This is a group photo on one of our weekend trips to Lubeck.
For the last week, 6 of us took a 3 day trip to Vienna, Austria.
Some would argue that Brotchen is one of the greatest things in Germany.
What’s it like?
I am a WWII history buff and I was exicted to come on this trip because Berlin is where WWII ended with the Battle of Berlin in 1945. When you travel around Berlin, you still see many scars of the battle and bombings that occured in the city. Continue reading “What’s it like?”
Reflections on Wittenberg
On the first Sunday of August, we visited Wittenberg, a town whose fame probably stems from Martin Luther’s nailing of the 95 Theses. The town’s style was a mixture of medieval buildings and cobblestone roads. It was really pretty, but rather secluded. I thought it was interesting how small it actually was; I always imagined it to be bigger. What I found most impressing though, was the church design. The church had a second-floor balcony overlooking into where the congregation sat. The railings were decorated with shields each with a different coat of arms. I don’t think any of the other churches had anything like that.
The town is almost a ghost town, because there really is nothing to do there. (I have to say though, the gelato there is probably the best I’ve had of all the German towns we visited. I might be biased because the gelato guy gave me a MEGA-scoop.) Professor Nielsen mentioned that the town was trying to increase tourism because not many people came to visit. In my opinion, it does have a significance in the Reformation, but I don’t think that alone is significant to attract visitors.
What’s it like?
In Berlin, there are so many of these giant bears, and each one is decorated differently to portray a different aspect of the city. This is the bear that Continue reading “What’s it like?”
Reflections on Köln
Right when you walk outside of the Hauptbahnhof, you see a beautiful Cathedral. Continue reading “Reflections on Köln”
Initial reflections on Germany
I was surprised how Germans could survive from the severe heat during the summer. It is really difficult to find a place with air conditioning. I expected at least every classroom and public transport such as buses and trains would have air conditioning, but most of them do not have it. Another thing I noticed was, I think the population is relatively well distributed throughout the German cities. It is common to see that the capital city of most countries is densely populated in a way that it is almost a disaster during a rush hour. But it is not the case in Berlin. It is also interesting to see that most people, at least in Berlin, speak English, which makes me able to communicate with them. I wish we also have friendly and safe beer festivals back home.
Reflections on Holocaust museum
Visiting holocaust museum was a memorable piece of experience. It was a living history, where I was able to see how rough Jewish’s life looked like during the WWII. I could see a lot of tragic stories of each Jew, not only from those who were died but also from who survived. I think Germans are doing a good job of preserving the history. Instead of hiding what they did during the war, they are showing their shame to the public, which would let them not to repeat the same faults that they made in the past. I think it is a good place not only for tourists but also for young generations of Germans to learn about their history.
Germany in a Nutshell
Time here honestly has gone so slow yet so fast at the same time. It’s already the last day of the course and soon it’s off to Venice!
Die Autos
Reflections on Köln (Cologne)
Köln was an interesting city to visit. It was different than Berlin because it was much smaller than Berlin, but it’s also a lot nicer ( in my opinion) to be in. However, the one thing that was a turn off for the city was the large groups of women there for Bachelorette Parties who would ask you to buy liquor or other things from them (they earn points this way and try to get the most points).
It was also interesting to see the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral). This Cathedral is the most “touristy” churches I have been to. It was so bad that there were tourists in the church during the church service. The church was definitely beautiful in a Gothic era way but the over commercialization of it kind of saddened me. I liked the church service, but it was hard to feel spiritual with so many tourists taking pictures. Also the fact that the church had a gift shop built in seemed biblically wrong.
However, despite this i still loved the city, especially the authentic German restaurant that we went to where I got Sauerkraut and Pigs Knuckle (better than it sounds). Oh and a hotel with AC . . .