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Published: August 3rd 2012
The amount of activities that we have packed into our first two weeks of the German leg of this exchange is almost unbelievable!We have had some form of group activity literally every week day, most of them taking up the entirety of the day and a large portion of the evening. I know that most of our kids have been busy over the weekends as well. Today was definitely no exception!
We met at Harburg Bahnhof at 9:45 and were off to the city. We visited a very large museum which details the history of this important Hanseatic city from its origins around the year 900 until the present day. We learned about pirates in the Elbe, mass Emigration to the Americas, the great fire of 1842 and many other interesting events that have served to shape this fine city. Our kids behaved brilliantly while in the museum! They absolutely rocked the scavenger hunt, competing fiercely while at the same time being very respectful of others and aware of their surroundings. I came away proud to be associated with this group yet again.
From here it was off to the Michel, perhaps the most prominent of church towers in
Hamburg. Up we went! Trey Meyer took it upon himself to count the steps as we ascended this most formidable of challenges. Trey’s final count was 456 steps! Once again our kids outdid themselves, making it to the top in good humor without anything resembling a complaint on the way up, even on this warm and very humid day. At the top we were treated to an amazing view of the city laid out before us. The mighty Elbe River and massive port, the distinctive Rathaus with its aged green copper roof, the fountain and Alster, and in the distance, the suburb of Harburg were all easily recognizable aspects of this grand urban landscape.
After retracing our steps down, we perused the inside of this medieval church. The architecture and shear grandeur of this place is amazing. The colors, intricate woodwork and immense size were exceedingly impressive. Inside there is a pipe organ that ranks as the 20
th largest in the world. It has an amazing 11,539 pipes and stands almost 40 feet tall! As we were preparing to depart, they began to play. We stood and listened in rapt attention for some time before finally moving on.
A quick stop for a bite to eat or a caffeinated beverage at Europa Passage on the way back to Harburg still saw us arrive in plenty of time to make it to our final stop. We were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the local fire station to cap the day. The kids enjoyed running the hose, crushing cans with the “jaws of life” and even taking rides around town in the fire truck. The highlight for many however was when they figured out where the intercom was. Sound effects galore ensued which were followed by music from an iPod. I am sure the neighbors loved having us stop by!
We scattered for home amidst the rain drops of a passing thunderstorm and we are on to a days “break”. Saturday is a free day with the families before our “Farewell Lunch” on Sunday. How it is possible for that event to come so soon is absolutely beyond me! Anyhow, it was a great and busy Friday, and the remaining week of the exchange promises to be nothing less!
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