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Published: August 23rd 2009
Statue of Herzog Erberhald
Reiterstandbild Herzog Eberhard im BartHallo und willkommen!
The school schedule insisted that I must arrive in Tübingen by August 12th, as there was a meeting that afternoon. As there were few flights which would take me there early enough to hit that meeting, I thought I'd just go for a cheaper flight a couple of days earlier and use that extra time to adjust to Germany on my own terms. I booked my flight, hotels, and hostel stays in advance. It helps if you can find some bus route information before you try to get to these places, by the way.
I arrived in Stuttgart only to find that it was raining. A rather nice German couple gave me an umbrella and I was soon on my way to, I'm ashamed to admit, a taxi. I say that I'm ashamed because, had I known about the bus systems, I probably could have gotten there for about 1/3 of what the cab cost me, if not far less. Still, it was late at night and I was rather tired and just did not wish to wait for a bus to come around. I wanted to get into a hotel and get some much needed
Astrolabe
A clever clockwork astrolabe. It is a heliocentric model which includes the planets up to Saturn. sleep.
Taxis sit outside the airport, so hailing one was not a problem. If you do not know how to politely inform the driver where you want to go, then use that long flight time for writing down whatever phrases you think you will need. It's easy to get worried about making a mistake, but simply trying might be enough to get the point across.
I had planned to have a small meal at the hotel, but soon found that I could not resist the lure of the bed. By the way, German beds are commonly quite firm. If this is a problem for some of you, then you may wish to pack something to make it a little easier on your back.
The next day was quite rainy and I was still tired, so I limited my day to getting to the hostel, buying some food from the market, and otherwise just relaxing. It takes a little time to adjust to the new sleep schedule. I'm here for a year, anyways, so why push myself?
I eventually did get around to touring Stuttgart. I walked around Königstraße, a 1,000 meter-long shopping strip with many storefronts
The Courtyard
This is the courtyard of the old castle. and a few restaurants. It is situated rather close to the Rathaus (town hall), to some very old churches, and to a castle which has since been turned into a museum (called the Landesmuseum). In Germany, most museums will be closed on Mondays. Time your trips around that, lest you get to town only to discover that you cannot go through with your plans.
My advice? When you get to your hotel or hostel, pick up the transportation brochures, especially anything that discusses train/bus routes. Hotels often have this information in your room as part of a guest courtesy. Hostels will usually have this at the front desk area. In any case, just ask one of the clerks for such information. It is essential if you wish to get anywhere in Germany cheaply. Taxis are rather expensive. With a single ticket, I was able to get on a bus, then get on a train, then tour Stuttgart a bit, and return the same way.
With regard to food, try to get to a grocery store. Lidl, Aldi, Kaufland, or other such stores will offer better prices than eating every meal at a restaurant. Of course, if you are
Roman Pillar
This is an old pillar taken from the Roman Imperium during the time of Caesar. traveling through hostels and hotels, you'll have to suffer with foods that don't require cooking (or, in some cases, refridgeration). Thankfully, bakeries are very common in Germany. A swiss army knife, a baguette, and some cheese from a store can make for a good meal in a pinch. Drinks are also far cheaper in the store than elsewhere, sometimes by as much as 90%!p(MISSING)rice reduction!
Link to the Landesmuseum, located in Stuttgart's Altes Schloss:
Landesmusem Thanks to the Gilman Scholarship for making this possible!
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