A very good start

Hallo! (That’s german for “Hello”)

So I am writing this blog as much for my benefit as any because I won’t be able to remember all the fine details in 5 years and maybe this account of my adventures will keep the memories fresh, (so look at this as being my pensieve just minus the magic and other cool stuff.)

Friday/Saturday- The flight here was flawless, no delays or layovers and the distance wasn’t even that bad. We flew from PTI to Washington then to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt we left United and boarded Lufthansa to fly south to Munich. I must say that Germany first impressed me in its airport bathroom where I discovered that they have solved the age old problem and have invented the perfect urinal. No backsplash or anything….absolutely beautiful. After meeting up with Meems, Peeps discovered that his luggage was MIA. We leave, slightly flustered, but still excited. Thanks to peeps we grabbed the keys to a shweet BMW Xi “Wagen” and headed west to our first stop, Ulm. Ulm will be our hub for the next few days as we venture into the German Countryside. Centrally located, Ulm has some merit of its own; Home of Albert Einstein and the World’s tallest steeple. Once we arrive we eat dinner on the Danube and hit the sack. With one hour of sleep after the past 40 I am wiped out.

Sunday – Let me just say that if you ever travel to Germany make sure you have all that you need on Saturday because come Sunday the country goes on lockdown ( how the Sabbath should be treated everywhere.) Excluding the masses exciting the churches I saw very few people today. We explored the Ulm Cathedral, full of towering columns and stained glass dating back 7 centuries, and then got in the car and drove west. We stopped in Tubingen, a small medieval town nestled between two rivers and guarded by the magnificent castle perched on the crags above. The town was divided by a large hill (where the castle sat) and was connected by a cool tunnel. The Altstadt (old town) was full of stucco and half-timber buildings that dated back several centuries. It is crazy to think that almost everything I touch here is older than anything in the United States. The castle was open for touring (exploration) and it even was holding archery classes. From Tubingen we headed towards the black forest. Taking the BF Crest Trail (a lot like the Blue ridge parkway) we meandered through dense hemlock Groves and across the Hornburg, one of Germany’s tallest peaks. Once on the other side we reached Mumilesse (a small mountain lake rumored to house water spirits). Descending from the mountain tops we spotted a “wasserfall” and…. I had to stop hahah. At the end of the BF crest trail we entered Baden-Baden, a spa town built in the late 1800’s and still a prominent hangout for the region’s snots. With no interest in a couple of hot springs we crossed the Rhine into France. It was crazy, there was no border patrol what so ever. We just slid right in…and back out. Paris was another 500km, and I didn’t really think of anything else worth seeing on a tight schedule…Back to Ulm for the night.

Monday- Today we got a little earlier start but it was quickly forfeited by our lengthy breakfast (over here they almost sanctify meal times, they are a time of extended socializing, hearty meals and great beer). Once we were back in the car we headed north on the Autobahn. We were flying! (so I thought, until I saw cars passing us at blistering speeds….150mph+) When we reached Rothenburg I thought I must be dreaming. It was that fairy tale town, you know like the Shire meets Tuscany? The Altstadt is completely untouched by time, the streets are lined with half-timber houses equipped with geranium filled window boxes. The Town is surrounded by a Rampart/Wall and river. Although it is like a relic among ruins it is completely inhabited. We visited the Cathedral where the reliquary of the Holy Blood resides and some of St. James’ remains if I’m not mistaken. The cathedral in itself is gorgeous with its ornate stained glass and vaulted ceiling. We also shopped at the Christmas market which was cool… Meems could’ve spent eternity in it. After eating a snowball (signature Rothenburg treat) we headed south down the romantic road past rolling fields and hamlets to Harburg. Once there we visited the Harburg Castle that loomed over the town and I even got the chance to throw up my ENO for a little afternoon rest. As the sunset we returned to Ulm, ate supper at The Einstein Restaurant and now I’m sitting here at 2 am writing this.

I hope y’all are all doing well and I will see you soon!