Following the wishes of many students to learn more about the region which is going to be their home for quite a while, we set out for Andernach – a small town in the Eastern part of the Vulkaneifel. One had to be really fast to get one of the 25 places available in this tour to one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the Middle Rhine area – the highest cold-water geyser in the world.

On our footwalk from Andernach station to the Geyser Museum we passed remains of former city walls and beautifully restored old timber-framed houses, which are so typical of this area. Many photos were taken by our students coming from all over the world.

A warm welcome in English by one of the museum guides gave useful information for our 90 minutes stay in the museum and visit to the geyser thereafter.

A short boat trip accompanied by a fresh breeze and some glimpses of sunshine took us to the Namedyer Werth Peninsula – where the geyser is located – a beautiful nature reserve right on the banks of the Rhine. Few minutes after our arrival we could hear it bubbling and hissing, and then the time had come: with tremendous pressure, the water fountain shot 60 metres into the sky. A heavy wind blew the water of this mineral spring towards us – nothing for hydrophobics, wearers of glasses and cameras. But we were warned in the beginning!

A merry-making atmosphere throughout the tour made this a memorable event, worth to be repeated next semester for all those who have been on the waiting list this time.