Valpo Voyager

Student Stories from Around the World

Tag: Study abroad (page 10 of 13)

Leipzig at Night

Lessons From Leipzig

February 15, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Leipzig at NightGrowing up in the United States, the Cold War seemed like a faint memory that we only learn about in our history classes. Having to memorize all the political agreements, the unsaid tension between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., it just seemed like one long stalemate. However, after visiting Leipzig I have realized that for the German people, the Cold War and the East verses the West was not just another chapter out of a history book. The city is famous for being the start of the protests against the Communist government. By just touring around and seeing the buildings that have been rebuilt within the last twenty years, as well as, the people who were witnesses and protesters during the peaceful revolution to unify their country, these events are very much alive today.

One of the most striking moments was visiting the Stasi Museum (Museum in der “Runden Ecke”). The building, itself, was the headquarters for the East German Secret Police (Stasi). Just walking into the building, you feel as if you are entering the Communist run building. Your eyes immediately focus on a banner hanging in the entrance stating, “This building will be secured on behalf of the Government and the Citizens Committee of the People’s Police” hangMail Steamering right next to a security camera. The museum takes you through the original offices while showing you all the equipment used to spy on their own people. From hidden cameras in briefcases, to phone tapping machines, and disguises, it is hard to believe these were still being used until the 1990’s.

The most moving exhibit for me, however, was an essay written by a ninth grader. He criticized the society and policies that he had to live under, even though he knew the consequences of writing this would be severe. According to the museum, the essay found itself in the hands of the police and they kept record of the boy until 1989 when German Communism fell. When I chose to study abroad, I figured that I would be able to connect my studies to my History major, more so than my Education major. However when reading about this student’s (translated) essay, I realized that this is a memory that I could pass on to my future students. I cannot only talk about the history surrounding the story, but also share the message that one person no matter how old, can speak out against what they believe is wrong and truly impact their future.

Memorial of the Peaceful Protest

 

 

 

 

 

Check out more pictures of my ten day trip to at https://plus.google.com/photos/113496106333285759017/albums?banner=pwa

Parisian Weekend

February 12, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Paris!

We were finally able to cross “Paris” off of our unofficial must-travel list and it was almost everything we thought it would be! After a short flight of just over 2 hours, we were in Beauvais (RyanAir’s cheap “Paris” airport that is actually an hour north) and were on a bus to Paris. Since none of us know any French beyond “yes, no, hello, goodbye, and thank you,” it was immediately apparent this would be somewhat of a challenge since almost no one speaks any English or Spanish. Anyway, we finally found a taxi that knew where our hostel was since the first 2 didn’t have an idea.

The hostel was nice, very clean, the staff spoke English, French, and Spanish, and they offered several services for a cheap price. It was also a 30 minute walk to the Eiffel and less than 10 to a metro station. I would definitely stay there again and for reference if anyone is looking for a cheap place in Paris, it’s called “Aloha.” After we tossed our bags in the storage closet, we headed out for the Eiffel Tower!

Since the line to get elevator tickets was, literally, at least 500 people long, we waited 5 minutes and got the walking tickets. It was extremely cold that weekend and the walk must have taken us over an hour to get to the second level minus the time we spent walking around the first level. Since we couldn’t walk from the second level to the top, we bought elevator tickets which ended up costing the same as if we had bought them on the ground but we didn’t have to wait in the long line so it was a fair trade-off. The view from the top is spectacular!

We also went to the Trocadéro (seen in the foreground of the large photo) which is a popular spot to take pictures of the Eiffel. Later on day 2, we met up with my friend Charlotte and she showed us around the Arc de Triomphe and went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant. The third and final day was the busiest but the most fun by far! Early in the morning, we went out to see the Eiffel one more time and then went to the Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame, and walked along the Seine for a bit. We thought about going to the catacombs but they were closed by the time we looked into it. We had a really productive day so I won’t miss it in the least.

Paris was almost everything we expected except for the cold and the prices. It was ridiculously cold even though I’m told it’s normally much colder with snow. The prices there are enough to make you not want to go back but it is possible to find a few moderately cheap places if you look. Bakeries tend to be fairly cheap and you can buy a whole baguette for just a euro. Chinese restaurants are also reasonably priced but don’t expect to find many cheap French restaurants.

