Ave Maria (Laach)
As we reach the end of our time here in Bonn, I think back to the early days of arriving. In early January, my lovely host mother Susanne invited me on a quick walk to a cafe and monastery. The monastery is located on the edge of a lake, the Lacher See. The Laacher See is a caldera, and supposedly, you can see water bubbling in the middle. What I did not know was that this walk was actually a multi-hour hike. The Maria Laach Abbey is located at the end of the lake/nature preserve. There was a parking lot where we parked, and the walk began.
It had snowed overnight, and the snow had melted into slick ice just in time for our walk. Multiple trees had fallen over the train,l which we had to awkwardly climb over. The area is beautiful. The trees were locked in the grasp of winter. Bonn is much milder than my home in Maine, but up in the mountains it was nice and cold. With the river to the right, we passed frozen farmland on the left and had to hop over a fence or two because the trail turned to mud. The Abbey sat nestled in the distance, watching over the valley.
Eventually, we arrived at the foot of the Abbey. Nearby was a cafe where I got currywurst and a hot chocolate. The Abbey was built in the 1100s. It’s insane looking at a building that is far older than my entire country. Beautiful statues stood like sentries outside the grounds. The Abbey was serene, and a fresh dusting of snow lay on the gardens and the roof.
More info on the Maria Laach Abbey
While I’m not religious, if I were a medieval peasant tired from a long day’s journey, living in a straw shack shovelling horse manure, and I walked into that Abbey, and saw the tall ceilings, elaborate art, and organ music, I would be amazed. In Europe, the buildings impress their culture onto you as you walk beneath them. Churches and abbeys were made to be beautiful as an expression of the grace of god. Essentially, look how powerful god is if our churches look this cool. Building up was the way we reached God.
The return journey was equally treacherous and about twice as muddy. But in the end, as with most hikes, I did not regret it. But next time I will wear hiking shoes.
Auf Wiedersehen, Ian.
