Clara in Germany!

  School Bus at Beatles Platz  

In Germany,your first Bundesliga soccer game is a rite of passage. Yesterday I was inducted into this higher level of Germanity by attending said game as a Bremen fan. Walking towards the stadium, which is crammed directly in the youthful "1/4" of Bremen, there were almost as many police-men as beer stands. This was intimidating. Otherwise, things were pretty friendly, unlike last week when Hamburg lost against Bremen and tore apart a train with their angry little hands. Seriously, Google it.  Anyway, each team had their own elaborate song at the beginning, which I guess was invented to reel in all the German theater-nerds. And just like this country's way of interacting, the game was "kurz und knackig" ( literally short and crunchy, or "short and sweet"),beating around no bushes and over in as little time as possible. Bremen won 1-0, which resulted in city spread jubilee, and a lot of happy howling. Lebenslang Grün-Weiß!!!!...

You know that feeling where you just need a chill-session in a quaint but breathtaking ivy-covered cottage? Well, look no further than the Altes Land, a series of villages downstream from the city lights of Hamburg. Last Wednesday I went with my host family to a particular village called Steinkirchen. And let me just say, in Steinkirchen, folks are roughin' it like fairies.   "Can't get into my house because of the enormous flowerbed blocking the only entrance? Find a way, chump." Roofs are crafted out of fancy straw, because why the heck not . Oh, and you will be confronted with cherry blossoms every second step you take. Magical villages can be quite draining, so Germans therefore have a Kaffee und Kuchen break built into their day as a time to refuel. On this particular day I chose rhubarb cake with a meringue type topping (?), and it certainly did the trick. Afterwards we drove home...

Germany must have known that this past weekend I turned 17, because it congratulated me with the most beautiful weather I have seen in ages. And I know it's cheesy to say, but this birthday was one of the best ones I have ever had.My Aunt, Uncle, and cousins were able to meet my host family! We toured around Hamburg, winding our way from the Reeperbahn to the botanical gardens. Even after 13 miles of walking (my fitbit knows all) sun-burned and wind-blown to the tips of my toes, I was happy. I know, happiness is such a yawn....I will try to get darker in my next post. Oh, and did I mention that we stumbled across a group of ballroom dancers while wandering through the park? Ok, ok, I am done. The world is disgusting .

On our final day, we decided to visit the biggest city in North-Rhine Westphalia, and the 4th largest city in Germany: Cologne! Standing strong, from the middle ages, through the air raids of World War 2, is the Cologne Cathedral ( Kölner Dom ), Germany's most visited landmark. Coming out of the main station, surrounded by swarms of admirers and the pure gravity of this blackened triumph, I have never felt so small.   Once you have given up trying to capture its presence in a photograph, I suggest you head over to Cologne's chocolate museum. Yes, chocolate museum. As in, museum....all about chocolate. With samples. Basically the closest thing you will ever get to visiting Willy Wonka. After stuffing your face with the good stuff, and walking along the sun-bather occupied Rhine, you will decide that Cologne is magical.      

Dusseldorf  is the capitol city of the North-Rhine Westphalia region, filled to the brim with high powered industries, and high powered people. But do not worry, Germany did not forget to sprinkle in beauty, charm, and culture for good measure. Maybe it was the unusually clear blue skies, but when walking along the Rhine last Wednesday, I could not help but smile at the pure prettiness of this bustling city.   After soaking up the sun and climbing up the Rheinturm, we headed to the Film Museum. Taking after the ways of a good movie, the museum conveyed information through sound, stunning visuals, and carefully worded text. A must-see for any one who thinks twice about what goes into making a  film. Ending the day on a bench in the luxery lined street appropriately called Konigsallee (King's Alley), I stretched out my legs and watched the water go its way.     Konigsallee

I am currently in a state that many exchange students know all too well: the "going-back-to-school-after-being-a free-riding-traveler-who's-main-worry-for-the-past-week-was simply-finding-a-bathroom-during-day trips" phenomena. Tomorrow is Monday, and tomorrow is school, but today I will just look back on my last week of travels in Western Germany and pretend things like getting up at 6:00 A.M do not exist.   The first city my friends and I visited was Munster. If you ever visit this lively city, do not fret, you are not walking into Hitchcock's less appreciated masterpiece  The Bikes . You are just in a college town in Germany, which basically equals a frightening amount of bicycles. Tourists, cars, and small dogs cower in their inescapable presence. But otherwise, this city has a lot to offer, from morning markets to charming architecture. Just keep in mind, that without two wheels, you mean absolutely nothing .       ...