Song of the Alps The Last Night of Our Journey in Stuttgart

By Minhee Park

Some nights linger in our memories not because of where we stayed, but because we knew the journey was coming to an end.

30-Second Summary

Leaving Switzerland behind, we crossed into Germany and arrived in Stuttgart. As the weather grew colder and storms approached Frankfurt Airport, the reality of returning home slowly settled into our hearts. Sharing one final dinner with fellow travelers, I realized that the hardest part of any beautiful journey is always saying goodbye.

Crossing the Border into Germany

After completing our final schedule in Switzerland, we crossed the border into Germany and headed for Stuttgart.

For more than three hours, our bus quietly rolled through the last villages of Switzerland while I rested my tired body and continued to gaze out the window, trying to remember every passing landscape.

As we drew closer to Germany, the scenery gradually began to change. The houses looked different, larger, darker, and more solid than those we had seen in Switzerland.

One thing, however, remained the same. At the center of nearly every village stood a church, surrounded by clusters of homes, as though the entire community had naturally grown around its place of worship. Each village resembled a carefully painted picture.

The First Signs of a European Winter

As evening slowly fell, warm lights began appearing one by one behind the windows of wooden houses.

Unlike the bright city lights we were accustomed to back home, these gentle street lamps and soft yellow windows blended beautifully with the dark timber buildings, creating a peaceful atmosphere that felt uniquely European.

From the moment we entered Germany, however, the weather began to change dramatically.

Rain started falling, the wind grew stronger, and conversations inside the bus naturally turned toward the following day's flight.

Some travelers worried aloud whether our plane would even be able to depart.

According to Korean Air's website, numerous flights at Frankfurt Airport had already been cancelled because of severe wind and heavy rain.

Only then did we begin to experience what a true European winter could be like.

Our guide smiled gently and said,

"You've all been incredibly lucky with the weather until now. This is what winter in Europe is normally like."

Our Final Hotel

By the time darkness had completely settled, we finally arrived in Stuttgart.

After checking into the hotel, we carried our luggage to our assigned room.

Everything immediately felt different from Switzerland. The hotel was spacious, the elevator was remarkably large, and even with several people carrying suitcases there was still plenty of room.

Our room itself was bright, comfortable, and surprisingly generous in size.

Only the night before, I had thought our final Swiss hotel had been the nicest place we had stayed during the trip. Yet somehow this hotel felt even larger and more comfortable.

After unpacking our luggage, I completed our Korean Air mobile check-in before heading downstairs to the hotel restaurant.

Sihyeong and his mother had already arrived and kindly saved seats for us. Most of the other travelers had already begun enjoying their dinner.

One Last Toast Together

It was our final dinner in Germany, and I decided that this time the beer should be my treat.

Germany is famous for its beer, and after everything Sihyeong's mother had generously shared with us throughout the trip, I wanted to express my gratitude before our journey came to an end.

I also hoped to buy beer for the Princess Family, who had shown us so much kindness during the trip.

Unfortunately, the restaurant accepted only cash. My sister and I had very little euro left, and after paying for our own drinks, there simply wasn't enough money remaining.

Although they never seemed to mind, I couldn't help feeling disappointed. The night before they had treated us to delicious pizza and wine, and now, on our final evening together, I couldn't properly return their kindness.

That small regret quietly stayed with me throughout the meal.

An Unforgettable Final Dinner

Dinner was served buffet-style, but strangely enough, none of the dishes suited my taste.

There were certainly more choices than we had enjoyed in Switzerland, yet somehow the food lacked the simple freshness we had grown to love during the past few days.

I sampled a little of everything, but in the end I found myself drinking more beer than eating.

Throughout the journey, wine and beer had accompanied nearly every dinner. Looking back, I smiled to myself, thinking that this trip had quietly turned me into someone who actually enjoyed sharing a drink at the end of each day.

The restaurant itself was enormous. The tables were large, and the people around us seemed equally tall. For a moment, I felt as though I had stepped into a land of giants.

Compared with the warm smiles we had often seen in Switzerland, the expressions of many German people appeared more reserved and serious. Perhaps it was simply their way of greeting the world.

As we continued talking with Sihyeong and his mother over our beer, we gradually noticed that every other table had become empty.

We were the last guests remaining.

Because it was our final night together, none of us wanted the conversation to end. Yet the restaurant staff had already begun clearing the tables, gently reminding us that it was time to return to our rooms.

Reluctantly, we stood up, carrying a quiet sense of disappointment back with us.

The Final Night

Some of the other travelers decided to spend one last evening together in their hotel rooms. They went out to buy beer and snacks, hoping to enjoy the final hours of the journey before returning home.

After saying goodnight to Sihyeong and his mother, my sister and I returned to our room.

We finished packing our luggage for the flight home and repeatedly checked the Korean Air website to see whether our flight would depart as scheduled.

Outside, the wind continued to howl against the windows while rain swept across the dark streets of Stuttgart.

Back in Korea, the news reported that COVID-19 cases were rising again. It felt strangely distant after spending so many peaceful days traveling through places where life had seemed almost untouched by the worries waiting at home.

Unable to step outside because of the storm, I quietly made myself a cup of coffee and stood by the window, watching the darkness beyond the glass.

The realization slowly settled into my heart. Tomorrow, we would be leaving Europe.

If Only I Could Turn Back Time

As I looked into the night, one thought returned again and again.

If only time could turn back for just one more day...

I would cross the border once again and return to Switzerland. I would go straight back to Zermatt, board the mountain railway, and climb into the Alps one last time.

I longed to stand once more beneath the snow-covered peaks. I wanted to see the Matterhorn again, shining quietly beneath the winter sky.

Some places never ask us to stay forever. They simply leave us with a longing that gently calls us back someday.

For me, the Alps had become exactly that kind of place.

A Sleepless Night in Stuttgart

My sister had already fallen asleep.

I wanted to continue writing in my notebook, but I hesitated, afraid that turning on the light might wake her.

So I lay quietly in the darkness, listening to the sound of the wind outside.

Just as it had been during our night in Täsch, sleep refused to come. Thoughts drifted endlessly through my mind.

Memories of the Alps, the people we had met, the villages we had walked through, and the countless moments of unexpected joy quietly replayed themselves one after another.

Without realizing it, I was no longer thinking about tomorrow's flight. I was simply trying to hold on to a journey that was slowly becoming a memory.

And so, beneath the dark winter sky of Stuttgart, the final night of our European journey quietly slipped away.

Song of the Alps | Minhee Park

작가 노트

여행의 마지막 밤은 늘 특별합니다. 관광이 끝나고 짐을 정리하며 창밖을 바라보는 그 시간에는 지나온 풍경보다 함께했던 사람들이 먼저 떠오릅니다. 슈투트가르트에서의 마지막 밤도 그랬습니다. 다시 알프스로 돌아가고 싶은 마음과 무사히 여행을 마칠 수 있었다는 감사가 교차했던 밤이었습니다.

다음 이야기

다음 이야기에서는 긴 유럽 여행을 마치고 한국으로 돌아오는 마지막 여정과, 여행이 끝난 뒤에도 오래 마음속에 남아 있는 알프스의 기억을 담아봅니다.

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The Last Night of Our Journey in Stuttgart