Happy Reformation Day!

Halloween isn't the only celebration going on today.  October 31st is also Reformation Day, which is a holiday in several German states (although not in the one I live in, unfortunately).   On this day in 1517, a Catholic monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church (Schlosskirche) in Wittenberg, marking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

The Castle Church ("Schlosskirche") in Wittenberg

top of the church tower; it reads "Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott" (a mighty fortress is our God)--the title of Luther's most famous hymn.

The original door on which Luther had nailed the 95 Theses burned in 1760; King Friedrich Wilhelm IV had it replaced with a bronze door with the 95 Theses inscribed.

Luther's writings may have made him popular with the people, but not so much with the pope and the emperor.  Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1521, but he continued to preach in the City Church (Stadtkirche) in Wittenberg. That year, the Stadtkirche went against the Catholic Church and held its first "Lutheran" (in German, Evangelisch) service. 

The Stadtkirche in Wittenberg where Martin Luther preached; it was also where he married and where his children were baptized.

It's hard to imagine the sleepy, picturesque town of Wittenberg fomenting any kind of fervor, religious or otherwise. I saw a number of tourists in Wittenberg this weekend, but there weren't any Reformationstag festivities. Surely something would be happening on the days before the actual Reformation Day, right? (Of course, I come from a place that, if people realized that could make money out of it, would turn Reformation Day into Reformation Month.)  To the Germans' credit--and most likely their economic detriment--they began setting up for Reformationstag only the afternoon before (Sunday, October 30th). 

workers setting up the Reformation Day celebration on the town square; the top of the city church (Stadtkirche) is in the background

near the entrance to the Lutherhaus, the Luther museum; it was originally a monastery, but later housed Luther and his family

It is a shame, though, because this town looks like it could use an economic boost.  I heard, though, that the town has a large celebration that lasts for several days in the summer: Luthers Hochzeit (Luther's wedding).

Hundewetter!

Hundewetter = foul weather
[literal translation: dog weather]

This morning it was 35°F--with a wind chill of 28°F--and it's only mid-October! It may not be Hundewetter yet (the sun was out), but it definitely gives this Texas girl a chill.  All week long I have heard discussions about the weather that begin with "Ohhhh, just you wait! Last year it was horrible. Did you hear about....". 

Speaking of Hunde...you know I'd like to have Tostitos (along with salsa, peanut butter, and warm temperatures), but what do I really miss from home?  Along with my family and friends, of course, what I miss most is my dog.  I decided to leave Allie in Texas for several reasons, one being that I wasn't sure what it would be like for her here (I travel on days off, she hates rain, I'd have to check her on the plane, etc...), and another was that I knew she would be very well loved and cared for by my family in Texas.




Allie at the front door when I left home

 

I still miss Allie, though, and I blame the Germans for that, because I can't seem to go anywhere without seeing them with their dogs! They take them everywhere...

Yes, that is a dog in there!

sightseeing with the family on vacation...

to the mall...

                                                                              on the train...

out to dinner...

I've also seen them inside the city hall and the farmers market, and I've been told they've been known to frequent some bars.  The only place it seems that dogs are not welcome is at the grocery store, where they are left near the front door and calmly wait for their owners.  This, of course, makes me think of another sticking point about bringing my dog over to Germany:  she and I both would have to undergo some serious training before that could happen...German dogs are some of the best behaved dogs I have ever seen!

Vacation

Germans seem to really value their vacation time, which is a good reason to work here! After the first six weeks of class, my school had its fall break. So, what did I do for my first vacation as a European resident? I did what is arguably the most American thing possible:  I went on a cruise.

This cruise, though, went to several places in Europe I'd never been to before, like Taormina (Sicily):



For a moment I felt like I was back in Tlaquepaque, Mexico...




or maybe it was Guanajuato?

After a day at sea, we moved on to Chania (Crete):

Look at all of those fish!

Then came my favorite, Ephesus:

The Library of Celsus

Mosaic floor in front of ancient shops and homes

About to have lunch in the country

It was good!

We were originally supposed to be in Athens on Wednesday, but the itinerary changed because of strikes in Greece that day.  We encountered no problems in Athens on Friday...unless you count the hordes of tourists as a problem.

 We went to the Acropolis in the morning, but 10 a.m. wasn't early enough to beat the crowds. That place was packed!

I returned to Germany on Sunday with a little sunburn, lots of pictures, good memories with friends, and a few extra pounds.  The week went by too quickly! Our visits to the shore were too short, and it always seemed like we had to hurry to make it back to the ship, but at least now I know what I want to do next time I am there! 

I probably shouldn't have...

...but it's already October 1, and who knows how many more days with temperatures over 70°F we'll have? So, I celebrated the sun the same way so many Germans do: with ice cream. Not just a scoop or two, either. I had Spaghetti Eis: vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce, and coconut shavings on top.



I didn't eat the whole thing. Honest. :)