Is There Light Behind That Bush??

So Consider this a special blog! While going through and sorting pictures I realized that you guys had yet to hear about my trip to Festung Shrine Hohentwiel. This excursion took place on the 11th of August, 2013.

The castle was constructed atop a dormant Volcano. It was later destroyed through means I am unsure about. Sadly I was unable to read the history exhibit and I haven't found much trustworthy information online.

Anyway the adventure;

We set out to the town of Singen Germany which lays a few kilometers from the castles hill. after arriving at the base we found that we had a pretty nice climb ahead of us. A wonderfull 18% grade and a thousand foot elevation. My companion and I were taken by the views of the countryside. We proceeded to the graveyard which had some interesting facts to it; I am unable to give the oldest date there due to weathering, however I can tell you the newest stone was placed in 2010.

We then proceeded up the road through old tunnels and to the main Gates.

 Old Tunnel

Main Gates.

Below you will find pictures of the ruins. 

 Some original wood in the cabinets 

So now for the explanation of the title. 

As we explored these ruins we kept coming across these pesky signs and fences that said

 "Betreten Verboten."

 for those of you who can't speak german "Entry Forbidden."

Now of course I am aware that these were there "for my own good" the tunnels and passageways behind them were probably "crumbling" and it would be "dangerous" for me to be there. Any of you that know me know that this irritated me because well thats exactly where I want to be, and I believe thats where the coolest stuff would have been. However I played good child and stayed on the correct side of all fences. 

Later on while exploring some ruins I entered a room whose keystone was dated 1526. the floor had long since decayed and the underlying floor was only 3-4 feet below so we dropped in. while looking around I discovered a tunnel big enough to crouch into... Interesting Ja.... Lets see no sign.. no fence... looks like we got a clear here. as we continued about 10m we came to another small room. This time there was a small bush growing next to the wall... Interesting Ja... and I noticed a slight breeze and some light coming from it. So once again... no sign.. no fence.. onward we go. This one required more of a crawl to get through and once we cleared the overgrown brush on the other side. we found ourselves outside the safety of the castle walls. Now with that said it would be a good time to mention that I believe the original room was a briefing room of sorts. so This may have been an escape route. Anyway after scavenging around some we found a way into a tower and then backtracked to where we came from. Sadly we were unable to explore the entire ruin in one day the entirety of the keep is left, but plans to go back are in the works.

So until then Tchuss,

Cody A Glick

The Misadventure of a Traveling American

It has been a few weeks since my last post, so I'm going to cover both on this weeks blog. In truth I was too busy last week to write a blog. For the last two weeks I have been getting a lot of travel in; weather it be with the CDC or just the group of us from PPP.

The week of the 12th

Mittwoch (Wednesday) we had a canoe tour of the Bodensee. It was a fun trip even if my canoe team could only manage to make a series of uncoordinated turns. We canoed for about an hour and then headed back to shore. We had some time to kill before the next bus was to arive so we Hit the water by jumping off the dock.

Donnerstag (Thursday) I set out with a fellow PPPer, our plan was get on the train and get off at a random stop to explore. We ended up in Markelfingen a small town to stops down from Radolfzell. As we hiked along the bodensee we came to an outdoor concert. Although I'm not sure who was playing the view at sunset was stunning.

Freitag (Friday) was a very relaxed day and one I will never forget. After class got out at noon the CDC hosted a volleyball game. Those of you that know me are aware that I'm not very athletic but even I got in on the action. 

After game picture of most of the Americans

Picture Credit to Chelsea

After the game we returned to the CDC for Sommerfest in Hof, a party to celebrate the summer and have all the students and host families together. we had a German dish called Fleischkase, essentially a higher quality spam. At least thats what it tasted like. Followed by some entertainment by the Students each class prepared a show and then The PPPers prepared our own. I ended up singing in 3 of the shows. The first was a beatles song Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lUzoYpKLvU - you can see it here. the second and third I don't have available at this time but They will be coming. I was asked for the second song to step in 2 seconds before they went on. and the PPP song was 99 luftballons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLIn0JNC57c - this isn't us singing but these are the lyrics. 

Would you believe me if I told you that the day still wasn't over yet? After the Party 10 of us decided we wanted to go for a swim, 4 of the PPPers who lived in Saarbrucken were camping in Markelfingen for the night, so we headed out to meat them and see it they wanted to join us. After meeting them at a restaurant, and being treated to free shots by the owner. We headed out for the Mindelsee a small lake outside of town. It was a wonderful night for a swim so in we went. about an hour later we were on our way back to the station to catch the last train home. coming down the last hill we saw the train pulling up and had to sprint and hold the door of the train open until all our group managed to make it onboard. This took long enough for the conductor to come and tell us we had to let the door close as the last of the group jumped on. 

Samstag (Saturday) I was once again on the rails this time headed to the Mercedes Benz Museum In Stuttgart. The Museum was amazing I really enjoyed seeing the progression of the Mercedes.

