Since arriving in Germany, I have seen MAN trucks everywhere, so I was excited that we finally got the chance to visit MAN Truck & Bus today. The day started really early with a wake up around 6 am since we had about a 2.5 hour bus ride to Nuremberg. Once we arrived at MAN, we got to put on bright neon green visitor vests, which made the experience feel exciting right away. I originally thought the tour was going to focus on the production of the trucks themselves, but this specific factory was actually focused on building engines. The engines were massive, and it was interesting seeing how many different components and pieces go into each one. Our tour guide mentioned that some of the engines can weigh up to one ton! As we walked through the production lines, one thing I noticed immediately was that there were more workers involved in the process compared to our visits to KUKA and BMW last week. There were still machines helping throughout the factory, but a lot of the work was hands on. After seeing the engines up close, it made sense because there is so much detail involved in putting everything together correctly. Once the tour ended, we listened to a speaker talk more about the company and their role in manufacturing around the world.
After leaving MAN, we headed into Nuremberg to explore the city. Before this trip, the main thing I knew about Nuremberg was its connection to the Nuremberg trials, so I was excited to learn more about the area. We toured the Kunstbunker, which was a bunker turned into a climate controlled vault used to protect important artwork during World War II. After the tour, we had some free time to walk around the city. We came across a large market area, and I’ve started to notice that Germany has a lot of outdoor markets and vendors like this. I was in the mood for a snack, so I got a fruit cup that was really good. Near the market was the Schöner Brunnen, a large golden fountain that is one of the city’s main attractions that very easily stands out. After meeting back up, we started the long bus ride home. If i ever come back to Germany I would definitely come back to check out where the trials were held and learn more about the history of it.
