Back from Germany but Off to Cumbria

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I got back from Germany yesterday after about what seemed like a three hour plane delay. For those who don't know, I stayed with family friends of my Grandpa Grauel's. Tina, she is 27, took me to an alternative dance club which was really fun and then we hit up some pubs the next night in Frankfurt. I spent most of my time in Mainz at Tina's. On Saturday we went to Wiesbaden (spelling??) which had a neat WW monument and it was a really pretty small village with a park that had an extraodinary view. On Sunday the family and I ventured to Heidelberg. We went to a castle that was partially destroyed in 1693(Orleans Succession war) of and again in 1764 (lightning). It had an astonishing view of the town from the castle, lots and lots of pictures. After the castle we then had coffee and some of the best apple strussle I've ever had (sp?) in the market place. The trip was a very relaxed one and I got a lot of sleep. In London all the pubs close at around 11pm and in Germany they don't close until around 3am so it is very similar to the States in that aspect. I've always known that language is extremely important but I never knew how much it is relied upon for everyday things such as food, drink, road signs etc. The whole experience, the language barrier experience, made me look back at my own language and then confusion set in. I have decided that I don't know very much about my own language.

At that club on Friday a funny thing happened. I was waiting at the bar to get a drink and this guy comes up to me and just starts talking in German for about two minutes and when he finally finished I said "Sorry, but I don't know ANY German!" He laughed, attempted but unsuccessfully tried to speak English. It was a pretty funny experience.

The Schmetzers and Tina showed me much hospitality and I am very very grateful for their kindness!! I am lucky to have a Grandfather that knows A LOT of people everywhere!

So next weekend I'm off to Cumbria, the Lake district. It is a program trip that is completely paid for, yea!!, and it will be all Americans on this trip. We are staying in this old hostel, the program has rented it out completely (I think about 50 people are going) and we are going to go gorge scrambling and repelling which will be a blast. And I will also visit William Wordsworth's famous Dove Cottage where he wrote many of his most influential works.

So until then I bid you all adieu,
Jen

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Photos

Heidelberg View
One of the many views from the Heidelberg Castle.

Another view
One of the many views from the Heidelberg Castle.

Heidelberg Castle
This is part of the castle that was destroyed by either the war in 1694 or by the lightning.

Funny statue
This was just kind of funny. It was on a statue in Mainz.

Wiesbaden
View from the park we went to in Wiesbaden.