Nuremberg

Nuremberg was a cool contradiction to what I saw in Berlin in the fact that it was so medieval looking. The town is rebuilt of course due to the extensive destruction during WWII. Some ninety percent of the city was destroyed but due to massive reconstruction the city really does look like a little time capsule. We stayed in the youth hostel which is part of the Nuremberg castle on top of the hill and wow that was a great first hostile experience. Apparently where we stayed was the royal stable for the king during the Holy Roman Empire. Pretty cool I thought.

The sights were incredible and I have to say Nuremberg really is a place that I would highly suggest for anyone venturing through Germany to visit. From the castle to the incredible churches and cathedrals it really was in a league of its own. As far as food was concerned the beer was fantastic along with the traditional dishes I tried such as roast pork, döner (this is actually Turkish), and bratwurst from the oldest bratwurst kitchen in the world (over a thousand years old). I also got the chance to watch a bike race while I was there.

But on a more somber note I also saw the Nazi party rally grounds in Nuremberg. It was an interesting experience to see what is there and also what could have been there if it was ever completed (thank goodness that it never was). While I was there I stood on the platform that Hitler would give his speeches to the hundreds of thousands that would attend these rallies in the thirties. I was told that if you raise your right hand in the air while standing on that platform it’ll cost three years of your life in prison. I took a picture standing on the platform and fittingly didn’t smile.

Overall my experience in Nuremberg was great. I came away from it with great memories, many friends, and of course my lederhosen.

Berlin, The New Love of My Life

This is a really exciting because this is my first full weekend in Berlin with functioning internet! It has been a bit of a struggle on the technology front while I have been here but it looks like I have made it through. Since this is my first entry while I have been in Europe, I am going to try to mention the major events I have been to and places I have gone during my duration here so far.

First off there is the city itself. When I got here I was amazed at the sheer size of the city. From the air it was quite a spectacular site. One of the tallest buildings in Berlin, namely the Fernsehturm, definately was the first thing I recognized from the plane. The other thing that stuck out to me though was the fact that there were not nearly as many high-rises as I had thought a big city like Berlin would have. Apparently this is because in the city center there is a rule that you can’t build any higher than five stories. Although there are a few exceptions, this more or less gives you the picture of what the city looks like.

Then you have the city from the ground. The day after I arrived in Berlin, the FU-BEST program took a river cruise down the Spree River that runs through the city center and historic downtown. I got to see the big sites and landmarks including the Tiergarten, Reichstag, and Chancellery. We also passed by “The pool in the Spree” which I have since swam in. This gave me the overall outlook of the city but to compliment the cruise we also did a walking tour the next day. During the walking portion we saw more of the historic downtown area including the Brandenburg Gate and the State Oprah house. I also was surprised to find out that the hotel that Michael Jackson held his kid out the window at this hotel located in the same square as the Brandenburg Gate. Interesting factoid I thought. Further along in the tour we saw sections of the Berlin Wall. Since the demolition of the wall its path has been marked by a double row of bricks that goes around the downtown area that gives you the idea of where it was and what it might have looked like in the city.

The city as a whole is just amazing and so full of history and culture. I can say that I am very happy that I chose to come here because it really is a unique experience that I’m having here that I don’t think I could have anywhere else.