As we arrived in Frankfurt on Saturday afternoon, most of us were still feeling a bit of a shock to our systems from the time difference. Sleeping on planes has never been something I do well, and I knew that the first day was going to be one where I was up for 30 hours or more. As it turned out, so were most of my classmates. One thing you need to know about this trip is the “famed A” that we brought. The “A” is 2 feet by 2 feet by 5 inches, made of foam, and created at our friends in Industrial Design at the U of A. I brought it to show people that wherever your degree takes you, whatever your experience, the U of A is with you too. It’s cheeky, it’s symbolic, and it has caught fire and the attention of tour guides so far. Look for the A to be our own version of Travelocity’s gnome.
Bleary eyed and yet excited at arriving without any hassle or hiccup through customs or baggage, we stepped out to humid, sunny Germany. The consensus is that a) this place is very clean and b) it is much greener and prettier than we’d all imagined. Driving to Wiesbaden we saw forests and fields of canola in full bloom, vineyards and hills dotted with 18th century towns, castles (I’ve lost count there are so many) and gothic churches rising out of a lush vibrancy of green everywhere. If this was the carpet being rolled out to greet us then I couldn’t imagine what would be next.
The first day we had time to explore, and as it would have it, Doug Matheson and I found the street that turned out to be the most popular one for hanging out. We walked for a few hours before reposing at an outdoor café for some schnitzel and beer (hey we ARE in Germany after all) we collected back to join the others for dinner. Lloyd Steier and Chantel Blanchette joined us for an hour of people watching on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. 
After a tasty meal at a Cuban restaurant, the group walked back through Wiesbaden’s beautiful park. There were trees as old as time shooting up past seven stories and a large pond with a fountain that reminded me of Hawreluk Park (though not as expansive). Rhododendron bushes and lilac trees filled the air with wooded perfumes and the walk back to the hotel was a wonderful way to end the day. We walked through the Casino which is housed in a building going back centuries out to an old car exhibition that happened to be wrapping up for the
evening. We posed against cars that James Bond might drive in olden days, VW wagons, Porsches and other exotic vehicles that made the first day seem pretty fantastic.
After a tasty meal at a Cuban restaurant, the group walked back through Wiesbaden’s beautiful park. There were trees as old as time shooting up past seven stories and a large pond with a fountain that reminded me of Hawreluk Park (though not as expansive). Rhododendron bushes and lilac trees filled the air with wooded perfumes and the walk back to the hotel was a wonderful way to end the day. We walked through the Casino which is housed in a building going back centuries out to an old car exhibition that happened to be wrapping up for the
evening. We posed against cars that James Bond might drive in olden days, VW wagons, Porsches and other exotic vehicles that made the first day seem pretty fantastic. As we meandered back to our hotel, with the full European summer's eve and the jet lag still in its early stages, I think we had a pretty good first day. - MH
