October 6th: Freiburg

Hello, again!

Just an update over the last few days.

On Friday, my host mom, Felix, and I all went on a long walk. (Well, Felix was riding his bike, but still.) We went down the Donau in a different direction than I usually go. So it was nice to see a different path that I really enjoyed. After a bit of walking, we stopped at a man-made dam and hydroelectric plant. I had no idea it was there, but I figured there was some sort of dam when I noticed the water stopped flowing like it usually does. We looked around for a little bit at the two sides of the river and the structure itself. It had one of those, uhh...boat things that fills with water to move a ship from the upper portion to the lower portion and vice-versa. No idea what that is called, but there was one. We then went into the forest right across from the plant. Felix wanted to show us some craters in the ground from when bombs were dropped in WWII. At least, I assume it was WWII--that seems to be a recurring theme. The holes weren't MASSIVE, but they were pretty big. My host mom speculates that they were probably trying to hit the plant very nearby.

Saturday, I woke up bright and early to make the train to Freiburg. As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, my friend Eric was in Freiburg a year or two ago for a writing camp at the University of Freiburg. He said the city was cool, so I went.

After I left the house, I rode my bike to the Ulm Hbf. The sun wasn't up yet and my hands and face were quite cold. But it is a fairly short ride, so I survived. However, when I got to the Hbf (and I haven't told my host family about this, so when they read it, it will be new to them--I hope I don't get in trouble) my bike lock wouldn't open. I don't know if it got banged up while I was riding and didn't notice it, but the combination just wouldn't open it. So I made sure to park it at a bike rack with plenty of other bikes in the open. I figured people would be looking to steal a bike in a secluded area. I tied and twisted the lock around the bike rack to make it look, at a glance, like it was locked. I then gave a deep sigh and a quick prayer, and ran inside to print my ticket.

My host dad told me (and the internet confirmed) that the train ride from Ulm to Freiburg would be able 4 hours. And it was. I was just listening to music and looking out the window at the German scenery. Due to the early hour, I suppose, I had a bench seat and the bench seat in front of me to myself, so I had plenty of room. I got nervous when the train went to a bigger station, stopped for a couple of minutes (longer than normal), then proceeded to go backwards. I got nervous and looked at the signs at the station and this CLEARLY wasn't the station where I needed to change trains. However, as I glared out the window looking for scenery that looked familiar, I realized we went backwards, but on a slightly different track that quickly took us a different direction. The first train took me to Neustadt in about 3 hours, stopping only occasionally. This station was small, so I got out of the train and immediately stepped onto the only other train there and was on my way to Freiburg. This train ride was just shy of 1 hour. I sat next to a woman, but still had a window seat. The ride from Ulm to Neustadt was beautiful. The ride from Neustadt to Freiburg was STUNNING.

When I arrived in Freiburg, I was amazed at how big the city was. I knew it was bigger than Ulm, but I did not realize it was that much bigger. I managed to find my way out of the Hbf and into the city. Unlike Augsburg, I did not have a guide book or a tour guide. I thought it would be a fun adventure. I walked around the city taking pictures of cool statues and buildings and whatnot. Freiburg seemed like a newer city than the previous ones I have been to. Maybe I did not go to the right parts or something, but it just seemed newer.

I was drawn to a steeple over some buildings. As I got closer, I heard some jazz music and the small murmur of a crowd of people. There was a little trio (double-bass, trumpet, and....accordion) playing away right by a big farmer's market in front of the cathedral. I walked through the market and into the cathedral. It was PACKED. It was also dimly lit, so I did not take a lot of pictures. But it was pretty nice. I then left and continued aimlessly wandering the streets. Next, I saw a cool statue in the distance. I went towards that, snapped a picture, then turned around and saw a restaurant that looked good. It had been a long trip and I hadn't eaten, so I decided to stop in. I tried ordering in German, but the guy quickly realized that English would be a better option for us both. But, I tried. I think I was just too slow and he wanted to get me moving. I had a large and delicious meal for about 4 Euro (6ish dollars) of Bratwurst with french fries (Pommes) and ketchup.

I think continued to wander around. I went back to the Hbf to make sure I knew where I was and continued in a different direction towards another beautiful looking church. Right in front of the church was a fountain and a little park area with some people having a picnic. I went down for a better view and there was a guy close to my age riding a bike around the park. Just kind of doing circles with no real direction. And I noticed him looking at me a couple of times. Eventually, he rode towards me and slowed down just a little bit and asked me a question while riding past. I turned around and said, "I uhh...don't speak German." And he nodded his head and that was that. I don't want to leap to conclusions, but I suspect he might have been trying to sell me drugs. If you were there, you might have agreed.

