A visit to Crailsheim

So this may be a long one since it's been four days and I do talk a lot...

For Easter and my first weekend in Germany, I rode the train for 3 1/2 hours to Crailsheim. It is the partner city of my hometown, Worthington (MN). Simply put it was amazing. First of all, my host for the weekend, Dieter Kainzinger, the president of the Crailsheim-Worthington committee in Germany had everything planned out (which as you understand is something I can really appreciate). He did SO much and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. When I arrived on Friday I got to help color Easter Eggs (Ostereier), and help bake an Easterlamb. (Dieter actually took care of everything, I just dissolved the color tablets and buttered the pan for the cake in the shape of a lamb). Around dinner we drove to the top of the hill North of Crailsheim to look out over the entire city. Then we went on the Autobahn (by Crailsheim the Autobahn does NOT have a speed limit). That was awesome. Dieter's PT Cruiser can go pretty fast. After dinner, we went through Dieter's photo albums of his trips to America and laughed about all the experiences and exchanged stories of America and Deutschland.

Saturday started early (8:00 a.m. breakfast, uff da...I know, I know...I complain) and we drove to Schillingsfuerst to tour the castle once owned by multiple German Kaisers and current home to a German Aristocrat. Standing high on the hill, we overlooked the entire region and saw the sign for our German lunch--one at Burger King. (even though YUM enterprise is only 1/10 the size of McDonalds corporate, they still have a location by Crailsheim).

Therafter we drove further to Rothenberg--an incredibly historic and incredibly tourist-laden city completely surrounded by the stone wall once used as a barrier. We kind of went shopping--especially in this Christmas store where I really wanted to by a hand-painted glass ornament. It was expensive to start (35 euros), but I figured with Dieter's 20% discount and taking the 19% tax off, it would be a good deal, especially because they ship it out of the country for you and insure it in the meantime. BUT, with shipping the total was almost 62 euros for a glass bulb. Schade (oh schucks).

Sunday was Easter and we had delicious Duck with Kraut and dumplings. Then the afternoon Elena Fernandez, a former exchange student from Crailsheim into Worthington, came to coffee. It was so nice to see her again and hear that she's doing very well. She'll finish school in 1 1/2 weeks when she passes her high-school leaving exams (Abiturs) and then work in business in Crailsheim.

Then today was the last day and we drove to Dinkelsbuehl, approx 18 KM East. Completely original in structure and layout, as it was not destroyed in the wars, it is an authentic and beautiful little city. Surprisingly, the church there is HUGE! (Considering it's catholic, it's actually not that surprising--sorry but I gotta throw in that joke). It was amazing inside. Dieter and I stepped in for 15 minutes to listen to the ceremony (Monday was a holiday in Germany). The music resonated forever in the long and tall church. Everything smelled like inscense and the monotone priest spoke a German prayer that I couldn't understand because it was in German and all sung in one straight consistent line. Totally awesome.

Now I'm back. I start my orientation at the University tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully everything goes well. You'll hear about it.

Until then.