Guys, I apologize in advance for how incredibly long this post will be. It encompasses three days!
I spent the 26, 27, and the morning of the 28 in Germany with some old friends. Rachel was one of my small group leaders at church back like six years ago. She moved to Germany with her husband and now they have two super cute little girls.
Last week, I messaged her and an hour later, I was booked to go to Germany! Total spur of the moment thing, but in Europe, it's easier to do that kind of stuff.
I ended up leaving the dorms about three hours before my flight. The tube was going to take a bit over an hour, so I wanted plenty of time. Due to a signal failure on literally the last stop before I would get there, the service shut down and I have to catch a train the rest of the way putting me around a half hour behind what I wanted to be.
I finally got there and checking in was no problem, but I needed food. I ended up finding a little cafe place and got a fruit cup and some mousse. I dropped it all, but even though the mousse lid fell off, no yummy hit the ground, so I ate it still.
My plane left Heathrow Terminal 5 (that's important when I start posting the pictures) at midmorning. I landed an hour later.
We ended up getting delayed about a half hour, but it didn't mess the day up too badly.
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| Terminal 5 is hosting a Doctor Who exhibit right now! |
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| The journey started in Hamburg |
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| Found them! |
After meeting up with Rachel and Jessi, we (I, actually. They've both most likely seen it all already) headed off to tour Hamburg. We started off at Starbucks where I had my first White Mocha in months. They don't have heavy whipping cream over here, so I can't get a latte. Figured if I was going bad, might as well go all the way.
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| Add caption |
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| I think this was town hall, or maybe the courthouse |
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| The fountain in the courtyard of the above building |
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| The Hamburg underground. Another city I can add to my list of public transport! |
After walking around a bit, we headed to the harbour to take a boat tour. Hamburg has the 2nd biggest port in Europe and the 9th in the world, so the tour showed a lot of the port parts.
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| A submarine! |
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| Tons of freight ships being unloaded. Some were being unloaded at that moment, so it was cool. |
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| Sometimes they're all full |
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| Hamburg has a Lion King theatre! |
After the tour, we had one more stop before dinner. We walked to the old tunnel. To get to the tunnel, we had to take an elevator. Part of it was being worked on, so only one side was open. In the morning, cars go one way. In the evening, they go the other way.
To get below ground, cars take an elevator.
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| The small tunnel |
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| Two cars can fit in this elevator at once. A lot of people can fit in it. |
After the tunnel, we were all starving. Hard Rock Cafe was the place of choice for dinner that night. It was good, as always, and I got a couple shirts.
After Hard Rock, we drove off to where the house where I was staying about 45 minutes away from Hamburg. There, I finally got to see Marc and the girls. The oldest one understands English, but "can't" speak it yet. It was funny because today, when they once again reminded her that I can't speak German and that she had to speak English, she got a puzzled look on her face and exclaimed, in German, that I was answering her correctly, so I had to speak German so she didn't need to speak English. She was just really good at pointing at things.
The next morning, we ate breakfast at Marc's parents house. German breakfast is like our lunch. It was sandwiches! I ended up having a ham and gouda sandwich, with bread. I know, I know, but it's rude to tell people that are kind enough to let a stranger eat their food that you don't eat that kind of food. It hadn't been long enough without the bread to make me sick, but I did sleep the entire drive to Lübeck.
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| One of the original town gates. It was built in the 1400s. |
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| A viewing platform at St. Peter's church. |
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| The view of the town gate from the viewing platform |
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| The day after Palm Sunday 1942, the British bombed Lubeck. It was WWII, so it was understandable, but these bells fell from the top of St. Mary's Church. Since that day, they've remained in the landing spot. I thought that was really neat. |
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| In St. Mary's church |
For some reason, Rachel and Jessi thought no trip to Lübeck was complete without a trip to the Marzipan museum. Marzipan is sugar and almonds. It doesn't sound too good, but it was really neat!
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| She was making marzipan roses! |
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| Marzipan fruit |
After that, we walked back to the car to head to the canoe spot.
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| I couldn't find the bridge of love in Paris, so I found one in Germany! |
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| I don't know which picture I like more |
We canoed from one city to another. It took two hours! There were branches and trees all over! It was exciting, but there were evil bite-y horseflies EVERYWHERE.
After the canoe trip, there was enough time to go take showers before dinner at Marc's parents. I had my first bratwurst! It was great. I hope Opa's has them back home. I also had chicken and turkey. It was weird because everyone was speaking German and I wasn't sure what was going on. I did get ice cream afterwards though.
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| This place is famous apparently. I can see why. |
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| Vanilla, tiramisu, and After Eight (mint chocolate chip) |
After the ice cream, it was time to go to sleep.
The next morning, it was time for church. I can now say I've been to a German church service. A lady sat in the back and translated everything for me, so it was neat.
After church, it was time to head back "home" to London. The flight was pretty empty, so that was nice. They ran out of apple juice, so I drank and OJ, which was a mistake, because now I have bumps on my tongue.
Customs took forever and this lady wouldn't keep her space. Her kid that was strapped to her front kept grabbing at my back, so I started swaying back and forth nudging the kid each time. The girl starts screaming, but the mom kept staying close, so I don't feel too bad.
I was planning on going grocery shopping before church, but the lines at the airport took so long and then I was on the tube forever, that I had to go straight there. Brian Houston preached again, so that was great.
I went to the store on the way back to campus. I'd been craving spicy potato wedges all day, so I was bummed when I saw the hot bar was closed, but ecstatic when I saw the boxed wedges on the heater. I went to pay, and my card didn't work. I went to the ATM, it didn't work. I went to another, and again, it didn't work. I didn't get my potatoes.
Arghhh. And that was how this weekend went.
