We began our day by going to a presentation by the Stiftung Lesen (a foundation for the promotion of reading in Germany) in Mainz. It was fascinating to hear how this NGO foundation developed programs to encourage families to read. They have to find money through sponsors to fund the giving of books to families who have just had a baby. They also put together a train suitcase full of books to be sent to children who are in foster care. What was very interesting is that they have developed a lesson plan that goes along with the movie Walküre.
We then had a guided tour of the Gutenberg Museum.
We were shown a printing press that the museum claims to be similar to the press Guttenberg used, however, the curator commented that it was more likely that the press Johannes used was much smaller.
Two of our group members Vicki and Dana are having birthdays today and tomorrow respectively, so they were chosen to use the press to make two posters, which they got to keep. 
We were then taken into the vault and were shown two Bibles and several other manuscripts that Guttenberg did print on his printing press.
It was very interesting to hear how Guttenberg designed and created a punch an cast set to be used over and over again, as well as an inking pad made from dog’s skin. Dog’s skin was used because a dog is the only animal that has non-porous skin which will not soak up the ink.
We were given some free time to explore Mainz so I went around and took some pictures as well as had a Dönner (toasted pita filled with shaved meat, onions, tomatoes and lettuce) for the last time in Europe.
We then boarded the bus and traveled to Bingen where we boarded the Goethe paddle wheeler. We took the paddle wheeler along the Middle Rhine 
and saw several castles and small villages. It was an amazing experience intersecting with medieval history. Seeing the remnants of the castles juxtaposed with the modern vineyards and orchards created an almost magical atmosphere. We do not have any great tangible examples of this kind of history in Canada and I could easily imagine knights and lords riding up and down the mountains to their castles.
At St. Goar we boarded the bus and traveled back to Münster-Sarmsheim where we had supper at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf which is a winery.
We had a very pleasant evening with the owner of the winery explaining how they grew grapes on different soils to produce different tasting wines. We also used this time to express our gratitude to our leader Dan and to our guides, Hanz and Jazmin.When I reflect on Germany, I think that I do have a much better understanding and appreciation for the history and culture of Germany. For example, it is very uncommon to see anyone flying the German flag except for several government buildings. Displaying patriotic pride is not common. On the other hand, displaying affection is very common. I cannot begin to count the number of times I have seen couples in very passionate embraces on sidewalks, in parks, and in restaurants. Publicly showing affection is very common.
When asking our presenters about historical information, most history begins with World War II. It seems for most people in Germany, it is difficult to think past World War II and comment on the historical impacts prior to that time.
What is very common are the car-free squares and plazas. In each city we visited, we
encountered large areas where vehicles are not allowed and people can either walk or use a bicycle to get around. Cobblestone streets are the norm and businesses open up into these plazas.Overall, I have found the people of Germany to be extremely accommodating to me as a person who does not speak or understand their language. I was always treated with respect and in a friendly manner. My hope is that we as Canadians are also so accommodating to those who do not speak English in our country.
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