There was a cool, refreshing breeze blowing as I looked up at the clear, midsummer night sky. I had just arrived in Germany and my mind was filled with thousands of ideas of what I thought I was going to see there. Any minute, I expected to see a man in lederhosen, Alpine mountain clothes, drive by in a Volkswagen, yodeling and eating Wiener schnitzel. However, as time passed, I began to notice that these stereotypes were simply American humbug. The luscious vineyards and towering castles are but a footnote of what this Western European nation has to offer. The countryside is a collage of green fields and bustling meadows, like a painting by Claude Monet or Bob Ross. Between the archaic cathedrals and the thrones of Emperors who have long since passed away, this country's scenery is the finest Europe has to offer.
A few days after arriving in Frankfurt, I was already on the road. The first stop on my road trip, through the exquisite southern region of the country, was the city of Wurzburg. Towering over the city, situated on the mountainside, Wurzburg castle is a gateway into the past. While standing in the presence of this architectural goliath, I cowered below its mighty walls. In the presence of this massive citadel, I imagined that even the bravest generals shuddered while attacking this colossus. Ironically, inside the castle walls it was so peaceful that one could hear a pin drop. The chapel within the castle walls houses the tombs of dead bishops and princes. Their likenesses, engraved forever on the floors of the holy mausoleum, spoke to my soul. While gazing upon the Romanesque style carvings and the Gothic style architecture, I felt transported into a metaphysical realm. The alters of gold magnified the sunlight and reflected it off the ground floor etchings, presenting the tombs in an otherworldly light. Exiting the chapel, I walked into a splendid rose garden decorated with renaissance era sculptures and paintings. Trees with pink