I don’t speak German, I know nothing about German history except for some of the war parts, and I really don’t even know what time zone it is in. It was in this fashion that my first trip to Europe kicked off yesterday. Matt and I traveled oversees to meet our friend, Paul, at his house in Regensburg, Germany. So far we haven’t really gotten into trouble or anything, just took a little tour of the house and the city. So, there really isn’t much to tell except first impressions and what we’ve done so far.

The first thing that was apparent about Germany was the beautiful architecture. Typical German residential areas are older than monuments in the United States. Not only are they old, but the ornate stone are carved with delicacy and build to last, unlike our lumber homes that won’t last longer than a hundred years.

Last night, we walked downtown and met some of Paul’s friends at the park. The whole city was full of people just hanging out. It was like a huge tailgate, except it was a weekday and there was no game to get ready for. People were just enjoying the outdoors and the company of each other.

There also seems to be a sophistication to the culture here. Matt and I went to school for a bit today, where everyone was dressed and talked nice. Then, we went out to coffee and walked around downtown. People were sitting out on the patios of restaurants with cups of espresso, a plate of fruit, and a bottle of sparkling water. This is just me being ignorant to European practice, but Regensburg feels to be seeped in culture to the core. I’m excited to experience more.