Unlike churches, there was understandably some security to get through to get inside. The inside was pretty though. We all sat in the pews and listened to our guide for a while as he talked. He was big on participation. Towards the end, he showed us one of the synagogue's Torahs. It was a huge scroll of parchment, completely handwritten. They had multiple Torahs because after WWII the number of Jewish communities in the area had decreased exponentially, and the surviving Torahs were gifted to the Synagogue.
After the Synagogue, we all had the rest of the afternoon free in Saarbrücken. I went to a shopping center with others for lunch. The food court there had very few places open, and one of them was an Indian fast food place. I'd never seen Indian food as fast food before, so that was fairly interesting.
Afterwards I split up from the group and wandered around the shops in the area. I ended up shopping in Primark. The low prices were surprising (3 euros for a t-shirt) but I have to admit, it makes me a little worried about where the clothes are made and to what detriment of their creators.
That evening, we all met up again to have dinner in town. We ate at this place that looked like it used to be a distillery of sorts. I tried ordering tap water since I didn't want to pay 3 euros for water, but they refused. I say refused because when they say they don't have tap water, that is very hard for me to believe. I did end up trying Apfelschorle and splitting a bottle with someone. I don't know why I've never come across it in other countries before, it's a great drink!
After the Synagogue, we all had the rest of the afternoon free in Saarbrücken. I went to a shopping center with others for lunch. The food court there had very few places open, and one of them was an Indian fast food place. I'd never seen Indian food as fast food before, so that was fairly interesting.
Afterwards I split up from the group and wandered around the shops in the area. I ended up shopping in Primark. The low prices were surprising (3 euros for a t-shirt) but I have to admit, it makes me a little worried about where the clothes are made and to what detriment of their creators.
That evening, we all met up again to have dinner in town. We ate at this place that looked like it used to be a distillery of sorts. I tried ordering tap water since I didn't want to pay 3 euros for water, but they refused. I say refused because when they say they don't have tap water, that is very hard for me to believe. I did end up trying Apfelschorle and splitting a bottle with someone. I don't know why I've never come across it in other countries before, it's a great drink!