Biosciences Bonn: MJF Woche Zwei

Wow, I forgot I posted my last post so early! (I will be trying to post every Friday from here on out.) So much has happened since then... Let's see. To start off, I've been to Bad Godesberg Castle (I can't remember the name), Aachen, Cologne, and Heidelberg so far. Each one held their own wonders and they were all amazing. Another thing that happened was I decided to be adventurous and buy some type of cheese that I didn't recognize to try. HUGE mistake. Finally, the homework is really starting to pile on and I'm getting a tad anxious. I really need to blog more often, because there is seriously far too much information to put in this one post. I suppose I will add some pictures too.

Alright, so onto my travels. Aachen was super cool and the cathedral was absolutely stunning! I cannot believe that I was able to get so close to such profound historical artifacts such as the throne of Charlemagne, gifts to Germany from kings, and biblical relics. The whole thing was surreal. After the tour of the cathedral, I went and bought some Aachen printen, which is freaking AMAZING. I love ginger, so this thing is the most ideal cookie-type thing I can think of. Next, was Heidelberg. I went to Heidelberg with a bunch of friends and even made some new friends while there. We stayed at a hostel and explored an absolutely massive castle. From the castle, we hiked up Philosopher's Walk, which was pretty exhausting. Not to mention I hiked up it in a pair of oxfords. I'm not sure if you realize what it's like to do this, but let me just tell you... don't try it-- especially in the snow. You get next to no traction. Haha. There was also a really interesting student prison there that you could go see (obviously not still in use) as well as the university and a museum. Anyways, we got some great pictures and had a pretty great time. Overall, Heidelberg was a lot of fun (though the food was a tad expensive). The last place I have traveled to lately was Cologne with the class on Tuesday. We went and toured the town and the cathedral. I honestly have no words that could even begin to do that mighty structure justice. Not only is the facade and exterior absolutely spectacular, but the interior, acoustics, and infrastructure are true wonders to behold. It is absolutely astonishing. Go see it if you ever have the chance.

Next, I need to talk about this cheese I tried from the grocery store. The stuff is called raclette. Dude... this stuff was straight-up repulsive, and that is a lot coming from me. I love pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying new things, but this time I took a step too far. Here's a quick recount of the scenario: So there we were. A few of my classmates and I sat down after a long trek into the settlement that is called Bonn. With bags of groceries and hearts full of pride (for we had just saved much money, because we did not eat at a restaurant), we began to retrieve our foods to prepare for lunch. There is much merriment as my peers open various meats, soups, and breads. I begin to prepare myself a sandwich. First I slice open a delicious roll of Kürbiskernbrot. Then I place some smoked ham and salami. Next, I take the stems and leaves from three radishes and use them as lettuce. Finally I open the raclette cheese. The packaging emits a faint *psh* sound to declare that it was, in fact, sealed. Suddenly, darkness filled the room and with it, the stench of a thousand deaths by cheese. People could not get away fast enough. As the toxic fumes spread, more and more became aware of the atrocity that had been brought into that very room. The looks of sheer horror, disgust, and fear seemed to be contagious. We disposed of the cheese immediately, but to no avail. The ghost of raclette lingered there, and there would he remain. As new and weary travelers entered the room later on, the question was repeatedly asked, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, what is that smell?" They say the ghost of raclette still haunts that classroom to this very day. [Disclaimer: this story may be slightly exaggerated for theatrical effect]

Until next time,

MJF

I have way more pictures than this. I'll get around to uploading them eventually: