Ok, so I am way behind on posting this. I meant to do it right away, but life happened. So here it is now. Hopefully I’ll be posting another one up soon about Oviedo. It’s ironic how this is called the “view from Oviedo”, but then I only write about my travels to other countries.
There aren’t many things better than spending a week touring across Germany with your college roommate. So many laughs, memories, long talks, perfect weather, and beautiful sights. Instead of a day by day description, I decided that a few of my favorite memories from the week would be more entertaining.
The layout of Heidelberg is one of the most breathtaking sights I have seen. It is a small city nestled between two bright green hills with a river flowing in through the middle and an old ruined castle tucked away on a hill. After touring the castle, we lazed around in the palace gardens amid the bright flowers and green grass. We walked back to our hostel at night along the river with the lights reflecting off the water and the castle illuminated behind us. The beauty of this city is indescribable.
After forgetting to confirm our hostel for Freiburg, we ended up booking a last minute camping caravan for two in the Black Forest. We were both very hesitant about what we would find upon arriving. Images kept popping up in my mind of us huddled together in a small tent listening to the sounds of rowdy bikers and backpackers all around. Upon arriving at the camping sight, we were overjoyed to see families with adorable little German children running around. The camper we stayed in was like a little house made into a 10x15 foot space, and it was right on the edge of the Black Forest. We woke up the next morning after a glorious night of sleep, and headed for the woods. Hiking through dense forests, yellow fields of flowers, and ancient German forts was like walking through a fairy tale. Even though cathedrals, castles, and historical monuments are incredible, nothing compares to the beauty of God’s creation. He is so present in the small flowers, the rolling hills, and the sun shining through the green of the leaves.
The train ride from Freiburg to Konstanz was another wonderful memory. Winding through hills and mountains, along rivers and through tunnels, the train went straight through the heart of the Black Forest. Almost as soon as we got on, it began to pour outside (the only rain we had the whole trip!), but we were cozy and warm in the comfort of the train.
Probably the highlight of the whole trip for me, we decided to rent bikes and go along Lake Bodensee. We biked along the edge of the lake with water on one side and orchards, wild flowers, and cute little towns on the other. Before we knew it we had crossed over the border into Switzerland. We went to a little grocery store to buy some chocolate, cheese, and fruit for a very Swiss lunch, but at the checkout counter we were very surprised to discover that Switzerland has a different currency than the Euro. Haha thankfully we were still able to pay, but we sure didn’t look like the brightest girls. We had our picnic down by the lake, and we talked for hours in the sunshine.
Germany was incredible. All the people that we met were so helpful and patient, the food was delicious, the nature was stunning, and seeing it all with my roomie made it even better.
Heidelberg
Hiking in the Black Forest
Crossing the Germany/Switzerland border
Lake Bodensee