Second time (in France) is the charm

After getting back from Mallorca Sunday night, we had an early morning the next day to start our French adventure to Colmar, Beaune, and Paris! Because Colmar and Beaune are such small cities, we took a bus from Bonn through a little tour of France.
Our first stop was Colmar, a cute little town with delicious macaroons and pieces of the Isenheim Altar. We didn't stay long, but we were able to see the famous works of art and take a tour of the city. It was a neat experience to get to see the altar because of what it represents. For years and years victims of the plague and other illnesses would voyage from far and wide just to be able to come to the altar for hopes of a religious remedy. Really cool stuff. I really wish we had more time to explore Colmar. The town was so cute, very similar to Bruges.
Our short trip in Colmar came to an end when we all boarded the dreaded bus again to make our way to Beaune. Most of us spent time sleeping on the bus, but occasionally we came up with our own road trip games. When we finally made it to Beaune we had a marvelous dinner that was traditional for the region, which of course, included Burgundy. The reason Dr. Wasser wanted us to come to Beaune wasn't for the wine, but rather an old hospital, the Hotel Dieu. This charming old woman gave us a tour of the Hotel which was a rather cool concept. Basically it was built as a place for the sick poor who needed help and somewhere to go. Even though there wasn't really much they could do for the patients in terms of treatment back in the day, the facility was absolutely beautiful. The Hotel was actually functioning up into the late 1900s, obviously with some advancements and had its own pharmacy.
We finally boarded the bus again to head off to our final destination: PARIS! Needless to say after two days on a bus, we were very happy to finally make it to Paris. We were welcomed to Paris with none other than crepes....on crepes...on crepes, on crepes. The next day our French tour guide led us on bikes throughout the city. The bike tour was definitely one of my favorite things that I have done this semester. We got to see so much of the city and we had so much fun doing it.
The next day we got to experience the beauty of Versailles. Every room had so much art and ornamentation, I could definitely see myself living there one day....okay, maybe not, but a girl can dream. Our afternoon was filled with a nice little picnic in the gardens, with lots of French food and wines. I think the gardens were definitely my favorite part. There were animals and so many fountains and paths. It was quite the setting for a romantic stroll. One of my favorite things, even though it was under construction was Marie Antoinette's Chateau. It was so cute and placed perfectly in the garden as an escape.
Our last day in Paris was at the Louvere, my new favorite museum. Aside from housing the Mona Lisa and other extremely famous works of art, the place itself is almost more beautiful than the things inside. It's very hard not to be overwhelmed by everything, and you could spend days looking at all the pieces. I really enjoyed Paris, but was a little sad we didn't get more free time to explore the city on our own. We did get to stop and Shakespeare and Company, a famous bookstore, and visit the Notre Dame and Sacre Coure, both of which were beautiful. Paris was fun, but another trip to Barcelona awaits!

Finals Week

Now that project presentations are over, all we had left to worry about was finals. This past week was definitely one of the hardest for not only myself, but everyone in the group. Finals week is never fun when you're in College Station, but it was exceptionally worse while in Germany. There were so many other things that everyone would have rather been doing this past week as one of our last weeks to be in Germany, but instead we all spent countless hours studying, studying, and studying more for our numerous finals.

This week I had four different tests. I had to take a third physiology lecture test over the heart, lungs, and kidneys. I also had my last physiology lab test, along with my physiology final. On top of the three physiology tests, I also had my pharmacology final. Oh, and let's not forget the personal narrative that I had to write for technical writing, and a research paper for my 485 credit. This week was a struggle.

I can recall lying on the floor, curled up in a blanket after my physiology lab test on Wednesday. I was definitely beginning to lose my mind. I think I got a total of 16 hours of sleep in my 4 days of tests this week. After finishing my last final on Thursday, I went home and passed smooth out around 8 pm. I felt like a little kid, but sleeping is all I wanted to do.

Friday we had to wake up early to go to Remagen. We got to visit the Peace Museum from World War II where the Remagen bridge once stood. It was very fascinating and nice to be able to meet the man who founded the museum. He had so many interesting stories to tell. After Remagen, we returned to Bonn for the farewell party. The party was spectacular. It was so nice to be able to see everyone and have dinner, tell stories, and dance to the music. After the party, a couple of us went out for drinks and some chill time. It was definitely a great end to a stressful week.

I now have only 4 days left in Germany. I am going to try and soak it all up while I can! I can't wait to go home, but I will be sad to say goodbye to such an awesome experience and even better people.

#14 Tulips in Amsterdam

April 4-10

Amsterdam, how I love thee! It’s such an incredible city. The tulips, the canals, the bikes, the friendliness of the people, it was such a wonderful place to be. I wish we could have spent more time there (not only for the city, but for the Bagels & Beans we stumbled across there, hehe). We went on a boat tour, weaving in and out of the canals, snapping photographs of the sights. We wandered around Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder, a place dedicated to the idea of tolerance. During the 17^th century, Catholics practiced in a secret church hidden on the top floor of the building, away from prying eyes. They could not practice their faith publically, in a Netherlands so dominated by Protestants. The museum was established in remembrance, & to encourage all those who pass through to uphold the ideals of tolerance.