Freiburg is surrounded by gorgeous trees and big, rolling hills. You can see it in some of the pictures, but they don't really do it justice. It is near the Black Forest and in a very scenic part of the country, from what I've been told. The people there are quite lucky to get such a view just beyond the city. After some more wandering and picture-taking, I decided to relax at the Hbf, read a book on my phone, and wait for my train a little early. I ran into a nice, older man who might be homeless, it was hard to say. He didn't speak English, but we spoke a little bit...somehow. Hand signs and such work wonders. But it was time for me to part and we said goodbye (well, we said tschüss) and I jumped on my train to begin the long ride again. The train from Freiburg to Neustadt was fairly packed. Then I waited a little longer for my next train. This train was not very packed. And as the 3 hour ride continued, more and more people got off. Eventually, there was me and one other guy in my car. Then he got off. So I had my own train car for about 45 minutes before arriving in Ulm. However, for a good portion of the ride, I was worried that the bike was going to be missing. I left the Hbf, took a deep breath, and approached the bike rack. Lo and behold, the bike was sitting exactly where I left it. As soon as I touched the handle bars, the lock unraveled itself, showing me just how unstable the tie I made was. I was VERY relieved that I would not have to buy a new bike. I put a smile on my face and triumphantly rode back to the house.

Here are some pictures from our walk and from Freiburg! You might notice that the sky in the Freiburg pictures sometimes looks pretty bad. It rained a couple of times throughout the day.

Walk along the Donau.

Tried to muster a smile through the cold and tiredness at the Ulm Hbf in the early morning.

One of my first sights upon entering Freiburg. (That is the kind of scenery I was talking about.)

"Heart of the City." I think it was actually a theatre, though.

At this small park, there were tons of these little pandas.

And people were arranging them in little groups and taking pictures and stuff. 

I have NO idea what was going on. Didn't bother to ask, either.

Busy plaza area.

A McDonald's in that beautiful building. I can't even with Germany...

A statue in the center of the plaza-esque area.

The cathedral at the farmer's market.

The view when entering.

Sadly, the candles here were 70 Euro cents instead of 50 Euro cents and I did not have that on me.

Everything is more expensive in the city, I guess.

These little waterways were all around the city. I thought they were kind of neat.

Just a shot I thought was neat.

State of an angel holding a...wreath?

My meal. I know some people are into foreign foods, so I have to post it!

The Bratwurst was deep fried, it seemed.

A neat looking building with a big yard. But it was locked behind a gate.

A nice little fountain. Stopped here for a couple of minutes to rest my feet.

Gotta love those panoramic shots.

A second pretty church! I walked up to the doors, but they were having a service, so I

 figured it would be rude of me to take pictures.

Another panoramic shot! This was the park where I was potentially solicited for drugs.

Just taking a selfie on my personal train.

Then today, I went to a sports facility with my host mom and Micah, our neighbor and former au pair. He and I played squash for a bit. Squash is basically racquetball. Micah explained to me that the ball is different, though. The squash ball doesn't really bounce. But it was a good workout and it was fun. 

Expect another blog post during this next week. But I don't know how many pictures it will have. Or how exciting it will be. But I'll still write it. And maybe you'll still read it. But this upcoming Saturday, I make the solemn voyage to Dachau, one of the first concentration camps. 

Until next time. Thanks for reading! 

October 3rd: Augsburg

Hallo!

Time for a little update on my week! And PLENTY of pictures, I assure you.

The week started off with the entire family going to a little Japanese-esque garden. This place was kind of in the middle of nowhere. It was pretty neat, though. We all, as a family, slowly walked through the paths and pointed out things that were pretty or cool and enjoyed the crisp, autumn weather. Based on the construction and atmosphere, it seems that the stuff is all handmade. Some of it was a little crudely made (compared to how a professional's might look), but that is what gave it a nice charm. And you can tell that this guy really loved what he did and worked hard. At the end (which was also the beginning), the owner had a little cart set up with a bonfire and lots of seats. He had a table with some food stuff and a cooler with drinks. He offered us some hot rice soup. I will admit, the soup was really good. We all got one except my host mom--who might not be a fan? I don't know.

Fall seemed to come very quickly. But maybe that is just my perception after leaving Indy on a day in the high 80's and landing in Germany where it was maybe in the 50's or 60's. The leaves are beginning to change and the air is starting to smell like autumn. I mind the cold, but I don't really mind the fall. This change in season put me in a pensive state and I found myself putting on my coat, grabbing my camera(phone), grabbing my mp3 player, and going on a long walk. I listened to music, walked, and reflected on life. The past. The present. The future. Real heavy stuff, people. But I found some beautiful spots along the Donau where I sat on a bench and looked at flowers or the sky or people or the river. I did this a couple of times and rather enjoyed it, so this will probably became a common event, despite the cold.