If you’d like to see all the photos I took in Paris (about 200) check out my Picasa page (http://bit.ly/y5AyqU). You can also follow me on Twitter for more day-to-day posts (https://twitter.com/#!/SpainJordan). I also have trips planned to Portugal, England, and Switzerland/Germany in the coming months in addition to my normal Spain postings so look out for those!

 

 

Loch Ness Sunset

Loch Ness & Learning to Travel

February 8, 2012 / / 1 Comment

Loch Ness Boat Ride

Destination of my first student-organized trip:  Inverness, Scotland and nearby Loch Ness.  After a nine hour train ride 8 of us arrived in the thoroughly Scottish city on the mouth of the River Ness by the North Sea.  By the time we arrived it was time for dinner (haggis!) and a visit to a few local pubs before Saturday, our only full day in the area.

Early Saturday morning I set out with a friend and the goal of finding the nearby Culloden Battlefield.  I hadn’t really done any research on ‘how’ to get there; all I knew was that it was too far from the city to walk to.  I started by asking the student hostel staff how most tourists get to the battlefield.  They told me City Bus 5 was the one I wanted, and they said it departed from the Inverness city center. I borrowed a bus schedule from the hostel too, and sure enough Bus 5’s route had “Culloden” marked on it.  I boarded Bus 5 and watched the city roll away as we headed into the countryside. However, judging by the one road sign I saw for Culloden Battlefield, Bus 5 was not the correct route. So, after a conversation with a very friendly driver I was instructed to get off, board Bus 2, and then get on Bus 3 which would take me where I wanted to go. Sure enough, I was able to follow these directions with a little help from the driver of Bus 2. However, in the instructions nothing was included about which direction to take Bus 3 in. I took a guess and loaded the next Bus 3 that came through.

Culloden Forest

Unfortunately, it was headed back to the city. This driver wasn’t as friendly, so at the end of the route I hopped off, walked back to the city center, and caught the next Bus 3. Once again, it bypassed the turn I needed. Even worse, the rest of the route was rolling through hills, towns, and along the coasts of the sea in such a twisted route I couldn’t tell how close I was to the battlefield. So, as the bus turned towards the city again I decided to get off and just walk around the area.

Although I never made it to my goal, I walked through the beautiful Culloden Forest, a place I would have never seen if my day went according to plan.  I was on top of hills overlooking the North Sea and the city, so I had great views of the surrounding glen.  Also, when time began to run short and I needed to get back to the city I walked through picturesque residential streets that I would not have seen otherwise. I continued until I found a bus stop heading back into Inverness. This stop was fairly close to the sign post directing tourists to the battlefield. At that point I was probably as close to my original destination as I ever was… and I was still 4 miles away!

Overlooking Glen Mhor

Upon getting back into the city, I went to the bus station to pick up our ride for the Loss Ness tour. However, I went a little early to find which bus I should have taken that morning.  As it turns out, Culloden is actually a nearby town, so numerous buses stop there. The answer: Bus 3 was correct, but only at specific times during the day. I hadn’t been able to board one of the few buses in that direction, and there were none left that I could take before going back to Cambridge.

Although I’m not likely to go as far north as Inverness again, and will likely not have a chance to see Culloden Battlefield, my unplanned adventure was still the highlight of the trip.  I had a chance to see things I never would have had a chance to see otherwise.  Also, I learned a lot about how to plan for trips.  In the States, I can afford to be impulsive because I have a car, and therefore I can transport myself anywhere so long as my navigation skills and patience hold out. However, when relying on public transportation planning ahead is very important.  The tour bus/boat trip we took to Loch Ness (unfortunately, no monster) and Urquhart Castle was very touristy, but having someone else plan everything for us was the best way to see the attractions.  At the same time, allowing for spontaneity is the best way to create great experiences and memories to take with you.

Loch Ness Sunset

Follow me on Twitter at:  https://twitter.com/#!/CambridgeUKJohn

See more photos on Picasa at:  https://plus.google.com/photos/112463823006344854498/albums?banner=pwa

 

Union Jack and Loch Ness

Where am I again?

February 2, 2012 / / 0 Comments

War Memorial in Inverness, Scotland

I have noticed one of the most stereotypically American mistakes to make is to think of England, Britain, and the United Kingdom as synonyms.  In the States, we tend to think of ourselves as more “United” than otherwise.  However, over here this isn’t necessarily the case.

