At some point during the two weeks in Ulm, most of the students had the opportunity to visit the Blautopf. The Blautopf, in Blaubeuren, is the headwaters of the River Blau which flows from the Swabian Jura mountains into the Danube at Ulm. The water is saturated with tiny limestone particles which gives the water a striking blue hue. There are several legends about the place, however, the most famous legend associated with the Blautopf is that of “Die Schöne Lau,” ( Eduard Mörike, Das Stuttgarter Hutzelmännlein) a beautiful mermaid who was incapable of laughing and could only bear stillborn children. According to legend, her husband (the King of the Black Sea) responded to this situation by banishing her to the Blautopf until she managed to laugh five times, which would break the stillborn curse.

The Kloster Blaubeuren (Blaubeuren Abbey) was founded in 1085. Originally Catholic (Benedictine), in 1817 Blaubeuren became a Protestant seminary and has existed as such since then.

And the town of Blaubeuren had many nice streets to walk in and structures to see

And of course the sunsets just outside of Blaubeuren weren't too horrible either :)