Vallendar, Germany: The City
Some people seek out the big city for their study abroad experience. And power to them! I myself am a big fan of exploring large urban areas, and the rich, ever-evolving cultural offerings they have on display. Identifying the unique components that make each metropolis a different creature is altogether a hugely exciting experience. During this semester alone, I have already had the great opportunity of traveling to many large cities, ranging from Madrid to Prague to Amsterdam to Milan. But they get enough coverage as it is. So, let me tell you about Vallendar.
Situated along the Rhine within the vast expanse of UNESCO Heritage site that encompasses the river and the robber baron castles lining its banks, Vallendar is a petite German town with a healthy mix of retirees and college students. The “v” is more like a soft “f” sound, as per typical German pronunciation. The word “Vallendar” itself is old and is derived from “flowing swampy area”; however, the town is far more picturesque than the name, and boasts much less humid weather than even D.C., another known swamp. Earlier, during January and February, we had quite a bit of light misty rain that persisted for days on end. But now as it gets warmer, Vallendar has incredible crisp light air that comes in from the mountains adjacent and warms quickly when the sun is shining. It’s hilly all around, and when the early-year fog dissipates you can see the colorful houses sitting in rows all the way up to the ridges.
Vallendar lies about halfway between Cologne (or Kӧln) to the north, and Frankfurt to the south. The nearest “city” is Koblenz, which has a population of just over 100,000 and is the weekend going-out hub for WHU students. It also has a couple of large shopping centers, lots of food, a movie theater, and the City Administration Center where you’re required to register for a residence permit as a longer-than-three-months guest.
I will admit that traveling has had its inconveniences simple because each train requires a transfer from Koblenz to any other larger city, which is ultimately either Kӧln or Frankfurt if you want to fly somewhere further. However, the immediate and corresponding upshot is that each train out of Vallendar runs for large stretches along the Rhine, providing beautiful and ever-changing views of the nearby towns: Leutesdorf, Urbar, Lahnstein, Braubach, Boppard. Watching the hills move up and down when I both depart from and come home to Vallendar is a uniquely comforting experience, and one that I look forward to time and time again.
