Halo! Guten tag aus Deutschland! Well, it has been a week and I am still alive...mostly. So far I love it here. Our program coordinator, Nils, is awesome and really knows his history. The monuments, cathedrals, and all-around-awesomeness are breathtaking and mind blowing.
For the first leg of "The Amazing Race: Deutschland", we were in Bonn and Koln. I could live in Bonn forever I think. The metro station, doners, sites, and history are all very impressive. The Koln Zoo was the best so far because we got to go behind the scenes and see the trainers work with the elephants. I probably posted 200 pics just from this week alone.
As for the first free weekend, my group of 3VMs and a lone 2VM ventured to Paris. We, of course, did the touristy thing and went to the second level of the Eiffel Tower...an impressive 687 steps! The second day there, we went to the Louvre and basically ran through it. I can officially say I have seen the Mona Lisa with my own eyes and have the pictures to prove this! We then walked through Notre Dame. I was so impressed and in awe with this cathedral. Not only was it beautiful, but as I walked through, I felt completely at peace and calm. It was an amazing feeling. While at Notre Dame, we walked through the underground catacombs and saw some spectacular ruins from the Roman Age. Another great aspect of this free weekend was the festival going on around Notre Dame when we were there. Bakers came from all over Paris to sell their goods...and they were very good!
After Notre Dame, we hiked up a few hills to see the Pantheon; a building of Roman architecture that is now a museum. Next on the list: Champs Elysees and the Triumphant Arch. This was the only "must see" for me while in Paris. Not only is this the 5th Avenue of Paris, but (more importantly) it is the final stage of Le Tour de France each year. Ever since I became addicted to watching and following le Tour each year, I have dreamed of seeing the amazing arch the mighty few race towards each year.
Finally, to make a great weekend better, we took a dinner cruise on the Seine River through the center of Paris. This was the most spectacular of all views. We cruised by the Lourve, the Eiffel Tower, several beautiful cathedrals, and much more. As we toasted our weekend goodbye with a tasty glass of champagne, we sat and enjoyed the perfect end to our weekend in Paris and our first week in Europe.
Overall, I have to say I love almost everything I've experience so far (2 exceptions): 1) some nasty cheese discovered while being brave and ordering the unknown in Paris and 2) having to pay more for soda or water than for the meal I am eating. Regardless, this has been the most amazing week of my life thus far. I am excited to be in Leipzig and Berlin for the coming week and hope to top the past week with awesomeness!
Ciao for now!
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