Munich

Once we returned from Scotland, the next week was spent living in Munich. Munich is the capital of Bavaria and is the richest city in Germany. The central square is Marienplatz where many shopping stores are located. The class that we were taking was German Literature with Dr. Hills from Corban College. Some of our outings during our stay in Munich was to the English Gardens and the Olympic Park. The English Gardens is apparently the largest park inside city limits. It is even larger than Central Park in New York City! We spent some time there walking around and eating German cuisine, some obatzda! We also went to the Olympic Park and saw the stadium that was built for the 72’ Olympics. This particular Olympic year is known for the tragedy of the terrorist group, Black September, taking hostage and murdering the Jewish participants. Andrew, Courtney and I rented a row boat and floated on the small lake/big river they had in the park. On our way back to Regensburg, we visited Dachau which was the first concentration camp that was sustained throughout World War II. I have read many books on the Holocaust and seen many movies, but to actually be there and try to visualize the atrocities which were commit is unfathomable. They had an informative museum which took you through the different years, races, and components of the camp. The most beneficial part of the camp were the pictures that illustrated what the camp looked like when it was filled with prisoners instead of it being vast and void. These pictures contributed to my efforts in imaging life when put through those conditions. When I first think of a concentration camp, I think of a massive amount of Jews and other enemies against the Third Reich. Once I think further, I try to remember that the mass is comprised of individuals who had their own personal lives, families, and feelings.

What I will remember for the rest of my life from this museum is a few sentences one man recorded. When you first enter the camp, the process of dehumanization begins. When this young man was out digging holes, he suddenly noticed nature and the beauty in it. In awe, he halted his work for just a few short seconds but snapped back into reality and immediately panicked that a guard had seen his relapse in his work. Just the fact that this man, through the conditions that he had been through, was able to stop for a few short moments and once again notice the beauty of God’s nature makes me examine my own life and realize how blessed I am. If this man can stop and take a look in a concentration camp, then I should be able to when I am living freely throughout the world. This also shows that the German intent in dehumanizing these prisoners was

Italy Tour

We started off with our Italy Academic Tour by heading east to Salzburg for the weekend. Our first stop was Munich to pick up our Professor Grant Horner and his family. Two words: snow storm. Snow needs to stay away from Germany! Because of this precipitation, our expected arrival time extended a couple hours. We arrived to our monastery, yes we stayed in a monastery, and got settled into our rooms. One thing I learned was that THE HILLS REALLY ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC! The Sound of Music, the best movie in the entire world, was filmed in Salzburg! Because I led Andrew to join Ambex, we received free tickets to the tour! This was one of the events that I had been waiting for this entire adventure in Europe! I had wished that my family was with me, they are as obsessed with the movie as I am. But I had Andrew, Courtney, and Tanner to sing along with me. The tour bus took us to the gazebo site, where one of the houses was, and the church where Maria and the Captain got married. Yes, I sang every song on the tour bus and had a splendid time.



The next day was spent in the car traveling to Padova. Bright and early the next morning we set off on the trains for our full day in Venice. Before our arrival, Dr. Horner gave us a short history of the city and how it was constructed. The city was built in an attempt to escape the Germanic tribes who were invading their lands. Venice is an island on the ocean and was built with long logs that were smashed into the sediment in the ocean. A chemical reaction occurred which petrified the wood and created a cement product. Even though it was quite frigid outside, it was quite amazing to be able to weave through the crowds in the narrow streets. Many bridges connect the streets that are separated by the canals. Because the island is supported by logs, these cement pillars are starting to sink which causes the roads to sink and it is very uneven. We passed the Grand Canal on our way to Piazza San Marco which was spectacular. The first thing I had notice in the square was the pigeons that blanketed the cobblestones! At one point, we decided to feed the pigeons and they were crawling all over us! Tanner put a pigeon in his backpack and gave it to Courtney to open up as a surprise, it was hilarious. San Marco serves as the epicenter for St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. St. Mark’s Basilica represents Byzantine architecture and its interior is decorated with many shades of gold. Our next museum was the Doge’s Palace where Kelley was almost pit-pocketed. We were then told to keep our purses and valuables close to us. This palace is of gothic architecture and housed the Doge of Venice. It was constructed in early 14th century and was damaged by a fire in the late 16th century. Within its rooms, we were able to examine many different pieces of art and study the architecture.

