Since my last update in late January, I have been extremely busy with traveling, school, and day to day tasks (but you won't hear me complaining 😁)!
Class Update
Before I get into my most recent experiences, I would just like to update everyone on my classes, specifically German. Since I last posted, I have come a long way in learning the native language. My classmates and I are now pretty good friends and I usually end up seeing them on the weekends. I truly enjoy these times as I get to not only try to speak German with other English-based learners, but also with French and Chinese as well! We have three new students in my class now from different countries. We have one girl from Switzerland, an elderly lady from Paris, and a young man, also from Paris. My class is going great and I am only two weeks away from advancing to the intermediate level!
Ladenburg; 1 February
The first trip since my last update was one of most favorite so far. Ladenburg is one of the original Roman strongholds here in Germany. It is home to not only rich history and architecture, but also to Karl Benz (of, you guessed it, Mercedes-Benz).
We arrived in Ladenburg shortly before noon via tram then bus. The trip was very quick and we would have rode bikes down the old Roman road that connects Heidelberg and Ladenburg, but due to too many complaints from sissies about the cold, they resorted to us taken public transportation. Our first stop was the Karl Benz house and garage where he first designed him gas-powered vehicle. The property was beautiful and rested near the Neckar riverside. The garage was about 100 meters from the house and legend has it, Karl did this to avoid his wife calling on him when he was busy working.
After the house, we visited the old town where remnants of the Roman stronghold are still visible today. Many of the original inner-city walls are still intact and foundation pieces are still scattered around the town. We visited a museum that held many Roman artifacts and historical pieces, which was a nice and quick way to understand the history of the area.
After the museum, we ventured deeper into the town discovering its beautiful architecture and colors. The town is a quintessential German town with colorful buildings with exposed frames. Many of the buildings are from the 1600 hundreds and earlier. Definitely a must see for lovers of history!
Super Bowl Party; 5, 6 February
Even though I'm across the pond, there is no way I was not going to watch the Super Bowl. I am way too red-blooded American for that. We planned the party a few days in advance to best budget our money. We decided to make it as American as possible in order to show our RA, Jonas, how we Americans enjoy to watch the biggest sporting event in our culture. We ordered five huge pizzas and got some pop to go along with them. We were going to make wings but that was too time-consuming for the amount of time we had. We also made chips and dip, which is essential.
The game started at around 1 am here on the 6th. Most people didn't tough it out and went to bed but a few of us stayed up till 5 to watch the greatest Super Bowl of all time. It was quite an experience, but nothing beats spending that time with family and friends back home.
Tiefburg; 12 February
On this lazy Sunday, I decided, after going outside to take my trash out, that it was such a nice day that I was going to go for a walk and try to get lost. I began my trek towards the direction of my mom and dad's Air BnB as they are coming to visit in April and they wanted me to try and find it. After a bit, I wandered down a back alley and found their place. It was cool to see a new part of the city, but I wasn't satisfied so I picked a direction and began to walk. I ended up in a small burg called Tiefburg. I had never heard of the area before and I was surprised I hadn't as it was home to a quaint little castle with a moat. I later read into the area and discovered that the castle was home to a Duke who at one time, got so jealous of his royal counterparts, that when the King sent a nearby Duke a suit of armor as a gift, he intercepted the man wearing it, and trapped him behind a wall of bricks, alive, like in the Cast of Amontillado. The suit of armor was discovered only in the early 1900s after the then owner decided to expand the room behind the wall, finding the suit of armor and what was left of the man wearing it. The armor is now in a museum in Berlin if I recall correctly. I just thought that was the coolest story a small little town could have.
Heidelberg Law School; 13 February
After class one day, our RA, Jonas, decided to take my friend Teresa and I to Heidelberg's Law School. He knew we were both going into law so he wanted to show us where he and other law students studied. The facilities are in an old hotel on the outskirts of the town square. Because students are studying for their law exams, we only visited the library where they hold all of their German texts and the section where they hold their English counterparts. Teresa and I plan on going there a few times to read in their collection and to meet other law students.
Mannheim; 14 February
Instead of going to art class, my art professor sent us an email, telling us to meet him at Heidelberg Central Station so we can go to an art exhibit in Mannheim. This guy is the bee's knees. We all met up outside of a Chinese restaurant and we boarded a train to the city. Mannheim is only about 10 minutes away by train, an hour by tram. Once we were there, he took us around to see different buildings and landmarks on our way to the castle. Once we got to the castle he shared with us the history of the palace and his thoughts on the bland exterior. The true beauty was on the inside (enter teenage girl instagram post here). Inside, the castle was stupendous. Our professor explained that the palace was demolished during WWII so it was all recreated to meet the believed likeness of the palace in the 1600s. My favorite room, by far, was the grand ball room. Originally, it was made out of marble and gold leaf. Surround guests were giant portraits of the lineage of the royal family and the key emperors before them.
