Smart cars

Smart cars over here are like the VW bug in the states.  Carl has created a photo gallery of the smart cars we have seen...more to be added for sure once we arrive in Berlin.

Take me to the SMART CAR GALLERY!

Did you miss us...

The last few days have been hectic and I do not have time for details yet as we are getting ready to catch a ride on the ICE (bullet) train!  Here are some random pics from the last 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Mannheim

Mannheim is unusual among German cities in that its central it is laid out in a grid pattern (called Quadrate, squares), much like many cities in the States.  According, its nickname is Quadratestadt (German: for "town of the squares").  

The first stop of the morning was to the Technoseum.  The Technoseum contains more than 16 stations that "allow you to experience the technical and social changes of the last 250 years".  The machines and equipment on display invite you to touch, and experiment with how technical innovations changes and continue to change peoples living and working conditions. 

After we ventured into town to find lunch and shopping opportunities!

Carl's Picasa Album

Check out Carls' picasa album link:

CLICK HERE

Strasbourg

Erin, Julia, Carl, and Lauren had a chance to go on a field trip with their host student to Strasbourg.  This city is the seat of several European institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights and the  European Parliament.

Strasbourg is an important centre of manufacturing and engineering, as well as of road, rail, and river communications. The port of Strasbourg is the second largest on the Rhine after Duisburg, Germany. 

The oldest building in town.

Strasbourg Cathedral

Smart Cars are EVERYWHERE!

Heidelberg

Heidelberg lies on the river Neckar at the point where it leaves its narrow, steep valley in the Odenwald to flow into the Rhine valley.  


Here is a group shot of students with hosts.

To get to Heidelberg we took a train and then a boat ride on the river Neckar.  On the way the boat passed through 2 locks.

First sighting of Heidelberg

Once in Heidelberg we had lunch in the Heidelberg Cafeteria and the proceeded to a train station for the short ride up the the Heidelberg Castle.  Our guide was worth the price of admission!

Here is a model of the finished castle

The castle contains a wine barrel that can hold 265,000 liters of wine (70 005.5939 US gallons).  There are a few bigger barrels but NONE have ever been filled.  The wine barrel here has been filled and emptied 3 times!

Chris

My first Saturday in Germany started out bright and early. I woke up at 7AM and my German family and I pilled into a car and drove to Mainz. The drive was about an hour long and when we arrived we had breakfast at a small cafe in a pedestrian square. It turned out that we had gone during a big street fair so at 9AM the streets were fairly quiet. Following breakfast we went to look at some Roman ruins which were still remaining from the time when Rom occupied what is now known as Germany. Over the years the ruins have been barried and lost and it was not until a new shopping center went under construction that the ruins were found. Now the museum of the ruins lies under the shopping center.After visiting the ruins, we went to visit the Gutenberg-Museum, where the first movable type printer was invented. The collection in the museam hosted a number of printers ranging from the origonal, invented during the 1400's, to a collection of bibles, printed with the early presses. After the museam, the church congregation was over and we could finally go into the Dom Sainkt Martin. This catheadrol was massive and housed and a large church and many smaller chappels, which I was told were used for different artisans. I was also told that during World War II much of Mainz was bombed so many of the sights have had to be reconstructed, following the plans of the origonal. The cathedrol was still impressive and also hosted a museam of historical church artifics, all were alaboratly decorated with gold and gems.

Finally, it was time to head back to Bad Dürkheim. Mainz was only the begining of my night. After returning I took a quick nap and then went to a Lion Club dinner (which my host father member of) and had my first Pfannkuchen. Pfannkuchen is a delecasy known in the area. It's like a think crust pizza, but with no tomato sauce and various vegtables. Following dinner, we went to my the dance school where my host student and her brother both dance. Here I was able to learn (or attempt to learn) how to walz, Tango, Salsa, and Cha-Cha.Learning to dance in another language with a partner who doesn't speek english and who german is a second language to turned out to be quite difficult. However, the night turned out to be loads of fun, and I am now a much better dance because of it.

To conclude, Germany has been and while be great experience!