Not long ago I was in Inverness, Scotland, which is very near to Culloden Battlefield.  It was at this location that the Jacobite Rebellion was crushed in 1746.  Following this date, the British government incorporated all of Scotland into Great Britain.  Although this battle was fought not long before the American Revolutionary War, in Scotland this battle is still discussed as if it happened just out of living memory.  This is hardly how the American Revolution is discussed in the United States.

Support for this topic of independence is far from limited to a few individuals.  Very recently the subject of Scotland breaking away and becoming an independent country has become a major issue.  Nor is this way of thinking present in only Scotland.  On Thursday, February 2nd the insert cover of The Guardian read, “Could Wales be next?”  Granted, most polling data shows the majority of residents in Scotland and Wales would prefer to remain part of the United Kingdom.  However, the topic of independence is certainly far from dead.

Map of the British Isles

To avoid confusion throughout the rest of my blogs, I thought it might be helpful to describe what some of the terms are referring to:

Britain – the name of the largest island

England – the southeast part of Britain (red)

Great Britain – the political union of England, Scotland, and Wales (red, orange, and blue)

The United Kingdom – includes Northern Ireland with Great Britain (red, orange, blue, and yellow)

British Isles – geographical (not political) name that includes independent Republic of Ireland

British Commonwealth – loose association of possessions and former colonies including Canada, Australia, and India that have a symbolic loyalty to the Crown

Union Jack and Loch Ness

 

Follow me on Twitter at:  https://twitter.com/#!/CambridgeUKJohn

See more photos on Picasa at:  https://plus.google.com/photos/112463823006344854498/albums?banner=pwa

Settling Into Cambridge

January 25, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Welcome back!  Now that I’ve been in Cambridge for nearly a week I thought I’d check back and update you with what has been going on.  Much of the week has been spent exploring the city and getting acquainted with living in it.  Luckily, the weather has been very abnormal so far.  Instead of the quintessential English wet, there have only been two or three days of rain so far.  Another thing to keep in mind when walking around the city:  daylight is limited in Cambridge.  The sun comes up around 8:00 and sets around 16:30.  While Cambridge is a very safe and nice place at night, the lack of sunlight was really a surprise for me.

The Student Centre: Our home in Cambridge

The city of Cambridge has an extremely rich history surrounding it.  Central to this history are the colleges, 34 in total.  Personally, my study abroad program is affiliated with Anglia Ruskin University.  Anglia is one of the newer colleges situated on the eastern side of Cambridge and away from the River Cam like many of the older establishments are.  The older and larger colleges have beautiful grounds adjacent to the river and are tourist attractions in themselves.  The history of Cambridge goes further back than the famous colleges though.  One of the few high points in town, Castle Hill, has history from long before America had even been discovered.  As the namesake castle is now long gone, today the hill is a popular spot for taking pictures of the town.

St. John's College

Getting to know the local stores and brands is a large part of moving into another location.  Some US things, like Zip-lock bags, are nonexistent in the UK.  On the other hand, some things are very comparable.  For example, Boots is a chain of stores very similar to Walgreens.  One of the more noticeable differences is the lack of a completely consumer-driven attitude.  Store employees here are happy to help you, but you have to approach them first.  No one will ask if you need assistance finding what you are looking for.  Generally I prefer this.  However, when you’re looking for something not common in Britain (like most things related to baking) it can be a pain (although there are entire isles of mushy peas).  Also, stores close very early.  The largest mall in the area completely shuts down at 17:30 – weekends included.  These differences can be difficult to straighten out occasionally:  it took 5 of us over an hour to choose a phone service for our time here.

Some of the most noticeable changes in culture are related to technology.  In an afternoon of walking around Cambridge you will only see 1 or 2 people at the most on their cell phones.  Internet service is generally slower than in the US (at the time of writing this the Student Centre has had no Internet for a day and a half).  However, this lack of persistent technology really adds to the relaxed atmosphere.  There are no people continually checking their phones for a text, no cacophony of yelling into phones, and a lot of simply hanging out and having a good time with friends.

The River Cam near Jesus Green

Take a look at more photos on Picasa at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/112463823006344854498/London?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Follow what’s happening on Twitter at:  https://twitter.com/#!/CambridgeUKJohn

 

My apartment building in Zaragoza.

