RWTH Aachen Week 3: Dreiländereck and Maastricht caves
1 - Travelling to Dreiländereck, where three countries meet: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands
Dreiländereck, which literally means "three country corner" or "three lands point," is a place where the borders of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany all touch. It is roughly a 1.5 hour hike from SuperC, RWTH's central landmark building. Though the entire hike did not feel that long — we walked around 30 minutes to leave the city and another hour through the fields — the scenery is very calm and you can see endless stretches of farmland and plantation. The weather was also gorgeous: extremely sunny, with clouds so white they looked fake. Incredible temperature. Many people complained it was too hot, but sunny days are exactly what I miss most after spending a cold winter in Ann Arbor, because the warmth and that tingling feeling on my skin reminds me of the weather back home in Hong Kong. If you want to do this hike, I would highly advise bringing a hat and enough water, plus some fruits or snacks along the way. The difficulty is low but staying hydrated is the most important thing. I brought a carton of Durstlöscher, which literally means "thirst quencher" and is an extremely popular drink here. It tastes like sweetened tea, decent, but not exactly what I would reach for next time I actually want to quench my thirst.
2 - Manna Bunsik, restaurant recommendation 1
Since I am still waiting to get my blue card so I can eat at the Mensa (cafeteria), I have to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day, and very quickly I got tired of it. I discovered Manna Bunsik, a small restaurant with only six tables that serves quality and authentic Korean food. I ordered the Ganjang chicken rice. The price is fair and the portion is fulfilling. The chicken is stir fried with onion slices in a BBQ and soy sauce mix, coated with honey for a sweet finish, and placed on top of salad leaves and rice. I was extremely satisfied with this meal and the taste was exactly what I expected. I would highly recommend it. They also have a variety of waffle desserts and Korean corndogs, and even more menu items featuring different styles of Korean fried chicken.
3 - Auf der Hörn, restaurant recommendation 2
Another recommendation is Auf der Hörn. Since I live on Halifaxstraße, I am quite far from Aachen city center and do not want to take a 30 minute bus ride every time I want to eat out. Auf der Hörn is only a 14 minute walk from my apartment and serves both German and Italian dishes like Schnitzel and lots of handmade pizza and lasagna, as well as Turkish dishes. I tried the Kofta with tomato sauce and yogurt. Kofta is essentially elongated meatballs, though I am not sure if these were roasted or fried. The texture is grainy and quite firm, but the taste is like a better burger patty. Beneath sits bread cubes covered in tomato sauce alongside half a raw tomato. The yogurt mixes with the bread and adds a creamy finish. It is a delightful dinner at a very acceptable price and the service is great as well. Highly recommended for both the food quality and its convenient location.
4 - Bibliothek, not quite like our library
After the lab meeting, I went with my colleague Aday to study at the Bibliothek. I was really surprised to see that there are more people than books inside, and although the word simply means "library," it functions very differently from what I am used to. It is a great place to just come and study together, and I was struck by how quiet it is despite being packed with people row after row.
5 - Maastricht, Netherlands
At 9:00 AM we met outside Aachen Hbf, but the train got canceled again. Since I arrived here, the railway to Aachen has been so inconsistent, broken more often than it is functioning. So instead we took bus line 350 to Maastricht and walked around 30 minutes to Sint Pieter Fort, where the tour for North Caves Maastricht Underground begins.
The North Caves are a vast network of underground tunnels carved into the soft marlstone beneath Sint Pietersberg hill, stretching for hundreds of kilometers and even crossing into Belgium. The limestone was quarried here for centuries, and the caves run deep enough that the temperature inside stays a constant cool even in the height of summer. During the tour, our guide pointed out dinosaur fossils embedded directly into the walls, preserved in the rock since the Cretaceous period. The caves carry a layered history: nearby sections were used during World War II as shelter and evacuation routes for civilians and even for hiding artworks. One of the more memorable stories from the guide was about Napoleon's general, who invaded and attempted to bomb the caves in order to bring down the fortress above, but failed not once but twice, leaving the fort partially sunk into the ground. This apparently gave rise to a Dutch saying: when someone does something only halfway and gives up, they call it "doing it the French way."
Afterwards we explored some of the attractions around the town center and, of course, had ramen again. Could not resist.
Department of Robotics, Robotics
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Science
Engineering - IPE: Undergraduate Research Program at RWTH Aachen in Aachen, Germany
