Kaiser Wilhelm und Sommertage

The actual monument

How're y'all? Good I hope? It's been a while, I know, but things got busy and I got out of sync. I've got a few topics up my sleeve, a few pretty pictures and lots of memories. I can't believe it has already been two months! So let's get started.

Way back in the middle of September I went to Wittekindsburg and the Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal, both on the mountain range that is right by Minden, with my host mom and sister. The mountain is actually the reason Minden exists at all, because the mountain pass was once the only way in and out of Westphalia. Also the site of the post-Roman Germanic seat of power, Charlemagne beat the tribal leader and christianized Germany. All here in Minden. The name actually comes from that time because Minden is Min + Den, which is old German for Mein +Dein, which is German for Mine + Yours.







Here are a few of the pictures from the monument. Much to my mom's dismay, I was the one behind the (really nice) camera and went a bit artsy with it, so there aren't any of me or anyone else for that matter.

Across the gorge is a TV tower. Right is Niedersachsen, left is Nord Rhein-Westfalen.

Minden! The blockish thing on the far right is the Catholic Cathedral, the big brown/white one is the Marienkirche, and that's about all you can see from this view. We live far wester than this picture goes. It takes 2 minutes to walk from the towers to each other.

But anyhow, while we were up on the mountain we walked along the ridge to a Gaststätte (just a small hotel with a few rooms and coffee and ice cream). It was really pretty with a great view of the countryside and a launching pad for hanggliders, who were coincidentally setting up to fly. So we stayed around and waited for them to get ready, even if it did take them about an hour.

It was a really warm and beautiful day and it was only my first or second truly summer days in Germany. A precious commodity, I'll say.

Gandalf, our dog (the big white boxed over there), found a small friend and they ran around and played with each other. Kinda fun to watch.

Wonderful view. The lakes aren't natural, they're from a gravel mine (Kieswerk)

And take off!

I would never do that, I'm deathly afraid of heights, but it was really cool to watch! After that, we went home and grilled some delicious food! It was a wonderful day. Check back soon for some more updates!