Week One in Zaragoza, Spain

January 19, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Welcome!

Welcome to my first blog post and thanks for reading! I’m Jordan Harner, an International Business and Spanish double-major, studying in Zaragoza, Spain for one semester. Zaragoza is a medium-size city in the autonomous community of Aragon with around 700,000 people midway between Madrid in central Spain and Barcelona on the east coast. I currently attend the University of Zaragoza and live with a wonderful host family!

Arrival

My apartment building in Zaragoza.

It’s been a little over a week since I’ve been here and I feel like I’ve completely adjusted already. Everything has been fantastic and more than I expected overall with the exception of just our arrival which proved to be a little more complicated that we anticipated. Originally, we had planned to take a bus from Barajas Airport in Madrid to Zaragoza but we were unable to purchase tickets online because of our American credit cards. A little irritating, yes, but we figured we could buy them when we arrived. To our surprise, the ticket machine was broken and it happened to be an obscure holiday that day (which seem to be a common occurrence here) so we couldn’t buy our bus tickets from the bus office either because it was closed. With no other options, we took a high-speed train which costs 60 euro one way. I shed a small tear when I paid but I have to admit the train was a cool experience and much faster than by bus to boot.

After our arrival in Zaragoza, Manuel, a student at Valpo that lives in Zaragoza, was kind enough to pick us all up from the train station and take us to our apartments. He has a small car and I’m fairly certain cramming 5 people and 12 pieces of luggage into a car including one piece sticking part-way out of the window is illegal but definitely an interesting way to begin our journey. Anyway, I really appreciate him helping us out so I want to give a big shout out to Manuel if he ever reads this!

Above is a picture of the apartment building where I live. I live right across from a fairly new mall, the Aragonia, which also happens to be quite empty since it was completed when the recession began. Nieves is my host mom and I also have a host sister, Lupe. My host mom also has a boyfriend, Francisco, who is here fairly often as well. They’re all great people and I know I’ll learn a lot more Spanish living with a host family versus having my own apartment.

Classes

My classes are from 9:00 to 1:30 Monday through Friday with a half hour break midway through. By “9,” that means “around 9” or whenever the professor arrives. I’ve quickly learned that Spanish times are rarely taken literally. My morning class is a grammar class with Professor Alicia and my afternoon class is a culture class with Professor Marina. Both are fantastic teachers and I feel like I’ve learned so much more Spanish after being here just over a week.

Night Excursion

The first day I arrived, I was extremely tired but since Manuel was still in Zaragoza, he offered to give all 5 of us a brief tour of the city along with a few of his friends. We walked everywhere and my feet hurt for a while after but I learned a lot about the city and a few of its major landmarks which include The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar (Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar), La Seo, and Aljaferia Palace. We went inside the Basilica for a few minutes right up until close and it was absolutely stunning! It’s beautiful on the outside and just as great on the inside. I have yet to see it during the day and I’ve been told the stained glass skylights are a must-see as well as a chance to climb one of the bell towers to see the whole city for 2 or 3 euro. Hopefully I’ll get there this weekend. To the left is a picture of part of the Basilica by night.

I know this was a bit brief but I had a lot to cover so hopefully I can go into greater detail in the coming posts. Thanks for reading and I’ll be taking a trip to Paris in two weeks so check back often for that and more of my adventures in Spain!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow me on Twitter for more of my enthralling adventures: https://twitter.com/#!/SpainJordan

View my Picasa web albums: https://picasaweb.google.com/102363422858711117798


Arriving and London

January 17, 2012 / / 1 Comment

Hello, and welcome to my blog!

All 17 of us in front of Big Ben

My adventure started last year when I switched majors from engineering to nursing.  With the change came the opportunity to study abroad.  I’ve always loved English culture, and because a nursing professor had recently filled the position of director, I selected the Cambridge program.

So, I am officially in Cambridge, England!  Technically, I’m on my 5th day here, but at this point I’ve spent nearly as long in London as in Cambridge, so I have a little catching up to do.  Packing was an adventure in itself.  However, I was able to stuff everything in my suitcase and not only stay under the weight limit, but also leave myself a little room for souvenirs on the return trip.  All 17 Valpo students studying at Cambridge this semester flew out on the same flight.  The flight itself was very smooth with no major turbulence or delays, and we weren’t even out of the London airport before being bombarded by the change of culture:  the crosswalks are painted with “LOOK RIGHT →”!

