Stuttgart's Spring Festival

Hello all,

This past weekend was one to remember, sort of.. Myself and two other Rehhutte interns made our way to the Spring Festival in Stuttgart! This is annual tradition, much like the Octoberfest in Munich. However the difference is it's Spring and not in Munich.

We would depart for Stuttgart on Friday afternoon. Besides going to a festival this weekend, this was also my last week of actual work. Prior departing from work I had to unregister myself from the great city of Limburgerhof and close my european bank account. Around 4pm I was joined with all my co-workers for a farewell event. We had cake, all wished me well for the future, and then it was officially over.

As I left work, turning in my badge and all that other jazz I finally made my way to the bahnhof. I would hope on the train and meet the others in Stuttgart. The neat thing about this weekend, it was not going to be a touristy event. I was going to go place and meet people, and "do as the locals do." As a result we went to student pubs and had a good time Friday night.

Awaking on Saturday morning was not the best time I have ever had. Having gotten home at 3:30 am we were all feeling a little, dehydrated... We then ate some breakfast and drank some .... coffee?! After we were all ready we made our way to the festival. To give a comparison for those unsure about what this festival is, it is like a three week fair, three times the size, and HUGE beer tents. We made our way to the beer tents and did as everyone else, ordered a liter of cold German Beer. After a couple of beers, half a chicken, we decided to do a little dancing on the tables!!

Eight hours later we were all doing good, decided it was time to go and made our way back home. With my two liter mugs hidden from sight I managed to have some great memories and a neat gift to myself!!

Ready or not?

Greetings to all,

I would first like to say that I cannot believe that in under 14 days I will be landing in Chicago and returning to the Great Midwest!! It has been one great experience after another, and who could have guessed we would have another explode right in front of us, or a couple thousand miles away!

The purpose of this blog topic is to discuss the systematic problems made apparent because of the Icelandic Volcano dilemma. To be specific I thought I would start with a little history. This volcano in question has erupted three previous occasions. The first being in 920. Now I don't remember the 920's but the last eruption was in 1821. This particular eruption last a mere 13 months in to Jan. of 1823. When this occurred it set of the 'Angry Sister' which is even more dangerous.

The biggest concern that I have now is, "How the hell am I, along with other, going to get back to the States?" Now I understand that the concept of volcanic ash is relatively new to the EU given is ten year existence, but I would have thought that someone in some geological association would have thought to mention this was a possibility. I understand that not many would have seen a glacier eruption shutting down many European airlines, but this is not different than any other disaster. All it would have taken is to have a plan in place that states what to do if... This if could be a major flood, tsunami, earthquake, etc.

Now I do not doubt that EU officials are working 9-5 to fix this problem, but lets face it, the world is to politically controlled to provide disaster relief. Look at Katrina, how many days did it take to get water and supplies to the victims? How many different earthquakes we have seen, landslides, and the list goes on. I am not saying that each disaster is the same, but there should be at least some plan in place to get the ball rolling. It should not take three days for the administration to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the situation and possible solutions. These steps should have been taken years earlier not on the day of!!

My real concern is the world has become entrapped in to much "Red Tape." It is ridiculous at the amount of time that passes before any actions are taken. I understand the pressures and everything that go along with these decisions, but don't you think they could have eliminated most obstacles by having an emergency plan. I fear that this lack of readiness is becoming more and more apparent. With politicians, most not all, worrying about their next election and what will happen to them if they do not vote the right way is really becoming a major concern with many people.

A lesson that needs to be learned from this natural disaster is that governments covered with Red Tape are not serving the best interests of the people, but the interests of the people inside the building. It is time for the governments of this world to put aside party ideals and work for the "Greater Cause." It is time to develop plans to fix the current problems instead of financing problems for future generations.

In closing, the people of Iceland, Euro travelers, and others are suffering billions each day while the administrations TALK about what to do, instead of enacting a plan to fix the problem. I understand things change and shit happens, but volcanos erupt every year. It is time for our governments to step up and do what they are established to do and take care of the people that created them!!! Hopefully this disaster will be resolved quickly with out much more loss, but its hard to say.

