Day 28! (July 20)

Today I got up reasonably early and me and Mrs Kirste made a trip to the nearby township of Tübingen. This incidentally is where I was tossing up between going to along with JIBS in Sweden. Its a really nice little city ay!

I had a bit of a headache and was feeling quite groggy (not helped by the blistering heat) which kinda ment I was a little out of it for some of the trip.. but cest la vie! First we went to a couple of factory discount stores where Mrs Kirste did a little shopping. I had a look around but didnt find much. We drove into the normal carpark she uses, but it was closed so instead we parked a bit further in town entering onto a little platz next to the 'Nonnenhaus' (nunnery) which was a couple of really nice and old buildings. There was a little fruitstall, and a small river-let running past, and on the small bridge over it (1m or so wide) was a dude playing accordian which was cool. Tübingens got alot of students everywhere and lotsa cafes and little corners here and there to sit and talk and enjoy the great weather. Very cool.

We walked through the inner city visiting first the big evangalical church. In here were some cool stained glass windows, but on all the walls were carved tablets and stuff, all really old. And in the very front of the church were a bunch of graves with a carving of the person buried underneath (probably important people). This section was sealed off and it wasnt as if while in a service you looked over graves to the preacher or whatever :). We went past one of the rivers running through Tübingen (ahh what ws it called??), and past the old wall and stuff, and then we came to the Nekar (same river as Esslingen). There are lotsa beautiful buildings around in Tübingen, and It was cool to look at them all. On the nekar were some lovely trees and some boats you could go for rides on (punting). All very nice. Along the wall by the river a few students were here and there chatting and stuff (should be studying for final exams. tut tut!!). But it was all really beautiful ay! We walked along the wall by the river for a while, and then climbed up a hill to the old castle.

The entranceway to this place was very cool, and it was the first of three (i think) bridges over deep pits (for defense) inside was now used as a musuem and archeological institute, so didnt bother checking out the insides of any buildings. But walking around the outside you could tell it used to be a pretty sweet castle! it was up high so you got a great view along the Nekar, and back over Tübingen. After this we walked back to the Marketplace where the City hall stands. The City hall is like the one in Ulm, in that its all painted and stuff on the outside, and also has a little balcony thingy, where I assume the Tübingen Mayor also pledges his allegiance and stuff :). Outside it is also a great staute of Neptune (with assorted seas-stuff underneath) waving his trident in the air. Very cool.

After having a drink we headed back home for lunch (delicious! - pasta with a stroganoff style beef mushrooms and sauce ontop). I ate too much, and then played around outside and with Arnulf and all of that for a while. Later on I took some time out to sit in my room and read and listen to a sermon and read some more which was freshing and nice. The evening wasnt too eventful, however at about 4 I went outside again, saw the thermometer and the photo is now on my flickr site. Am I ever glad its not that humid here!! Altho every now and then it is coz a storm will come along or something.. Anyway.

I played a card game type thing with Arnulf and Mr Kirste in the evening, and Andreas turned up with Ariane. He had brought a mini pool table with him, but we didnt play any today. Around 10.30 I went down to my room, read some more and went to sleep

Cool day, shame I wasnt feeling that great in Tübingen, but it was still enjoyable!

Cya!