I used to learn Spanish.
The proudest moment of my Spanish-learning endeavor was not getting good grades, or figuring out elusive extra credit questions. It was not the time I got an 100 on a test.
Last year, I went to China over spring break. The best part of it wasn't climbing the Great Wall or visiting the striking palaces or even the food.
It was the moment, on a crowded, busy Beijing street, by a vendor selling fried scorpions on a stick--in a span of five minutes, I spoke three languages at once. I conversed with the vendor and translated for tourists from Spain, and in that moment in time, I switched between the three languages I knew in varying degrees of fluency almost effortlessly.
(I also tried to dissuade the tourists from buying said scorpions on a stick, but sadly, the didn't heed me.)
That was an aha moment for me. I was a little bit sick and weak that day, but I remember emerging from that street, my cheeks glowing. The fact that I COULD use the things that were taught me in class--and in such a natural way--it made me love languages even more.
This fall, even though I switched from Spanish to German, at a park district center, I picked up a copy of a Spanish newspaper--and discovered that I could read it.
That, also, was a groundbreaking moment for me.
As I am learning German, I try to do well in class, but my teacher is also very, very good at combining culture and colloquies with grammar and conjugation. Little by little, I get the full experience of Germany and its culture.
The discoveries have spiked up my life in little ways. Reading a tweet in German and suddenly figuring out that the word "gewinnt" meant "win" in past tense. Being at a debate tournament and discovering that one of the opponents' last name was Silber--meaning silver in German.
Realizing that German isn't quite the guttural, throaty language I had perceived it to be, but actually something that sounded smooth and sweet and concise.
These little discoveries are my proudest moments.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Saturday, January 11, 2014
The German Pretzel
You know what I'm talking about.
Those big, soft, chewy works of art, twisted into a rolls of doughy goodness.
(I'm hungry.)
The German pretzel (Laugenbrezeln) has quite a long history, dating its prominent origins back to maybe the 12th century (some sources say it originated from an Italian monk in the 7th century). By the 17th century, the German pretzel was seen as a sort of religious food, usually consumed during the Lent/Easter time period. The three holes in the pretzel represented the Trinity (father, son, Holy Spirit), and during matrimony, the pretzel was thought to represent union and eternal love (hence the phrase, "tying the knot!")
The pretzel is one of the staple foods of Germany, and throughout many regions of Southern German (such as Bavaria), it can be eaten for breakfast or snack. During Oktoberfet, the pretzel is usually accompanied by fine German beer and weisswurst (white sausage).
It is traditionally made with flour, butter, yeast, and warm water. To give it the distinct crunch, some pretzels are also dipped in lye.
(I'm getting really, really hungry.)
*skips off to make my own pretzels*
Sources:
http://www.theoktoberfest.com/HTML/pretzel/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-soft-pretzels-recipe/index.html
http://www.bavarianpretzelfactory.com/history.html
Those big, soft, chewy works of art, twisted into a rolls of doughy goodness.
 |
| Source: |
(I'm hungry.)
The German pretzel (Laugenbrezeln) has quite a long history, dating its prominent origins back to maybe the 12th century (some sources say it originated from an Italian monk in the 7th century). By the 17th century, the German pretzel was seen as a sort of religious food, usually consumed during the Lent/Easter time period. The three holes in the pretzel represented the Trinity (father, son, Holy Spirit), and during matrimony, the pretzel was thought to represent union and eternal love (hence the phrase, "tying the knot!")
The pretzel is one of the staple foods of Germany, and throughout many regions of Southern German (such as Bavaria), it can be eaten for breakfast or snack. During Oktoberfet, the pretzel is usually accompanied by fine German beer and weisswurst (white sausage).
It is traditionally made with flour, butter, yeast, and warm water. To give it the distinct crunch, some pretzels are also dipped in lye.
(I'm getting really, really hungry.)
*skips off to make my own pretzels*
Sources:
http://www.theoktoberfest.com/HTML/pretzel/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-soft-pretzels-recipe/index.html
http://www.bavarianpretzelfactory.com/history.html
Agnes Obel
I have a weird, incredibly picky music palate. My playlists are often 10-20 songs long, if that. When I like a song, I really, truly love it, and am willing to listen to it all day.