Our next major destination was Florence with plans of driving through Tuscany! Once again these plans were ruined by snow which further lengthened our time spent in the car. We went to the Academia where the main attraction was Michelangelo’s David. I had of course heard of this sculpture but I had never studied it extensively or knew its history. Being able to stand in front of this massive statue of marble further solidified my appreciation for artists. The details of his hands, from every finger, knuckle, and blood vessel was so incredible it is hard to find words for a description. I cannot imagine the dedication and precision that one needed to exhort to create a masterpiece such as this. Dr. Horner described the process of extracting marble from the mountain side and the process of carving it. Muscle power! The intricate details that an artist makes apparent in these figures are beyond amazement. Every single body characteristic is portrayed in this man. His hair, muscles, tendons, facial features, and the composure in his body looks life-like. On our way to Cinque Terre from Florence, we took a pit stop in Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The weather was perfect and we all enjoyed taking the famous pictures of posing while pushing the tower over. None of us knew what Cinque Terre was except for the fact that it was in a national park. We did not arrive until well after dark and all headed to bed once we arrived. The next morning we were in for a surprise. I looked out our window and there was the ocean! Cinque Terre is 5 little villages along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. I can honestly say that this was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. Paths are available for walkers between these villages, ranging from 2-5 kilometers between each town. This last stop was the perfect way to end our long week of traveling and prepare for our intensive upcoming week of Art History and Reformation Theology.

Reformation Lands

Checkpoint Charlie

Throughout our Reformation tour, we were able to visit Dresden, Berlin, Wittenberg, Eisenach, Weimar, and Heidelberg. In Berlin, we were able to see the Reichstag and also Check Point Charlie. Being able to visit Checkpoint Charlie hit a soar spot in my heart because I know a lady back at home who was raised in East Germany. Her family, including her, was safely smuggled into West Germany and continued living there until they made their way to America. To actually be in the vicinity where there was such controversy and tension gave the city an eerie sense. They would present maps of the streets describing how the checkpoint functioned along with no mans land and conveying the mood of the atmosphere.

Lutherhaus

Making the “pilgrimage” to the Lutherhaus made the Reformation very real to me. The Lutherhaus is the old Augustinian Monastery where Luther resided as a monk. Once the monastery disbanded, it was given the purpose of being the Luther’s home and also housing students within its various rooms. One reason why this old monastery is so significant is because Luther made his discovery of “justification by faith alone” within its walls. The doors and walls were spectators in Luther’s lectures and the theological conversation that took place between the various students and reformers. Today, this home serves the purpose of being a museum to its many visitors since 1883. It holds Reformation art, literature, propaganda, and objects relating directly to Luther. Luther’s personal desk, pulpit from St. Mary’s Church, and some first editions of his works are located here. It is hard to imagine while touring the museum that Martin Luther, one of the great leaders of the Reformation, not only walked down these same hallways, but resided here. Luther moved to the monastery in 1508; it has survived over 500 years! Expectantly, the museum itself has gone through some renovations but some well preserved room and artifacts survived. We were fortunate enough to be able to tour the basement where Luther had his brewery and it described Luther’s outside activities. One quote that caught my eye was “No matter how much Satan is raging, meanwhile I will laugh at him and watch the gardens, that is the Creator’s blessing and enjoy them to His praise.” The next top floors were dedicated to Reformation artifacts and Luther’s life. The museum’s library contained 15,000 titles from 16-18th century. If I am not mistaken, we were able to view the Community Chest from Luther’s church in Wittenberg. We also were privileged to view many works of Reformation Art throughout the rooms. Before entering the museum, I had never realized the art that represented the Reformation and the impact it had upon Europe. Being able to view this art in person opened a whole new spectrum within my perception of the Reformation.