Until next time...

Venice Italy. Ohh and that special girl that came with me!!

I know I should try and update my blog a little more frequent and not all at once, but I just get so busy in Limburgerhof!!

After my trip to Berlin, I was blessed with a short work week due to Easter! Anyway for this four day weekend I got to plan a big trip and go a little farther away than usual, VENICE!!! Not only did I get to go to Italy, but I got to be blessed with a royal presence, the 2006 State Fair Queen!!! Now she may be few years retired now, but her grace made the Italians bow as she graced them with her presence. Ok well maybe that really didn't happen, but I did get to spend an amazing 6 days with my beautiful gf, Heather Miller!!!

As she landed in Frankfurt, DE I met her after being apart for over 3 months and it was one of the best moments in the trip! Being with people love always makes a great start to any trip, foreign o domestic. After she landed we loaded up on a bus to board our plane in Hahn Germany. After we left Hahn we landed near Venice just about a hour later. We then made our way to another bus and ended up in Venice City Center. To get to our hotel on Lido di Veniza we had to take the infamous water taxis that Venice is so well known for.

We finally made it to our hotel unpacked and then decided that it was time to eat. We found a place to eat on the beach of Lido facing the sea, and got to indulge in some amazing Italian cuisine. A bottle and a half of wine later we made our way back to the hotel, at this point Heather had not slept in about 36 hrs.

The next day we slept till about 11am and then hit the sites. Our first destination was the St. Marc Square. In the square we sat down and enjoyed the sunshine, vino, and some much needed food!! Throughout the rest of the day we would ride up and down the Grand Canal seeing the sites, taking in the culture and just love being with each other :)!! Awww, i know right so adorable!

7 hrs into our excursion we, and by that I mean me, decided it was time for a nap. We again took the water taxi to Lido and my tired companion crashed for about a two hour nap, at which she didn't think she was tired. After waking up we made our way back to the main island for dinner.

As we searched the square for a place to eat we decided to make our way down the canal to eat dinner. While eating dinner Heather and I we trying to decide on what to do, Gondola ride or a play about Venice. Needless to say, we decided to take a boat ride. After dinner and a successful bargaining by my ever so savvy self, we talked the boat master down 30 Euros!!!! I was way excited at this point, and no I am not going to mention the starting price! During our ride through the canals of Venice the city seemed so quiet. It almost seemed like we were the only people on water. Our boat ride saw many sites including the 007 building, post office, female jail, Marco Polos home, a big church, and few other odds and ends about venice. Now I will be the first to admit I did not think there was anything really cool about the Gondolas, but it is a must for anyone going to Venice!! It was probably the best way to see the city and is definitely the most romantic!!

The second day in Venice would include a trip to the island of Murono. Murono is an island known for its blow glass. Here they make some of the most amazing glass things you have ever seen. Not only do they sell it but they will also open their factories up for tourists to view them actually making the glass objects. Spending most of the day and consuming a bottle of vino by 1pm we decided it was time to make our way back. We headed to the square of St. Marc and found us the one and only Hard Rock Cafe. We did not stay long, but is always nice to feel the American influence when you have been overseas for a few months.

Our last dinner and night would be spent a long the quite inner canals of Venice at a small resturante. We would then eat our last Italian meal and make our way back through the square to get on a taxi and head to our hotel. To get back to the bus, we were able to ride the water taxi all the way up the Grand Canal to say good bye to Venice!

One of the coolest things about venice is the fact it is built on a hundred different islands. When first looking at the city it seems as though they just placed large building in the water. You never really see the islands and it really makes the city that much more remarkable. Another interesting fact is that the city is expected to sink by 2030 unless something is done. If you would like to know more about how they are saving the city, Youtube "MOSES PROJECT" and this will describe their plans.

Upon returning to Limburgerhof I got to experience Heather's masterful skill on a bike, her need for 20 pounds of gummy bears, and would get to spend another 2 and a half days with my lovely girlfriend. Oh and how could I forget on Easter Sunday we both got to feel apart of the family when we Skyped both sides of my family and her parents! It seems to me we could have stayed in Venice and still made the Easter party, but with skype you can never miss another family gathering!!

