kill him. He also begins to doubt the truth about Asahi's death, wanting answers from Kataoka – why did Asahi die, and why was Asahi so fervently devoted to Kataoka? On this journey, their relationship transcends that of superior and subordinate. Odajima develops complicated emotions towards Kataoka: revenge, doubt... and a hidden love.

When Odajima confesses that Kataoka was his first sexual experience, Kataoka immediately proposes marriage. This summarizes the plot up to the first three episodes. The series has six episodes in total, with the latter three focusing on the direct confliction with their group.

The character designs in this series are exceptional. First, Odajima's backstory is particularly tragic. He confesses to Kataoka that during middle school, he killed two family members: his father and sister, and his mother. This statement carries significant implications.

He didn't miscount; it was two people. His sister was his mother. It's highly likely that the father raped his own daughter, resulting in Odajima's birth. The father's constant abuse became unbearable for the sister/mother, who begged Odajima to kill her. Consequently, Odajima killed his sister/mother, and then killed his father. Based on his conversation with Kataoka, he was subsequently imprisoned. After release, he remained a social outcast until the syndicate boss found him.

The actor portraying Odajima, Hiroto Takahashi, is physically very distinctive. He has beautiful eyes and eyebrows, yet his facial structure retains a certain boyishness. He suits this extremely short hairstyle very well, highlighting his strengths. His voice has a youthful quality but carries a heavy coldness, which, paired with his perpetually aloof and slightly defiant expression, creates a compelling character.

As for Kataoka, the series reveals little about his past directly. However, judging from his actions that often don't match with a typical yakuza – he is generous and tolerant towards his subordinates – it's clear why he rose to the position of second-in-command (and successor) in his twenties. Many, like Asahi, are willing to follow him devotedly. He embodies a playboy persona, claiming to have slept with numerous people. Yet, upon hearing that he was Odajima's first, he thinks for a moment and then proposes, appearing surprisingly pure-hearted and responsible.

The casting of Masanao Wada as Kataoka is also excellent. He perfectly captures the character's rakish yet authoritative aura. The chemistry between Wada's Kataoka and Takahashi's Odajima is very strong. Masanao Wada is 180 cm, while Hiroto Takahashi is 178 cm. One has a relatively deep voice, the other a cooler, softer one. One has fairer skin, the other a darker complexion.

Beyond the visible backgrounds and experiences of Odajima and Kataoka, from a psychological perspective, despite their surface-level contrasts, they ultimately share a common core. I believe both characters possess strong self-destructive tendencies.

Odajima's self-destructiveness stems from his family background. He stated that he is someone who should never have been born into this world. Perhaps a part of Odajima died the day he killed his sister/mother and father. After prison, he continued self-destructive behaviors, getting into fights everywhere. Asahi's appearance gave him a family again, but it was short-lived, as Asahi also died.

Kataoka appears careless and frivolous, but he is actually well aware of Odajima's mission. In the first episode's finale, the sound of Odajima loading his gun isn't even masked by the sea breeze, yet Kataoka remains unperturbed. He indirectly tells a story about a senior member being shot, advising Odajima to aim carefully when he shoots.

His repeated sexual advances towards Odajima can also be seen as a way of testing the other's limits. For a man like Odajima to be slept by another man, Kataoka, could be considered a personal insult in conventional societal terms. Perhaps Kataoka is trying to provoke Odajima into giving him a quick, clean death.

The soundtrack and opening theme for "The Journey to Kill You" are also excellent, particularly the OP song "Tsurezure." The BGM used in many scenes throughout the drama are very fitting. Especially in the scene where Odajima prepares to shoot Kataoka in the first episode, the BGM masterfully amplifies the audience's emotions, making you feel immersed in Odajima's complex and conflicted state of mind.

This series doesn't seem to have generated massive respons within Japan itself, perhaps because the subject matter makes some viewers hesitant. However, I find this type of theme quite compelling, firstly because it's rare, and secondly because the actors' performances are outstanding. In summary, it is a series well worth watching.

Recently I started feeling that time pases so fast and I need to record my life.

Life is about making memories, as that's the only thing that distinguishes us from others.

At last we all will be dead and eaten by worms and bacteria.

I had a lunch with a friend from college last month before I left for Germany.

She told me she is now divorced.

It's complicated but mostly because she's not well and can't have baby, and they pictured the future differently.

She flew all the way to see me and had dinner with me.

I didn't say much.

I was just listening.

I remembered that she just got married 2 years ago and now divorced.

Was it sad?

She told me she's happy and she quit her job.

I said congratulations, and I quit my job long ago and spent my saving on studying in Germany for God knows when I can graduate.

I think our generation is lost.

We don't really know what we should do or what we can do.

My friend she had been living a life that followed the society trend——married, busy with work, preparing for kids.

But she was not happy.

Neither did I.

I had a good job before and I quit it in the last.

Not until last year did I realized that I'm living in a bubble and I hate it.

Turning 18 or 20 doesn't mean you are mature.

When you realize you need to find you own direction and you strive to achieve it, then you are mature.

New semester has started this week.

I met some professors and new classmates.

It's winter semester so there are many new faces, and I met the girl I had met on the very first day last semester, and she's from Columbia.

We  both joined this master program in summer semester and we talked about how we fail in Time Series Analysis. 

We both agree that the fundamental course such as Statistical Theory shold be available for new students, not just in winter semesters, so that we can pass the taugh tests or the chances to pass would be higher.

Any way, we are here and what happened happened, the important thing now is to keep up with Statistical Theory and try to pass it.

The day time in Germany now is pretty short and I don't want to get up every morning.

And the weather is the same everyday, rainy.

I don't like the gray sky.