Which leads to the fact that I never really like an artist, only certain songs he/she has to offer.
But.
There has been maybe 3 exceptions to this case. And singer/pianist Agnes Obel is one of them.
This is my favorite song from her, Dorian.
Agnes is 33 years old, originally from Denmark. But she has been living in Berlin since 2006. She has produced 2 albums, one called Philharmonics, and another newly released album called Aventine. Her works are inspired by Edgar Allen Poe, Alfred Hitchcock, Maurice Ravel, and Erik Satie.
I have just recently discovered her, but she seemed to be a bit of a European sensation, with both her albums hitting number one on the charts of Denmark, Belgium, Norway, and Germany.
Go on and listen. It's perfect for a rainy day.
Which leads to the fact that I never really like an artist, only certain songs he/she has to offer.
But.
There has been maybe 3 exceptions to this case. And singer/pianist Agnes Obel is one of them.
This is my favorite song from her, Dorian.
Agnes is 33 years old, originally from Denmark. But she has been living in Berlin since 2006. She has produced 2 albums, one called Philharmonics, and another newly released album called Aventine. Her works are inspired by Edgar Allen Poe, Alfred Hitchcock, Maurice Ravel, and Erik Satie.
I have just recently discovered her, but she seemed to be a bit of a European sensation, with both her albums hitting number one on the charts of Denmark, Belgium, Norway, and Germany.
Go on and listen. It's perfect for a rainy day.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Movie: The Book Thief
So on Friday, I saw the movie for The Book Thief.
I read the book in 8th grade. It was part of the reading curriculum. Other than Animal Farm, it was the only book I loved.
The story is set in World War 2 Germany, narrated from the point of view of Death. It follows the story of Liesel, who is adopted by foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann and lives and grows up in a socialist world with many internal conflicts.
Hans is a tall gentle man that teaches Liesel to read and plays the accordion. Rosa is a sharp-tongued woman who has a soft heart inside. She swears and curses frequently and often, using the words saukerl and saumensch, meaning "filthy pig", and arschloch, meaning "asshole".
I was so afraid that the movie would underscore the book, because the book was beautiful on its own, and i was sure that the beautiful, witty language could not be transcribed onto screen.
I was wrong. I bawled. The entire time.
It makes me want to cry just thinking about it, because the movie was amazing all on its own.
There was Max Vandenburg, the German Jew that hid in the Hubermanns' basements for a time. Liesel made him want to survive and know what it was like to live, describing simple things such as the weather, or bringing a handful of snow. Max, on the other hand, encouraged her to read and to write and share the stories of her own. He says, (heavily paraphrased"...
"In our religion, we believe that every living thing, every leaf, every creature, every human, has a secret word that gives them life. it is what separates us from that lump of clay...Use it, Liesel. Words are the power we have."
That is deep.
And then there was Rudy.
Rudy!!!!!
Rudy :'( :'( :( :(
He was the boy Liesel befriended, who played soccer and once painted himself black with charcoal to pretend to be Jesse Owens. He walked with her, he raced with her down the streets, and once, he tried to run away with her, with nothing but a three-piece suit on his back and a soccer ball in a rucksack. The first time he raced her down a snowy street, he bet her a kiss if he won. No spoilers, but I was laughing crying so, so hard in the scenes with Rudy, because he is adorable and impulsive, rebellious and funny.
So many feels.
The scenes that I imagined in my head while reading the book were shot so powerfully. Even in the scenes where there were no words spoken, there was a deep presence of the era, of a war-torn country and the people living in it. It wasn't a country full of brainwashed people--no, no, no. They were desperate, but they were still strong, still loving and stoic. It depicts that time period without judgement, and I was grateful for that.
In the end, there was this old couple in front of us that kissed, and hugged each other, which just...
The tears.
So watch it. Bring tissues.And read the book too, because it truly is one of the great contemporaries of this century.
