Catching up from winter break.

My girlfriend visited December 17 and I got to show her around The Braunschweiger Weihnachtsmarkt . This trip was definitely had a lot of Christmas market visits. 


She had her first half meter Bratwurst

Saturday December 19th, 2010 we embarked on our little holiday vacation. We went to Hamburg to catch our flight, but it  was delayed. After an hour or so of delays Air Berlin gave us a meal voucher for 6Euro so we could get something to eat. After three hours, the flight was cancelled. Air Berlin comped us hotel stay and dinner; they also rebooked for the 6am flight the following morning. 

although we were delayed, we were happy campers to have a free place to stay.

We finally made it to Wien, Österreich (Vienna, Austria) and checked into our hostel. We headed out immediately to try to catch up for the lost evening. We took the train to Schloß Schönbrunn and visited the little Weihnachtsmarkt there. Here Amanda sampled the Glühwein und Riesig Schokokrapfen (Huge chocolate filled donut)

We then headed to Stephansplatz and when they were digging for the subway long ago, they discovered what is now known as St. Virgils Chapel.... It is protected to this day.

Some views from Stephansplatz

Rallied out subaru!

We went back to the hostel and took naps...remember we had left out of hamburg at 6am after sleeping only a couple hours as our flight was cancelled the night before. Later that night we met up with my classmate who was staying with his family in Vienna to go get some Wienerschnitzel (traditionally made with veal but can be pork, pounded flat and breaded like a cutlet). We walked around Viennas Weihnachtsmarkt in front of the most beautiful Rathaus (city hall) i've seen yet.

and just wandered for the rest of the night

for the rest of the flickr album on Austria click here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22512029@N06/sets/72157625846148472/with/5363986511/




The next day we took a train from Vienna to München

Feuerzangenbowle - Lions Racing - Research Project - Girlfriend visits

FEUERZANGENBOWLE:
There is a film that is often played at many campuses around this time of year called Feuerzangenbowle. A Feuerzangenbowle is a bit bowl of mulled red wine that is heated, there is a grate above that holds a cone of sugar (called a Zuckerhut or 'sugar hat') that is then dowsed in Rum and lit on fire. It melts into the bowl of wine and is promptly served. 



Anyways...the film screening...

The auditorium was PACKED, there were people with blankets, hats, thermos' full of Glühwein (warm mulled spiced wine) and an assortment of objects. FLashlight, candle, alarm clocks with bells, and sparklers. The movie itself was made in 1944...it is about a group of older men who sit around the Feuerzangenbowle and reminisce of their youth. The pranks they used to pull in school and such. One of the men then informs the rest that he was home schooled and they all start poking fun at him, telling him how much he missed out. A decision was made, and he goes back to school to live the adolescent life he never had. 

It`s actually quite an easy movie to follow. The olde German accents were a bit difficult to understand at times.

This film was interactive much like Rocky Horror. At certain points in the movie, whenever they would make a prost, EVERYONE in the audience would stand up and yell out 'PROST' then proceed to drink Glühwein. At other points, whenever the charachter had to wake up in the morning, everyone would set off their alarms....which is quite loud when everyone in the auditorium has an alarm to set off. the flashlights were used to draw attention to charachters suspected of pulling pranks. It works out quite well and i really enjoyed the show. 

watch the movie if you guys ever want to watch something other than A Christmas Story.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036818/


Lions Racing:
We now have licenses for Catia V5! We've decided to build TWO race cars for the upcoming season. Another combustion engine car and then the electric....practically splitting our team into two. We set up the jigs for the chassis building and have started some very rough preliminary mold forming for the carbon fiber body of the LR10.



Research Project:
It's kinda tough. The creation of the adapter to fit 3 different strut configurations to the quarter car test rig was cake walk. The rest was Matlab programming and setting up a simulation block diagram in Simulink. I'm not all too familiar with Simulink. The test rig is still being used for a VW project so we might have to wait till the new year until we are able to record measurements before analysis. 

Tomorrow:
My girlfriend is flying over to visit! She is completely stoked to travel around germany for the next week. We will be going to Vienna, Austria by plane, spending two nights, taking a train through beautiful snow covered Austria to München. I think she wants to do Neuschwanstein (even though i was literally just there). Stay 2 nights... then off to Berlin..2 nights, then back to Braunschweig. I'll be leaving the 26th to visit home away from home in RI and returning Jan 2.

Hope everyone has a great holiday!


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Preliminary body forming....cutting foam with a hot wire

Later clay was added and shaped.




Set up the jig for the new chassis. 

German degreaser

München / Neuschwanstein / BMW

München was pretty awesome; i got to meet up with a cousin who i haven't seen in about 10 years. The Weinachtsmarkt was pretty huge and lots of cool vendor/stands. The first night I wandered and took a couple pics.

Hofbrauhaus, one of many beer halls. I got a free Maß (1L) glass mug from here.

The Next day i went to Neuschwanstein. In the morning it was very cloudy, snowing even...but by afternoon it cleared up a bit. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Finally we went to the BMW Meuseum/BMW Welt and the BMW Factory tour. They make the 3 series in München and showed how the panels are all stamped/pressed, glued and welded. Then how the motor and drivetrain is assembled. Cost was 5€ for factory tour, 6,50€ for the Museum. They have an exibit on the BMW art cars till the end of December.

2004 BMW H2R

z8

I hate posed shots, but here's me cheesing in front of the 2004 M3 GTR

Art Cars

white balance was messed up, but thought it was cool anyway. To the left is BMW Welt, that little bowl/building on the right hand side is BMW Museum.

 I'll spare the slow page loading times so heres:
Flickr set for München and BMW

Flickr set for Neuschwanstein

Weinachtsmarkt Braunschweig

Geez, I have to update this blog. Weihnachtsmarkt (christmas market) started last thursday and will run to Dec 26.

Theres a bunch of stuff from Glühwein (hot mulled/spiced wine with rum or ammeretto) to half meter Bratwurst. The overall atmosphere is a lot more festive than back in the states. Even if you arent religious, it's still enjoyable to sit in these little tents drinking warm alcoholic beverages talking laughing with friends.


Weihnachtsmarkt Braunschweig:

Tonight I leave for München (Munich) for the extended weekend. I will be going to Neuschwanstein sat or sunday and visiting BMW welt/BMW Factory Tour on monday. I will also be catching up with one of my Cousins Cousin sat night at her best friends place for a party.

Pics to come...if i remember my battery charger