Anyway - after the tour of the south west of England, we spent about three more days in London doing all the touristy stuff. The British Museum is really all it is advertised as being. The Rosetta stone, the Elgin marbles, the Portland Vase and all the other stuff. Then there is the London Eye - great views of London and even though I am afraid of high places, this didn't bother me.
Finally it was off to St. Pancras Station to catch the Chunnel train over to Paris. Thought that it would be really exciting, but the train goes into a tunnel, stays there a while and comes out in France. Really is a speedy way to get across the channel but not terribly exciting.
From Paris we took a DeutscheBahn high speed train (almost 200 MPH!) to Saarbruken in Germany, spent the night then off to Lubeck. Lubeck was the largest city in the old Hanseatic League (check out your history books for more on Lubeck). A charming town with good beer and a hotel room right next to the train station.
Then it was off to Berlin for a couple of days. We stayed in an apartment for the price of a room and were in walking distance (but a long walk) from Berlin's new train station. Took a bus tour and saw most of the sights. Dinner found us trying out beer and eating traditional German fare. The schwarzbier that I got was almost as good as Guiness - and that is high praise from me.
Next on to Permassins to stay with Mary's relatives for a couple of days. Permassins is in the Saarland region and is near the French border.
Gudron and Herman Kress and their three children (Ulrike, Matthias and Uta) were truly wonderful hosts and the family members were so welcoming that we dream of going back again some time. Went to a restaraunt in France one night and then took our hosts to lunch on another day to an extremely nice restaurant.
Next it was Nuremberg. One reason we went there is that the old town is a walled city and the wall is mostly intact, we were told that it was similar to Rothenberg ob de Tauber, another walled city, and it was similar but much more modern in feel. Again, good German food and drink.
We then went to a US Miltary recreation center in Southern Germany near Garmisch-Partinkirchen (the Edelweiss Lodge). Interesting experience, as soon as we got onto the property, everyone spoke in English and the American dollar was the currency in use. The lodge is only a couple of years old and the facilities and staff were outstanding.
While at Edelwiess, we took a bus trip to Mad King Ludwig's fairy tale castle, the one that Walt Disney used as inspiration for his Magic Kingdom castle, Neuschwanstein Castle. Even though he only lived there for a short period before he was murdered for spending money on castles and not on war, one can imagine how life would have been lived here.
Finally - one last night in Germany in Munich. No stay in Munich would be complete without having a meal and more fine German beer at the Hofbrauhaus. It is amazing how big that place is - and a fine oompah band is playing most of the day. Lots of atmosphere and beer.
Then back home around Memorial Day! Next year, maybe, another trip across the big waters.
No comments:
Post a Comment