A world away from the modern billboards and perfectly engineered trusses of Berlin, we found ourselves sneaking about clustered stone houses and squeezing through a mouse maze of historic shops and cobbled curbs. This was authentic! We could tell the people who lived and worked here, even in the touristy part of fishtown, really appreciated our looks of awe-struck wonder. And, to their glee, our deep pockets. Perhaps not a single one of us made it out of the trap without taking something of the wares for our own.
I delightfully had the opportunity to be the third man up in a picture perfect stack of human beings that mirrored the most famous statue in Bremen; a stack of animals excerpt from folklore about a journey into the town centuries ago. What a time!
This trip has been what we made of it, and the intentionally cultural experience here allowed me to really feel like I was learning how to interact with those a world away from my American bubble. Josh and I made it into a hat store to purchase stylish accessories for the trip. 70 Euros?? No way! But after a few minutes of laughs and inquiries about our different backgrounds, our travels and tastes, the kind German grandmother smiled. She handed off my brand new hat for 25 Euros with the condition I would wear it all the time.
When I find myself back in Germany, I know I will be exploring the north. Hamburg, Bremen, Lubeck, and more have a lot more in store.