Castle Church

The Castle Church was situated right next door to our hostel in Wittenberg! This church was built by Frederick the Wise in 1490, but wasn’t completed until 1509. This church is greatly known for the 95 Theses that Martin Luther supposedly nailed to the door on October 31, 1517.These theses undermined papal authority which triggered the beginning of the Reformation. Unfortunately, in 1790 a fire due to the French during the Seven Years War scorched the majority of the church, including the doors that bore the marks from the 95 Theses. The church was rebuilt and further restored throughout meager damages. Today stands bronze doors that are engraved with the Luther’s Theses in Latin. A tower around the Castle Church was constructed to commemorate Luther. Printed around the tower is “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” in big bold letters. Even though we did not make this climb, visitors can ascent the 289 steps up the tower and take in the immaculate view the top provides of Wittenberg. This church is not only important because of the 95 Theses, but also for Frederick the Wise himself. He was able to provide Luther protection and security that hardly any other reformers were given. After the Diet of Worms, it was Frederick the Wise that captured Luther and placed him into hiding. This church had such great significance that Luther’s funeral and burial were held here, rather than his church which is only a few blocks away. Even if the fable of Luther pounding the Theses onto the door is false, it was fun imagining sneaking through the streets with a hammer and nails to pound the paper into the door. It was not only very surreal to imagine Luther’s actions, but also realize the consequences of it. It was difficult to conceptualize that we were standing in the spot and sleeping in the same town where they actions occurred. Even though we are now gone and living in Regensburg again, it is complicated to think that we were there!

Erfurt Monastery

This church and monastery was constructed between the years of 1276-1340 but it is widely known for Luther’s commitment and stay at the monastery between the years of 1505-1511. As we have learned in our class, Luther’s decision to become a monk came from his lightening bold experience where he pledged to Saint Ann to become a monk if she helps him. During our tour, the guide explained that possibly Luther choose this particular monastery because the Augustinians were widely known for their devotion and strict lifestyle. We have studied and gone through the principles of asceticism and know what they were working towards, but to actually be in that same monastery puts a whole new meaning to the word asceticism. During our visit, it was not the dead of winter and it was still freezing within the church! While the tour guide was relaying information to us, it was hard for me to concentrate on his words because all I could think about was the cold. I cannot fathom being in that temperature with little clothing on a regular basis. It is especially painful to think about how the monks, Luther for example, would sleep on the cold stone at nights without any blankets. Talking was only allowed within certain boundaries (which were very minimal) and bedtime lasted from 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. They only received two meals a day which did not consist of a variety of foods. The Augustinians were very frugal with their resources and didn’t exploit anything. While sitting in the church portion, the guide explained the how the stain glass windows were original and the significance of the pictures. Luther dwelled into this ascetic lifestyle during his stay at this monastery to the point where he was annoying the other monks, primarily Staupitz. It was by the orders of this man that Luther was sent to Wittenberg for the purpose of concentrating on the world rather than himself.


Castle at Wartburg


The Castle of Wartburg is nestled right on the outside boundaries of Eisenach, Germany. This particular castle is said to be one of the best medieval castles in Germany. It was constructed in 1067 and depicts Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Historicist architecture. One of the main attractions for visiting the castle was the fact that Martin Luther resided here for ten months. When Luther was leaving the Diet of Worms, Frederick the Wise captured Luther and placed him here under the disguise of Knight George. Under this disguise, Luther or “Knight George” translated the Bible into German. The museum has a display of the room that represents what it would have looked like during Luther’s stay, although it is not the original furnishings. Luther’s translation of the Bible into German had a great impact on the German Reformation because prior to this translation, the language of study was always in Latin. Luther’s translation was comprehendible to the reader and allowed Germans to read the Bible for themselves. One thought that crossed my mind was that when I imagine prominent men, such as Luther, doing deeds such as this, I tend to portray them in great conditions in serene atmospheres. Standing in the doorway of the room where Luther worked so hard and used his linguistic abilities to translate these languages erects the actual situation in which Luther was present. It gives me the sense that no matter what situation or conditions anybody is in, they can still be productive and succeed in their attempts in whatever they set their mind to.


Cathedral at Speyer




We stopped for a short while at the Cathedral in Speyer and took a quick glance around the church. There were 50 or more official diets in Speyer, but there were 2 major diets concerning the Reformation. The first Diet of Speyer was in 1526 where a national council of the Empire was held to try and resolve the religious issue. Within this diet, the results were to revoke the edict of Worms within the Empire. Men were expected to life their lives in justice before God and the Imperial Majesty. At the end of the day, they basically agreed to disagree; this freed up the evangelicals. Evangelicals looked at this diet as a “’right of Reformation’ that legitimated their claims to authority in the religious question.” The princes did not so much care about the Reformation itself, but the power over the Reformation. The second Diet of Speyer was held in 1529 where Ferdinand (appointed by Charles V who was not present in Germany) tried to take the matter into his own hands and gain control over this ongoing religious issue. He advocated for the nullification agreements that were conceived at the 1526 Diet of Speyer and to reinforce the edict of Worms. A protest came out of this proclamation and it “created a separation that would not be overcome.” At the end of the day, the first diet was pro Protestant where as the second diet was pro Catholic. Visiting the Cathedral did not quite have a significant impact on me other than the realization that key leaders during the Reformation once stood in the same building.