Well until next time.

East Meets West! (Berlin)

Since it has been almost a month since I last updated everyone on my latest expeditions, I thought I would take some time and do so now.

A recent trip at the end of March took me to Berlin Germany. I left early on the 27th of March and was planning on being in Berlin for most of the weekend, returning on late Sunday night.

During my time in Berlin I had a weird feeling. For those of you who are aware of some WWII history you know that it was bombed during the war. Later the city was the first and really only to separate itself apart with a human made wall.

When walking through the sites I got to see monument that welcomed people and some that still showed the affects of the war and separation. The first site I saw was their parliment house. Here housed one of the best places to get a 'bird's eye' view of Berlin. However, I didn't want to wait in line for 3 hrs so I decided to keep walking. The next few sites I got to see included the Berlin Dome Cathedral, TV tower, many churches, Berlin University, German and French Churches and museums on "Museum Island." As I continued to walk around I came to probably one of the best and most "interesting" places in Berlin, "The Berlin Wall."

Now I understand that we all know that the Berlin wall separated many friends and families for many years. We have all seen pictures of the wall, and know how bad it was. The biggest thing that I felt when I finally saw it was a strange eire feeling. Reading about the wall in history books gives you the facts about it, but being there seeing what is written, what it stood for, and all that pain and suffering that it brought to so many, is just a feeling you can only get when you are there seeing it in person.

When mixing the feelings from the wall and the bombings, Berlin made for a very interesting city. Seeing that there is only one place that you could pass between East and West Berlin (Checkpoint Charlie) really makes you appreciate all we have in our great country. Having seen the buildings that still showed signs of a bombing really makes the WWII seem more real. Also one thing that I did not mention is that where the wall stood they left pavers marking it all the way around the city. It would be marked with the name of the city section and years on it, but again it made the events of the Berlin Wall even more real.

Berlin was a great city and I would love to return to see all of its amazing sites. However, on my first visit I was overwhelmed by the feelings created by the markings on the buildings and the remnants of the Wall. These put together leaves you understanding the suffering that went on in Germany for so many years, and makes you really appreciate everything we have at home, no matter how crazy things get.

Overall Berlin was a short and sweet trip, that definitely left an impression upon me and I plan to return someday to take in more than just the wall.

Alicante Spain

Hello everyone, again. Sorry that I have been posting quite a lot lately, but just felt like I needed to inform everyone before I forget all of the details.

This last weekend, March 12th-14th, I went on an adventure to Spain. And this was not just anywhere in Spain, but Alicante! For geographically uninformed people like myself, it is in Southern Spain right on the Mediterranean Sea! This trip was taken for really three reasons. One being that I was tired of being cold and in cloudy Germany. Two I hadn't seen SAA friends in over three months, and was going through withdraw. Third, it was Brittany's birthday!!!!! When a friend turns 21 you have to go out with them, but when there are in another country turning 21, then it is a absolute must; plus it was on a beach so i made an exception, lol.

My trip started on Friday the 12th. I was the fortunate one in my office because I was able to leave early and avoid staying for the entire departmental meeting, but I think it was over when I left. As I made my way to Frankfurt-Hahn Airport I got to experience a different part of Germany, the western country side. To get to Hahn you have to take a bus, and this can be enjoying because you can see some more part of the country. However, the bad part of my trip was the fact it was 0 degrees C and was spitting rain and snow. As you can imagine I was more than ready to get to Spain and enjoy the sun, beach, and a little time with some good friends.

After arriving in Spain 30 mins ahead of schedule, I made my way to meet up with Brittany and Laura. We met at the bus stop, headed to the hostel, and then proceeded to start the reunion celebration off right. One lesson that I learned in Spain is that you don't mess with a 250 pound, red headed drunk female. To elaborate further, this particular red head about 'threw down' with Brittany within the first few minuets of meeting all of Laura's friends. The way it started is Brittany decided to borrow a plastic cup for her wine, needless to say they didn't really appreciate it. After putting the cup back, the angry red head came chasing Brittany and nearly started a good old fashion brawl. Luckily Brittany escaped with only the memory of the angry red head haunting her dreams for the next few days!!

