Bavaria

Another bye week for the Diamonds so I travelled with Naso, a teammate, to his hometown of Burghausen in Bavaria. Naso is one of the most interesting guys on the team--a carpenter by trade and a member of the Diamonds for several years now. He lives fully in the present more than anyone I've ever met--the definition of spontaneity. I really like that he positions himself to enjoy life's moments as they come without worrying too much about an agenda. I mention this because it gives some insight into what my days in Bavaria looked like.

We originally intended to see Munich and a famous salt mine in Salzburg among other things, but we abandoned a plan altogether and visited whatever jumped in front of us. We didn't realize it until we arrived, but it turns out that Burghausen had their annual Folks Fest this weekend so we spent Thursday and Friday night with the locals. This was my first experience with these Fests that, from what I hear, make summers in Germany so much fun. Burghausen's Folks Fest was like a carnival and a theme-party rolled into one accompanied by live music and a huge beer tent. Almost everyone was wearing traditional German outfits--lederhosen for the men and dirndl for the women. I tried to sneak a few photos of these outfits. It was impossible for me to take these guys seriously.

On Friday, Naso and I visited the castle in Burghausen which is the largest castle complex in all of Europe. It overlooks the Salzach River which marks the border between Germany and Austria. The interesting thing about this castle is its usefulness today. Many of the castles I've visited in Germany serve no purpose beyond their historical significance and aesthetic qualities. But the castle in Burghausen has shops, restaurants, and even apartments for locals all built into the original structure. I can't think of a cooler place to live. Here is a picture of one end of the castle. It stretches over a kilometer long in the other direction.

Later on Friday, we saw the Chiemsee also known as the Bavarian Sea. The Alps standing at one end make it a beautiful sight but also cause unpredictable and often violent weather. We missed the worst part of it, but a huge hailstorm leveled the area minutes before we arrived. Here's a sample of the hail I'm talking about. It smashed a few car windows around us. But after such a storm, the skies left us with this picture.

.

The weather eventually allowed for a great day at the lake. Naso's mother joined us and we took a ferry to a small island in the sea. We walked the island and had dinner before returning to Burghausen and the Folks Fest that night. Here's a shot from the island with the Alps in the background. There's still a bit of snow on the peaks.

.

We play again this Saturday and should get a much needed win. I'm still waiting for my Visa to arrive so I can begin teaching. In the meantime, I'm reading, exercising, and still trying to explore different parts of the country.

God bless!

Football, Friends, Fellowship

We've played two more games since my last post. We split them so our record is now 1-2. The defense continues to play well but the offense has not been able to play consistently. It's always difficult to be the quarterback on a struggling offense. Eyes turn first to him for answers as they should. I'm used to the quarterback being accountable for much of the offense's production, but I think it's even more accentuated here. I'm the only American on the team and supposed to possess superior knowledge and skills of the game. So the expectations are quite high. I invite the challenge though and look forward to a winning streak that should start soon. I remember too that football is pure joy to play. I try to work hard and be prepared and after that, just have fun. Attached is a picture of the coin toss before the game. Notice the "A" that all Americans must have sewn on their jerseys.

The highlight of this last week was having Mandy, Phil, and Ashley, three good friends from Davidson, visit for four days (more about the visit later). I was especially blessed to have them here because my Grandma Jean passed away on Mother's Day. Just their presence here provided a connection with home that I desperately needed at that time.

Grandma Jean had been declining for the last two months. Although she's been on my mind quite a bit, I've felt so removed from her suffering and its effects on home. I didn't make it back for the funeral but I think I'm still learning how to healthily celebrate life and mourn death. I've spent much time reflecting on her life and what she meant to my family. She was a strong, independent, hard-working woman, and she carried an irrepressible pride for her children and grandchildren. I'll remember the big pots of chili she would make for our family and the US bonds that me and my brothers would receive every birthday and holiday. I don't consider my relationship with her especially close but I loved her dearly and always felt certain of hers in return. She will be missed.

I'll try to capture my visitors' experience in two paragraphs and a few pictures. We started Sunday morning when they arrived in Frankfurt. In what must have been the longest day of their lives, we visited castles and courtyards in a few towns in the south and then came back to Griesheim for a late BBQ with my host family. The first picture comes from Heidelburg, a simply beautiful city. Its cathedrals, downtown area, and of course the castle that you can see in the background make it a popular stop for tourists. The second picture comes from a castle/courtyard in Schwetzinger. We spent a few

hours walking just half of the courtyard. It was very beautiful with its statues, bird sanctuaries, fountains, streams, and the greenery all around. Here is a sample of what it looked like. Monday was in Darmstadt, Tuesday in Frankfurt, and Wednesday back on the road to see a remodeled Roman fort. In its original existence, it stood along the Northern border of the Roman Empire. This was as far north as the Romans came and the fort was clearly built for military purposes. Its positioning on high ground, the moat around it and its high walls made it a difficult place to attack I'm sure.

Highlights of the trip. First, while walking in Darmstadt, I suggested stopping to eat some döner, a Turkish sandwich that's very popular here. Phil, thinking I said "doughnuts," agreed and was very confused when he saw the Turkish menu with only Kebaps and Pizza on it. Second, on our first dinner out at a beer garden, we resolved to only speak to the waiter in German, trying to conceal that we were Americans. We were all very excited when he gave us our menus and we replied with "danke" (thank you) without him noticing. When we tried to pronounce our dinner choices, however, I didn't get out the first syllable of "putenschnitzel" before he smiled and asked, "English, Irish? Where are you from?" We laughed and enjoyed some great German cuisine. Third, while walking in Darmstadt, it dawned on us that we couldn't possibly look anymore like tourists. It was raining and a little cold. We were the only people on the streets with shorts (yes, all 4 of us), without umbrellas, and with a giant map of the city I had to pull out at every intersection. Fourth, hearing Phil and Mandy try to pronounce every German word written on signs and advertisements throughout the city. Hilarious.

I will be more regular with my posts. I've been very busy catching the train every morning to Frankfurt. I just finished training to become a Berlitz instructor. As soon as I get my working Visa, I'll be teaching in the classroom and hopefully taking a few German lessons.

Take care and God bless!