First Dazs in Fulda

Just in case zou are wondering about the title...the german keyboard has a z where the y should be. I am constantly having to check to make sure I have hit the right letter. There are other differences, too, with a few more options such as the €, Ö, Ü,Ä, ß, and µ. These are not used too much in English, but are essential if you are writing in German.

Monday, dad began teaching his Marketing class. Marketing, you ask? I didn't know dad taught Marketing?! Well, now he does. It has taken some preparation time, so he hasn't been able to explore Fulda...maybe next week.

Monday all three of us were given cell phones to use to contact each other or anyone local. That has been a huge help. Matt got a bike that the University provided. He has been around the city on his own. (Too bad he doesn't have one of you to ride with him). I have been walking mostly. It is about 3km from our apartment to downtown. The University is about half way. Oh, did I say it is all downhill from the apartment to Downtown...which means it is all UPHILL home. The bus system is very good, but sometimes by the time you wait for the bus you could be half way there.

There is a Cathedral here and several other old structures. St Boniface first brought Christianity to the area and his relics (remains) are buried here. Another church near by is St Michael's. It was built in the 700's and is quite different from the Baroque Cathedral. The Residence is where the prince or ruler lived in the 1700's and is used today for the Town Hall. Some rooms are still decorated from the Baroque period (lots of carvings, gold, cherubs and saints).

The bakery just down the street from our apartment has wonderful breads and goodies. The ladies don't speak English, but we just need to point and pay our money.... so it all works.

Wednesday evening I went with the students to Milseburg mountain. It is a 30 minute bus ride from campus and then 30 minutes hiking to get to the top. There is a church on top (of course!) and great views in all directions. The legend says that a giant lived on top of the mountain and the farmers in the valley were all his slaves. Some missionaries came through the valley and taught the farmers. The giant was a friend of the devil and somehow died. Milseburg is where the giant is buried. From a distance, Milseburg looks like a coffin. (There must be more to the legend, but this is what they told us.) I forgot the camera so you will just have to trust me that the view was spectacular! Oh, and we learned some German folk songs from the choir director. She brought her guitar and led us all in songs. The students are from all over the world and some of them speak German, but most are just beginners. I'm sure the songs help to teach the language besides being fun.

Forgive my early attempts at posting...I don't know how to delete a picture and didn't realize I had Matt on his bike twice. The other pictures...Matt conquered the Rubics Cube, waiting for the bus and the Fulda Cathedral and Michelskirche.