After somehow fitting 17 students (each packed for 4 months!) into an extremely small coach, we arrived at the Valparaiso University Student Centre in Cambridge.  One of our first meals on English soil was at The Eagle – the famous pub where Watson & Crick discussed the structure of DNA.  We were barely unpacked and acquainted with our new home before all 17 of us left to spend the weekend in London!

 

Buckingham Palace

After catching an early train through the fog into the city, we checked into our hostel and set out.  During the following two days we attempted to hit as many major landmarks as we could.  We started out at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.  Although the sun was in my eyes making it difficult to see the actual ceremony, I was able to get some good pictures of the palace itself.  Afterwards, we continued towards the Horse Guards Parade, which will soon host volleyball during the upcoming Olympics.  We stopped for photos at the ever-popular Big Ben, saw the beautiful Westminster Abbey, and had lunch in Trafalgar Square.

Going to Hogwarts from Kings Cross

That afternoon we took a bus tour around the city and saw The Mousetrap in London’s theatre district.  We soon discovered getting restaurant or pub seats for all of us on a busy night in London would be impossible, so we split into smaller groups to eat and wander around the city.  The next day we started with a cruise down the Thames River.  The cruise stopped at the Tower of London, where the rest of the day was spent.  Then, we were on our own to find our way back through the Underground to Kings Cross and catch a train back to Cambridge.

The journey back was really one of the most memorable sections of my London trip.  Instead of being told what to do, or at least given step-by-step directions, it was up to me to take responsibility for finding routes back through London and to Cambridge in time for a speaker at 19:00 that night.  It was kind of intimidating having not even been in the country long enough to get over my jet lag.  However, it was more than a little exhilarating too!  I am really excited to continue this feeling during the next 4 months.  I hope you’ll continue to follow me for more of my upcoming adventures!

 

 

Follow me on Twitter at:  https://twitter.com/#!/CambridgeUKJohn

See more photos on Picasa at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/112463823006344854498/London?authuser=0&feat=directlink

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

December 8, 2011 / / 0 Comments

The time after fall break has basically been filled with festivals (and a couple class trips). Thanksgiving, many Christmas markets, a chocolate festival.. It’s crazy. The first one was Thanksgiving. The international program at Hochschule Reutlingen (the university) puts on a Thanksgiving dinner every year for all the American students and other international students who are interested. They asked everyone to bring a dessert, but provided turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn. All the staples of a Thanksgiving dinner except the green beans. Because for some reason they think that corn is this American thing that we always eat. Since they only eat corn on top of salads or pizza, which I think is weird, but whatever. (And I don’t have any pictures of the night since my camera was apparently dead without me realizing.. Oh well.)

Reutlingen Christmas market

Advent calendar on a house

It was so nice to have that little taste of home, since obviously Germany doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. The downside: the rediscovery that a bunch of Americans in one room is super loud and annoying. Yay America. It’s going to be interesting just how much my perception of Americans has changed when I get back. I can only imagine that I’ll be a little annoyed at times..

So that was Thanksgiving. And then that weekend all the Christmas markets started going up! I had never been to one before, even though there are a few in some of the big cities in the U.S., like Chicago. Of course, being at those would be nothing like actually being in Germany at a market, because it is an experience I think everyone should have. It’s just rows and rows of wooden stalls selling scarves and hats, ornaments, candies, brats, miniature houses, nutcrackers, and anything else related to Christmas. And of course all decorated with lights and garlands. It really is beautiful.

I already wrote about the one in Vienna at the end of fall break, and since then I’ve been to several. The one in Reutlingen of course, which is surprisingly large for such a small city. It even has an ice rink. And my favorite part was the advent calendar they projected onto one of the houses downtown. So creative. And just awesome.

Part of the Nuremberg Christmas market

Next event of this time was a trip I took with a bunch of international students to Nuremberg. The home of the original Christmas market. Nuremberg itself is a really cool city, and I wish I had had more time to look around, since I was only there for a few hours. It’s one of the few towns left in Germany with the city wall still remaining and in good shape, and is really just beautiful. The Christmas market though, that was amazing even though it was super crowded. Anything you wanted to find, you could find there. And the bands and choirs playing on the stage added even more to the atmosphere of Christmas. I had thought that being one of the original Christmas markets would have made it bigger, but that was the only disappointment. And we were still able to make use of the few hours there wandering the stalls and drinking Gluehwein, the spiced hot wine that’s a specialty in the winter.