Upon awaking on Saturday after nearly being up for 24 hrs, we decided it would be good to go and meet up with Laura. We met up with Laura and headed to a local market near the university in Alicante. This market was neat for the reason it had everything. When I say it had everything, I mean literally everything. They had everything from fruit, shoes, clothes, underwear, and much more. After tights, white linen pants, and some strawberries we decided that we had experienced the market to its fullest and headed for the castle.

Now someday I might actually remember the names of some of the places I saw, but you never know. Regardless, there is a mountain in the middle of Alicante which plays host to an enormous castle. After hiking our way to the top, we were a little worn out. Our exhaustion was soon forgotten. The view from atop this castle was just amazing. I have pictures of what I saw, but they just don't do it justice. It always amazes me of all the magnificent view that I have seen in my time in Europe. These views can be seen in pictures, but the true beauty is never really known until you can experience it first hand.

After tromping up and down the mountain, TWICE, we finally headed for lunch. At lunch the group introduced me to my first real Spanish dishes. We stopped at a local place that did what I would consider an afternoon lunch special. This would include everything, but the best part of this was that it included four courses, bread, and drinks!!! The food was simply amazing, much like all the food I have had when traveling. Lunch was now over and we headed to the beach for a nice relaxing time.

While on the beach we sat, talked, play volleyball, drank some wine, watched a memorial service, and even had the chance to workout. On the beach they had some workout machines and of course we had to check them out. After a while everyone parted ways until dinner and went on to do their own thing.

Around 11:30pm we headed to meet everyone for dinner. We got to the local diner and ordered us some drinks and ate. At this particular location the main event was about to occur. Brittany finally turned 21!!!!! As a typical American tradition she got to take her first legal shot!! After celebrating a little while longer, we decided it was time to hit the town. Now typical Spanish night life is like nothing I have ever experienced. They don't go out until 12-1 am and don't quit until about 6-7am. For someone who is used to getting up at 7am to work, this was a lot like jet lag. However, I managed to make it through an eventful night, and probably some of the most fun that I have had since being in Europe.

Upon waking at 12pm on Sunday, time was running out for enjoying the sun. As I left the hostel I walked around the main strip and got to do some really good people watching and take in all the beauty of the beach, sun, and the sea. The last few hours in Spain were spent on the beach enjoying good friends, food, and an unbelievable view. At 4pm I had to leave new and old friends with some great memories. I was a little sad, not only about leaving friends, but the fact that it was about 30 degrees colder in Germany than where I was currently. Upon arriving back to Limburgerhof, I had the nice surprise of finding out that my bike seat had been stolen, who knew there was such a black market. Anyway that minor negative was not near enough to dampen the highs from an amazing weekend

Until next time

EU: Amflora Approval

For those who just joined us, I am doing an internship with BASF Plant Sciences. Recently there has been an increased buzz running through our campus here in Germany. It was a couple of weeks now, but the European Union has finally made a break through on genetically modified plants. The EU Commission approved Amflora!

Amflora is a potato that produces only the amylopectin starch required for industrial starch use. Conventional potatoes contain amylose and amylopectin starch and separating them is very uneconomical. See the wiki page for more information or google it!

Anyways I felt I should share this information because the people I work with are the project managers who have worked to get approval after 13 years!! Seeing their product be approved and begin preparations for market introduction has been really a great experience.

This is a big step in the agriculture world. With the acceptance of GM products evolving in Europe show positive signs for many years to come. It also means that this is a trait that is not owned by Monsanto. With this increase competition, agriculture could be looking for some major changes in years to come and that is something to be excited about!!

Trip with the parents Part II

When we arrived in Torino Italy, we as most of the trip were completely lost! However, with mom's amazing skill of reading a map she was able to find us a place to stay, and we dropped off our luggage and headed to the street.

