tchüss!

When you've been walking for hours in the heat with a pack the size of a large toddler sitting on your back, the best thing in the world to hear are the phrases- "Are you hungry? Would you like a shower? Can i wash your clothes?"

That's exactly what Petra, our host in Leipzig, did when we arrived. She met us in the large garden outside her house, which was complete with a small pond housing lily pads and talkative frogs. She took us in, showed us our room, and let us clean up before making a delicious dinner that we ate outside in the peaceful garden. Immediately, i knew i had made the right choice for hosts in Leipzig.

Unfortunately, i hadn't been looking at the languages they specialize in when i had flipped through the SERVAS book. According to them, they spoke fluent french and only mediocre english. but we didn't have too many problems as whenever Petra couldn't communicate the right words, she drew us a cute little picture. "this, you know, with the long ears." "ah," steph and i would nod sagely, so wise in the ways of pictionary. "a rabbit."

The first day after our arrival we went to the Thomaskirche, church of the famous Johann Sebastian Bach, and then to the Bach museum. Then we headed on to the Stasi Museum, which was the original headquarters of the GDR. It was frightening to see the surveillance methods they used on the people, and as the guestbook eloquently put it, reminescent of so-called Homeland Security. Again, i was glad for Petra as she gave us more background on the GDR and helped us to understand how such a monstrous organization can become a reality. It originally had the good intentions of never allowing someone like Hitler to take over again, but in the end it became its own terrible power. Naturally, there's a lot more to it then that, but it puts things in a better perspective for me.

We went to Cafe Baum for lunch, which was apparently one of Schumann's favorite haunts. We sat outside and people watched, and were weirded out when our waiter looked almost exactly like Darrell. Afterwards we toured the coffee museum on the third floor, and then headed off to the train station where Petra picked us up for a driving tour of downtown Leipzig. Petra is a businesswoman to be sure- she talks as fast as the english words come to mind and drives in the same manner, zipping in and out of traffic, the car lurching slightly as she quickly changes gears. It was entertaining to be sure, but when she stopped at "Rome," it was a welcome break. There we saw a panoramic/photographic recreation of Rome, which included sunsets and sunrises. it was interesting to stare at the roman city stretched before us and admire the detail. Then came the strawberry field behind her house, where we picked a basketful of strawberries for the night's dessert.

The next day Steph and I headed to Weimar on a day trip to see the Buchenwald concentration camp. It was difficult to get out there, but it was an important trip. I don't really have the words to describe it, but to see a still-standing concentration camp was ominous, imposing, overwhelming, terrifying, and the most heart-breaking sites that a human being can see. The camp gates, the wired fence, the crematorium, the depot, and the barrack for sick inmates were still standing, and where the dozens of other barracks had been were stone outlines and markers. It was silent except the crunch of footsteps on gravel, and the occasional bird or audioguide. Being there makes you hope to God that something like this can never happen again, but in reality, it already has. Genocide is still a reality, and people still turn a blind eye. Anger is one of the emotions that you feel within the camp- anger that human beings can do this to each other.

On Sunday we found a contact for Dresden, and Petra and her husband offered to take us to Grimma, where their horses are stabled. We, of course, agreed, and spent the afternoon watching them train the horses and, after the horses had gone through their exercises, got to ride them ourselves. it was extremely fun, as i've only been riding once or twice. "but you are from texas!" petra's husband laughed. we only shrugged. the so-called texans were out of their element on a ranch in germany.

After a delicious dinner, they dropped us off right at our Dresden hosts' door- just to make sure that we would be alright. i felt like our parents were dropping us off at our first day of school, and i appreciated how much they cared for us. i hope they'll visit us in Austin.

And here we are in Dresden, taking refuge from an afternoon rainshower in an internet cafe. The architecture here is breath-taking, in the literal sense. everytime i see the buildings, i'm shocked by their beauty. After this is Prague, and then i continue into the deep dark heart of the czech republic- so updates as soon as i can send them your way, but i've had a heck of a time finding one since Berlin, so don't be shocked if they're fewer and far between. Hope all is well with you all, and know that i am happy and very well-fed. ;)