I read the book in 8th grade. It was part of the reading curriculum. Other than Animal Farm, it was the only book I loved.
The story is set in World War 2 Germany, narrated from the point of view of Death. It follows the story of Liesel, who is adopted by foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann and lives and grows up in a socialist world with many internal conflicts.
Hans is a tall gentle man that teaches Liesel to read and plays the accordion. Rosa is a sharp-tongued woman who has a soft heart inside. She swears and curses frequently and often, using the words saukerl and saumensch, meaning "filthy pig", and arschloch, meaning "asshole".
I was so afraid that the movie would underscore the book, because the book was beautiful on its own, and i was sure that the beautiful, witty language could not be transcribed onto screen.
I was wrong. I bawled. The entire time.
It makes me want to cry just thinking about it, because the movie was amazing all on its own.
There was Max Vandenburg, the German Jew that hid in the Hubermanns' basements for a time. Liesel made him want to survive and know what it was like to live, describing simple things such as the weather, or bringing a handful of snow. Max, on the other hand, encouraged her to read and to write and share the stories of her own. He says, (heavily paraphrased"...
"In our religion, we believe that every living thing, every leaf, every creature, every human, has a secret word that gives them life. it is what separates us from that lump of clay...Use it, Liesel. Words are the power we have."
That is deep.
And then there was Rudy.
Rudy!!!!!
Rudy :'( :'( :( :(
He was the boy Liesel befriended, who played soccer and once painted himself black with charcoal to pretend to be Jesse Owens. He walked with her, he raced with her down the streets, and once, he tried to run away with her, with nothing but a three-piece suit on his back and a soccer ball in a rucksack. The first time he raced her down a snowy street, he bet her a kiss if he won. No spoilers, but I was laughing crying so, so hard in the scenes with Rudy, because he is adorable and impulsive, rebellious and funny.
So many feels.
The scenes that I imagined in my head while reading the book were shot so powerfully. Even in the scenes where there were no words spoken, there was a deep presence of the era, of a war-torn country and the people living in it. It wasn't a country full of brainwashed people--no, no, no. They were desperate, but they were still strong, still loving and stoic. It depicts that time period without judgement, and I was grateful for that.
In the end, there was this old couple in front of us that kissed, and hugged each other, which just...
The tears.
So watch it. Bring tissues.And read the book too, because it truly is one of the great contemporaries of this century.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
And, *drumroll*....A Guest Interview!
So...
During my research about Germany, I stumbled upon quite a few travel blogs. One of them was Ali's Adventures, and she had amusing, quirky, informative posts about living in Germany and her experiences with traveling around the world. One of her posts greatly helped me with deciphering the German trash system, and many other things--Ali just seemed like a cool person all-around.
And...I asked her for an interview.
And she sad YES!
Ali Garland had made it a mission to get to all seven continents before she turned the age of 30, and she succeeded! Nowadays, she lives with her husband, Andy--also a travel addict--in Freiburg, Germany, and they run a travel blog, Ctrl-Alt-Travel, with thousands of views a month. (How COOL is that, seriously!) For anyone who wants to check it out, links are below the interview.
Without further ado...
...
....
Thank you so much, Ali! Here's some cool links:
Ali's blog: (http://www.aliadventures.com/)
Andy's blog: (http://www.groundedtraveler.com/)
Ctrl-Alt-Travel (their shared blog): (http://www.ctrl-alt-travel.com/)
I'll keep you guys posted!
During my research about Germany, I stumbled upon quite a few travel blogs. One of them was Ali's Adventures, and she had amusing, quirky, informative posts about living in Germany and her experiences with traveling around the world. One of her posts greatly helped me with deciphering the German trash system, and many other things--Ali just seemed like a cool person all-around.
And...I asked her for an interview.
And she sad YES!
Ali Garland had made it a mission to get to all seven continents before she turned the age of 30, and she succeeded! Nowadays, she lives with her husband, Andy--also a travel addict--in Freiburg, Germany, and they run a travel blog, Ctrl-Alt-Travel, with thousands of views a month. (How COOL is that, seriously!) For anyone who wants to check it out, links are below the interview.
