There aren't too many things that I would consider worth waking up before 6 o'clock in the morning for, but the trip to Eifel this past Sunday is definitely on the list. (Of course, if you would have asked me when I pulled myself out of bed into the dark and cold weather, I probably would have told you a different story.) The first stop at the Maria Laach Abbey was an incredible way to start the excursion. The singing and chanting of the monks was incredibly beautiful and made me feel like I was back in the Middle Ages (and only a little bit like I was in Monty Python and the Holy Grail). The building contributed to this historical feeling as well, a picture-perfect Romanesque stone cathedral in the middle of rolling hills. Although I'm not Catholic, I definitely appreciated the opportunity to attend mass and observe how the Germans integrate a contemporary population and religious practice with a building and traditions that date back to the 11th century.
We had an unexpected hot chocolate break which pretty much guaranteed my good spirits throughout the cold weather for the rest of the trip. The tour of Schloss Bürresheim was really interesting, but like some others have mentioned, it rid me of my fantasy to live in a castle. I'll stick with a central heating system, thanks. After eating lunch, we began my favorite part of the trip, exploring the ruins near Monreal. I just loved how they were right on the outskirts of the town, with the old structures kind of watching over the new. It makes me really wish that America had a culture like that a thousand years ago, one that left massive structures to remind us it existed.
On a completely separate note, classes have picked up again for the week and we just got assigned our semester-long device design project in physiology. It seems like it's going to be another intense project like last semester, but I'm glad that it's underway nonetheless. This week also marks the first real difficulty I've really had in balancing work and travel. Between the procrastination of some work some and the recent assignments/presentations, I'm going to really have to work on prioritizing in order to make the most of this semester in regards to focusing on academics while enjoying the advantages of being abroad. Hopefully our group trip to Cologne tomorrow will provide the opportunity for both these educational and touristy experiences.
Oh, Andrea and I also got directions from our host family and stopped by the Haribo store after classes. Now I have a bag full of gummy bears and sour dinosaurs to offset the continued training for the half-marathon.
No comments:
Post a Comment