Germany offers unique charm
By Jason Loeffler
For The Mirror The average student studying abroad can become overwhelmed by the sheer number of places and attractions they can see during their semester in another country, but this last weekend I spent in Germany will forever be imprinted on my memory. I can honestly say that the weekend I spent in Munich, which is nestled in the heart of old Bavaria, was the best experience I have had since coming to Europe. Munich itself was surprisingly clean and the people very jolly and welcoming. I spent one night in a traditional German beer hall called the Hofbrauhaus, a cavernous room that caters to hundreds of hungry and thirsty denizens with platters of Weiner-schnitzel, bratwurst, pretzels, and liter-sized mugs of locally-brewed beer. The resident “oom-pah” band dresses in Lederhosen and plays both German folk and American pop music on their massive brass horns, and I was shocked to discover that most of the beer in Germany, at seven to ten percent alcohol by volume, is actually cheaper than the water! It also happened that my visit coincided with the Spring Carnival, the largest festival in the country after Oktoberfest, and I got to ride  Jason Loeffler, junior, visited Germany during his semester abroad in London. several roller-coasters and other attractions while sampling the
wide variety of cheap beers from around the country. Later, I discovered the
famous Glockenspiel, a massive clock with 43 bells and several sets of
puppet-like courtiers in festive gear dancing to traditional German folk music.
You can check out videos of it on youtube, if you so choose.
One morning I took a side trip to Dachau, the first of the many Nazi concentration camps, and it was…well, sobering. A tour of the barracks showed me what the living conditions were really like for residents |  Neuschwanstein Castle is located on a mountain top in Germany near Bavaria. It is the most photographed building in Germany and one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. of the camp, but actually walking
through the gas chambers and touching the ovens in the crematoriums brought the
experience to a whole new level. Silence dominated the area, while a sense of
horror and of reverence passed through those of us walking where the prisoners
were forced to work and die so many years ago. The visit fundamentally altered
my impression of WWII and the world at large as other similar events continue
to appear in the contemporary world.
During another morning and afternoon of my holiday in Bavaria, I made the journey to Neuschwanstein Castle, perhaps the most famous palace in the world. It has provided the model for many castles in modern culture, including the one for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty that the company also traditionally uses on their logo. From its steps, one receives a wonderful view of the lush Bavarian plains, irrigated naturally from the mountain-rivers and lakes in the nearby Swiss Alps, into which Neuschwanstein itself is nestled. I couldn’t help feeling nostalgic for Grimm’s Fairy Tales as I stared into the beautiful darkness of the Black Forest surrounding the castle, either. There is such a magic to that locale. Without doubt, Neuschwanstein was the most captivating palace I experienced while in Europe. In closing, I will never forget my trip to Munich and the Bavarian countryside, as it was my favorite sojourn so far in my semester abroad. Germany is definitely a place I want to go back to, since one weekend there is simply not enough. The food was great, the area was lovely, the beer was plentiful, and the people were among the most friendly I have ever met. Auf Wiedersehen! |
NOTE: The above selection is an original work by the author, Jason Loeffler; he retains all rights to its content.