Without further ado...
...
Me: Your stories on your blog sound fantastic. What made you two decide that youwanted to travel, and blog for a living? (Sounds like an awesome job, by the way)
Ali:-- Thanks! We don't really blog for a living. Blogging is fun, and we love to share our stories and encourage others to travel, but for most people, it's really hard to make money from a blog. Andy is a web developer and spent his first 5 1/2 years in Germany working for a company in the city of Freiburg. Now he is a freelancer/contractor, which means he can work short term contracts for different companies and have a little more flexibility with things like time off. Andy decided to move to Germany because he needed a change, and since he studied German in high school and college, Germany was his first choice. I'm currently wading through German bureaucracy to see what my options are for working as a freelance writer. I met Andy (through Twitter!) the summer of 2010 while I was still living in Atlanta. I had always wanted to try living in Europe, so when Andy and I fell in love, we decided it just made sense for me to move. We got married June 2011 and I moved to Germany about a month later. We both love traveling because we enjoy experiencing other cultures and trying other foods. We love having a home, but often we need a change of scenery to get us out of our comfort zone. So now we try to travel for a few months of the year and enjoy being home the rest of the year.
Questions about Germany:
Me: I heard you two have lived (and have just moved again) into Germany! What was your experience living there? Any culture shock?
Ali: -- Andy has lived in Germany for about 6 years now, and I've been living here a little over 2 years. Our permanent home is in Freiburg, which is in the southwest corner of the country, but we are currently in Berlin for a few months until New Years for Andy's current contract. He certainly dealt with culture shock, but since he's been here awhile, some of those memories have faded a little. My culture shock is a little more fresh though. I didn't speak any German before moving here (I studied Spanish for my foreign language) so it was hard to do even the simplest things. Eventually I enrolled in an intensive integration course, which was about 4 hours of class per day, 5 days a week, for 8 months. It's a lot to learn in such a condensed way, but at least now I can do simple things like go to the grocery store or get my hair cut without needing help.
Me: Any advice for students learning the German language? Or any language in general?
Ali: -- Practice! Finding a native speaker to practice with is key to learning the language. Even better, immerse yourself in a country that speaks that language. My Spanish improved drastically after only a week in Ecuador a few years ago, and there's no way I'd understand even the little bits of German I do without living here. Try not to get hung up on the little details at first, just learn vocabulary and sentence structure. German grammar is difficult for English speakers because it doesn't follow the same patterns. It's more important to focus on learning that rather than getting frustrated trying to learn the gender of every single noun. People will still understand you if you use the feminine instead of the masculine, but structuring the sentence incorrectly could confuse someone.
Me: Every country, every place has this sort of “atmosphere”, this special “feel” that stays with you even when you leave. What do you think Germany’s “atmosphere” is?
Ali: -- Wow, that's a hard one. Germany is very organized and has a reputation for being very efficient. That doesn't mean everything runs as smoothly as you'd think. Rules and procedures that make sense to natives won't always make sense to us foreigners. And if your situation falls within the 5 or 10% that doesn't fit within the norm, it will take a long time to get things figured out. Germany loves rules and paperwork.
Me: Best part about living in Germany?
Ali: -- I love that there is so much great public transportation. Our apartment in Freiburg is less than 5 minutes from the tram, and the trams get us just about everywhere we want to go, so we don't own a car. I also love that we can hop on a plane or train and be in another country and culture within just a few hours. We live an hour from France and an hour from Switzerland.
Questions about traveling in general:
Me: How, personally, has traveling changed you?
Ali: -- Travel has made me a more confident person. I didn't travel outside the US for years because I didn't have any friends who wanted to travel with me, and eventually I decided to stop waiting for someone to join me. I booked a trip to Greece and went by myself, and it was a turning point for me. I realized there wasn't any reason to sit around dreaming about traveling when I could just plan a trip and go instead. I also realized I was a stronger person than I thought. Navigating your way through a foreign country and making it through successfully can do that.
