Horsehair Weekly: "May Term 2013" Days 6-11

Whoa! I know, right? Two posts in two days? Don't worry, it probably won't happen again.

May 5-7 - Spend most of May 5 on the train, sad to have said good-bye to Iga. Chug into Wittenberg, Germany mid-afternoon and find my college advisor, Dr. Kleinhans and her May Term class touring the Luther Garden. Spend the next two days wandering Wittenberg with the class and Christian from Colleg Wittenberg, eating, shopping, visiting. Tour the Lutherhaus and Melanchthonhaus. Stay in the youth hostel next to the Castle Church.

Wartburg College group in the Luther Garten

Castle Church

Castle Church doors - 95 Theses!

Corpus Christi Chapel where we joined the "Christus
Bruderschaft Selbitz" (Lutheran nuns) for Evening Prayer

Jewish Memorial - response to the Judensau
["The city of Wittenberg contains a Judensau from 1305, on the façade of the Stadkirche, the church where Martin Luther preached. It portrays a rabbi who looks under the sow's tail, and other Jews drinking from its teats. An inscription reads 'Rabini Shem hamphoras,' gibberish which presumably bastardizes 'shem ha-meforasch'. The sculpture is one of the last remaining examples in Germany of 'medieval Jew baiting.' In 1988, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Kristallnacht, debate sprung up about the monument, which resulted in the addition of a sculpture recognizing that during the Holocaust six million Jews were murdered 'under the sign of the cross'." (Wikipedia)]

Katharina Von Bora, Dr. Kleinhans and me
outside the Lutherhaus

May 8 - I leave Wittenberg early, hopping on a train that will take me to the Czech Republic. I find my way (several trains and an unexpected bus trip later) to the adorable little town Český Krumlov. Here I met Mandy (something about flying around the world to meet up with a friend from Minnesota??) and her research partner. We explore Krumlov in the rain, discover gardens, some cute touristy shops, and some amazing food (beer). My journal reminds me that I had eaten nothing that day, until supper, except a Black Espresso Magnum bar (to die for!) and a Snickers. And we got "flashed" by a drunk dude making no attempt to hide anything peeing no-hands-style in the street outside a bar. "Thanks for telling me not to look."

Mandy and me!

Oh, and some logs. Can't forget the log story. As we are wandering through gardens, we come upon a couple giant hollow logs just sitting there. Of course we decide we must climb in them. In my excitement, something happens and BAM! I'm on my face in the mud puddle. Don't worry, my feet went so high my new shoes stayed clean.

Logs!

Good thing this was my clean outfit.

We drive back to Mandy's place where Mandy and Joey pack up their bird stuff and we crash.

May 9 - Basically a travel day with a bit of time to explore once in Vienna. Back in German speaking territory, I reflect on how much I appreciate the little bit of German skills I have. I pay a small fortune for an amazing Cordon Bleu and a Coke before I get very lost in the dark trying to find my way back to the world's coolest hostel: WOMBATS!