As we waved goodbye to the German students and administrators this evening it dawned on me that the trip was essentially over. The whole group had met up for one final dinner and after another Bavarian style meal, we gave gifts to the Germans in appreciation for them hosting us and said our final goodbyes. As I licked ice cream and walked through the streets of Augsburg I thought back on the day.
We had woken up bright and early to travel to Ulm, a city in Germany that was the birth place of the great Albert Einstein. There we walked up 768 steps to the top of the highest cathedral in the world. From the first step to the last I made the hike in 12 minutes and I was greeted by a fabulous view of the surrounding landscape. After a short break and some pictures I started the dizzying trek down the spiral staircase and exited into the cathedral. This cathedral was unique in the fact that some of the stain glass windows were very modern. The tour guide showed us two particular windows created in 2000 and one window showing Einstein’s theory of special relativity. It was interesting seeing science meshed with religion in such a way.
The tour guide led us up and down the Venice like streets of the old city, showing us leaning hotels, water mills, and medieval structures. I was really impressed by the colors of the city and it fit my image of an old German city almost perfectly. Ulm was probably my favorite city we visited on the trip. It was much quieter and smaller than Munich and it seemed like a hidden gem. After the tour we dined at a restaurant that served European style pancakes. I was starving after the walking tour and steps so I was glad to see massive proportions. We walked around the city for a few more minutes before returning to Augsburg for the goodbye dinner. It is not everyday that you get an opportunity to travel to such exciting locations and the Germans were amazing host. Tomorrow is a free day for us and our last day in Germany, I had a wonderful time on this trip and I look forward to more trips abroad in the future.