One of my German teachers (we have two) has created the routine of taking us to a Cafe during our Tuesday afternoon class where we speak in German over coffee and cake. It has been quite lovely since Germans know how to do cake right. My favorite so far has been the Pflaumekuchen--or plum cake, which is a regional Hessen specialty. These trips have also resulted in us getting to see more of the city. On one of the trips we walked through a neighborhood with these adorable little German row houses. I want one :)
Last Saturday, the weather in Marburg was absolutely gorgeous--high of 78 both days. On Saturday, I spent the day in the city with my friends Ashlan and Chris. We watched some of our other friends take paddle and row boats out onto the Lahn River, which runs through Marburg. Below is a view of some of the houses on the Lahn. 
Last Sunday, our Fulbright excursion was to the Saalburg and the Limes. The Saalburg is a Roman fort located on the Taunus Ridge near Bad Homburg. It is part of the Limes Germaniscus, which was the Roman linear border fortification of the German provinces. The Limes and the Saalburg are UNESCO World Heritage Site. Below is a picture of the walls around the Saalburg. 
Our formal tour of the site was really interesting, but the highlight of the day were our mini-lessons in spear throwing and archery. As you can see from below, I was a pretty realistice Roman spear thrower. In reality, I was terrible at the distance throw, but I was the champion of the last contest--running and throwing the spear into a triangle of sand. Mine stuck every time. Mom and Dad, be proud of your little girl :) I think this means that if I were a Roman warrior, I would probably not have been very good at the actual taking down of an enemy, but I would have been great at "finishing off" anyone on the ground. 
I was better at archery. A skill which I am sure will come in handy...
Today we went to a small fortress at Burguine Frauenberg. The fortress was erected in 1250 by Sophie of Brabant, daughter of Saint Elisabeth (who Elisabethkirche is named after). It's main purpose was to oversee the crossing below and to watch the enemies. As you can see from these pictures, it has a great view of the surrounding area.
That's all for now. I hope all is well for all of you...and maybe I will see you in a few weeks when I will be home for the wedding of the lovely Sara Henrickson (soon to be Bercher!)
2 comments:
Hi Rachel, Ron just talked to your dad to wish him a happy birthday. He told Ron you sprained you ankle, sure hope that doesn't slow you down much. I've enjoyed following your adventures in Germany through you blog. I'll check back soon
Although the previous comment is attributed to rgbu, I thought I signed in as Jill. Just in case you're trying to figure out who sent that note!!
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