St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s Church, or the City Church, was constructed in the 12th century and makes it the oldest structure in Wittenberg, Germany. Many people come to visit Wittenberg to be able to stand in this church because this was Luther’s home church were he preached, was married, and baptized his children. While standing where the pulpit would have stood and sitting in the pews, it was interesting to try and imagine myself in the service where Martin Luther preached the first mass in German. Not only was this church were the first mass in German was given, but it was also where bread and wine were administered to the congregation at Holy Communion. This church is also said to be the “mother of the Reformation.” While first walking down the aisle, you are faced with a massive painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder of the major Reformation leaders. This painting is also the cover of our History of the Reformation textbook! The outside of this church does not give the inside justice. The outside is just stone and looks quite gloomy and has sculptures that a person must concentrate on to notice.. As we have learned, Martin Luther was quite Anti-Semitic and this was characterized by the outside architecture where the Jews were portrayed as “Judensau,” or as being worthless as swine and suckling on a pig. Throughout the interior of the church, there were keystones as Christ as the Lamb of God, Angel of Proclamation, and the fleeing dragon where Christ is proclaimed as victor, and evil must yield. The square around the city church that served the purpose of being a graveyard.

French Toast!

Saturday, a day of rest! I spent many hours sleeping and reading. Sunday morning, Heather, Lisa, and I made the voyage to Vilseck to meet up with Kelley and attend church. Sometimes, it is refreshing to be able to attend a real service rather than listening to them on the internet. Being surrounded by other Christians, worshipping the Lord, rejuvenates a person in a non-mystical weird way. After church we headed to Amberg to eat some Italian cooking. We got there mid-afternoon, which is a time that all restaurants tend to be closed so we had many hours to kill. Throughout our time in Europe, I have learned a lot about Catholicism and how the Catholic Church functions. We went to St. Martin’s Cathedral to warm up. During our short visit, a men’s choir was practicing somewhere in the vicinity and their voices were echoing throughout the vast space. Besides an elderly lady, we were the only occupants in the sanctuary. This lady really caught my attention and I studied her while she lit her candles and said her prayers to the saints. While comparing Catholicism to Christianity, it becomes more difficult to do this because we believe in the same God. The aspect within Catholicism that saddens me is seeing these little old ladies who are entirely devoted to the church and their religion, taking the extreme in sacrificing everything, to either lessen their own time spent in purgatory or helping loved ones who have already passed away. To witness these human souls strive for a personal relationship with their God and their dedication to these false practice breaks my heart. My initial reaction is anger toward the Catholic Church for distorting the message the Bible presents. They require so many works to attain salvation when in reality, all it takes is a single moment of belief in Christ. The Catholic priest is said to serve as a mediator between Christ and the individual when his true purpose is a barrier. One thing this journey to Germany and Europe has served is to fully be able to understand the depravity of the world and of people in general. How people can be easily deceived and how some willingly place themselves in that situation. You hear about all these stories of big cities and how they are said to be Sodom and Gomorra, but to be able to see it with my own eyes puts the entire world in a whole new perspective, with further solidifies the truth that man needs God in his life. After we left the church, we proceeded to dine at an Italian restraint which serves the best calzone I have ever eaten in my entire life. It was a fabulous day which set the tone for the upcoming week in France.
Sunday night, I decided to check my confirmation number for my roundtrip flight to Paris from Munich. While reviewing my itinerary, I noticed that my return flight was incorrect! There was nothing I could do about it at that hour of the night and hoped that I would be able to resolve it at the airport. Courtney, Andrew, and I made it to the airport where I tried to fix my ticket. Unfortunately, this was not going to happen which did not put me in the best of moods. On the bright side, I knew that I was going to Paris, I just did not know how I was going to be able to return in time to leave for our Reformation History tour. Germany was quite cloudy, as usual, and once our flight ascended through the clouds, the sun shone brilliantly, emitting colors that my eyes have not surveyed for quite some time. People always refer the skies to Heaven; even though life on Earth might seem gloomy and dark, once you near Heaven, the sun will always shine. This thought put me in brighter spirits which relieved my tensions

The sun always shines on the up-side!

