Where is the Atom?

The week started with a visit to Koblez to experience how the structure of a building impacts the way a sound is interpreted. We were unfortunately not able to experience a perfectly acoustic building which sadden Professor Waltz. The city was beautiful and we were able to see a theater restored to its original appearance of the 1750s. The theater had many departments for all components necessary for a production. My favorite part was the paint room, it was on top of the building with great big windows to allow for the painting too dry.  

On Wednesday we visited Cologne and went on a tour of the city. There is an underlining humor among the locals throughout their city. A sculpture of a man mooning hanging from one of the building roofs is just the start. There are two meanings to this sculpture the way his bottom is facing is towards the other side of the city across the river, which is know to be the weird squinters of town. The second meaning is he represents the past were people would dump their chamber pots out on the street causing people to walk in the middle of the street. This humor repeats throughout the many statues in the city.

This past weekend was spent in Brussels, Belgium where we explored the city. The city was beautiful and showcased its historical roots in the architecture. There were also a couple of times I was able to practice a bit of French. The family we stayed with were lovely and provided a delicious pasta carbonara dinner. In that area there are a surprising number of plants similar to that of Northern California which reminded me of many childhood memories. The group also made a trip to Brugge and the city was amazing. The cathedrals in the area were works of art and the canals made the city picturesque. We visited the Grand Place in the city, the surrounding buildings are covered in gold. There were also restaurants where we sat outside and enjoyed a beer. The waiter showed me how to poor beer into a Duval tulip glass to get the bubbles to vortex. Made my Dad proud. Unfortunately we did not have a chance to visit the Atomium monument, but I did suggest it to the group. 

In class we continued to learn about the beginning of medicine and how it was highly intertwined in mystical and religious practices. The two were originally treated with one another. There is an interesting divide that arises between medicine and religion but it takes a long time to be accepted by most people. Many practices today have religious roots but can now be explained with scientific facts. Hildegarde is a fascinating woman who took part in both worlds but had a different understanding of the medicine compared to others. In preparation for the coming week we also learn about the benefit to saunas. Saunas were first found in Finland and are thought to provide many medicinal benefits. I’m ready for this next week at spa island, Norderney.