Nürnberg

This whole semester is one big travel opportunity, but the first little excursion I was able to take was a day trip to Nürnberg. Nürnberg is a German city, just over an hour away from Regensburg by train.

We gathered at the train station that morning, my fellow Belmont abroad students and I forming our little group for the train ticket. We couldn’t wait to get started and the train ride to Nürnberg was spent laughing and joking.

Upon arrival we visited the Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände, a museum that documents the megalomania of the National Socialist regime. It was a unique experience for me because while this museum did mourn and document the lives lost at the hands of the Nazis, it also showed the Nazi’s other undertakings. One of the most impressive parts of the tour was when we turned the corner towards the end of the tour and were suddenly standing in the midst of an example of Nazi architecture. Massive and impressive, the half circle remains of the unfinished Congress hall is a testament to the strength and power of the National Socialist regime and is undeniable intimidating.

After our museum tour, we wandered around the old city. Goofing off, laughing, and stopping every few feet to take photos of the amazing sites, we slowly made our way through town. We ate lunch at a traditional German restaurant, visited a church, took a look around the market in the town square, and enjoyed a day getting to know one another better.

My group of friends met up with the rest of the ILC exchange students at the top of city hill by the Nürnberger Burg in the late afternoon. From the castle we could see the entire city, the horizon fading into the cloud cover and giving the outlook a peaceful if not almost eerie feeling. We sprinted up the tower right before it closed to get an even better view that was well worth the 3 €.

After our eventful day, the Belmont kids all sat together in a coffee shop while we waited on the train that would take us back to Regensburg. It’s strange how on adventure packed days the time spent sitting quietly talking can be some of the best memories. All in all, Nürnberg was a phenomenal trip and I enjoyed the city and the sites almost as much as I enjoyed the amazing people that I got to visit it with, especially my fellow Bruins!

Up next for Travel: My day trip to Passau

Up next for Regensburg: Palmator 2018