After the castle, we walked to a nearby cafe for a coffee and to talk about, uhm, art. Our professor told us the history of our next stop, the Jesuit cathedral. The cathedral was very nice and it had many historical pieces inside such as paintings of popes and multi-century old alters. It wasn't as beautiful as the Wormser Dom in my opinion, but it was still very elegant.
Our last stop was the Mannheim Art Museum where we observed their seasonal gallery, "Barock". It focused on the many elements of the Baroque style and the history of its importance in modern culture. Our professor led us through, artwork by artwork showing how it developed from very practical uses (like with maps and ocean cartography) to even clothing.
I can't wait to see what trip our professor has up his sleeve next!
Stift Neuberg; 15 February
After classes on the 15th, our Dean, Thomas, took a handful of us to Stift Neuberg Monastery via the Philosphersweg. Philosophersweg is a hiking trail traveled by major philosophers such as Mark Twain, who stayed in Heidelberg frequently when looking for inspiration. The walk provides great views of the city and valley before leading you through the vast forests surrounding the city. After a while's walk, we ended up at the Monastery. Many hundreds of years old, it is still home to some of the oldest monks in Germany. There are only three remaining, but they hold 5 services a day, starting at 4:30am and holding their last at 8pm. Everyday at everyhour, they ring the bell at the top of their bell tower. We unfortunately weren't there in time to listen to their message or their Gregorian chant music, but we did get to hear them ring the bell.
After we visited the Monastery, we made our way over to the restaurant that serves the bier the monks make on a daily basis. We stopped here for a well-deserved meal and brew. It was probably the best meal I've had here and the Dunkel is definitely in my fav-five when it comes to bier.
Prague; 16, 17, 18, 19 February
This past weekend, a large group from the ESC traveled to Prague for the weekend, independently. We took a bus ride that took about 8 or so hours to reach our Hostel, "Prague Plus". Once there, we were given a free tour of the city which consisted of the new city, the old city, the Jewish Quarter, the square and astronomical clock, and the St. Charles bridge, y'know, the touristy stuff. Throughout the tour, I took many pictures as Prague was no doubt one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The medieval architecture and art were astounding and it was impossible not to capture everything around every corner. The square and astronomical clock, two of the most touristy things in Prague, did not disappoint. We got their just at noon to see the 12 disciples pass by the clock (look it up, it's amazing to watch), a tradition that is hundreds of years old and still in working condition.
After the tour, a few friends of mine and I spent the little free time we had to check out the Lennon Wall near the Charles bridge. If you follow me on instagram, you probably saw the picture. The wall is in honor of John Lennon and what he did for the people of Prague as he inspired them to stand up against what is wrong and to not let the government control them. He preached peace and humanity which the Prague people respected. Today, anyone can tag their name or message on the wall. Many different languages and influences cover the wall. It is truly a masterpiece of globalization.
Later that night, we went on a very lame boat cruise down the river near the Charles bridge. A ton of drunk adults made the trip unbearable but the views were pretty good. The castle at night is spectacular.
The next day, we had the entire day to ourselves. We walked so many miles throughout the city, exploring as much as we could. We traveled everywhere from the new city to the castle and back. Some of the highlights included eating a traditional Czech meal in a 500 year old restaurant which consisted of Kozel beer and Goulash (sehr gut essen), the castle views over the city and vineyard, and the hidden stairway up to Novy Svet, or new country, which had zero tourists and some of the best view imaginable. At the top of Novy Svet, we encountered a movie set and we accidentally walked across a fake cobblestone street when the security guard wasn't paying attention. We got yelled at and we promptly high-tailed it out of there. After that, it was near sundown and we spent the time on the Charles Bridge watching the sun go down over the city. It was one of the most breathtaking experiences I've ever had.
The fourth day consisted mostly of travel so it really doesn't amount to anything noteworthy.
Prague was an amazing experience and I would 100% go back again. I did, however experience for the first time a sense of uncertainty and maybe fear while traveling. I don't know if it is the language or the people speaking it, but the people in Prague made me uneasy. Whether it was the Polizei or the city workers, it always seemed like we were being given dirty looks and that instead of trying to protect its citizens and its visitors, the state seemed to try to intimidate and put fear into their hearts. I discussed this observation with friends and they agreed. They felt like the state was trying to intimidate rather than make you feel at ease. We came to the conclusion that it is possible it was their way of deterring acts of terrorism. When there is an armed soldier every 10 meters with an MP5 waiting for you to step out of line or draw attention to yourself, I wouldn't want to do anything rash. After Prague, when I was back in Germany, I felt so relieved that I could now effectively communicate with the citizens and express myself correctly. It made me realize how much of the German culture I have become accustomed to and how much the language has influenced my feelings towards my host country.
I hope you all are enjoying reading about my travels and experiencing them vicariously!
I can't wait to hear from you all!
Your Friend,
Gabe
