Guten Tag from Germany! The weather is a sight colder than in Italy but now it feels like Autumn and the prospect of some relaxation was a welcome treat. We ran around like madmen in France and Italy studying all things medieval and Renaissance related, but now our studies are slowing down.

We have not stayed in place very long in Germany – Munich, Rothenburg, Nordlingen, Bamberg and Nuremberg – but seen everything from the modern to the medieval towns around here.

I’ve always been enamored by the rustic charms of this country so I’ve really enjoyed my stay. Also, the Germans seem friendlier and more accepting of us tourists, never scoffing at my broken German phrases as I try to communicate my desire for a pretzel or a beer. And really, German food is just as good as French and Italian food when I can by a delicious bratwurst sandwich for 2 euro, slathered in mustard and hot off the stove.

With only short stops in Belgium and London left, the end of the trip is coming in less than a week and I’m in total disbelief. It feels like I just got to Europe and yet, I feel like I am a changed person for all the things I’ve seen and experienced. I’ve navigated large unknown cities on my own without speaking the native language, eaten snails and Italian lasagna and drank smoked beer, studied maps and honed my natural navigational instincts, and could talk your ear off about the progression of medieval architectural trends in churches. But my bags are heavy now and I’ll be coming home sooner than you all expect.