Wiesneck, 10:27 pm
Tomorrow morning all of us are heading to the train station here and then off to our various corners of Germany for the free week. A couple from the group already left tonight, actually. We've been sitting around chatting about the time we've spent here, and about how very random our group is. We have quite the assortment of personality types and interests, and yet we've gotten along wonderfully. I've had a great time with the people here.
We "hiked" up the highest peak in the Black Forest today, the Feldberg. It wasn't so much a hike as walking up a ski slope...I really wanted to ski. But it was great anyway, beautiful weather, not even that cold on the top. About half the group, including me, walked to the next peak which was a little bit higher, about twenty minutes' further walking, and it was just weird, because it was so foggy at the top that we could see little more than 30 feet at times. It was really disorienting. We would certainly have lost our path (we did have a guide; never fear) if it weren't for posts marking the way. Every so often a patch of fog would slide aside and we'd get glimpse of the surrounding mountains and see how high we really were, and then everything would be smothered in white again. I loved it.
So tomorrow Missy and I head to Munich and will be staying with a family who are friends of Missy's host family in Husum. I'm looking forward to it because it will be nice to practice my German one more time before leaving. And then after a couple days in Munich we'll head to Salzburg and reenact
The Sound of Music. Soon now I'll see or talk to all of you! Love you all...
Wiesneck, 12:17 am (Tues.)
Hard to believe a week from now I'll be in GR...I hate to leave Europe, but it'll be nice to be able to live without depending on train schedules and the amount of clothes that fit in a suitcase (some of which desperately need to be washed by now!).
We're here at a study center for a few days hearing lectures about German/American relations, and the effect of Germany on Europe and other such things. Then we have our free "week" (we got gypped cause it's really only four days) and it looks like Missy and I are headed to Munich first. I really want to see the Alps. We might go over the border into Austria for a day, and kind of see what happens after that.
The past week or so has been frenzied..it takes a little thought to remember what we did when. I loved Erfurt--the city was beautiful and historical and friendly and I wanted to spend a lot more time there. We stayed in a youth hostel but were led on city tours and invited to dinner by the family Sturm, who were absolutely terrific. All the people I've met and stayed with thus far in Germany have been great, and they all have really great houses or apartments to boot--all so interesting and tastefully decorated. Frau Roseman in Hoogstede remains a favorite, and I liked the group of high schoolers in Wittenberg, and the Sturms were great too. Oh yes, Germans use real candles on their Christmas trees too. They look different from the conglomeration of homemade and various gift ornaments on American Christmas trees; Germans use far fewer ornaments, maybe just some woven stars and then the candles. It's really beautiful.
We were in Eisenach for one night last night, and Sunday evening we went to Bach's house and had a short tour and then a private concert with Baroque instruments. We heard a couple organs and a spinet and a harpsichord, along with a Baroque violin and a soprano. I loved it, and thought about Jane Austen the whole time, although the lyrics were in German. Then this morning we hiked up the Wartburg, at the top of which Martin Luther hid from whoever wanted to kill him. It was snowing, but not too cold, except where it was extremely windy on top. The fortress was great though. I'd like to go back when it's clear and see how far I can see.
I want to go back to everywhere I've been so far in Germany. This is a great trip for getting an overall view of the country, but everywhere I go I feel like I need more time when it's time to leave. I guess I'll just have to come back and bring all of you with me next time! Actually, having been in Germany and talked with Italians and seen Italian art and architecture, I think Italy is going to have to be high on my lists of the next places I want to visit. And now I'd like to learn some Italian too--the Italians, of course, tell me it's far more beautiful than German. And it's occurred to me also, being here, that traveling in a foreign country must be so much better when one has at least an elementary grasp of the language. So I intend to get myself an elementary grasp of every language in the world.
