Herman the German a.k.a "Hermann's Denkmal"(read here if you don't know the history, there is also a smaller version of this statue in New Ulm, Minnesota)
It's larger than I imagined it to be. This monument is a symbol of Germany's unity and independence. The sword in his hand gives it a different feel than the statue of liberty though..
We bought a ticket to travel up to the top of Herman the German. The view was beautiful. There was a strong wind and a feeling of quiet peacefullness. We just took it all in. It's not something you get to see every day..
Here are two pictures of the view we had.
Afterwards we drove to open air archeological site. I'm fascinated with historical homes and structures. Some of the homes were authentic and shipped in from different areas of Germany. Some were re-built with original material. It was like entering a fairy tale.
Walking through this village was similar to taking a trip into the past. Eric and I were the only ones there because we arrived just before closing time.
Well besides this guy who was wandering around and making a lot of noise..
You can walk into all the homes. Peering at the old furniture, pottery and tools you can't help but wonder about the daily lives of our ancestors. What they did, felt inside and thought about the future. Life was so simple back then. It was all about the basics for survival.
What would they think if they could see what our lives are like now? Computers, cars, planes, skyscrapers and technology. Are we really more advanced or have we just collected more stuff to distract us from what really matters in life?
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I realized something this afternoon while I was sitting on the balcony with Eric and his guardian mother. I realized how amazing Gurtrud truly is and how much I needed to get away from the city for a while. When you're stripped of all outside influences, electronics and communication devices you're forced to just observe nature. You notice the beauty around you and reflect on the direction your life is heading
Gutrud's kindness, love of life and hospitality really floors me. I think at first I was intimidated and I was trying so hard to do everything right by her. I felt that I couldn't measure up and I wanted to show her that I could be the "perfect German hausfrau". But the truth is, she doesn't want me to change or be anything other than who I am. She's showing me a different way of living but not making any demands. She just accepts me and loves me. It took a while for me to grasp this because I was too busy jumping through hoops and careful with every move I made. I just knew how much Eric loved her and I didn't want to do anything wrong.
But I realize all of this isn't necessary. She said she's just so happy we're here. This has been a beautiful week so far. I'm really glad we can spend it with her.
We played "Super Rummy" again last night. A few people had mentioned that they call it "Rummykub". That is what Gurtrud calls it as well. The box she pulled it out of had the title: "Super Rummy Spiel" which is why I referred to it as that. I was surprised to discover that other people have played this because I had never even heard of it before this week!
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Okay, I have to sign off because I'm having a coffee with Eric at an internet cafe and my time is running out.
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