Bicycle Tour

On August the 3rd, I decided to ride the bicycle I rented for the weekend. I was on the search for a nice bakery or ice cream shop in the area. I invited my friend Naomi and we choose to turn right after leaving CIEE’s gates. I was in front of her and tried to keep a steady pace. It was hard riding with all the citizens because they seemed experienced. My main priorities were to stay in a straight line and to follow all of Germany’s bike laws.

            We traveled a long way on our journey. We passed many traffic lights and I got better at turning with moving cars. On a quarter of the way there, I spotted this recreational facility. We stopped by and saw a group of men playing badminton. I’ve played badminton in school, but I haven’t seen adults play the sport for fun. Badminton isn’t that common of a sport in the United States where you will casually see adults playing it in a recreational facility.

            After our visit to the gym, we got back on the main road. On the main road, we found the center of the neighborhood. Around the center was multiple shops and restaurants. We finally found an ice cream shop and decided to go in. I only had a debit card on me, so I asked the server if they accepted a card. He said “no” so he showed us in the direction of an ATM. We couldn’t find the ATM so we just rode around the plaza and stumbled upon a river. The citizens were scattered all along the bridge and the sides of the river. It looked like a hang out spot for all the citizens to socialize with each other. I was really amazed by the atmosphere and the scenery. I plan on coming back with some more friends.

            When we finally found the ATM, we decided to go back to the ice cream shop by CIEE. I heard really good things about their ice cream so I wanted to try it out. We peddled our way back that part of the neighborhood and found the shop. I purchased one scoop of cookies and cream while Naomi purchased one scoop of strawberry.

            From my experience, I learned the value of observing. I observed German citizens and picked up on their culture. I saw the communal aspects of their traditions from riding bicycles everywhere to gathering at the river. This country really values its interactions with the people to support German patriotism.