(no subject)
Reeeeeally long LJ entry ahead. You have been warned.
Blaubeuren
For one week for our course, we have to come to Blaubeuren. Our first night here we did a “Stadtspiel” or city game where we answer questions about the city. There is a spring here called “Blautopf” which comes up from an underground river that goes for several thousand kilometers underground. It makes a pool that is pure blue and very pretty. I think it connects to the Donau or the Black Sea, still not sure which. But there is a story about a water pixie, called the ’Shoene Lau’ from the Black Sea that fell in love with a man, but she kept having dead children. She was told to come to Blautopf and here she could have children. There is also an Olympic gold medalist from Blaubeuren and a 1000 year old cloister (more on the cloister later).
Getting Drunk on top of a Mountain
Monday, we had a test and the group I am with had to do a presentation, so no one went out to party Sunday night. But, some people found a huge stone cross on top of a peak in the middle of town and decided that it would be a good place to celebrate this one girl’s birthday. I think that was just the excuse to go up the mountain and drink. Monday night, the teachers had planned to show a movie, but only like 3 people showed up to watch it, because everyone else had taken wine, vodka for Illia (the Russian guy) and beer up the mountain and were having a good time. Tim, (the british guy) had stolen grapes and apples from dinner, and we were passing the bottles around, because everyone had forgotten glasses, and eating fruit. I only had a sip or two of wine and a beer, so I was the most sober. But that was a good thing, because someone had to watch the fire they decided they had to have. I find it funny that just because I am from Texas, that automatically means that I know how to make and start a fire. For never having really done that before, I did pretty well, as the wilderness trained people were complimenting the three of us that had started it. Of course, just as no one had thought about glasses, no one thought about putting the fire out either. The four of us left on the top of the mountain at the end (two guys two girls) tried pulling it apart before the guys finally decided to get creative to put it out. In the meantime, we had an interesting conversation over linguistics, the differences between brittish and American cursing, and massages.
The Cloister and the Castle
Tuesday, we had class and then went to visit the 1000 year old Cloister. It was really interesting, and pretty. One of the things I thought was really neat were the sundials on the walls of the building. There is this rectangular painting, with lines and numbers, and then an iron rod sticking out from the building, and you tell time by the shadows. Very nifty. I hope the pictures I took come out, because my camera decided to die while there.
After visiting the cloister, I decided to go up with the group to the ruins of this castle, which happens to be at the top of a mountain, not the one with the cross, a higher and steeper one. We decided to go up the steep part rather than the winding path, and I wish we had gone up the path. The steep way was logs rebared into the mountainside, and at one point, you don’t even have that, it is just rock that you are clambering up. When we finally got up there, it was very pretty though, and you could see the whole town, including the mountain with the cross. Hopefully, I can get pictures from Tanali (the finnish guy) to show everyone. But now I can say that I have climbed in the Alps (granted it is the Swabish Alps, but still, the Alps).
Men…or children?
One of the teachers brought her sister along, and between them, they had three children ages 3, 4, and 5. It was so funny, all the guys loved playing with the kids. One afternoon before dinner, the teacher put out play-doh for the kids on one of the concrete stools, and four guys yell “OH! Play-doh!” and descend on the kids to play with them. What was funnier was that they were not only on the same level mentally, but linguistically. Tim (the brittish guy) joked that the one little boy should be his tandem partner.
They also had found a rubber soccar ball and improvised a playing area in the courtyard of the place we were staying. It was quite amusing watching them make a goal and then have to run to get the ball because their goal was over a railing into a garden. There were also other guests there who had to jump to avoid the ball at times, or would smile at them and kick it back into their game. They were also avoiding the smokers and spectators because the tables and chairs for outside stuff were in the middle of their field, so it was football with obstacles. Unfortunately, someone lost the ball really well, so they couldn’t play anymore.
The English class and Ulm
Thursday morning, we went to the school in the cloister and spoke with the advanced English class about US politics and government. We all thought it was funny that about 40 out of the 45 of us decided to get up early to be at the school at 8 rather than sleeping in to see a movie at 9. The teachers were surprised too. It was a lot of fun, but I doubt they understood much of what we said. I guess they didn’t want to make us feel too unwelcome, because the piece they gave us to discuss was very pro-Bush and pro-war. We had to explain propaganda, and then of course Michael Moore. The entire class had seen his movies, but at least most of them were smart enough not to base their entire opinion of the USA on his films.
At 1:30, we went to Ulm by train. It was really nice, if pretty slow, as we stopped at every town between Blaubeuren and Ulm. I got to sit backwards facing Tim and see where we had been. In Ulm, we visited the Ulmer Munster, which has the tallest church tower in the world at 161 meters and 768 steps to the top. It took 500 years to finish, and I think that by 1890, when they finished it, they must have been tired of building it. The pipe organ has approximately 8000 pipes, and I can’t help but wonder how they could possibly come up with an instrument that complicated. I mean at that point, does 500 more pipes really make that big of a difference?
