After several VERY long train rides, fighting back tears as I left my beloved Florence, I finally arrived in Konstanz. I took the train from Florence, to Milan, to Zurich, to Konstanz. I was having trouble getting off the train with all of my luggage so as I was struggling to get off, I acquired a crowd around me as they were waiting to get on the train but no one bothered to help me and then I felt someone rush up behind. Startled, I turned to see it was Maggie! I have never been so relieved and happy to see her! Katherine, one of Maggie’s best friends from home, was staying with Maggie that week too so she was there to help as well. I was just so happy to finally be there after such a long and stressful day, the tears just poured out of my eyes! The two girls took all of my luggage and we jumped in a cab back to Maggies apartment.
Konstanz is in the south of Germany and right on the Bodensee Lake which borders Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The town is beautiful and quaint and very eclectic. Germany is so different from the very unorganized and laid back Italy that I had been so used to. Everything is on time, there is order to everything they do and the country seemed to be so efficient.
Maggie’s apartment was so cool; something out of a retro-futuristic thing, definitely not what you would expect in Germany. She has the cutest apartment with a bed set up for me and everything. So once I arrived we took a little break and then got ready for an authentic German dinner at the “Brauhaus.” The “Brauhaus” brewed their own type of beer which was very good and the food was out of this world. I got some sort of asparagus soup and delicious pork dumplings and a salad. It hit the spot!! Somehow Maggie got involved in some guys bachelor party and she had to cut a hole in his pant leg. Of course all of their corresponding was going on in German so Katherine and I sat their clueless as to what was going on and then we see Maggie cutting the hole in his pant leg. It was pretty humorous to say the least! Never a dull moment…is that one thing I learned while studying aboard. Then Maggie showed me around town, stopping by the Bodensee Lake.
Sunday morning we slept in and Katherine made Maggie and I a delicious breakfast. Then we met up with one of Maggies friend from Germany who is studying aboard from England named, Amy. She was lovely and fun to hang out with. Maggie, Katherine, Amy and I took a bus to the Flower Island or Insel Mainau. It was B-E-A-U-TIFUL to say the least! The day was gorgeous and probably about 88 degrees and the place was just so pretty. We first stopped to get lunch and this interesting beer which was mixed with lemonade. It hit the spot as it was so hot out! Then we toured the island and took TONS of pictures of all of the beautiful flowers! There was also a little fair going on so we stopped in a few of the tents selling things. I got some pretty glass beaded bracelets. There was also a butterfly house on the island which was awesome to walk through because the butterflies just come right up to you. After spending most of the day on the island, we grabbed some ice cream before leaving the island and taking the ferry back to Konstanz. The ferry ride was so cool, stopping at a few places along the way and giving me a sense of all the pretty little towns on the Bodensee. The ferry ride was so peaceful and cool after a long hot day that we all feel asleep on the boat! Then it was back for a delicious dinner made by Katherine! After dinner we were off to my first experience at a real authentic German Beer Garden! So cool! Its just this big open patio on the lake with tons of tables and chairs and trees filled with bright colorful lights. It was so cheerful and happy and relaxing! Definitely one of my favorite things, just taking it all in and being so German!
On Monday morning we headed to Meersburg which is an adorable little town on the Bodensee that is your traditional Germany town. We look the ferry which was so much fun and a breath of fresh air for me as I’m used to walking everywhere in Florence. The ferry was just a great way to get around. Once we arrived in Meersburg we walked all throughout the town stopping in the little shops along the way and of course taking tons of pictures which was a popular theme of my trip! The town was just so perfect with beautiful flowers and buildings. We had lunch right on the water was this delicious restaurant on the Bodensee. We just relaxed and took it all in as we ate lunch. The weather was another beautiful day of about 85-90 degrees. After lunch we took the ferry back to Konstanz and we walked all throughout the town and Maggie showed me some of her favorite spots including the park along the Bodensee and her favorite jewelry shop and I picked up some souvenirs along the way. Then it was back to the apartment for another delicious dinner by Katherine! We packed up our stuff after dinner since Maggie and I were off on another adventure the next morning but before that we hit the “Strandbar” or the beach bar which was right along the Bodensee. It was just a big plot of land filled with sand and awesome beach chairs that you could just hang out on. We went with a bunch of Maggie’s friends from Germany and had an awesome time! We didn’t stay out too late because we had a busy next day but we did have an awesome time!
I really loved seeing Konstanz! And just like when I went to Dublin, it was so awesome to see where my friends had been living for the past several months and I loved having them show me their favorite spots in the city. Maggie was an excellent tour guide and I really loved getting to go see her! The trip was so relaxing but I saw so much at the same time. Germany was so different from Italy but I’m really glad that I got to experience it! I had been to Germany before when I was on my People to People trip but I had a different experience and I loved coming back again!
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| Konstanz, Germany: May 23-26, 2009 |
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