In the same way I got there on Friday, I returned today with a car (Steffen drove me to the train station in Konstanz), a train (from Konstanz to the airport in Zurich), a plane (from Zurich to Berlin), a bus (from the airport to the U-Bahn station), and the U-Bahn (from the station near the airport to my apartment). All in all, it took me between 5-6 hours total. But the weekend was well worth it.
On Friday, after unbelievable delays in the Berlin airport (plus crying baby in the seat in front of me on the plane AND on the train...awful), I made it to Konstanz, from where Steffen and I headed to Freiburg in his car. A friend of his was celebrating his birthday that night, so we were headed to his apartment in Freiburg (two hours away approximately) to spend the weekend.
I was particularly pumped for the car ride, since we drove through the Black Forest (where cuckoo clocks are made). I have always wanted to go there. I was not disappointed.
The night was an enjoyable one. I got to meet a number of new people at the party, and I practiced my German. It was also great that my fellow Fulbrighter, Brian, came along. He and I had studied in Marburg together (in the same class actually). I think he had a good time too.
Around 4 AM, I got back to the apartment and just crashed. We didn't wake up till nearly 12 PM, so that was nice. The weather on Saturday was heavenly. There was still snow on the ground, but it was perfectly fine to walk around.
After a short walk, we headed to the soccer (or football) stadium for a game between SC Freiburg and Hamburg. We were able to get tickets right before we got in for only 10€, so we were thrilled. I didn't really care who won, but it was a close game (SC Freiburg won 1:0).
I was more disappointed in the fact that I am getting old. Haha. Let me explain: attending sports games are fun, not only because you can actually be at the game, but also because of the fan experience. At the soccer game (just like at an NBA game, say, Portland's Rose Garden), the fan entertainment crew was launching free t-shirts into the stands with rubber slingshots.
About two or three flew in our general direction, but we had no shot at them. Then all of a sudden, the last one was flying through the air straight at me, but about three or four feet above me. Slightly (but pleasantly) surprised, I timed it, jumped, and made a one-handed stab at the rolled up t-shirt (apparently, there was a free public transportation pass in it too). Sadly, it bounced off my fingers and two rows above me. I was this close! Oh well, I probably wouldn't have worn the shirt anyway, but I am quite annoyed that I missed the catch.
Oh, by the way, the tram home after the game was one of the worst public transportation experiences I've ever had (though maybe not quite as bad as the buses in Rome). There were so many people that everyone was just getting shoved this way and that way until we all eventually caught the 6th or 7th tram that drove by. I quickly realized if I didn't shove back or stand my ground I would never get on the tram. To make things worse, I bought these new boots last week; they suck. I don't know if it's because I don't have long socks on, but I've got cuts on my lower legs from all the walking.
After the guys went out for a night of partying on Saturday (I enjoyed the evening with them at the apartment playing darts, etc. until they headed to the bars), I got a good night of sleep. Steffen and I woke up around 10:30 AM and headed out quickly, since the drive back to Konstanz would take two hours. We didn't want to get stuck in bad weather. Good thing we left when we did 'cause the afternoon got messy in that area. If I read the news correctly, I think a lady was killed in a car accident that afternoon too because of black ice. Sad.
We made it back and after dropping off our bags, the two of us and Tanja, Steffen's girlfriend, went out into the center of town so they could show me around. Konstanz is right on Lake Constance, which feeds the Rhein River and splits its shores between Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
It was a much nicer walk compared to the crowded frenzy on Saturday in Freiburg. Only a few people on the streets. We headed to the church, which was quite impressive. I liked it.
After that, we headed to the lake, which was gorgeous. It was mid-afternoon so the sun was on its way down. The sky was beautiful, and it was just all very peaceful (except for the music and festivities of the Christmas market nearby).
Boy, I need a haircut, don't I? Anyway, after walking along the lake, we ate some bratwursts at the Christmas market. Very delicious. Very crowded too.
It was getting quite cold, so we headed back to the car. They drove me to the beach nearby, where in the summer, many of the university students hang out. While it's usually packed in the summer, it was quite empty when we walked around. You could look across at Switzerland though.
We decided to call it a day after that, and after playing Yahtzee (or Yatzy as it's written in German), we made dinner. They said they just threw something together, but it was delicious: veal with gravy, rice, and potatoes. I did my best to help out too: chopped the tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers. Although I don't normally like tomatoes, the tomato salad Tanja made did not taste like regular tomatoes. I even got seconds.
It snowed again in the evening, so we stayed in and watched a live TV show reflecting on the year 2010. On the show, they featured a number of top stories from the year like the tragedy at the Love Parade in Duisburg, the demonstrations in Stuttgart, the success of the German national team at the World Cup in South Africa, one of the Chilean miners rescued, the book written by Thilo Sarrazin, and the often-controversial foreign minister Guido Westerwelle.
The show was in German (translated from Spanish when the Chilean miner, Mario Sepulveda, came on the show with his wife), and surprisingly, I understood quite a bit of it. All in all, quite nice to watch, though I was not a fan of the Sarrazin and Westerwelle interviews.
After a fun weekend, I'm back in Berlin now. I am disappointed I missed out on my roommate's birthday party on Friday night, since I bought my ticket to Konstanz a few weeks before I even knew it would be his birthday. I hope they had a great party though.
This week I will be doing more work on my interviews. It's nice to make some progress and feel like I'm actually doing something productive now. In a bit, I'm leaving for the monthly Fulbright Alumni Association in Berlin dinner, so it'll be fun to see some other Fulbrighters there.
Until next time,
Sam
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