After that, three of us did a Stadtspiel over Ulm. We went to Tourist Information where we got all but one of our answers and the lady gave each of us two free pamphlets that we should have had to pay for. The one question we didn’t get, we had to go down to the Donau (or Danube, for those of you that don’t know the german name for it) anyways, so it was great. Four of us (we picked up someone along the way) walked along the old city wall that goes along the river and enjoyed the view. The only problem was that we only had one afternoon to spend there, and other than the church, we had no idea what the city offered until we spoke with Tourist Information, so a couple of people are talking about going back. We won the Stadtspiel, and got a bottle of wine and chocolate for our effort. I love school sponsored stuff where you get alcohol as a prize.
That evening, while waiting for the train, I went to a guy who was selling chocolates, nuts, and candies. I asked what one was, and he let me try it for free. Even though I didn’t really like it, I bought some of another kind, and while he weighed my packet, he asked me where I was from. When I told him America, he smiled and said that he had a sister who married an american. Then after I paid, he gave me a packet full of nuts as a gift. It was really nice.
After the train ride back, the tutors decided to lead the group of us on the path that cuts across the hill to town. Wonderful thing to do in the pitch black night with a steep hill bordering on a cliff on your right. Everyone was pulling out their cell phones to see by, and we only almost lost 2 people. That was my day in Ulm.
Burritos and Planned Trips
Nothing much to say here, other than I am back in Tubingen. While the food in Blaubeuren was absolutely awesome (we got sooooo much great food that I think everyone gained at least 5 pounds) and it was really pretty, I am glad to be back in my room in Tuebingen. Hopefully now I can make it more like a room and less like a place where my stuff is.
Saturday I went to Stuttgart and bought some tortillas and burrito spices to make the japanese girls burritos. They had run out of flour tortillas, so I had to get wheat. Apparently cooking burritos for german friends is a common idea, or at least the store guy I talked to was doing the same thing. I also found a pair of really nice jeans that I bought (ooo, impulisiveness!). I finally was able to make burritos for the Japanese girls and Christina (the girl from portugal in my class) at about 8 tonight, and they seemed to have a lot of fun with it. It was interesting teaching them how to build it and then fold it, and I think they enjoyed it. It was kinda nostalgic for me too, because burritos are one of those meals that my family always has, and biting into this burrito, even with a wheat tortilla, tasted like home to me. As good as all the food in Blaubeuren was, I think this was the best, because I missed it soooo much.
After this next week or two, we have a couple of weeks before classes start again, and I think I have found someone to travel with. I hope I can conivince her to go to Italy, that would be really fun. We still have to talk some more, but I am definitely going somewhere.
Finally, I was told that I should have a password for the internet by the middle of this week. So, cross your fingers and wish me luck, and you might see me online more regularly soon.
Blaubeuren
For one week for our course, we have to come to Blaubeuren. Our first night here we did a “Stadtspiel” or city game where we answer questions about the city. There is a spring here called “Blautopf” which comes up from an underground river that goes for several thousand kilometers underground. It makes a pool that is pure blue and very pretty. I think it connects to the Donau or the Black Sea, still not sure which. But there is a story about a water pixie, called the ’Shoene Lau’ from the Black Sea that fell in love with a man, but she kept having dead children. She was told to come to Blautopf and here she could have children. There is also an Olympic gold medalist from Blaubeuren and a 1000 year old cloister (more on the cloister later).
Getting Drunk on top of a Mountain
Monday, we had a test and the group I am with had to do a presentation, so no one went out to party Sunday night. But, some people found a huge stone cross on top of a peak in the middle of town and decided that it would be a good place to celebrate this one girl’s birthday. I think that was just the excuse to go up the mountain and drink. Monday night, the teachers had planned to show a movie, but only like 3 people showed up to watch it, because everyone else had taken wine, vodka for Illia (the Russian guy) and beer up the mountain and were having a good time. Tim, (the british guy) had stolen grapes and apples from dinner, and we were passing the bottles around, because everyone had forgotten glasses, and eating fruit. I only had a sip or two of wine and a beer, so I was the most sober. But that was a good thing, because someone had to watch the fire they decided they had to have. I find it funny that just because I am from Texas, that automatically means that I know how to make and start a fire. For never having really done that before, I did pretty well, as the wilderness trained people were complimenting the three of us that had started it. Of course, just as no one had thought about glasses, no one thought about putting the fire out either. The four of us left on the top of the mountain at the end (two guys two girls) tried pulling it apart before the guys finally decided to get creative to put it out. In the meantime, we had an interesting conversation over linguistics, the differences between brittish and American cursing, and massages.
The Cloister and the Castle
Tuesday, we had class and then went to visit the 1000 year old Cloister. It was really interesting, and pretty. One of the things I thought was really neat were the sundials on the walls of the building. There is this rectangular painting, with lines and numbers, and then an iron rod sticking out from the building, and you tell time by the shadows. Very nifty. I hope the pictures I took come out, because my camera decided to die while there.
After visiting the cloister, I decided to go up with the group to the ruins of this castle, which happens to be at the top of a mountain, not the one with the cross, a higher and steeper one. We decided to go up the steep part rather than the winding path, and I wish we had gone up the path. The steep way was logs rebared into the mountainside, and at one point, you don’t even have that, it is just rock that you are clambering up. When we finally got up there, it was very pretty though, and you could see the whole town, including the mountain with the cross. Hopefully, I can get pictures from Tanali (the finnish guy) to show everyone. But now I can say that I have climbed in the Alps (granted it is the Swabish Alps, but still, the Alps).
