The soccer match has ended, and we're on the train back to Schwäbisch Hall. Unfortunate result for the home team, as expected. I think the final score could have been closer, because they had some decent play, but some mistakes by the GK and an own goal led to a 4-1 Schalke win. I'll write more later about what a great experience it was, but first: a review of our time in Stuttgart.
We sent the students on a scavenger hunt before checking into the hotel so they could become familiar with the city. Of course everyone was dead tired, and it was unseasonably warm but they saw some sites and generally enjoyed it. We checked in, unfortunately getting sick with some smoking rooms (and I had no view), before heading out to visit the Robert Bosch House, which now houses the Bosch Foundation - the primary stock holder of the company Bosch. It was a beautiful old Italianate home on a hill overlooking the city and was technologically advanced for its time. We climbed to the tower above the fourth floor for great views of the area, including the Mercedes-Benz Museum and stadium. The adjacent building was a modern architecture gem built just ten years ago.
After Bosch, we made our way back down to the center of the city and had an amazing group dinner near the Schlossplatz. It was a really quaint restaurant, too. Unfortunately, the smokers on the patio outside our open window sat all evening discussing literature. Welcome to Germany! Our table was super tired and quiet, so it was nice to get back to the hotel and into bed.
I realize I'm missing some nice scenery as I type, and my battery is running low, so I guess I will have to take a break from writing.
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And an interesting break it was! We were transferring trains in Heilbronn and had about eight minutes. I borrowed a power bank from a student, which allows me to continue writing. Anyway, a bunch of students ducked into a convenience store to grab snacks. Three minutes before the train was to leave, I rounded everyone up while Clark and I were trying to confirm we were getting on the right train. As the door was closing Clark told me we had students in Subway. I immediately jumped off, and found them walking toward me just as the train pulled away. The befuddled railway employee helped us find another (and the last) route to get back to Schwäbisch Hall and purchase tickets. We ate our Subway sandwiches and are once again on the train which - assuming we don't mess up the next connection - will put us back an hour and a half after everyone else.
...
And an interesting break it was! We were transferring trains in Heilbronn and had about eight minutes. I borrowed a power bank from a student, which allows me to continue writing. Anyway, a bunch of students ducked into a convenience store to grab snacks. Three minutes before the train was to leave, I rounded everyone up while Clark and I were trying to confirm we were getting on the right train. As the door was closing Clark told me we had students in Subway. I immediately jumped off, and found them walking toward me just as the train pulled away. The befuddled railway employee helped us find another (and the last) route to get back to Schwäbisch Hall and purchase tickets. We ate our Subway sandwiches and are once again on the train which - assuming we don't mess up the next connection - will put us back an hour and a half after everyone else.
Tuesday we went to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. It's across the road from the headquarters and the plant where they manufacture all of their emgines, and it's in a beautiful, award-winning contemporary building. The attention to design was amazing and might have been satisfying enough even without the exhibits - but the exhibits! We saw the world's first two automobiles, along with the world's first bus and first truck. All kinds of awesome cars were arranged chronologically, along with special exhibits of celebrity cars, race cars, and concept cars. It was a really amazing, and we had nice tours in English. I recommend this museum to anyone.
From there we went to nearby Ludwigsburg to find lunch on our own. I had a nice döner lunch with Clark, followed by a coffee on Marktplatz. The group re-convened at the palace, Schloss Ludwigsburg. We had another tour in English of the large, beautiful palace, seeing the queen's apartment, the theatre, church, and several other rooms. In all there are hundreds of rooms: in its prime, the palace housed five royal family members and 1500 servants! After the students disbursed, Clark, Jeanette, and I walked in the light rain around the edge of the gardens before returning to Stuttgart.
That evening we had a late dinner (salads) before they walked with me to drop me of at a gay bar in an "interesting" area of town. It was a cute little place, what we would call a neighborhood bar, with a fair amount of American pop culture decor and plenty of cigarette smoke. The bar was in a traditional German timber construction building. I enjoyed a local pilsner (as much as one can enjoy a pilsner) and mostly sat by myself. Eventually a Czech guy said hello and we tried to chat with the help of the iTranslate app, but that was only somewhat successful and soon I went back to the hotel to sleep.
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