Thursday, June 13, 2013

Lots of Luther

Today we woke up early and headed back to the airport where we met up with the rest of the Holy Cross choir. They all arrived looking tired and I was glad I already had a day to get over jet lag! We hopped on the bus with Silvia, our bus driver, who is going to be loads of fun! 

We first headed off to Schmalkalden, which I was excited about since I have wanted to go there but it's sort of out of the way and not easily accessible by public transportation. Obviously this is a place of historic importance for Lutherans. If you want to know why, go find yourself a book on the history of the Reformation and read it because reading is good for you and I'm too lazy to type out the history for your convenience. In any case, here's the building where it all happened. 


For the record, it turns out there is an organ of great importance in Schmalkalden and I missed it. Had I known I would have tried to arrange to play it. I'm rather irked about this little detail, especially since I don't have as many organs lined up for this trip as I would like...

From there we visited the supposed site where Marty was kidnapped. I say supposed because of course no one knows the EXACT spot but it was fun to see and see the spring and we had a devotion there. 



Then we headed to eat our seven course meal meal in Eisenach which lasted more than 2 hours. It was pretty funny and included lots of yelling and shots, sausages that were one meter long, a huge horn full of mead that was passed around the table for everyone to drink from, and fruit that was doused in alcohol and sugar and set ablaze. Needless to say it was a little touristy for my taste but fun for the group and certainly a lot of laughter and good conversation. 

We got to our hotel and I was pleased to find large bathroom sinks and racks to heat up towels. Obviously this translates into easy laundry options! Yippee!  I wasn't pleased to find the typical German bathtub that is rather high off the ground and a shower head attachment but no curtain. I swear, it's always an adventure over here. 

It was a rather full day but fun. I am already seeing both the pros and cons of traveling with a tour group and am glad I will have time to do my own thing once they leave. We have already made some fun lutheran connections of the people on the trip. Small world. 

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