Die Stadt: Freiburg im Breisgau
By Taryn Chung
After a multi-hour delayed takeoff from New York City to London, sprinting with minutes to spare to the transfer bus, and navigating a French-Swiss-German airport, I finally completed the most hectic part of my journey. Two planes, four airports, and half a day later, I watched mercifully as my phone’s clock swapped Eastern Standard Time for Central European Summer Time. I arrived in Basel, Switzerland! It was not my final destination, but my uncle awaited me by the exit gates…
Seamlessly moving beyond the Swiss border to Germany, we drove on the notorious autobahn surrounded by the lush green hills of the mythical Black Forest. As we entered the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, the greenery did not disappear but became more of a backdrop for the urban scene. Brightly colored, fairytale buildings were next to modern homes with solar panels. The main electric public tram raced fuel-efficient cars and bicycles. Locals relaxed in the Dreisam River, which runs through the entire area, while tourists tried not to fall into the Bächle, thin runnels built into the city’s ground.
Energized by a hearty meal of locally baked pastries, I headed to the medieval city center with my uncle, who would show me around before leaving me to explore independently. We passed under one of the two city gates built in the 13th century to the Freiburg Münster, a gothic cathedral that had survived World War II bombings. At the famous Münstermarkt, my uncle picked up coffee grounds from his favorite stall and mushrooms that had astonished us due to their large size.
After pointing a few key things out, my uncle returned home, and I began my mission to walk on every single street. Weaving through the small, pedestrian-only streets, I discovered a college campus on the periphery of the center (Freiburg is a well-known college city, but I was unaware of this.) I purchased postcards, which the cashier depended on a calculator to communicate how much they cost. Stumbling upon an Asian grocery store, I was excited to compare the produce there with the staples I could find at home and, hopefully, find some air conditioning to recover from the summer heat. Unfortunately, I didn’t. Instead, I devoured a delicious green coconut ice cream and Middle Eastern salad to cool off. Before I knew it, my cousin was texting me because four hours had passed!
Over the next two days, my aunt showed me different cheese and topping combinations for a raclette dinner; I hiked around Schauinsland with my uncle; and explored the areas my cousin and I had discussed during our Facetimes over the years. In Freiburg, being active and enjoying the natural landscape, historic neighborhoods, and innovative systems was ingrained into the daily routine of its locals. Since I can not speak or read German, I explored the area through sensory details only, understanding what I saw around me not through words but by the passionate emotions it elicited from its people.
About the Author: Taryn Chung is a freshman from New York City majoring in Environment and Sustainability, and minoring in Sustainable Business and Urban Studies. One of her favorite travel destinations is Southern California because of the small cities that dot the beautiful coast.
