Well, I finally made it out of Moscow! Though I failed to finished my work and had to bring much of it with me, it was great juSst to leave Moscow and see and old friend in a new and exciting place.
So, a little about
Tubingen, Germany. Tubingen is basically a German college town, with 22,000 of the city's 84,000 residents being students. Most of the students attend the
University of Tubingen, which has quite and illustrious history and boasts many Nobel laureates. The city itself was left practically untouched after World War II, and therefore offers some incredible historic sites and glimpse of what Germany of the past felt and looked like.
On my first day, Tomcat (as my good friend will be referred to) met me at the airport and quickly started my acquaintance with Tubingen. The great thing about Tubingen is that everything, I mean EVERYTHING is reachable on foot. It really it quite amazing and oh so convenient (not to mention incredibly good for your health)! Anyhow, I was quickly given a good hefeweisen as we ended the night at the Castle Pub catching up.
Day two was Castle Day. Castle Day, you say? Yes. There are castles everywhere in Germany, so our first stop of the day was Hohentubingen Castle, which sits atop the highest hill in the city. It was quite beautiful, and offered a great view of the city itself. Along the way to the castle we meandered through the City Marketplace, the Old Botanical Gardens, along the Neckar River and by City Hall, the Collegiate Church of St.George and Univeristy Assembly Hall.
After touring the castle, we stopped into a beer garden along the Neckar River. There, I received the most German experience possible - sipping hefeweisen, while eating Bavarian cheese, with white wurst, a pretzel and mustard. This is what bliss is.
After our filling lunch, it was off to nearby Hohenzollern to see the castle there. This castle was one visible from miles away, perched on top of the highest mountain in the area. After getting a train to the city, we thought we'd walk to the castle, but after about half an hour and two blocks up the massive mountain, we decided it best to take a taxi. The only downside to being in Germany - my carsickness is quite heightened here! The windy roads that make their way upside and around the mountains are beautiful, but bad for my stomach - not to mention when they're being navigated by an adept driver at speeds most Americans would consider suicidal on such roads.
But it was well worth the price. The view was amazing, and the guided tour (translated with kindness by Tomcat) was incredibly interesting.
However, two castles seemed to be all that Tomcat and I could handle for one day, as our "break" after getting back from Hohenzollern turned into an all-night veg session in front of our laptop watching "Mind Your Language", a GREAT British comedy from the 70's. It features a class of foreigners learning English and the many odd but hilarious situations that can (and will) develop when you have different languages, cultures and norms in one room trying to learn something foreign to everyone. I highly recommended finding an episode on YouTube.
Well, this is quite a long post and I've got to get ready for Day 3, so I'll say "Auf weidersehen!" and be back soon with more!
Shura and Leva of БИ2
Shura and Leva of БИ2
Tomek and I enjoying the concert!
Tomek and I enjoying the concert!