Men…or children?
One of the teachers brought her sister along, and between them, they had three children ages 3, 4, and 5. It was so funny, all the guys loved playing with the kids. One afternoon before dinner, the teacher put out play-doh for the kids on one of the concrete stools, and four guys yell “OH! Play-doh!” and descend on the kids to play with them. What was funnier was that they were not only on the same level mentally, but linguistically. Tim (the brittish guy) joked that the one little boy should be his tandem partner.
They also had found a rubber soccar ball and improvised a playing area in the courtyard of the place we were staying. It was quite amusing watching them make a goal and then have to run to get the ball because their goal was over a railing into a garden. There were also other guests there who had to jump to avoid the ball at times, or would smile at them and kick it back into their game. They were also avoiding the smokers and spectators because the tables and chairs for outside stuff were in the middle of their field, so it was football with obstacles. Unfortunately, someone lost the ball really well, so they couldn’t play anymore.
The English class and Ulm
Thursday morning, we went to the school in the cloister and spoke with the advanced English class about US politics and government. We all thought it was funny that about 40 out of the 45 of us decided to get up early to be at the school at 8 rather than sleeping in to see a movie at 9. The teachers were surprised too. It was a lot of fun, but I doubt they understood much of what we said. I guess they didn’t want to make us feel too unwelcome, because the piece they gave us to discuss was very pro-Bush and pro-war. We had to explain propaganda, and then of course Michael Moore. The entire class had seen his movies, but at least most of them were smart enough not to base their entire opinion of the USA on his films.
At 1:30, we went to Ulm by train. It was really nice, if pretty slow, as we stopped at every town between Blaubeuren and Ulm. I got to sit backwards facing Tim and see where we had been. In Ulm, we visited the Ulmer Munster, which has the tallest church tower in the world at 161 meters and 768 steps to the top. It took 500 years to finish, and I think that by 1890, when they finished it, they must have been tired of building it. The pipe organ has approximately 8000 pipes, and I can’t help but wonder how they could possibly come up with an instrument that complicated. I mean at that point, does 500 more pipes really make that big of a difference?
After that, three of us did a Stadtspiel over Ulm. We went to Tourist Information where we got all but one of our answers and the lady gave each of us two free pamphlets that we should have had to pay for. The one question we didn’t get, we had to go down to the Donau (or Danube, for those of you that don’t know the german name for it) anyways, so it was great. Four of us (we picked up someone along the way) walked along the old city wall that goes along the river and enjoyed the view. The only problem was that we only had one afternoon to spend there, and other than the church, we had no idea what the city offered until we spoke with Tourist Information, so a couple of people are talking about going back. We won the Stadtspiel, and got a bottle of wine and chocolate for our effort. I love school sponsored stuff where you get alcohol as a prize.
That evening, while waiting for the train, I went to a guy who was selling chocolates, nuts, and candies. I asked what one was, and he let me try it for free. Even though I didn’t really like it, I bought some of another kind, and while he weighed my packet, he asked me where I was from. When I told him America, he smiled and said that he had a sister who married an american. Then after I paid, he gave me a packet full of nuts as a gift. It was really nice.
After the train ride back, the tutors decided to lead the group of us on the path that cuts across the hill to town. Wonderful thing to do in the pitch black night with a steep hill bordering on a cliff on your right. Everyone was pulling out their cell phones to see by, and we only almost lost 2 people. That was my day in Ulm.
Burritos and Planned Trips
Nothing much to say here, other than I am back in Tubingen. While the food in Blaubeuren was absolutely awesome (we got sooooo much great food that I think everyone gained at least 5 pounds) and it was really pretty, I am glad to be back in my room in Tuebingen. Hopefully now I can make it more like a room and less like a place where my stuff is.
Saturday I went to Stuttgart and bought some tortillas and burrito spices to make the japanese girls burritos. They had run out of flour tortillas, so I had to get wheat. Apparently cooking burritos for german friends is a common idea, or at least the store guy I talked to was doing the same thing. I also found a pair of really nice jeans that I bought (ooo, impulisiveness!). I finally was able to make burritos for the Japanese girls and Christina (the girl from portugal in my class) at about 8 tonight, and they seemed to have a lot of fun with it. It was interesting teaching them how to build it and then fold it, and I think they enjoyed it. It was kinda nostalgic for me too, because burritos are one of those meals that my family always has, and biting into this burrito, even with a wheat tortilla, tasted like home to me. As good as all the food in Blaubeuren was, I think this was the best, because I missed it soooo much.
After this next week or two, we have a couple of weeks before classes start again, and I think I have found someone to travel with. I hope I can conivince her to go to Italy, that would be really fun. We still have to talk some more, but I am definitely going somewhere.
Finally, I was told that I should have a password for the internet by the middle of this week. So, cross your fingers and wish me luck, and you might see me online more regularly soon.