Me: Even though I’m not an avid traveler, I know there is this moment in the midst of your trip when the sights and atmosphere of the place are surrounding you and you have this brief, disconcerting, enlightening moment and you think, This is what life’s worth living for. Would you like to describe any of those moments?
Ali: -- Andy and I had a night like that in Lisbon last September. We flew to Portugal for a blogging conference, and we only had one night in Lisbon before we needed to catch a train to Porto the next day. After dinner, we just started walking around to check out the neighborhood. Something about the big open squares with ornate fountains, the smooth cobblestone streets, the smell of the ocean in the breeze, it all just grabbed us. We sat at an outdoor cafe with a drink, soaking up the atmosphere and talking. I can't even put my finger on it exactly, but it's moments like those that remind me of how much I love to travel, to be in different places, and that it's worth some sacrifices to make our life of travel work.
Me: And lastly, what is your Number 1 advice for traveling? (Other than, “Don’t forget the plug adapter!”)
Ali: -- Number 1 is to just GO! It can be scary, but once you get there, the fear starts to disappear. Don't let your fear make up excuses to stay home. Bad things can happen anywhere, whether you're in your hometown or in a foreign country, so you might as well get out there and see more of the world. Travel slower than you think you need to. It takes more mental (and sometimes physical) energy to be somewhere that's different from what you're used to, so you have to give yourself time to rest and take it all in. Do research before you go but try not to plan too much. Leave yourself room to be flexible and spontaneous. But really, just GO!
Ali:-- Thanks! We don't really blog for a living. Blogging is fun, and we love to share our stories and encourage others to travel, but for most people, it's really hard to make money from a blog. Andy is a web developer and spent his first 5 1/2 years in Germany working for a company in the city of Freiburg. Now he is a freelancer/contractor, which means he can work short term contracts for different companies and have a little more flexibility with things like time off. Andy decided to move to Germany because he needed a change, and since he studied German in high school and college, Germany was his first choice. I'm currently wading through German bureaucracy to see what my options are for working as a freelance writer. I met Andy (through Twitter!) the summer of 2010 while I was still living in Atlanta. I had always wanted to try living in Europe, so when Andy and I fell in love, we decided it just made sense for me to move. We got married June 2011 and I moved to Germany about a month later. We both love traveling because we enjoy experiencing other cultures and trying other foods. We love having a home, but often we need a change of scenery to get us out of our comfort zone. So now we try to travel for a few months of the year and enjoy being home the rest of the year.
Questions about Germany:
Me: I heard you two have lived (and have just moved again) into Germany! What was your experience living there? Any culture shock?
Ali: -- Andy has lived in Germany for about 6 years now, and I've been living here a little over 2 years. Our permanent home is in Freiburg, which is in the southwest corner of the country, but we are currently in Berlin for a few months until New Years for Andy's current contract. He certainly dealt with culture shock, but since he's been here awhile, some of those memories have faded a little. My culture shock is a little more fresh though. I didn't speak any German before moving here (I studied Spanish for my foreign language) so it was hard to do even the simplest things. Eventually I enrolled in an intensive integration course, which was about 4 hours of class per day, 5 days a week, for 8 months. It's a lot to learn in such a condensed way, but at least now I can do simple things like go to the grocery store or get my hair cut without needing help.
Me: Any advice for students learning the German language? Or any language in general?
Ali: -- Practice! Finding a native speaker to practice with is key to learning the language. Even better, immerse yourself in a country that speaks that language. My Spanish improved drastically after only a week in Ecuador a few years ago, and there's no way I'd understand even the little bits of German I do without living here. Try not to get hung up on the little details at first, just learn vocabulary and sentence structure. German grammar is difficult for English speakers because it doesn't follow the same patterns. It's more important to focus on learning that rather than getting frustrated trying to learn the gender of every single noun. People will still understand you if you use the feminine instead of the masculine, but structuring the sentence incorrectly could confuse someone.
Me: Every country, every place has this sort of “atmosphere”, this special “feel” that stays with you even when you leave. What do you think Germany’s “atmosphere” is?