Museum Building 

 

 First vehicle made by the Founder

The Name Is born

First German Pin Up Girl

Science Car used to collect data from tests trough the wires coming off the front.

Popemobile

Every car that was in this room had been owned by a famous/influential person.

So mow for the first Misadventure, We were allowed to stay in Stuttgart as long as we would like in groups of 5. so my group decided to stay and explore the city. It was a great place we saw some nice architecture and some cool street performers. 

we found a DJ doing a promotional party unfortunately my video didn't focus so it was useless but I did manage to get the website if your interested http://www.fritzbus.de/. After roaming the city for a few hours w headed the train station so we could return to Radolfzell. We were unable to figure out which train would take us home so we asked the guy in a DB (Deutsche Bahn) vest which trains we needed. He told us to catch a train to a central hub then 20 minutes after we arrived there would be a train to konstanz and to catch that one. We didn't realize it at the time but the hub he sent us to was to the NW of Stuttgart. once we arrived at the station we looked across the platform and there sat a train with Konstanz as its final destination. So aboard we went. Sometime down the tracks we looked at a map and determined we would be on this train for a good 4 hours. It ended up taking us the entire way around our state before dropping us home at 1 a.m.. 

The Week of the 19th 

Through the actual week I didn't do much worthy of putting on the blog. 

Thursday was a CDC sponsored bar night. 

One day this week was a shopping trip to konstanz to find lederhosen, Unsuccessful

So Friday came and a group of us were working on gathering 5 people to go to  neuschwanstein castle on Saturday. One of the guys we asked to go was headed to Austria but had an idea the 5 of us go to Austria with him Friday and he would go with us to the castle on Saturday. So off to Bregenz Austria we went.

 my camera was dead so I'm stealing these 2 from kyle.

We originally had the intention to come home and set out early to the castle, but late in the evening we decided that we were already halfway there and that we would be better off to just try to get to the closest town.

Misadventure 2.

 We boarded a train that would take us to where we needed to be and set off unfortunately we hadn't planned on this so we had no idea exactly where to get off the train. after asking the DB guy on the train we got off in Kaufbeuren. We then attempted to find a hotel but apparently all hotels close their offices at 9 p.m. So we stayed in a bus stop outside the train station overnight, quite uncomfortable. Unfortunately the video won't load on this blog I'll try to add it to the site tho, this blog might be getting to large. Anyway the first train we could catch we did even tho it was headed the wrong way it was warm and going to Munchen a large hub. Where we immediately caught a train to Füssen, followed by a bus to the castle. 

Neuschwanstein

 King Ludwig II only lived here for 2 weeks 

It is sad that this castle was never completed

 From the smaller castle where Ludwig II lived during construction

In my new Alpine Hat

Auf wiedersehen 

Die erste Woche in Deutschland

 die bodensee, der Zug, und nur ein Schloss.

the lake, the train, and just a castle.

I've been in Radolfzell for over a week now and I have to say the place is amazing. a smaller town in the south of germany next to austria and switzerland.

 

So on the first day I met my host family and settled into the house. The second day was an immediate adventure, after a quick meeting at the Carl Duisburg Center (CDC) to do some paperwork we received a tour of radolfzell from our tutor.  Apparently there was a festival going on although we are still unsure of what it was about.  my camera angels really suck in these first few videos but they are improving. here are to clips of a brass band playing in the street. 

By noon everything was finished so what to do on a Saturday afternoon in a new place we explored. several of us boarded the next train to konstance, as we got off the train we were met by the familiar face of the tutor and she showed us around konstance as well. 

Justin thats who I forgot.

Day 3 came with some rain and I didn't meet up with the group from CDC who were going to go hiking. however the rain eventually broke so I went and did some walking around Radolfzell I found another outdoor concert to attend, this time a little more classical.

Day 4/5 were spent in class at the CDC from 8:45 - 3 learning basic German. and day 6/7 class was 8:45 to 12. I am happy to report that after four days of class My german is doing very well.The other night I had lost my way home and had to ask for directions. I met a very nice lady who not only gave me directions but asked why I was in germany and where I was from and had a 20 minute conversation with me. I hope to advance rapidly through the course and make it at least through A2 and hopefully start B1. I am currently an A1.1 and I know that in two weeks I will be in A1.2, three weeks after starts A2. University level is B2/C1 I was told if I can Speak at a B1 level I shall be fine but I'm not sure.

So on day 6 the CDC offered a trip to Meersburg, Germany. Me and several other PPP'lers went along. Meersburg has a castle that has become a museum along with someones private residence. The free style tour was great and that side of the lake is gorgeous.

 A locking chest no wonder these required a DC 25 thief Check.

 Head dress on Healmets

Black Forest Coo coo Clocks

This weekend is the Seenachtsfest in konstanz and A few of us are going so expect a New post soon.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Cody A. Glick