First, I have to observe that on occasion, recently, I have found it slightly difficult to type in English. It is not as though I am losing my ability to speak or write English, but with the intensive influx of new language into my mind, I think it affects the way I think in other languages, and will probably continue to do so until such a time as I am comfortable with both languages. A good analogy would be going out on a boat for a while, where at first you do not have your “sea legs” and walking is a bit awkward. Then when you come back on land, you can still walk fine on land, but there is a bit of a “different” feeling to it, since your body had gotten used to walking on a boat.
This morning, after sleeping in for a bit, I got up and headed to the bus stop with to meet a friend for some “tourist time.” We had both determined that, what with walking all over Marburg, but always with a specific destination, we needed to take a chance to be tourists and take photographs before the view changed (from the leaves changing colour or snow falling).
 |
| The Bus Stop |
After taking the bus into the city, we got off at the train station and walked to Elizabethkirche, the old church in Marburg.
 |
| The Train Station |
From there, we continued on past the Centre for Near- and Middle-Eastern Studies, in which our language class is held, to the entrance to Oberstadt. After a stroll through Oberstadt, it was off to the castle!
 |
| Elizabethkirche |
 |
| Elizabethkirche | |
 |
| Elizabethkirche |
 |
| Nonsensical German imitation of an American restaurant |
|
Following the visit to the castle, we headed back through Oberstadt and toward the Mensa, stopping at a restaurant for lunch. The Mensa is a combined student union, cafeteria, and university office building.
 |
| CNMS |
 |
| Old Houses in Marburg |
 |
| The River Lahn |
 |
| University Office Building |
 |
| Market Centre in Oberstadt |
 |
| Market Centre in Oberstadt |
 |
| Fountain in the Market Centre |
 |
| Old House in Oberstadt |
 |
| Carton of Lychee Iced Green Tea from my favourite German tea company, TeaGschwendner! |
 |
| View from Oberstadt |
 |
| The Castle from Below |
 |
| Looking over the City from the Castle |
 |
| Another Side of the Castle |
 |
| Small Vineyard in the Castle |
 |
| At the Castle with a Residential Part of Marburg in the Background |
 |
| The Back Side of the Castle |
Our photo-tourism trip over, we headed to Rewe, a local grocery store, to stock up on food. Two things unique to grocery stores, and many other stores, here are the necessity to pay a small deposit to get a shopping cart. Usually only a half-Euro, one puts the coin into a small box on the cart to unlock it from the rack, uses the cart, then, upon returning it, pushing the cart back into the locked rack releases the deposit coin. Maybe if the US were to implement something like this in more stores there would be fewer random shopping carts abandoned around towns. The other unique thing is that, in order to promote recycling and reuse, bags for groceries must either be purchased (typically 10 or 20 Euro cents apiece) or personally brought to the store for one’s own use.
 |
| The Mensa |
At the grocery store, I found two interesting energy drinks. One was Rockstar Punched, but was unique in that it was Rockstar plus Apple flavour, which I had never seen in the US. The other was Monster: Ripper. Looking a lot like Monster: M-80, I bought one and then looked it up when I got back home. As it turns out, Monster: Ripper is just the European name for M-80. Tastes exactly the same, too.
 |
Monster: Ripper (European Monster: M-80)
Saft means "juice" |
This afternoon I have been organising pictures from this morning, writing this post, enjoying my energy drink, and relaxing. This evening will probably include German studying, possibly watching a movie, and definitely enjoying some tea.
I heard two things today that made my European experience feel more complete. First, on our way up to the castle, I heard an Italian woman exclaim “Mama mia!” It was amusing, because it is such a stereotypical Italian phrase, but I have never heard an Italian say it before. Second, I heard a German refer to his female companion as “Schatz.” Literally meaning “treasure,” the word is used here in Germany as a term of endearment, akin to “dear,” “darling,” or “sweetheart.”
Dinner is approaching, so for now I will take my leave. Enjoy the pictures!
No comments:
Post a Comment