. We landed in Paris in the late evening and used our transportation skills we had acquitted in Germany to make our way to our hostel downtown. We were successful with our navigation skills and our first event was to see the Eiffel Tower! It is located not far from our hostel on the Champs de Mars and was built for the 1889 World’s Fair. It height is equivalent to an eighty-one story building and was the tallest structure until the Chrysler Building was completed in 1920. During the night, the tower is lit up with magnificent lights and at certain times, it sparkles! It is quite spectacular. We got our beauty rest and the next morning returned to the Eiffel Tower to see it during the daylight. We then crossed the Seine River heading north to the Arc de Triomphe. This arc honors those who have fought for France, especially under Napoleon. Underneath the arc is the tomb of an unknown soldier during World War I. This grave symbolizes all of the unknown men who have been lost and forgotten. This monument is the second largest triumphal arch in the world. Our next site was to visit Notre Dame. We walked east along the Seine and Champs de Elysees to reach our destination. The Notre Dame is a classic example of Gothic architecture with its flying buttresses and stained glass windows. While wandering the interior, the sun was setting and hit the windows just right where the sun shone through and a magical array of colors began to dance on the walls.

The Eiffel Tower at Night

Eiffel Tower during the day

Arc de Triomphe

Notre Dame

Interior of Notre Dame

Notre Dame

On Wednesday, we dedicated the entire day to the Musse du Louvre. This museum used to be a fortress in the late 12th century under Phillip II. It was not until the French Revolution that the fortress was entirely converted to be used for museum purposes. Some of the major masterpieces I was able to see were: the Mona Lisa, Gericault, Code of Hammurabi, Venus de Milo, Nike of Samothrace, and many more! The Louvre is so massive with its multiple wings and floors that it is quite easy to get lost, which I did multiple times.

The Louvre

Code of Hammurabi

Venus de Milo Gericault

The Mona Lisa Nike of Samothrace


I was able to resolve my problem of being stranded in Paris by purchasing a train ticket from Paris to Regensburg. This required me to separate from Andrew and Courtney for a night because they planned on spending the night in the airport. I switched hostels and made the 3 hour walk north to my new hostel. I had to cruise through some sketchy places, but nothing that made me feel to uncomfortable. To be quite honest, it was nice to be able to peruse around Paris solo for a day and meet new people within my hostel. I made it back to Germany safe and sound with just enough time to do laundry and pack for our Reformation Tour which we were departing for the following morning.

Vienna, Austria

This past week in Christian Worldview, we have been reading Total Truth and the Question of God between Freud and Lewis. Unlike Lewis, Freud was very conflicted within his life and his last years were in a state of terror. He was unable to disprove the existence of God but refused to accept his existence. This left him with many questions in which his life was dedicated to answering through a secular, academic process. We were fortunately enough to take a 3 day trip to Vienna, Austria with many sits to see. Our first stop along the way was Melk Abbey, which is one of the world’s most famous monastic sites. This was a center of the Conter-Reformation which defiantly did not progress our way of thinking. But never-the-less this Abbey was spectacular! This abbey was founded by Leopold II, Margrave of Austria and but the baroque architectural building abbey was built between 1702 and 1736. Throughout the years, this abbey was spared from destruction during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era and also World War II. Once again, a reference to Disney must be made. The library in the movie Beauty and the Beast is based off of this library! I am in love and infatuated with libraries. While standing inside this library I was in awe, I felt like I was in a dream. As one walks in the doorway, there are thousands of antique editions carefully placed in floor length bookshelves. To reach the top shelve, one has to climb a step ladder that leans on the wall and is secured by a rail at the top. The best part is that is slides along the wall. Even though the ladders were roped off, I was very tempted to run up the ladder and push to see how far I could go. Fortunately, I was able to restrain these desires and behave like a young lady. Our next stop for the day was the Freud Museum in Vienna. We had studied Freudian theories and had gotten a glimpse of his mind. Being in his study where several of theories were conceived gave me an uneasy feeling. Freud was a therapist and there was a single metal therapist couch with nothing else in the room, it gave it an ominous glow. Going through his study I was able to see the books that he read and look at the Egyptian artifacts he was interested in. One thing that was apparent while walking throughout this museum was how much family was important to him. One thing that stuck me as odd was his theory on marriage, sex, and love. All of the ideas that he upheld and promoted was not perceptible in his own family and personal relationships. The importance of his family was shown through the pictures that hung on his wall. He frequently spoke about his children with love and this reaffirmed this notion. All in all, it was a very interesting experience but I was a little disappointed in the museum itself.