After asking the front desk where to go, we headed off. The first thing we did was wonder around till we found a pizza joint. Now when going to Italy I was probably more concerned about eating the food than actually walking around. We finally found place to eat some pizza, and we got to watch mom chug a beer, lol. For those of you who know my mom, well... enough said haha.

After we all three scarfed an entire 25 cm pizza, we started walking around. As we walked we saw some pretty neat churches and buildings through Torino. The way this city was laid out was interesting. It seemed as if they built it up with space between the buildings, and urbanization hit and caused the city to become one huge structure. Walking around you would find a church here, a museum there, an old palace or barracks in the middle of town, and then out of now where you would run into a giant courtyard. The size of some of these buildings was just amazing, not to mention the train stations. After walking around window shopping and getting some drinks we headed back to the hotel to relax before dinner. As we walked towards dinner, I was stilled amazed at the buildings we would see. As we stopped for dinner, the food was everything I could have imagined. I had a plate of spaghetti that was to die for! not to mention the wine that was cheap and absolutely delicious. After dinner we headed back to the hotel, where we all crashed.

After sleeping in, we all got up and headed to breakfast and planned our next journey. We decided that we would stay in Italy for another day, but instead of Torino, we headed to Milan. Milan, for those who are unaware, is one of the fashion capitals of the world! Upon arriving in Milan, we again had no idea of where we were going to stay, but didn't matter it just made the trip a little more interesting! AFter finding a place to sleep, we encountered a concierge that was great. He told us where to eat, shop, sites, and even told us about the Soccer match that was in town. Milan was playing host to the Inter vs. Chelsea game, and everyone was excited. As we walked through the streets we would constantly hear people start chanting for their team and occasionally we would hear an argument between fans.

The places we saw during our stay were: a really big church built in the 14th century or even sooner than that, the church that housed the "Last Supper" painting, but unfortunately they were sold out for the day when we got there. After seeing a few major sites, we headed to the shopping district. I have never seen so many stores for so many blocks. It was just amazing the number of stores that the streets had. I mean there was absolutely no empty buildings! Now the stores were nice, but the cars parked outside of them was even more amazing. After stopping in a few of the stores, we headed for dinner and then would call it a night!

Our next adventure would take us to Zurich. As we boarded the train, we all were tired enough to just crash almost instantly! On the trip to Zurich we got see some of the most beautiful sites we could have wanted too. The Swiss Alps were just amazing and words can't really describe what we saw, so just look at the pics on facebook.

Once we arrived at our hotel in Zurich, we started to wander around the city again looking at the shops and some of the little restraunts in the old parts of town. We then made our way to Lake Zurich, and again the view was just unbelieveable! After gazing over the lake for awhile, we headed back to the 'magnificant mile', or what is a really expensive part of town. Here we got see the infamous Swiss watches. Just a random fact, there is actually a law that governs the quality and branding of the "Swiss Watches". If you have some free time, Google it and its pretty interesting. Some of these watches that we saw were in the range from $100 Swiss Francs to about $50,000 Francs, no joke! The part that really got me was the $11,000 cell phone, I like expensive phones, but that is as much as a nice used car, or a down payment on some persons home.

Much like most people I am a sucker for fashion, or at least I like to spoil myself every now and then. What I am getting at is that I broke down and bought me an original Swiss watch. The neat part about some of these watches is the years of business the watch company had been in business. There were some that had been around since the 1700's! Mine is only from 1888, but still I felt like a true Swiss for a little bit, or maybe it is an ignorant tourist, but ohh well.

When we awoke the next morning, we headed to the train station to begin our journey home. Mom and dad were going to be leaving at 2pm, and we were still four hours from Frankfurt. As they dropped me off in Mannheim we said our good byes, and they were off.

I just want to say thanks to both my parents. I know that our trip was probably more expensive than any of us could have imagined, but then again I am priceless, lol! I just want to say thanks for coming to see me and the memories that will last forever. It means the world to me when you fly almost half way around the world to see me for a couple of days. Again thanks for everything, because if it wasn't for you I probably wouldn't be doing what I am or be the person I am today. Thanks for the great memories, and I love you both!!