Hiking Trip to Eifel National Park

We survived the first week! The week itself was pretty uneventful. Will went to work during the day and I tried to organize things around the apartment. Most evenings were spent shopping for things needed for the apartment: coffee table, microwave, etc. The rest of our furniture is to be delivered tomorrow, so we will finally have chairs to sit on!

Couch and Coffee Table

Yesterday, one of Will’s coworkers, Stefan, invited us (and another coworker, Luis)to his home about an hour outside of the city. Once we got there, he and his family took us to the Eifel National Park for hiking and a picnic. I wouldn’t really say we are “outdoorsy” kind of people, but we survived the 6-kilometer hike. After the picnic lunch, we walked a historical section of the park that was built in the 1930s to train German soldiers for WWII. You couldn’t go inside, but we we able to see the barracks, cinema/recreation center, and the hospital buildings. Stefan explained that the goal was to reclaim that area from its past as a military training facility and turn it into a national park that could be enjoyed by all people. They still wanted visitors to be able to reflect on the historical aspect, but also add another dimension with more family-friendly and positive experiences. More information can be found here: Eifel National Park

After the hike, we returned to Stefan’s home for a cookout and a soccer game between Luis and Stefan's son. I was just a spectator for the soccer match! It was a very nice day overall!

Hiking Trail

Scenic Overlook

Military Training Facility

Vogelsang Forum

Windmills on the ride home