Part of the group in front of Schloss Ludwigsburg

Next stop: Ludwigsburg! There’s a somewhat famous palace here, and it’s only just over an hour train ride from Reutlingen, so we decided to make a class day out of it for our German culture/literature/history class. The interior was gorgeous, especially the two chapels and the theater. As a nature lover, though, I was drawn to the gardens more. They were beautiful, they even had a fairy tale part that was closed, but had figurines scattered throughout a wooded part to be sort of a fairy tale world. Ludwigsburg also had a Christmas market that we had some time to visit. And I finally found a cheap winter hat! So of course I picked the one with the most colors. I’m now the proud owner of a purple, blue, and lime green hat from Germany!

The weekend after this class trip I went to Stuttgart with Sarah for some Christmas market browsing and Christmas shopping (since we’re running out of time pretty quickly). Neither of us had actually been anywhere in Stuttgart besides the airport and the train station, so it was good just to walk around the city itself. It reminded both of us of Christmastime in Chicago- tons of people walking around in coats, scarves, and hats, and crowding all the stores and malls doing their shopping, and eating at brat places along the main pedestrian area. It could’ve only been more beautiful if it had been snowing. The Christmas market was completely packed with people. Which was frustrating, but on the other hand gave us plenty of time to look at everything in the stalls while in stand-stills in the vast crowds. And it was gigantic, so we had plenty of stalls for stall-browsing while we stood in the crowds.

Stuttgart Christmas

The final festival I’ve been to is the Tuebingen Chocolate festival, also last weekend. Apparently it’s really popular, because there were chocolate stalls from all over the world and people in throngs trying to get to the stalls to buy some bars or hot chocolate (or even chocolate beer or chocolate noodles). I decided not to go too crazy, so I stuck with hot chocolate with chili, although chocolate beer sounded really intriguing.

After a day of fighting crowds in Stuttgart and then a day fighting them in Tuebingen, we decided to be done with crowds for a while. Which was fine, because it was our second to last weekend in Germany.. So really, our last weekend to go anywhere except for maybe a few hours to a nearby town.

We leave on Tuesday already, and there are finals to finish up, stuff to pack, rooms to clean, and plenty of people to say good-bye to before we head off. I’m kind of sad. It’s been an incredible semester, and I’m sure I won’t realize just how much I’ve grown and learned and changed until I get back to the States. Living here is so normal now. The language is so normal, the public transportation so normal, the hills so normal, the colorful money, the ability to buy alcohol, pedestrian areas downtown, sorting trash into four bins, living with people from all corners of the world, even the showers that only spray for 30 seconds before you have to press the button again, all of it is so normal, it’s just a day in the life. Coming back home is going to be a culture shock–it will seem like everything has changed a little bit, when really it’s mostly my perceptions that have changed.

With hot chocolate at the festival

This semester has been absolutely amazing. I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. I’ve learned so much about myself and about the world, and I only hope I can take my experiences back with me and that they will have changed me for the better, and for good. So likely this is my last post until I get back, and then maybe I’ll do one about the transition back to American ways of life. Aus Deutschland zum letzten Mal, tschüß!

 

The Land of Sounds of Music

December 4, 2011 / / 0 Comments

A taste of Salzburg

To finally finish up my blogs about fall break (which was actually more of a winter break, since we didn’t get back to Reutlingen until mid-November), I’ll talk about my time in Austria! In short, I love this country. I mean, The Sound of Music is my favorite movie, so of course that doesn’t hurt my fascination with it. But also, it’s just beautiful. The cities themselves are picturesque, and of course then there’s the Alps in the background in parts of the country. Just absolutely fabulous. And it’s a cheap country, even with the exchange rate. Just another enticement for someone on a student budget.

So first stop was Salzburg, THE land of the Sound of Music. Literally the only downsides to this place were the fact that we didn’t get to our hostel until 2 a.m. and the fact that it was so foggy the whole time we were there that we couldn’t see the Alps. Not that it wasn’t still beautiful. We walked around the city for a good bit, and went inside a few of the gorgeous churches and hiked to the top of one of the hills with a gigantic fortress on top. And after wandering around for a good long while, we got to take the super-touristy Sound of Music tour!!!

