DK

The city center is a beautiful gem nestled between a river and forested mountainside. The buildings are made of pink stone, and overlooking the streets are the ruins of Heidelberg castle. There was an air of coziness throughout the city. As a class we got to tour the ruins and visit the Apothecary Museum situated there. It was interesting to see medicine as jars of boars’ teeth and snakeskin when, in class, we study tricyclic antidepressants and adrenergic receptors. Afterwards, we took another tram up the steep incline to the very top of the mountain. It was amazing how much more biting the wind was even just a little further up in altitude (high enough, I suppose, that there’s nothing to stop fast, sweeping winds). A few classmates and I took the winding path down the mountain, comprised of rough stone steps. By the bottom my legs were shaking, unused to being used like stilts. Our last night there I had schnitzel, a half pint of beer, and a glass of tap water more expensive than the beer!

Next, on to Frankfurt. 

This city was a thorough mix of old and new. It felt like you could look anywhere, close one eye and see modern, glassy skyscrapers; close the other and you see architecture from the 1600s. The Main was beautiful and blue in the sun, and the weather was clear, chill, and sunny - the perfect mid-autumn day. We were taken on a walking tour to see some of Frankfurt’s prettier views, and learned of some of the city’s uglier history. The stolpersteine all over the city were a sobering and powerful memorial. 

We were quite lucky to be in town for the 500th Reformation Day; some friends and I took the opportunity to see a Baroque choir perform for the occasion. I also did some extra celebrating by sampling the local apfelwein (the best way to describe it is “like apple cider, but not”). 

On the academic side (yes I am /studying/ abroad), we visited the Goethe Institute, and got to tour a genetics lab. I loved the machine with which slides of mice brains are prepared - the world’s most precise deli slicer. We also spent a long and exciting day at the Max Planck Institute of Frankfurt, and saw the animal testing that they do, as well as talked about the ethics of such testing. 

The last night in Frankfurt we visited a nightclub early enough in the evening that there was no cover charge. As the night went on and the crowd filed in and the band began playing, we realized it was a much nicer venue than we’d originally thought. At the very end of the night, a GIGANTIC surprise was another performer taking the stage - Nelly (who was in town on his European tour)! At first we gave each other looks wondering who this unannounced person was at the mic, but as soon as the intro to Hot In Herre started, we lost. our. minds. It was just the one song but the slim chances of us seeing it at all was unbelievable. 

So here’s the first of a series of things that’ve gone on in my life in the 10 weeks since you last heard from me, attempting to elaborate on and fill in the spaces between photosets (don’t worry, there will be more photosets). 

Travel Break One: Oct. 6th - Oct. 15th

I woke up on the first day of break at 4am, and got on an early morning flight to England. As with most places you haven’t been in a while, I didn’t realize how much I’d missed my home-away-from-home until I got there. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed my family members until we were hugging. Mum, Russell, Aunty Lisa and I immediately drove down to Wells-Next-The-Sea, where Ben (my cousin) and Emma were getting married the next day. I was quite excited, because I hadn’t been to a wedding since I was a small child - not to mention all the family that would be there, that I hadn’t seen in ages. 

The wedding took place at the beautiful, quirky, Voewood house, as well as the green gardens in the back. I found the ceremony quite moving (and we did have a little fun watching Ben squirm under the attention at the altar). The rest of the day was wonderful, from congratulating the new bride and groom, to a delicious South African dinner, and endless cheese, chocolate, and glasses of prosecco (and three jagerbombs from generous cousin Tom). 

The next day I got to go on a brief jaunt around Wells, which was nice because I have fond memories of it from three summers ago. I don’t know if I’ll ever get tired of walking along the Quay. After a lunch of homemade pizza, we said our goodbyes and drove to Market Deeping. It was strange thinking that the next time I see my newest once-removed cousin, tiny 8-week-old Duke, he’ll probably be able to talk in complete sentences (when I saw him he was just sorting out what his hands were). During our two days with Lisa and Russell, Mum and I got to have two proper English dinners: steak and ale pie, and fish and chips. It’s just not the same anywhere else. 

October 10th, Mum and I flew to Stockholm. The bus into the city from the airport drove us through idyllic farm plots bordered by tall, green and orange forests, with deer grazing in the undergrowth. It was so cold and windy, one of the first things we did was buy a hat from Mum, and a scarf for me (thanks H&M). Over the next two days, Mum and I strolled through Gamla Stan, visited the amazingly-preserved Vasa ship from the early 1600s, took the city ferry as the sun was setting, and also had some /amazing/ swedish meatballs. 

The 12th had us on another train, this time to Gothenburg. More beautiful Swedish scenery - this time trees teetered over the sheer rock that tumbled into the bluest lakes I’ve ever seen. When we arrived at our room, on an anchored “boat-el,” it was incredibly windy (thanks again, H&M). Gothenburg is a beautiful city, with canals running through the city center, and tiny parks scattered throughout. I did a speed run of the art museum an hour before it closed, and we both indulged in goose-breast-style cream desserts. Mum also got her prawn sandwich fix at the Fish Church (I’m not even the biggest shrimp fan, and it was really delicious). On the 13th, we arrived back in Hedehusene. 

It felt strange showing my Mum around Copenhagen, mostly because it felt really strange to have a foreign city be so familiar to me. That night Martin and Tina spoiled us with a birthday dinner (technically my Mum’s birthday dinner, but I was being spoiled too) of pork with crackling, pickled red cabbage, potatoes and gravy, and for dessert, apple cake.