Last week there was a German bank holiday, so we decided to take a long weekend and go on a trip. What would be our destination? Why none other than Dresden, Germany.

Dresden was more or less completely destroyed during World War 2, so there has been a large effort by the German government to rebuild it. Over the past ten years, many historic buildings like the Zwinger Palace and the incredible Frauenkirche have been rebuilt and remodelled to look similar to what they once did. It was really cool to see before and after pictures of the city because they made you appreciate the huge change it has undergone. Dresden also offers a wide variety of interesting museums and exhibits showcasing the art and history of the region. One highlight of the trip was riding bikes along the castle-lined banks of the Elbe River!

This weekend we travelled to Heidelberg and the nearby Pfalz region. We met up with Brandon’s father and his family friends from Stuttgart to get an insider tour of the region. We started the day with a hike up to the famous Heidelberger Schloß perched above the historic city. The views were incredible and it is amazing to see something so old that is still standing. After the steep hike down the hill, we walked along the Neckar River though the Altstadt of Heidelberg which is filled with colourful buildings and bustling cafes. After a stop for lunch and some Heidelberger beer, we continued on to the Pfalz region by car. It was fun to drive on the portion of the Autobahn with no speed limit, although we couldn’t keep up with our German friend going 240 km/h (150 mph).

We winded along through wineries and small towns until we pulled off at what looked like a family home. This was a small winery that our German friend recommended as the best in the region. When we went inside there was a baby crawling on the floor while the mother handed out tastes of the wines to the patrons. It definitely had the family-owned feel and the wine was fantastic!

Upon returning from our trip to the Pfalz region, we had Sunday to further explore Köln. We hiked to the top of the Dom, a feat that should not be underestimated. 533 stairs in total, the walk to the top is through a winding spiral staircase barely wide enough for two small people. The views from the top, however, are absolutely incredible. It was cool to be so high up because you could easily see all of the major landmarks of the city.

Here are some facts about the Dom:

- It is one of the world's largest churches and the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe

-For four years, 1880-84, it was the tallest structure in the world

-Construction began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until 1880 to complete – a period of over six hundred years

Back in the office we have been continuing to work on our individual assignments and helping out where needed. We have mainly been focusing on ways to help igus® understand how customers use their website, and alternative ways to reach consumers over the web.

Our whole team is getting excited for the upcoming Beach Volleyball tournament. We practiced last week in order to, "brush the dust off" if you will. During a start up match with another igus® team we ended up winning. Everyone around here is extremely confident that we will secure the first place victory this Saturday at the tournament and we will be practicing all this week in order to make sure it happens!

Haha...right. In all actuality, we are just going to try and have as much fun as possible- win or lose. We'll let you know how we do.