4/28/08-5/4/08

First off, I don't think I have mentioned that I moved! Scott and I both moved downtown, about a two minute walk to class! The two minute walk to class is not the only upside to this deal. We now have wireless internet and are paying a much more reasonable price for rent! The apartment as a whole has 6 bedrooms...only five of them occupied. Our other three roommates are really nice guys! All three of them are in their late 20's. Two of them are construction workers and the other is a supply chain/operations manager for a company in Bad Mergentheim.

This past week went by very fast! It does not seem as though I have been here for six weeks already....time is flying by! But the week consisted of two tests and long macroeconomic theory lectures.....great fun!

Yesterday, I traveled to Stuttgart to visit the new Mercedes Museum. Stuttgart is about 50 miles south of Bad Mergentheim. A rather short train ride that was only two and half hours. Upon arriving at the train station in Bad Mergentheim I noticed one guy with a Stuttgart soccer jersey on. At the next stop just up the road from Bad Mergentheim, I noticed quite a few more soccer fans! It then dawned on me that I was most likely in for a long and crazy train ride to Stuttgart. At different stops the train made along the way to Stuttgart, more and more fans would be waiting to board the already very crowded train! Also, at each stop, the fans who were boarding the train seemed to be a bit more wasted than the group that boarded at the previous stop.

What ensued on this train ride were beer bottles being thrown from the train, respective team chants, smoking (non-smoking signs are posted everywhere within the trains)......! To say the least I am glad I got to experience it but would have rather not smelt like smoke all day!

I arrived in Stuttgart around 1pm and began my long walk (6 miles) across town to the Mercedes Museum. I am happy that I chose to walk instead of take the subway due to the fact that I got to see one of Stuttgart's famed parks. Along the journey to the museum I had to pass the soccer stadium where thousands of fans were stumbling their way to the match. I have never seen so many police congregated in one area before!

The museum was everything that the German students said it was....amazing! I spent about 3 hours doing the audio tour and just taking pictures of the many different cars they had on display. Its a toss up as to what museum I liked better, the Audi or Mercedes....they were both very nice!

The return train ride back to Bad Mergentheim consisted of much of the same as the train ride to Stuttgart. I was lucky enough to have another chain-smoker sit right next to me on the return trip!!!!! I'm going to start carrying a gas mask around with me!