MASON • A SUMMER ABROAD | Part 1
7 Countries. 12 Cities. 6 Weeks. And, boy, it sure has been crazy.
We are so excited to have Mason here with us sharing her experiences as she does a summer abroad in Europe. She is currently studying in Prague with the University of New York. Like, right now! She is having such an incredible time that she wanted to share her real life adventures with you as they are happening. How cool is that? We are so thrilled to have this venturesome Kappa Alpha Theta woman here with us! Mason will be a Junior this Fall at the Gamma Phi Chapter at Texas Tech University.
Excited to hear more from Mason? Don’t worry! She is with us for a full Mini Series! Meaning she will be coming back and sharing about several of the places she is traveling, giving tips on what to do, and telling you fun stories about her encounters. For example, her first experience with the notorious AutoBahn in Germany! Mason is also sharing some of her own personal snap shots she has taken during her explorations of the countries.
So, without further ado (because let’s be honest, y’all wanna hear from Mason). Here is Mason’s 1st Mini Series entry about her time in Germany! Take it away, Mason!!
Germany: Munich and Rothenburg
First stop on my European adventure was the birthplace of Oktoberfest! Munich is the capital of the German state of Bavaria, north of the Bavarian Alps. This leg of the trip was traveled with my parents, who were more than happy to tag along. We stayed in Alstadt (Old Town), walking to Marienplatz square to check out the historic Neus Rathaus (town hall). Coming from Texas, any city where the temperature is less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit is my favorite place. So it comes as no surprise that I was instantly in love. I mean I was wearing jeans. In May. Mind-blowing. But the most amazing part about Germany was actually not Munich.
Monday morning we took a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle. The drive alone was enough to make anyone want to pack up and move to the countryside. Weird fact about Germany: They have highway called the AutoBahn and there is no speed limit. I repeat no speed limit. I found this out when I causally leaned over to see the speedometer and saw we were cruising at 180 kilometers per hour (that’s 111 mph, people). Needless to say, we arrived at our destination promptly. Neuschwanstein Castle is actually the inspiration for the movie Sleeping Beauty! Built by King Ludwig the II, the castle is now one of the most visited castles in all of Germany. It was the craziest thing driving up to because one second you are staring at the beautiful landscape of the German countryside, and the next, this gorgeous castle is in the distance. Stuff like that just doesn’t happen back home. While the inside of the castle was more of an interior design disaster than anything, it is always interesting to see what was trending in the 1800s. I know it is hard to compete with a magical castle literally from a fairy tale, but the city I visited next takes first place as cutest, most charming, Pinterest worthy village I have ever seen.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Even the name is cute. Located 2 hours outside of Munich, Rothenburg is a medieval city surrounded in the most beautiful yellow flowers you have ever seen. We took a tour with a local who gave us insight into the town’s history. While I won’t bore you with the details, the fact that this little city on a hill lasted so long is nothing short of a minor miracle. The ride from Rothenburg back to Munich is known as the Romantic Road (I mean, come on? That’s adorable). We stopped in about two more medieval cities, having our fair share of handcrafted ice cream and coffee. Basically, we had the perfect day.
To sum it up, Germany was better than I had expected. From the hustle and bustle of the city to the quaint, vibrantly colored streets, Germany had it all. I like to make a list at the end of each trip of all the things I would like to do when I go back, and today, I will be doing the same here.
To Do:
– Visit Lake Constance (because gorgeous pictures)
– Go to a Beer Garden (because even though I hate beer I should’ve tried some)
