“Back with more tomorrow … in German.”
So much for the promise I made on May 1.
The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity: I’ve shot over 2,000 photos, hung out with 12 friends, attended three concerts, gone on two hikes, visited two markets, climbed one cathedral, and slept, oh … about a half hour. Thank God for Nescafé Capuccino.
The last thing I remember is getting on a train at Paris’ Gare de L’Est and despairing at the monkeypile of luggage on top of my red bag.
The view from the TGV (the “train à grande vitesse” — very fast train) was beautiful, if a bit difficult to photograph.
All told, it took only about four hours to leave Paris behind and find myself in Freiburg’s Altstadt — the historic part of town.
It was fun to see the charming bächle again. I adore these little canals — and the opportunity they offer to absentmindedly fall and get your feet wet.
But I was especially smitten with the lilac garlands that adorn the Konviktstraße. Seriously: Could this place possibly *be* more picturesque?
I met up with my friend Jan and his girlfriend Sarah for some dinner, and before I knew it we’d shared several more meals and a couple of concerts. But for me, the highlight was returning to Bei Gundi and being reunited with my old gang.
At various points, I feared lives would be lost (including my own, by strangulation). But everyone survived.
I also enjoyed listening to one of Jan’s outdoor concerts. After this particular show, I dubbed him “The Pied Piper of Hamburg.”
I was delighted to discover that my Rosetta Stone German lessons are finally kicking in. I read this sign and immediately understood: “The outdoor beer hall is open.” Waahhooo!
One evening, I hiked to the top of the Schlossberg to watch the sunset. I loved hearing the sounds of merriment from the biergarten grow steadily louder as the light grew dimmer. Die Menschen hier sure do love their bier!
I have lots more to say about Freiburg, but the Münster and the market and the Black Forest will have to wait for another day.
For now, I leave you with a few more photos of this beautiful city. Bis später !
HeideBlog 
Pictures are gorgeous, of course … and it looks like a town Melody and I will have to visit. After all, if beer is an integral part of daily life, that city is for me! Happy trails!
Yes, yes! I highly recommend a visit! You can see the old town in two or three days, but I recommend a longer stay if you can swing it … the easy pace of life here kinda gets into your bones. And the beer isn’t awful, either! 🙂
Wow, an eye-opening post for me; I never really imagined Germany looking so quaint. The lilac street is ridiculous. And you know I’m a sucker for anything cobblestoned. Glad you’re getting the most out of your vacation!
Yeah, I know you’re a sucker for cobblestones … which is why you should come over here at once and make some new friends and drink beer! 🙂
Very gorgeous place but you must have been up early — where’s everyone?
Where is everyone? I asked everyone to please step out of the frame so I could get a clean shot. 😉
I love this town! How do you communicate? Do you speak German?
I love this town too, Mendi! I speak a very tiny bit of German — just enough to buy groceries and ask for directions. But it’s surprising how well you can communicate with just a few phrases and gestures. Still, I hope to be a little bit more conversant by the time I go back in September. One of my favorite things when I travel is to interact with the locals, and that means picking up a bit of the local language. Thanks for traveling along with me!
Thanks! You’re right, making friends can be so simple..and of course, it doesn’t help if you can speak English. When I travelled around Europe, I would meet people from all countries in the hostels, and majority of the time, the common language was English. Good for me, but not good for my French speaking skills! Enjoy your travels!
Wow ! 🙂