On June 3, fifty-six alumni and friends of Concordia began their two-week tour of Germany, Switzerland and Austria which includes the 2010 Passion Play in Oberammergau. The tour members, including 12 from Seward, are scheduled to visit many of the Luther/Reformation sites, the Rhine River Valley, castles and gardens of Bavarian royalty, Liechtenstein, the Lake Constance area of Switzerland, and Salzburg, Austria.
Updates from the the trip are being submitted by Jan Koopman, Concordia's alumni director:
Saturday, June 5 - Exploring Wittenberg
Guten Tag!
A very full day in Wittenberg and every moment blessed by gorgeous blue skies and fresh breezes! I don't know what everyone in our group was expecting of all the Luther sites today, but I was personally very impressed with the depth of the presentations, the knowledge of our guide Marita and her humor dealing with all things Luther. Perhaps the highlight of the day was our evening worship service in the Schlosskirche where Luther preached; Rev. Steve Molin from Stillwater, Minn., was the guest preacher and our own Judy Preuss and Brian Friedrich were the guest lesson readers. Judy confessed to experiencing a bout of nerves standing at the same altar where Luther stood facing the congregation.
Tonight was our "Wilkommen to Germany" dinner with classic marinated pork loin, gherkins and potatoes with a delicious cherry dessert. We are being well-fed and the list of beverages has pleased the most discriminating palate. (I have a classic in my suitcase - an empty bottle of Luther bier!) Good thing our days are filled with energetic walking on these ancient cobblestones, plus many steps.
Tomorrow we are on to Quedlinberg - a very historic town just to the northwest - and then Erfurt, Eisenach, etc., in the evening. Monday is set aside for the Wartburg Castle, the Augustinian Monastery, and the Bach Museum.
Blessings and Gute Nacht!
Jan and the Fun-loving Fifty-six
Friday, June 4 - Wittenberg Arrival
Guten Abend!
We are all tired after a full 8-hour flight from Chicago to Munich and then on to Berlin; our driving, walking tour of Berlin included the sections of the Berlin Wall still standing, various church sites still in ruins from WWII and so much more.
After a 2-hour drive through countryside that reminded us of the pristine farms of Wisconsin, we arrived in Lutherstadt-Wittenberg at our hotel. Not much time in the hotel room - we were all starved and the quaint, bountiful restaurants and sidewalk cafes of Wittenberg were beckoning. Not much can go wrong with a menu that none of us can read when we start with one of every kind of beer on the menu! From there, the plates of mustard porkloin, the spaetzle dumplings, sauerbraten, etc., were devoured while our bodies and feet rested.
The evening is cool - a long-sleeved jacket is a must. The sky is clear and tomorrow begins our tours of Luther sites.
God bless, and thanks for all your prayers for our safe travel!
Jan and the rest of the Fabulous Fifty-Six!