Passing through the Anne Frank Museum, it’s difficult to believe such an ideal could ever persist. In the face of barbarity, how can we believe in humanity? In the face of such a question, however, Anne seems remarkable un-wilted. Her resilience & wisdom seem a great encouragement, in a world filled with darkness.

We explored the Van Gogh museum, admiring the brush strokes of one of the great masters of art. So much of what he did seemed so unique and remarkable for his time, it was nice to hear his brother stuck with him through it all. We wandered the markets of Amsterdam, buying up post cards and admiring the jewelry. We headed out to the Kekeunhof gardens, to smell the tulips and wander through endless fields of flowers. The place seemed absolutely magical, more like a fairytale garden than anything! We were a little early for the tulips, and only saw a few, but still it was so incredible.

We also headed to Micropia and the Botanic gardens, which were pretty cool. We were feeling a bit rushed by that point however, what with having to catch a train and all. All the more reason to advocate for three-day weekends, I suppose. Highly recommend the iamsterdam card to anyone planning a visit!

Au revoir for now!

Ashleigh

PS. Again with the school, I enjoy our little excursions and learning more about medicine in Europe. Seeing the Roman Doctor’s tools this week was really incredible. I mean, imagine something that old been so similar to what we have today!

#13 Big Event!

March 28^th- April 3^rd

And so it was we wandered around the halls of the Museum of Aenesthesia here in Bonn. All sorts of contraptions were kept behind the glass casing, some more disturbing than others. It was interesting to see how decorative some of the Victorian pieces were, it wasn’t just about doling out anaesthesia, but also about creating something beautiful. Velvet lined tubing of the richest red, ornate knobs and ends, I kind of wish it was like that now, instead of the boxy, clunky things we see today.

It’s impossible not to admire the early scientists and physicians who put so much effort into curing pain, especially when everything in the world must have been stacked against them. To many, pain was seen as an essential part of the healing process. To heal was to suffer, to suffer to heal. It seems bizarre nowadays, but I suppose it mightn’t have to people who could proffer no remedy for such a thing. When the first operation using anesthesia was successfully completed one of the men exclaimed, ‘this is the dawn of the era of the end of pain’. In some ways so right, in others so woefully wrong. No matter though, we have to be thankful to them for their dedication to such an idea. Without it, where would we be?

An iron lung stands in the museum as a solemn reminder of the suffering endured by countless thousands at the hands of polio. It’s nerve wracking to think that the disease is making a come back. When you hear of people advocating against vaccination, sometimes, you just want to say, Here, come back in time with me. Let me show you this! The eradication of smallpox, the diminishment of polio to the brink of death… To me these things are a testament to the power of human ingenuity, to the beauty of science. We’re not such a hopeless species as some say. Our propensity for compassion outweighs a million fold our propensity for evil. At least, it’s what I believe.

Dun nuh nuh nuh, nan uh! And so it was Big Event descended on us! We headed to to the Rhine to pluck bottle caps from the ground, unwind plastic bags from the boughs of trees, to prance upon bottles hidden in the bushes & to generally de-clutter a place that’s practically pristine. So, now I suppose it’s slightly more pristine. The day was fun though, and plenty of Germans stopped to thank us, which was nice. I felt a little bit more a part of Bonn that day. We stopped off for gelato later (chocolate and strawberry, yum!) & wandered through a riverside market. A charming day, for sure.

Whoa, I’ve been rambling. Well, that’s it for now!

Turrah!

Ashleigh

#12 On the journey to Paris…

March 21^st -27^th

So what even happened this week? I was terribly sick, as I mentioned. My Mum took off to the other side of the world after a sorrowful goodbye. And in the absence of Internet in the new apartment I resolved to put more effort into things I cherish, a resolve that quickly perished upon the acquisition of a Wifi stick. Ah well, the Internet truly is my bane. I’ve been reading a ton, tearing through page after page & in a way, I suppose, exploring the minds of others. Flipping through my phone, I already wish I’d taken a thousand more pictures of everywhere I’ve been and everything I’ve seen. It’s difficult not to be totally enthralled by this entire experience, I feel so lucky!

I’m writing this on the bus on the way to Paris, because, lazy me, I’ve been putting off these blog posts. We’ve passed such quaint little villages, Les Vosgues, the Black Forest, chatted about the possibility of alchemist nuns. Even though the trip is long, I don’t get bored gazing out the window. I want to imprint every moment into my memory, to hold them close forever. Wandering through Colmar I was lucky enough to stumble across a few of the buildings (I think) from Howl’s Moving Castle—childhood dream come true! I’m fairly certain I spotted the balcony where Howl says goodbye to Sophie after their first meeting, and where she speaks with her sister in the storage room. It was so exciting. The city itself was incredibly picturesque. I swear I’ll live there one day! (Along with Assissi, & Edinburgh, & Vienna, & Dublin… Oh dear, that list is getting long, I guess I’ll have buy a house in each one--the practical, financially sound thing to do, you know?).

