Art and Castles

Today was wonderful but exhausting. I woke up early to go with a group of friends to the Kunstmuseum Bonn which is the Bonn Abstract Art Museum. It was alot of fun, but we all enjoyed the beauty of the building more than than most of the art. The building is a post modern architectural dream. The permanent exhibits all had meaning to the city of Bonn, which used to be the Capitol of German. It is no longer the capitol but it still mainatains some of the most amazing art throughout history.

After almost 2 hours in the museum we met up with more people to have a picnic in one of the beautiful parks near the main University building. Everything I have eaten here is WONDERFUL, and it is very cheap to eat in Bonn compaired to other German cities.

Around 1p.m. we decided to go to the region of Konigswinter to visit one of the castles in the Bonn area. It was quite an adventure because we got on the train and ended up at the end of one of the tracks and having to walk back to the last station to switch trains. We got lost for about 30 min. before we found our way back, but it was so beautiful that we didn't mind too much. After finally getting to Konigswinter, we were all very tired but we kept on walking till we got to the train that takes you up to the castle. It was worth it because it was beautiful! Outstanding really. I have never seen anything as beautiful as the views from this amazing castle. We whent through the histroy museum inside, and walked around the landscaped gardens. Then we had to walk all the way down hill to get back to town, and then ride a train home. I went and got some yummy food and then biked back to my host family house... needless to say I have had a long day, and there are many more of that to come.

Orientation Day

Today we had our school orientation which included a walking tour of the town, and alot of paperwork. We walked around to see the Rhine river, and the main pedestrian plazas.

It is also the Beethoven music festival this weekend so we saw the house of Beethoven and then there was a art display in his honor. Some of the other students and I may try to go to a concert tomorrow.


I will try to write more tomorrow, but it is getting very late here so I am off to bed...
gute nachat

I am here!

Hallo!

I finally am hooked up to the internet. I arrived in Bonn at 3:00pm yesterday. We were all so tired after the long flight here, so I went to bed at 6pm which was difficult because I woke up at 2am and then "napped" from 6am to 2pm... jet lag. Hopefully I will sleep at normal times from now on.

Today I went with Martha to take her 7 year old son, Julian, to piano lessons. Martha, Darius (4), and I walked around a beautiful old castle that is now part of the university, and then we walked through the university botanical gardens. It was so beautiful. They even had a few plants from Texas in this rock garden area. In the winter they have to take the plants inside the green house because it gets to cold here. After Julian's piano lesson we went to the bank so that I could get some Euro. The bank was near an ice cream stand and playground, so of course the boys wanted to play and eat. It was so beautiful everywhere we walked.

Tomorrow Martha is going to bike with me to school so that I don't get lost. She is a teacher at Bonn University, so it will be on her way to work. Hopefully I will remember how to ride my bike. I road around a bit today so that I wouldn't be too rusty. The house I am staying at is full of fun activities for the children, so I have been having a great time!

The family consists of Martha and Stephan, Mascha (14), Julian (7), and Darius (4). Julian and Darius don't speak English and are determined to teach me German. They are adorable and great teachers so far, but they get frustrated with me because I am not a fast learner.

Post-Departure

Hello,

I am currently in College Station for my last weekend home. This summer has been great, and I will miss everyone so much when I have to leave. My flight departs from Houston at 1:30pm this coming Tuesday, Aug. 26th and after a few stops we will arrive in Cologne Germany around 2pm Wednesday, Aug. 27th. I will be staying with the Wansart family while I am in Bonn. Martha Wansart is a professor at Bonn University, her husband is a science researcher, and they have 3 children. They seem very nice from their emails, and they are just as excited about my arrival as I am.

My "home away from home" address will be:
Langwartweg 37
53129 Bonn
Germany

I plan to update this blog as much as possible to let everyone know about my excursions in Europe. I hope that ya'll enjoy reading this... I will miss you all.