The Gazebo

Oh my gosh the marriage church.

Not that I cared how touristy it was. Because we got to sit in a van with other Americans and sing the soundtrack as we drove through beautiful countryside and see all the places that were included in the film. Like the wedding church where Maria and the Captain got married, the row of trees the children climbed, the Von Trapp house, the pond and gardens behind the house, the gazebo, most of the sights in the “Do a Deer” musical section, and so much more. It was some of the most exciting few hours of my life. And since I can’t put all the pictures up here, just look at the ones on Picasa.(https://picasaweb.google.com/100454144518688283131/SoundOfMusic) So doing all that, plus more walking around since it was a beautiful city, took up a good day and a half, and then we headed to Vienna!

Inside the colorful cathedral

Vienna was also amazing. There is so much history and culture in that city, it’s ridiculous. You can also see Zach’s and Jake’s posts about their time in Vienna. I didn’t have quite as much time there, just about two days, but it was still fantastic. We got in a bit before dinnertime, so decided to wander the city for a bit and get food. The absolute highlight of the night was going into the huge church downtown on a whim. Turns out they turn on tons of colorful lights inside at night, and it was just dazzling. I can’t describe it. So beautiful seeing a huge cathedral burst with color.

The next day we started at Schoenbrunn Palace, which is basically Versailles #2. It was absolutely gorgeous inside (and it was nice not to have to take a tour for once.. they just give out audioguides with the tickets and let you wander yourself). And the gardens also were fantastic. If it wasn’t so cold I could’ve spent an entire day there just sitting outside. After that, Molly and I went to the famous art museum while Matt went to go find Bach stuff, and other music-related stuff. It is famous for a reason, it had so many famous paintings by famous artists that even I knew, as artistically retarded as I am.

Molly in front of Schloss Schoenbrunn

After lunch at Nordsee (cheap fish!) Molly and I wandered around the city for a good bit. Since Christmas decorations were starting to go up, it was even more beautiful. After a bit of shopping and hot chocolate and cake, we made it over to the Belvedere Palace, which had a bunch of Klimt art, which Molly went crazy over while I relaxed in the garden instead. And then for the rest of the night we just relaxed in the city over drinks and at the hostel.

The next morning we decided to see if we could catch the end of the Vienna Boy’s Choir, since they sing every Sunday during the chapel service at the Hofburg Palace. We figured there’d be no way to see them, since they supposedly sing from the balcony and nobody can see. BUT turns out they came downstairs for a final song after the procession out! And we got there at just the right moment, right before they started singing. So we just so happened to see and hear the most famous choir in the world in a palace, without paying anything and without planning it. It was absolutely fabulous. And I mean, they’re pretty good, but the main attraction is that they’re so famous. There’s fabulous music all over Europe in the churches.

Vienna Boy’s Choir

Vienna’s Rathaus, or city hall

After that, we had a few hours to wander around before our train back to Reutlingen. So we found the beautiful Austrian Parliament building, and the city hall of Vienna. Both absolutely stunning. And the Christmas market in Vienna had just started, so we were able to get our first taste of Christmas in Europe! More posts about Christmas markets coming later, of course, but this one was beautiful with the gigantic city hall in the back ground. But then we had to leave.. And thus concluded my fabulous two-week adventure all over western Europe. Five countries, plus an island, and many more cities than that, not bad for two weeks. Bis zum nächsten Mal!

Rottenburg am Neckar (Rottenburg on the Neckar)

Day trip along the Neckar – Reutlingen and Rottenburg

September 4, 2011 / / 0 Comments

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 Marienkirche in Reutlingen

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!)

Rachel and Hannah enjoying the Weinfest
Emily, Jake, and me at the Reutlingen Weinfest

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.

Looking towards the altar in the Marienkirche
A view of the organ and beautiful Gothic-style ceiling

 

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.

Rottenburg am Neckar (Rottenburg on the Neckar)

 

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.

Rathaus and Marktplatz in Rottenburg
St. Martin Church

 

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!

Houses along the Neckar
Old building in Rottenburg Marktplatz
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