Yesterday the five of us decided to get another group day ticket for the train, and do some more exploring of the area. We started out in nearby Reutlingen, where the majority of Germany-bound Valpo students go to study abroad. Reutlingen, only about 12 minutes away by train, has a much more commercial look and feel to it which one notices immediately upon stepping out of the train.

 

Tübingen, a city famous for the university which opened its doors in the mid 1500s, has many small shops and cafes, but nothing quite like the department-store-lined-streets of Reutlingen. It was in one of these large stores (Galeria Kaufhof) where I finally located and purchased a french press coffee maker – something I have been actively searching for since we arrived here.

The main reason we went to Reutlingen, however, was not to enable Zach’s morning cup of coffee addiction, but rather to visit the Reutlingen Weinfest (Wine Fest.) After two trips to the Stuttgart Weinfest, I was personally interested to see the one in Reutlingen, which started on Friday. (I think this must be the time of year for Weinfests, because they seem to be popping up everywhere.)

 

We didn’t sample any German wine this time, and although the Weinfest in Reutlingen was much smaller than in Stuttgart, I enjoyed it for all the same reasons. The atmosphere, first of all, was delightfully German – street performers playing the accordion serenade passersby, as they navigate the narrow passageways between the tents lining the narrow cobblestone streets. We tried to make reservations for dinner at a few of the restaurants which had tents there, but after learning that they were completely booked we settled for a nice big lunch instead. (How very German of us!)

The traditional Swabian food served at these Weinfests presents a reason in itself for visiting. I think any journalist from the Travel Channel would have a field day sampling and reviewing all the different cuisine of southwest Germany. Because I’m gluten intolerant, I asked the waitress for a recommendation of something made without wheat. She recommended an excellent salad made with Turkey, which I ordered along with a side of potato salad. The potato salad here has become one of my favorite things about Germany – it definitely tops the kind I like to get at home from the Piggly Wiggly. The salad was topped with corn, like most German salads are, which I find to be pretty interesting. The Germans don’t usually eat corn (no corn on the cob, etc.) because here it’s considered to be “animal food,” yet they sprinkle some on top of just about every salad you could possibly order.

 

Next we visited Reutlingen’s beautiful Marienkirche, an old, beautiful protestant church. If I’m correct, I believe it was heavily damaged during World War II, as Reutlingen was frequently bombed for its industry, but don’t quote me on that one. (I know for sure that Tübingen was unaffected during the war, as its local economy is based on the university rather than industry, which is why it has retained its medieval character throughout the years.) It was hard to get a decent picture from outside the church, as the narrow streets wouldn’t allow me to back far enough away to capture the whole building in one frame, but I did manage to get quite a few shots of the beautiful architecture from inside the building.

 

After exploring the church, walking around the city, and doing some more shopping, we caught another train and went to Rottenburg. Rottenburg is much smaller than Tübingen or Reutlingen, but it shares the connection to Valparaiso University as a study abroad destination for those studying Church Music. By the time we got there it was around 6:00 PM, and just about everything was closed. The city, although quaint and beautiful, nestled along the Neckar River, felt eerily quiet and empty. Other than a few customers eating at a couple street cafes, we were the only ones walking through many of the tiny streets.

 

Nonetheless, we walked around until we had stumbled upon the marktplatz (marketplace), Rathaus (town hall), and St. Martin church, which we explored from the inside as well. The church’s interior felt much newer and more modern than any other European church I’ve ever visited, but it was a sight to see regardless. After we had taken a break to enjoy some watery €3 milkshakes, we headed back to the train station for the short ride back to Tübingen.

 

After learning so much about these cities and their connections to Valparaiso University, it was nice to see them in person and connect some images to my knowledge. Reutlingen, Tübingen, and Rottenburg are all very different and unique in their own ways, and it was fun to compare and contrast as we visited each city. I would sincerely encourage any Valpo student to come take advantage of the opportunity to study here in Germany’s southwest region of Swabia!