Germany Trip Day 8

After our morning classes I was really bored.
We were scheduled to go to the salt water spa, I didn't think we could take pictures so I didn't think I'd bring the camera. So I thought I'd show some more features of my room, the 'Badezimmer' in particular. There is no one in the room adjacent, so I have it to myself.

Here is the window. Note Yankees sticker on one side, there is a NY Giants sticker on the other. I'm not good on camera, but wtf. This is partially a vacation.

NO, I haven't been transported to the Bronx. This is a freaken shame. This is a pedestrian walkway under a busy street. And this is NOT a big city like Berlin or Munich. Maybe all of 35,000 live here. Schade... a shame

I brought the camera and took a couple of pictures:

The pools were actually pretty cool. One of them (the bottom pic) is circular and has jets around the rim, periodically they turn on and this causes a counterclockwise current. They have the foam 'noodles' and you can just float around like in Roman Rapids but without the boat and in warm water. The pools were heated, the circular one wamer than the others, but I didn't see an actual hot tub type spa.

I'm going to Stuttgart Saturday (today) and on to Switzerland and Schloss Neuschweinstein. Don't know when I'll get to post again, hope to take lots of pictures.

Germany Trip Day 7

Thursday afternoon we went to the Kunst Hall, the art museum just on the other side of the river. They had an extensive exhibit of an Austrian artist, Alfred Hrdlika. His works are a little dark (to put it mildly) for my tastes. Information about the artist can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hrdlicka. I think most of the other students thought likewise. No pictures allowed in the museum.





Here you can see the Kunst Hall in the right foreground, with the vertical Alfred Hrdlika banner on the corner pointing towards the viewer. Behind the Kunst Hall is a building that once was a brewery and now is a multistoried restaurant. We had dinner on the roof patio restaurant. The weather has been incredible, and last night was no exception. It has been pleasant to have warm afternoons without oppressive humidity. I had a wheat beer, brewed locally, now have to find some coasters with that brand. The Germans DO drink their beer cold, although not ice cold.


This is Comburg, shot from the rooftop patio.


Dinner, dessert actually. The woman, Danielle, in the forground is one of our class, although she is in the other section. She is from Bordeaux. The other woman is a local German woman at whose table we ate. Some other students in the background.

View of the restaruant from the ground up.

The Solebad, or salt bath. We're taking our 'field trip' there tomorrow. Bringing bathing suits, and relaxing in the hot salt water spa. I should sleep real well.

Germany Trip Day 6

Scenes long the Kocher River. Schwäbisch Hall is situated on the Kocher and during the middle ages was wealthy due to the brine spring from which salt was produced. Salt was a very precious commodity. The townspeople boiled down the brine and sold the resultant salt

A marionette theater in Schwäbisch Hall. It was full of kids. The production was "die kleine Hexe" The Little Witch

Backstage

Ein Mann mit dem Gewehr

backstage after the performance

Germany Trip Day 5

Yes, postcards will go out today!!!

Two scenes from the dorm or Wohnheim. Shot at telephoto, these buildings are across the Kocher river valley. As you can see, the brewery is within walking distance. With some things the Germans have it right. Beer will be fresh!


Interior of the Rathaus, or city hall. Rat means 'council' in German


A diarama of Schwäbisch Hall in the middle ages in the Hällisch Fränkisches (I think they throw in those umlauts just for looks) Museum.

A synagogue, restored, that was actually set up inside a house. Seems a shame. Synagogues don't belong in museums, they should be in use.

Lederhosen. I know you want to see me in some. You know who you are.

Germany Trip Day 4

The Goethe Institut
I had breakfast in the Mensa, or cafeteria. Nothing fancy, coffee, juice, brötchen, butter, preserves, cheese. I could have had a croissant, they looked good.

Class is not very rigorous. We were divided into two groups on the basis of German language ability. I won't say which group I'm in. My group has 7 people; Arnold(CA), Pat (Northern Ireland), Leena (Finland), Graeme(Australia), Ross(CA), Steven (CT and a fellow Giants fan) and me. Our instructor is Irene. She seems very nice.

This is our classroom, that's Steve and Leena at the table.

Sankt Michael's Kirche Saint Michaels Church

I have homework to do tonight.

Germany Trip Day 3

I arrived in Schwäbisch Hall by train and took a bus to the center of town. Up the hill to the Goethe Institut. Finally got checked in to the dorm room. Dan's room at the University of Kentucky was more spacious. No internet in the room. Please don't ask how I'm posting this. More later.







Room in the 'dorm'

The Teutonic gods must be smiling. The weather is sehr angenehm (very pleasant) and there is a Frühlings (spring) Fest going on. Beer (the local brew is Haller Loewenbrau- no connection the Munich beer of the same name), wine, pretzels, cheeses. there was even a half oxen on a spit. If we didn't have a class dinner, I would have had some.

<--St Michaels Kirche, Schwäbisch Hall

Henkersbrücke



Fachhochschule - Votech School