A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
by Kievan Padayachee, University of Kwazulu-Natal

The idea of visiting Germany often elicits visions of Lederhosen, beer and fairytale castles. Of course, you can encounter plenty of these amiably old-fashioned clichés, but if you want to connect with the zeitgeist of this thoroughly modern nation you need to set your sights on its dynamic cities or maybe even start small as I did in the student of Tübingen.

On my first day of arrival here, staying true to the tourist name, I got lost but there’s no better way to get to know an area than by being completely clueless and slowly but surely finding your way to where you need to go and journeying the city.

Out of the countless age old sights that contain so much history and beauty, the most prominent of such were the Tübingen Castle and the Church tower. This Castle is on a hill affording lovely views of the city and the Neckar below. There are various exhibits open to the public within the Castle, including one on the discovery of DNA. The Castle itself is beautiful, and the hike up scenic.

The church is located in the midst of the old town surrounded by countless shops and nearby a cozy and harmonious market place. The church itself is a work of art, the architecture aspect is simply sublime and the atmosphere sends chills down your spine. On certain days the church allows members of the public to climb to its highest point where the view is absolutely breathtaking. It is hard to take in Tuebingen in its entirety but it’s a close shout with the view atop of the tower.

There is just so much to do in Tübingen when it comes to sightseeing, doing activities such a rowing down the spectacular river and shopping but also let’s not forget the food. The Mensa dishes aren’t as desirable as one would hope but this was superceded by the wonderful restaurants located all around the city in the most optimum locations.

Not only is the city a wonderful place but the people here are very accommodating, so much so that you’d think you’re home, only if they speak English that is. All in all Tübingen was a home away from home with such a wide array of things to do and people to meet, it’s uniqueness makes it a must have on your cities to visit on a trip to Germany