Luuuuuubeck, my love!

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I meant to update this blog before I took off on my short study tour with my peers and program adviser, but I was a little preoccupied, what with all the packing and homeworking. As is, I will introduce you to my German adventure now, just to give you a little taste before I go to bed.

So Thursday morning I meet my peers bright and early at Frue Plads, a square near school in Copenhagen. We board the bus and high-tail it to Lubeck , Germany. We have to take a ferry across the waters that separate the southern islands of Denmark from Germany's north coast.

Something I noticed right away: Germany is cheaper than Denmark. Most places are, but wow. Things are much more reasonably priced. In the whole weekend, I spent 30,00 Euro, which is like $45.00, on dinner, souvenirs, marzipan, etc. But more details later.

We arrive on the German coast, which looks almost exactly like southern Denmark. More time in the bus. Everyone is sleepy, so it's fairly quiet. We eventually arrive in Lubeck. Let me tell you what I remember as facts about Lubeck:

-about 250,000 inhabitants
-one of the oldest towns in Germany
-only bombed once during WW2
-giant producer of marzipan
-city center is on an island
---(feel free to correct me on any of these)

We eat lunch in an OLD building (which I find out later used to be a meeting place for sailors) then make our way about town to the Willy Brandt Museum. He was a native of Lubeck, exiled to Norway for his leftist politics when he was 19, came back to Germany after WW2 was over, and eventually became mayor of West Berlin. I really enjoyed the museum.

Next week check into the hotel, which is quite nice. But why would I want to sit in a hotel room when there's a whole lovely Lubeck to explore?! So we go out. Three of my peers and I wander about, take pictures, explore the park, slowly make our way to some food and drink. Two of us stumble upon a Greek-German restaurant, which is where we decide to dine. We tried the beer that the waiter recommended - Rudeberg, I believe. More walking about, then I crashed - I was so tired after all the walking and learning.

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Photos

First view of Germany
It looks the same as Denmark, eh?

Holstentor
This gateway is on the 50 Deutschmark. There's also a marzipan replica in the marzipan store.

Towers of St. Martiens
Lubeck is known for its seven spires, these being two of them.

Courtyard
Some of my fellow student follow our large-mustached tour guide down an alley and through a courtyard.

Clock Tower
Another one of those spires. Some of these were built as early as the 1200s!