Ali: -- Wow, that's a hard one. Germany is very organized and has a reputation for being very efficient. That doesn't mean everything runs as smoothly as you'd think. Rules and procedures that make sense to natives won't always make sense to us foreigners. And if your situation falls within the 5 or 10% that doesn't fit within the norm, it will take a long time to get things figured out. Germany loves rules and paperwork.
Me: Best part about living in Germany?
Ali: -- I love that there is so much great public transportation. Our apartment in Freiburg is less than 5 minutes from the tram, and the trams get us just about everywhere we want to go, so we don't own a car. I also love that we can hop on a plane or train and be in another country and culture within just a few hours. We live an hour from France and an hour from Switzerland.
Questions about traveling in general:
Me: How, personally, has traveling changed you?
Ali: -- Travel has made me a more confident person. I didn't travel outside the US for years because I didn't have any friends who wanted to travel with me, and eventually I decided to stop waiting for someone to join me. I booked a trip to Greece and went by myself, and it was a turning point for me. I realized there wasn't any reason to sit around dreaming about traveling when I could just plan a trip and go instead. I also realized I was a stronger person than I thought. Navigating your way through a foreign country and making it through successfully can do that.
Me: Even though I’m not an avid traveler, I know there is this moment in the midst of your trip when the sights and atmosphere of the place are surrounding you and you have this brief, disconcerting, enlightening moment and you think, This is what life’s worth living for. Would you like to describe any of those moments?
Ali: -- Andy and I had a night like that in Lisbon last September. We flew to Portugal for a blogging conference, and we only had one night in Lisbon before we needed to catch a train to Porto the next day. After dinner, we just started walking around to check out the neighborhood. Something about the big open squares with ornate fountains, the smooth cobblestone streets, the smell of the ocean in the breeze, it all just grabbed us. We sat at an outdoor cafe with a drink, soaking up the atmosphere and talking. I can't even put my finger on it exactly, but it's moments like those that remind me of how much I love to travel, to be in different places, and that it's worth some sacrifices to make our life of travel work.
Me: And lastly, what is your Number 1 advice for traveling? (Other than, “Don’t forget the plug adapter!”)
Ali: -- Number 1 is to just GO! It can be scary, but once you get there, the fear starts to disappear. Don't let your fear make up excuses to stay home. Bad things can happen anywhere, whether you're in your hometown or in a foreign country, so you might as well get out there and see more of the world. Travel slower than you think you need to. It takes more mental (and sometimes physical) energy to be somewhere that's different from what you're used to, so you have to give yourself time to rest and take it all in. Do research before you go but try not to plan too much. Leave yourself room to be flexible and spontaneous. But really, just GO!
Thank you so much, Ali! Here's some cool links:
Ali's blog: (http://www.aliadventures.com/)
Andy's blog: (http://www.groundedtraveler.com/)
Ctrl-Alt-Travel (their shared blog): (http://www.ctrl-alt-travel.com/)
I'll keep you guys posted!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Exploring Castles: Germany Edition!
So, a friend of mine once lived in Germany for about a year or two, and she blogged about it.
She said Germany was really beautiful, and although she didn't know much German, she still enjoyed the place, and...
She lived next door to a castle.
A castle, my friends. That's like saying you live next door to a celebrity or have goats as pets.
But she talked about it in pretty much the most nonchalant way ever, saying, "Oh, yeah, castles are pretty common around here in Germany."
Which led me to a round of Wikipedia-ing. And excessive Google Image-ing.
And...my goodness. For being a country smaller than the state of Texas, Germany has a LOT of beautiful, swoon-worthy castles.
And not only are the castles pretty, the land surrounding them is always the lush blend of hazy mountain peaks on vivid green hilltops, against the expanse of an impossibly blue sky.
...I'm not actually obsessed. Once you see them, you'll understand me.
So, without further ado, here are my top FOUR stunners, not in any particular order (it was a hard choice.)
