It was basically one day, all the way from Nordenberg Hall to Hotel Ibis in Augsburg. It started bright and early to get bagels for breakfast (something I will sorely miss in Germany) and then getting on a quick flight to Charlotte, and then getting a red-eye on the flight to Munich. After taking all the steps to maximize my sleep, I got 1.5 hours, not enough for a whole new day.

Once I was in Germany, I was immediately struck by how clean and green it seemed compared to the USA. Or bright yellow, considering the blooming Canola fields. After a (sadly governed to 100km/h) hour long bus ride on the no speed limit Autobahn, where some cars whizzed by at felonious rates anywhere else in the world, we made it to the beautiful city of Augsburg.

Augsburg is unlike any other city I’ve seen thus far. The streets were wide but had almost no cars, partially due to many things being closed on Sundays. They did have plenty of streetcars, reminding me of Boston’s tram/subway system. The trams are far more robust than in any American city, perhaps save for New York City. Then there are the buildings, ranging from new to over 1000 years old. The Chapel combining Romanesque and gothic architectural styles and the public Rathaus (town hall), a beautiful building seen in the picture. Shops varied from one-off restaurants to clothing shops to grocery stores to American fast food chains like McDonalds, which I will be avoiding unless I really do need something reliable and mediocre.