Something New, Something Old

Our flight was a flight. Leg cramps, head-bobbing attempts at sleeping, great food. And we got to see Calgary. Which, from the airport, looks like nothing but a few high rise office buildings. Arriving in Frankfurt, at least one of the boys found that the juice box his mom had packed for him in his soft shell suitcase had been crushed and was leaking through the bag. No big deal though – who doesn’t like to smell like juice? That’s better than last year, when one of the guy’s suitcases didn’t show up for several days!

Something New

Wurzburg was a pleasant surprise – it was not too long ago that I decided this Franconian city would be our first stop. Mr. Johnson and I have never been here before, so it is something new in that way. The main attraction here is the Residenz (palace), which is like a mini-Versailles – grand stair cases, big ball rooms, and even a hall of mirrors (OK, it’s much smaller – the guide actually called it a “cabinet” of mirrors). We got to see Tiepolo’s enormous fresco (paint applied to fresh, wet plaster) depicting the four known continents of the time – Europe, Africa, Asia, and America. The guide expertly explained the symbolism in the painting. He also explained that during WWII, a lot of the palace, (and 80 % of the town) was destroyed in a British bombing raid that lasted only 20 minutes. It created a devastating firestorm that wiped out everything in its path, and this old medieval town was basically just a few walls and foundations at the end of the war. The Wurzburgers got busy rebuilding as soon as the war ended, so the majority of the city is actually “new” in this way as well. In addition to the beautiful art and architecture, the students also enjoyed their first German pretzel in Wurzburg, a highlight for many I’m sure.

Above: 53 Fundys in front of the 340 room Residenz.

Above: This would have made a great picture.

Above: Emma makes new friends in Europe easily.

Above: Jacob knows what to do in the pews of St. Killian's Cathedral.

Something Old

Rens took us on a quiet ride (everyone was asleep!) to the Rhine River valley, and our final destination for the day – Bacharach. Named after the Greek god of wine Bacchus, Bacharach made its medieval fortune in the wine trade, and it’s own local wines became special request orders for VIP’s around Europe, most notably Pope Pious II. Bacharach itself is quite a small, easy-to-walk town capped off by a grand medieval castle, which is where we are right now. Burg Stahlek has been a youth hostel since the early 20^th century, and what better place to spend your first night in Europe than sleeping in a castle?