I found out earlier in the week that Thursday is a national holiday in German. It is the anniversary of when the Berlin Wall fell and Germany was reunited. My host mom said in terms of scale and importance, it is quite similar to the 4th of July. And Wednesday night, I learned of plans that my host family was going to Augsburg (a pretty big city between Ulm and Munich) for a birthday party of a family friend. Since I did not know them and would feel pretty out of place without speaking German, they invite me to tag along and to spend the day exploring Augsburg. I thought it was a good idea, so I accepted. We went by car, which was neat because I got to ride on the Autobahn. One thing I never thought about, but my host mom pointed out, is that there are no billboards and advertisments on the Autobahn like in the States. She said, very wisely, that when people are driving that fast, there shouldn't be big billboards to distract them.

When we arrived at the Hbf (kudos if you remember what that is) by car, Michael was leaving immediately by train to go to Berlin. They were having a big, free concert in Berlin that he wanted to go to. So he went by himself and the dad left after the birthday party to join him and they will be spending the weekend in Berlin. My host mom was kind enough to pop into the bookstore at the Hbf and bought me a guide to Augsburg in English. This had a map and some buildings and monuments that are a MUST see and gave a lot of history about these places.

So the rest of the family departed for the party and I took to the streets armed with a traveler's book and my mp3 player. I visited the beautiful Rathaus (city hall) first. It sustained big damage during WWII bombings, but was obviously restored and it looks very nice. It is a very classical looking building. Next I went to quite an interesting place called the Fuggerei. It is, apparently, the oldest social housing complex in the world. People that meet certain standards of poverty and welfare can live there, with government assistance, for about 1 Euro a year. A year. And it has been this way since it was created. Beneath it, a bomb shelter was created right before the bombings in WWII. The shelter is open and serves as a little museum with some artifacts, photos, and history. It was a strange feeling walking through there. Knowing that years ago, people were right where I was standing, cowering and fearing for their lives from falling bombs.

I then visited a couple of gorgeous churches and some monuments and statues and beautiful, old buildings. I went to where Mozart's relative lived and took a picture. Wandered the streets just taking pictures. At one church, there was a man playing the organ the whole time. I will try to put a short video I took of the music in this blog post.

Augsburg was a beautiful city and my feet hurt from all of the walking, but it told me that I did well in seeing as much as I could. And now, lots of pictures!

A little pond in the Japanese garden.

A nice yellow bridge (probably handmade, but quite sturdy) in the Japanese garden.

The path had a sign saying that in this garden, you should travel slowly and not be in a rush.

How zen-like.

A nice scene on my walking path along the Donau.

A bench in a beautiful rose garden in Ulm.

Note: I purposefully put my leg and foot in the picture so you would understand that I am lounging.

Obligatory flower picture.

I stared at this sight for longer than I care to admit.

Some nice autumn colors.

My travel companion.

The Rathaus (city hall) of Augsburg. It was hard to get the whole thing in one shot.

A nice clock tower right next to the Rathaus.

Some stuff in the bomb shelter at Fuggerei.

These markings were made on the wall in the bomb shelter. It just felt so real and powerful to me seeing it so clearly and directly.

The entrance to the bomb shelter. A little creepy, I will admit...

One of the "streets" in the Fuggerei. 

Note: Those doors are all apartments. Apartments that are still occupied and used.

The first church I visited, Der Hohe Dom (short for a really long name).

I paid 50 Euro cents to light a candle, just like at the Ulm Munster.

Some gorgeous stained glass. There was a lot of it.

The main hall.

Mozarthaus! Apparently it is a little museum-esque place, but it was closed for the holiday.

Mozart's father, Leopold, was born in Augsburg (though not at this location).

The former residence of Hans Georg Mozart, the great-grand-uncle of Mozart himself. 

What an honor.

Selfie in front of the Hohe Cathedral.

Maximillian Street. A beautiful, old street lined with cool buildings. And it had a couple

of neat fountains and statues, too. But I didn't want to upload a bunch of pictures of one street.

The next church, St. Ulrich and Afra.

A nice scene upon entering.

Don't worry, I paid another 50 Euro cents to light another candle. 

The organ that was pumpin' out some jams.

I will admit, I messed up recording. I forgot that in a video, it doesn't automatically flip. But it's not about the visual, it's about the audio....so focus on that.

The main altar with some ornate "high altars," as I learned they are called. These high altars

depict the stories of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.

Another selfie. This time in front of a fountain on Maximillian Street.

An old gate/fortification that watched over a major road in Bavaria.

Another cool tower tucked behind the trees and river.

As always, I hope you enjoyed the post and the pictures. I try my best to capture what I can in photos and stories. Obviously I can't convey it all, but I try to at least be entertaining and informative. Thanks for the support!

This Saturday, I take to the trains again (hopefully not as packed as Oktoberfest) to Freiburg. Freiburg is in the south-west part of Germany and is right on the edge of the Black Forest. So I am hoping to see some beautiful sights and enjoy a pleasant stroll through a new, German town.

Until then, I leave you with this quote.

"Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus