Flensburg City Tour

Today we did a city tour around Flensburg, a city chockful of history and buildings of all times! Hope you enjoy "walking" the streets of the city virtually with us! And next time you come to Germany, make a stop!

Laughter and Smiles

One image is worth a thousand words... so here are some images. I have only my second memory card, that is why there are no pictures from Kiel, but they will come. Here some group shots, to share our joy and laughter. Thanks for this great experience!

We just keep cruising along with more and more interesting programs and fun things to do. Today we had a fascinating tour of Flensburg with lots of information about its complicated history with Denmark. We met with the town planner at the town hall and then attended the meeting of the Flensburger Förde RC where we enjoyed a lovely luncheon and gave our presentation. Everyone seemed to enjoy it very much and the song went well. Later we had an informative and fun walk with Willfried Janßen, a retired professor of biology. He showed us around a nature preserve on the edge of the Förde at Holnis. His passion about the environment and the interrelationship of man to nature came through very clearly. We ended the day with a magnificent meal at the Fährhaus Holnis restaurant. We share pictures of our presentation song; RC president Eric Mader and GSE coordinator for the Flensburger Förde RC Franyiska Sievers with the team; a plate of delicious lamb, potatoes and green beans with bacon; and an out-of-sight desert with pudding, rum, fruit, und schlag; and finally a picture of me and my wonderful hosts Ursula and Eric.

I visited a German / Danish school the morning of May 30. It was a pleasure to see children from the ages of 7 to 17 working so hard and with such enthusiasm. The teachers at the school welcomed me with open arms and taught with passion and great talent. At the end of the school day I was given the opportunity to teach students in a physical education class how to play baseball. The students took to the game very well and translated their cricket skills remarkably well. Tomorrow I will visit a Gymnasium in Flensburg and am interested in what I will find next. Tschuss! Myles

We are now in Flensburg, Germany and I crossed the border into Denmark! My host father (Hans Müller) took me there and we walked along the water and stopped for a hot dog. Yes a hot dog with fried onions, raw onions, pickles, mustard and ketchup on a toasted bun. Delicious! Then we had dinner with Hans daughter and grand-daughter. I have been eating so well and not moving to make up for it so that when I was asked what I would like to do I said I'd like to go for a walk. So we walked to a nearby "public forest" and walked along the trails. There were balancing beams all along the trails so you could practice your balance, I saw some stinky black pigs, and Lena (Hans Grand-daughter) had me eat a plant but I don't remember what is was called. Apparently the edge of the plant can make you itchy but if you fold the ends together you can eat it. Lena saw that I thought it was strange so she ate it first and then I did. It had a refreshing herb taste. Interesting.

I'm looking forward to seeing and learning about Flensburg. For now I must sleep. Gute Nacht :)

Danish hot dog in Denmark

Lena and I on the balancing beams

"the plant" I ate

We have arrived in Flensburg to a very warm greeting. Our hosts from left to right: Franziska Sievers, Hans Müller, Wolf-Rüdiger Lietzau, Elke Asmus-Reimer, und Erich Mader. Tonight a quiet evening with our host families and then tomorrow a tour, our presentation, and more activities. Lots of interesting stuff!!

Tuesday was very interesting and great fun. We had tours of alternative energy sites. I don't know a lot about this topic but the Germans seem way ahead of us in this area, if not in the technology at least in how much they are using it. I have always wanted to be up close to one of those big windmills and we were inside the base. Standing at the bottom of a windmill those huge propellers are so impressive as they swing around. We also visited a plant that bottles mineral water and other drinks. The automated production is amazing. Then on to a company that makes road safety equipment - the big flashing lights the warn of upcoming traffic issues. Again, the automation in making the circuit boards was most impressive. Then we had a short walking tour of the center of Husum, led by Husum Rotarian Martin Evers, to do some shopping and see the sights. Our presentation at the RC of Husum went very well. The District Governor, Wolfgang Müller-Michaelis, attended so we got to meet him. He liked our song so much he wants us to perform it at our District Conference. I must admit I had some doubts about the song as we were preparing in the USA, but it seems to go over very well here. People sing with us and you can see on their faces how much they like it. Finally, we went to the home of Bahne Bahnsen, who with his wife is one of the host families, to celebrate the birthdays of Agus and Bahne. We all had to stay up until midnight drinking and eating so we could celebrate on May 30, their actual birthday. It was a great day.

On the canal in Friedrichstadt, a town with a strong Dutch heritage on the North Sea neer Husum.

So, in Husum the grass rally is greener on the other side of the fence.

So, Kinka was right: Amrum is one beautiful place. We got up early for coffee and the drive to the ferry where we met a number of Rotarians from the Husum RC. The had reserved space for us on the ferry and a sumptuous breakfast was already laid out waiting for us. The ride was a little less than two hours and we saw lots of sea birds and seals. With the help of Husum RC member "Barbara" we got race tee shirts and numbers. It was quite a mass at the start but soon people spread out a bit. The first part of the race was through forest and was pretty easy but them we emerged to run on the soft sand of the beach and that was very hard. I struggled. Once we got off the beach it was better, but by then I was getting tired. Kinka passed me as we left the beach, and I chugged home feeling great because I had ran and finished but happy it was over. After we had all recovered with first water and then beer, be rode our bike into Nebel for ice cream. What a pretty town. Later we biked back to the ferry for the ride home. Bernd was waiting for Arthur and I and back at his house we enjoyed a delicious light supper with dunkel bier. Jetzt Ich bin mode. Gute Nacht!

Hello all! This is my first time in Germany and actually Europe. The people have been amazing, and the hospitality "above and beyond". We have, as a team, seen very many attractions in the few days we have been here. We have already visited: a TV and Radio station, a university, a school, the Kiel canal,the Naval Memorial, enjoyed a small plane tour, and many other places. Today we travel to the island of Amrum and get to participate in a 5K race. Quite excited!

Wow! Trying to figure out how to get in and write with German language directions is a bit of a challenge. But I think I have done it. Well, who would have thought that in such a modern and technically advanced country we would have had trouble finding WiFi, but that has been our problem so this is my first chance to write something. The Rotarians have been too fabulous for words. What warm and fun hosts. They have filled our days with interesting and exciting visits: the North German Radio/TV station, Christian-Albrechts University in Keil, the Geomar undersea research lab, a terrific concert and organ demonstration at the St Nikolai Church, a tour of the locks of the  Keil Canal, a fascinating talk about German Naval history at the Naval Memorial in Laboe, a tour of the Keil City Hall where we met the Lord Mayor, a small airplane flight over Keil, and much more. We have been fed with spargle, herring, strawberries, worst, und lots of excellent Deutches bier. Is gut! Today we were transported to Hosum and new hosts, and tomorrow we go to Amrum to run in a race. I'll try to write more soon, and include some pictures.

We are here!! (Germany)

After many hours in the air we have arrived! It was fun travelling with the German team. We had a wonderful greeting from Wolfgang Janus and Bernd Diepenhorst. They took us on the autobahn and through the beautiful countryside to Molfsee, near Kiel.

Showers!!! :)

Frau und Herr Diepenhorst hosted a great cookout with other rotarians. It was a lot of fun, but now we are tired and ready for bed!

Tschüß

Today the GSE team met at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Fryeburg, Maine. This was our last GSE meeting before we head off to Deutschland this Sunday. Six days left and we were able to practice our presentations in front of a live audience. A few Fryeburg Rotary club members as well as a few Bridgeton club members came to hear our presentation. They had some great advice for us. Vielen Dank to both clubs for taking the time to meet with us and to hear us practice.  

Afterwards we had dinner at the 302 West Smokehouse & Tavern. Now some much needed rest and then the District Conference on Saturday, May 19^th. Gute Nacht.