Melk Abbey

Freud Museum

That night we treated ourselves to Mexican food and began the search for the famous Viennese apple strudel. Epic fail, but would re-attempt the next day. As previously mentioned, we had been watching the movie Sissi which is about Elisabeth of Bavaria and her life as the empress of Austria while married to Francis Joseph I. One of the main settings for this movie is the Schönbrunn Palace which we were given the opportunity to visit. This palace was the summer residence for the royalty and serves as a museum today. “Schönbrunn” itself means beautiful spring and the ground was broke for construction in 1696. Maria Theresa of Austria renovated the palace in Rococo style which is how it appears today. It supposedly has beautiful gardens but our presence was not in the season for flowers.

Schönbrunn Palace

That night we were successful in our attempts to discover the famous apple struddel, which rose above my expectations! The strange part, was that there was a single ground of pepper in both Courtney’s and my vanilla sauce. Andrew, Tanner, Kelley and I went to the Strauss and Mozart orchestra. I had never actually attended an orchestra concert so it was quite an experience. There were also ballet dancers (not my favorite) and opera singers. And I got to ride on a subway for the first time in my life. Andrew and I would race up the stairs, which kept us entertained. The next day served as a free day where we had several options to choose from. Some people went to the Spanish Riding School and others went to the Papyrus Museum. Considering my love for history, I choose the Papyrus Museum. Dr. Trull, Jerry, Andrew, Courtney and I made our way through the streets of Vienna to the museum district. The Papyrus Museum has a collection of over 200,000 preserved items. This museum has the largest collection of papyri, including the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Though these documents were in languages that were foreign to me, it was still very interesting to be able to see with my own eyes these documents that many historians have studied to find answers of ancient civilizations of the past. The rest of the afternoon was devoted to wandering around the museum district and examining the statues that have been erected throughout time.

Apple Struddel!

Vienna itself is the largest city in Austria and the 10th largest city in the European Union. While we were touring the Freud Museum, I noticed a picture of a rally during the Nazi Regime where Hitler was giving a speech. It was an aerial photo and there was not a space on the land that was not occupied by a spectator. While we were roaming, we came across that very spot where Hitler stood and where the people blanketed the soil. There were hardly any people during that time and to me it seemed vast and open. I tried to imagine the area being packed with people who have their sole attention on a particular figure who was giving a speech. It was difficult to fathom and it forced me to place myself in that situation. One thing that had been brought to my attention in Germany, and to a stronger degree in Vienna, was the presentation of sex and nudity within advertisement. Every corner you turn, there tends to be an explicit photograph of a male or female to promote either clothes, jewelry, clubs, or any other accessory. Back in the states, sex does sell, but people are not exposed to the degree of promiscuity as they are in Europe. We are now back in Regensburg and next week is our first reading week. Andrew and I are heading to Paris, the city of love!

Egyptian Book of the Dead

Swiss Cheese!

We were granted the opportunity of having a three day weekend in which I did not want to take for granted. I wanted to utilize each second and hour we got for traveling. I had formerly planned on traveling with Courtney to southern Switzerland to visit one of her friends, but this plan fell through. Late Thursday night, Tanner, Courtney, Andrew, and I decided to make the jaunt to Interlaken, Switzerland for our short break. This trip was entirely spontaneous. We did not have tickets, a place to stay, or any clue what was in this town. We definitely went on a whim and it was fabulous. This was our first independent trip where we did not have anyone telling us how to do things, where to go, or how to do it. Our journey to Switzerland was almost flawless. We made a minor mistake on boarding the wrong train because it had switched tracks. Fortunately, Andrew spoke to the conductor who informed us that we were onboard the incorrect train and pointed down the track to the train we were suppose to occupy. We ran like lighting in fear of missing our train. Thank the Lord, we made it on our train and finished off the journey to Interlaken.