I confess, I miss video games, & am feeling a bit deprived in that area. That’s what I get for abandoning my DS on my bedside cabinet. I figured I wouldn’t have a moment to spare here, but there are moments when all I’m seeking is vegetation, some relaxation and it would have been nice just to play something mindless and simple.

What can you do?

Ashleigh  

PS: School, school, school! Studying takes up more time now, and we’re finally cracking down in pharmacology. I’ve chosen to study Oncolytic viruses, where the viruses act as the drug. Not going to lie, I’m excited! I’m glad I get to use a bit of my major over here!

Seven cities, One week

After returning home from Zurich, we had one week of school before spring break. It's funny, home for me has now been Germany. During this week of school we had our final exam for our German course, which I actually have no idea how I did on that. We still haven't gotten our grades back for that, and I'm not thinking we will at this point in the semester.

The Thursday of this week Ralf and one of his colleagues came to listen to our initial design ideas for our device. After this presentation we then split up into groups of more similarly concentrated ideas. 

Then on Friday, my mom arrived in Bonn. I was very excited to see her. For the rest of my break we had a trip planned around Germany. To make things simpler, I'll just list out the places we went and what we did. 

Saturday: My mom and I took a 5-6 hour train to Berlin. I can't exactly remember what we did each day we were there. We took a walk around the city using an app with a guided tour. We were able to see almost all the highlights: the Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag, and Museum Island. One morning we went to go eat breakfast at the Reichstag and it was great just getting to roam around on the roof afterwards. We also made a visit to the Victory Column and the Tiergarten, which is kind of like Central Park in New York.  While in Berlin, I got to meet up with an old friend from Kansas, along with her roommate. It was a great coincidence that we were both in the same city at the same time and I only found this out via Facebook. Thank you social media. 

Tuesday: After 3 days or so in Berlin, my mom and I made our way to Munich on another train ride. We arrived at the Hauptbahnhof(Central Station) in the evening and recognized right away that it was the sketchy side of Munich. After this sight I was worried that Munich wasn't going to be a worthwhile city to visit. However, I got to see more of the city another day, and thankfully it was a great city worth visiting. That night I was able to visit with a friend from high school who was an exchange student from Germany. I also met his girlfriend and friend who were also studying abroad in Germany for the semester. 

Wednesday: The day after we arrived we made a day trip out to Salzburg, Austria. I was already very excited to see this city with beautiful mountain views. I was not disappointed. Salzburg is beautiful. It easily became one of my favorite cities. It's not too big, although there is a lot of tourism, which I could do without. It's also the hometown of the child prodigy, Mozart. Now I've been to the hometowns of two famous composers.

Thursday: This was the day my mom and I got to actually explore more of the city. We visited the open market, complete with a may pole and tents selling various foods and crafts. We made the trip out to the olympic stadium where we saw numerous people out running, riding their bikes and walking their dogs. We also saw the deserted stadium filled with bright green chairs, where the track and field events took place. We were also able to climb up the stairs of St. Peter's church in Marienplatz, where we were able to look over the expansive city.

Friday: Before leaving the Munich area, we made the trip out to the Dachau Concentration Camp. My mom had been there once, about 25 years ago, and she only recognized parts of it. We walked around a bit on our own before we met for a group tour of the camp. It was very surreal to be there and hard to imagine or grasp the events that took place in the longest running concentration camp. From here we began our journey to the medieval town of Rothenburg. We arrived at our bed and breakfast and shortly after we went on the famous Night Watchman tour. The Watchman took us around the inner city and explained the duties of the Night Watchman as well as the history of the town.

Saturday: In the morning, my mom and I explored the tourist-filled town on our own. We browsed through the shops of homemade goods and made our way back to the train station to continue our trip of mother-daughter bonding. From Rothenburg we arrived at our 6th city, Bacharach. While here we only spent the night and got an overlooking view of the town in the morning. Walking to our Inn, we could tell that the town was less of a tourist attraction now than in its former glory. That night we ate dinner at the inn's restaurant, where we had the choice of ordering wine from the local wine country. I had a sweet and fruity wine, which seems to be the only wine my tastebuds can handle.

Sunday: We took the train from Bacharach to the town of Mozelkern. Our only purpose for visiting this town was to hike one hour out to the Burg Eltz castle. Once arriving at the castle, we took a tour, where we could see furniture and tapestries and cookware that was up to 500 years old. At one point in the tour, my mom leaned over to me and said, "I can't tell who's more bored, you or that teenage boy over there with the unamused look on his face." I wasn't too entertained by the tour, but I'm glad we were able to do something my mom wanted. After the tour we had to hike back fast enough to catch our train. We managed to cut an estimated one hour hike to 35 minutes by frantically running and fast-walking. We headed to Cologne that night so my mom could see the Dom. By doing this, we definitely saved the best for last and my mom was not disappointed. We spent the night there and my mom left early in the morning to catch her flight in Frankfurt, while I slept in and took the train to class.

Monday: Spring break is over, my mom is gone, and back to the somewhat reality of classes returning, because honestly, it's still hard to believe that I'm studying abroad here.