1. Schloss Drachenburg
The Schloss Drachenburg (or the "Dragon Palace") is something one would expect to appear out of dreams...or folklore, that is. Legend says that Siegfried, a hero of both German and Norse mythology, slayed his dragon somewhere up in those very mountains of Rhine.Wealthy eccentrics had held parties, a Hitler school was founded there, and it has been everything from a museum to a mini war-zone.
2. Schloss Schwerin
This little beauty rests in the area of Mecklenburg, in the reserve of parks and lakes. Built between 1845 and 1857, it (and the castle above) were built during the fervor of medieval/historic reverance. Today it serves as an art museum.
3. Burg Hohenzollern
This castle has a royal history. It stands as a tribute to the House of Hohenzollern, whose existence dates back to as early as the 13th century. The Prussian king Frederick William IV was a Hohenzollern, and decided to have a castle constructed in their name. Today. it stands as a museum to the great dynasty.
And when it's foggy, this happens:
4. Schloss Neuschwanstein
There is a reason why they call this Germany's "Fairytale Castle", Surrounded by the soft, blue-ridged mountains of Bavaria, a pure, white beauty against the the lake and the green hillsides--no wonder this was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle!
This was built under the instruction of Ludwig II, Duke of Bavaria. It was built for his throne but after two years of power, he had to give in to the Prussians. He eventually receded further and further into his own world of fantasies and fairytales, The castle holds the beautiful remains of what some call a bitter, tragic tale.
And...another one, in the winter:
Scientific conclusion, after extensive observation: I want my own castle.
...And I'll go sing some more Les Mis now.
And wow, this post was really long.
Which is your guys' favorite? Leave answers below in the comments!
Sources:
http://www.germany.travel/en/leisure-and-recreation/palaces-parks-gardens/neuschwanstein-castle.html
She said Germany was really beautiful, and although she didn't know much German, she still enjoyed the place, and...
She lived next door to a castle.
A castle, my friends. That's like saying you live next door to a celebrity or have goats as pets.
But she talked about it in pretty much the most nonchalant way ever, saying, "Oh, yeah, castles are pretty common around here in Germany."
Which led me to a round of Wikipedia-ing. And excessive Google Image-ing.
And...my goodness. For being a country smaller than the state of Texas, Germany has a LOT of beautiful, swoon-worthy castles.
And not only are the castles pretty, the land surrounding them is always the lush blend of hazy mountain peaks on vivid green hilltops, against the expanse of an impossibly blue sky.
...I'm not actually obsessed. Once you see them, you'll understand me.
So, without further ado, here are my top FOUR stunners, not in any particular order (it was a hard choice.)
1. Schloss Drachenburg
 |
| Look. Just look. And faint a little. Photo creds: www.deviantart.net |
2. Schloss Schwerin
 |
| I mean, this castle even has its own island! Photo creds: Google Images |
3. Burg Hohenzollern
 |
| The view. My goodness, the view. Photo creds: Google Images |
And when it's foggy, this happens:
 |
| There is a castle on a cloud..... Photo credits |
4. Schloss Neuschwanstein
 |
| I have no words. Source |
This was built under the instruction of Ludwig II, Duke of Bavaria. It was built for his throne but after two years of power, he had to give in to the Prussians. He eventually receded further and further into his own world of fantasies and fairytales, The castle holds the beautiful remains of what some call a bitter, tragic tale.
And...another one, in the winter:
 |
| Look at that! It's like it came straight out of a Christmas book! Source |
Scientific conclusion, after extensive observation: I want my own castle.
...And I'll go sing some more Les Mis now.
And wow, this post was really long.
Which is your guys' favorite? Leave answers below in the comments!
Sources:
http://www.germany.travel/en/leisure-and-recreation/palaces-parks-gardens/neuschwanstein-castle.html
I couldn't resist.
This completely made my day. I learned 10 new German insults that do not have an English equivalent.
It is awesome and mind-blowing and may or may not be a tiny bit vulgar.
Enjoy, and forgive me.
It is awesome and mind-blowing and may or may not be a tiny bit vulgar.
Enjoy, and forgive me.
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