Drive through Europe

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Today we packed our bags on the bus and took off on the eight-hour drive from
Leuven, Belgium to Mannheim, Germany.  On the way we stopped in
Bastogne, Belgium, an important city during the Battle of the Bulge in
World War II.   The Battle of the Bulge, officially known as the Battle
of Ardennes, started on December 16th,
1944, and the Battle of Bastogne played an important role in the war. 
We visited the Mardasson Memorial constructed to pay homage to the
almost 75,000 American soldiers who were wounded or killed during the
Battle of the Bastogne.  We then visited the Bastogne Historical Center
and took a tour of the uniforms, vehicles, war artillery, and other
artifacts from the battle.

We then continued on to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.  Luxembourg is one of
the smallest countries in Europe and is also one of the wealthiest!  It
borders Belgium, France and Germany and has a population of less than
half a million people.  We had an hour and a half free time in the
capital city, so most people split up and got lunch at a local café. 
After souvenir shopping, a visit to the cathedral and a walk in the
park, we boarded the bus again.

Our next stop was a quick visit to a castle in the Loire Valley of France. 
We didn’t have time to take a tour, but we were able to walk around the
exterior and find a view of the local vineyards.  After some snacks, we
jumped on the bus for the last leg of our trip to Germany.

Hamish met with the groups about their video projects on the bus and everyone
was able to work on their scripts and outlines.   We checked into our
hotel in Mannheim, which boasted big rooms and comfy beds, and then
headed to dinner at a local Bavarian restaurant.  After a delicious
meal, which included traditional pretzels, everyone returned home for a
relaxing night of cards and catching up on some internet before another
long day!

Aditya Bagdia

David Allspach

Meghan Janci

Posted by IBIP Administrator