Weblog

So, that wonderful Bücherei had wonderful Internet access at €0.03/minute. The bad part was that the library didn't allow USB devices to be connected to the computers. That meant that there was no way for me to upload my entry onto the wonderful Internet to share with you all. However, I was able to access my e-mail so that I could read all of the wonderful letters that you sent me. In otherwords, I deleted the notifications from the university's spam filter. It turned out that others from the study trip had also found their way over to the Bücherei with the intent to use the Internet. So, we all hung around the Bücherei until we all had our fill of the Internet. Then, we hit the streets of Veitshöchheim.

Veitshöchheim is a much cooler town than Margetshöchheim, but it's actually pretty typical. The town is just a stone's throw (a long stone's throw) across the Main river. There are plenty of cafés along the riverfront, and there are cigarette machines all around the streets. There's really no where that you can go without being greeted by the distinctive scent of cigarette smoke. Apparently, Europeans have it in their mind to take life easy: eat great food, enjoy cigarettes, have alcohol with every meal. However, they also exercise a lot more than Americans do. Plus, their work ethic is one of not doing it. They have a thirty-five hour work week. There's always people on the banks of the river just relaxing and admiring the view.

While the others were headed back to our home, my group went back to the synagogue in Veitshöchheim to visit the museum that was there. The lady in charge of the museum was very helpful in explaining some of the specifics of the synagogue. When we explained the situation, it might of sounded like we were college students who had come all the way from America just to do a report on Veitshöchheim because she waved the fee for all of us to visit the museum. This was a near complete synagogue — near complete as in there was no Torah, but all other necessary components were present in the synagogue. The reason why this synagogue survived the Kristalnacht was that the city had purchased the synagogue shortly before and converted it into a fire station. It remained such until several Hebrew (or possibly Yiddish) manuscripts were discovered in the attic of the firehouse. The firehouse was then converted into a museum which is what it remains to this day.

After we left the synagogue, we decided to call it a day and return to the house for dinner. Dinner was good. Afterwards, we all went over to the Ostranders' house to watch some whacked movie about castles. After that, we played some nertz in the parlour. I don't really like nertz but I went along with it anyway. After that, everyone else was too tired to stay up, so they all went to bed. I, however, stayed awake to do some American Government homework.

The next day was entirely devoted to visiting the tourist town of Rothenburg. Dr. Ostrander told us to be prepared early so that we could beat all of the Japanese tourists up to the castle. He wasn't lying. Everything in this town was translated into both English and Japanese (and often, French as well). We went inside of the castle and went to the top where we got a good view of the city of Rothenburg. Afterwards, we visited the torture museum. The best word to describe the museum would be… interesting. Of course, how could a museum devoted to the display of torture instruments and shame masks not be interesting. Our other destinations in Rothenburg consisted of a beautiful, Protestant cathedral and the castle gardens. For lunch, I had the pleasure of having Turkish food from a local Donner. Upon learning that we were Americans, the gentlemen running the shop turned his television on and turned it to the music video channel assuming that, as Americans, American pop culture would please us. Although we all appreciated the gesture, my idea of good music does not consist of either James Blunt or The Gorillaz. As far as the food, I found out that I like Turkish food. Turkish food is the Mexican food of Germany. For that matter, Turks in general are to Germany what Mexicans are to the United States. A lot of the same issues concerning immigration that are dealt with in America are being dealt with in Germany as well. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading a book on German government. In my analysis of the German situation, I learned that except for the United States, Germany is the top destination for immigrants. That gave me a wonderful idea about what to write for my first paper in American Government.

For the rest of the afternoon, I found an American family and chatted with them for a short time and eventually found others of my group. We all ate dinner at an Italian restaurant in Rothenburg and headed back to Margetshöchheim where I had an intensive argument with myself about whether I didn't agree with Turkish food or if Turkish food didn't agree with me. Tired, I read my assigned readings for Evangelical Theology and went to bed.

The next morning, I managed to do the quiz on the assigned readings. After a short class, we all got on the vans to head into Würzburg to visit the Marionburg fortress. I took my laptop along in order to find some time to update my journal before I found an Internet café which I know happen to exist in Würzburg. Apparently, Rothenburg wasn't advanced enough to have such luxuries.