The Alps

How do you describe the feeling of reaching the summit after hours of hiking up a mountain?  When you're surrounded on three sides by jagged Alpine peaks that have a certain charming but rugged character from withstanding the force of time.  And on the fourth side, you see a sparkling lake of pristine blue water and flat land that blends seamlessly into the sky.  Not even the best artist could replicate such a scene with the emotion it elicits.  To say it's breathtaking is an understatement.

Where does the land end and the sky begin?

The tallest peak in the distance is the Wendelstein, the mountain I hiked up several weeks ago.

Like a true Munchener, I went hiking up the Spitzingsattel with my lab on Monday.  It was a reasonably easy hike (much easier than the last one I did when I first arrived in Munich), but the feelings at the top remain the same--one can only feel ecstatic and deeply humbled.  And of course, being in good company helps make the hike even more enjoyable than it already is.  If I lived in Munich longer, I can easily see myself picking up hiking as a new hobby.  Now if only Atlanta had mountains like these nearby! 

The lab group resting at the summit of the mountain.

It's also getting to that time of the summer when many of my DAAD friends are leaving Munich.  We got together on Monday night after my hike for one last hoorah before one of our friends left.  It's bittersweet knowing that I've made incredible friends here who I might never see again, and before I know it, it will be my turn to leave my German friends and remaining DAAD friends.  But I'm happy to say that I've learned a lot and have amazing memories that will always remain from this experience.

Lab-wise, everything is going well.  I'm putting together a presentation next week with the results of my research here so far and a personal touch with info about Atlanta, Emory, and my previous research experiences.  I'm sure this presentation will help me as I prepare my poster for IRES in the fall as well.

Other adventures this week:  the Neuschwanstein Castle!  This is the castle that inspired Walt Disney's Cinderella castle.