Courntey and I getting comfortable on the wrong train

. On our arrival, it was dark outside with a light snow fall. It just so happened that they had a computerized machine outside of the train station that told you all of the hostels which all of its information, even directions! We then began to sort through our possibilities and came to a consensus on Balmers Heritage. We took a pit stop at a grocery store to grab some dinner where we had our first encounter with Swiss Franks. We then made our way to our hostel and proceeded to register and get some rest for the next day. The next morning we awoke to blue skies, sunshine (which is rare in Germany), and mountains! Big, glorious, massive, snow capped mountains. It was incredible! Our day comprised of exploring the city, eating fondue, and buying Swiss chocolate.

Swiss Fondu!

There were several differences we noticed between Germany and Switzerland.
v The Swiss tended to be friendlier.
v When at a cross walk, cars will actually stop for you in Switzerland; whereas in Germany, a pedestrian must wait for a crossing light or a lack of cars on the road to safely cross.
v On the trains, the stops and directions were given in English
v There was sunshine

Our journey home was more entertaining than our arrival. We missed our first train, got on the correct train, thought we were on the wrong train (turns our we were correct, got on the wrong train (almost for a 40 Euro fine but the conductor was gracious). On the German-Swiss border we had to buy our Bayern ticket and we had some time to grab dinner before our train left. Our stop was in Lindau and right when we stepped out of the train statoin we had a magnificnet view! It was gorgeous. We walked around the lake and took some beautiful pictures. By evening we made it to Regensburg, got on the wrong bus, wrong bus again, correct bus, and arrived at our hostel about 4 hours later than planned. All in all it was an exhausting day but a very good learning experience of traveling!

Lindau

Nuremberg

On Sunday, we were able to attend High Point church which is in Vilseck, a town past Amberg toward Nuremberg. It was refreshing to not only hear a sermon, but a sermon in English! Afterwards we ate at a local restraint where we had German cuisine. The high light of the day was to be able to see and taste these “windpipes” that I had been told of. It was rumored that these pastries are crème puffs that are the size of a small ball! This rumor was proven to be true and it was quite tasty! It would not have been possible to consume the crème puff in its entirety solo, so Courtney and I split one. The following week comprised of studying, relaxing, birthday parties, Mexican food, Sissi, and a trip to Nuremberg.

Tile outside of the train station

We learned a lesson on the trip on the train. Do not be late! Our train was late, which was very unusual for Germany because their public transportation tends to sbe quite punctual, so several students decided to grab a cup of quick coffee before our train arrived. This was not the most responsible decision. Our train had arrived moments after they had departed for their quest for coffee and we became slightly worried that they were going to miss it. As we boarded the train and took our seats, we could observe from our windows Heather, Lisa, Tanner sprinting toward the train and they climbed those steps and made it through the door. Jeff was lagging behind and the doors to the train slammed right in his face! Jeff stood there with a questionable look on his face and our train slowly departed from the station. We started with 10 students and we were now down to 9. The largest German museum is located in Nuremberg which object of this academic outing. Nuremberg has a Nazi history in which it served as being the center of the Nazi Party conventions. During our short visit, we were not able to see the town for the lack of time. But we were able to spend a chunk of time in the Germanic Museum. Several of the most interesting things I found in the museum were:

Glass phials from the Romans in the early Merovingian Period. They used these glass phials to collect tears and then they deposited the tears at burials to symbolize grief. They called these lacrimaria. Lacrima=tear.


On display, the 1st globe in the world was there. It was created by Martin Behaim and constructed before the discovery of America. On the globe, it had the findings of Pliny, Strabo, Marco Polo, and Ptomely. It had what kinds of plants and animals were in each region, it was amazing!

They also had rooms that were set up with the type of furniture from different time periods. Rooms were dedicated to the different clothing styles within the different decades. They also had a room dedicated to music and the different instruments.

Globe Evolution of underwear Phials


Unfortunately, we were running out of time so we kind of ran through the exhibits.


We spent our amounted time and barely made it through half of the museum. We were given money for lunch and a time to meet back at the train station. Courtney and I had noticed a pizza hut on the walk to the museum and we decided to dine there. Mmmm, American pizza. The first time we had German pizza in our hostel, many toppings that should not be put on a pizza. Corn, for example, should never be placed on a pizza, silly Germans. Once we consumed our lunches, we were successful in making it back to the train station on time and returning to the hostel to finish up our reading in preparation for Christian Worldview, which is our first class with Dr. Trull from Corban College.