Okay, the crash never happened. Seeing as it is 2:30 A.M. local time (9 hours past Vancouver time f.y.i.) and sleep is nowhere in sight, I thought I might as well carry on....
Both Peter and I slept like the proverbial logs the night before, and so, after a wonderful buffet (yes, I know, I said I wasn't going to do that again, but it is included, and it was just wonderful breads and pastries, cold cuts and cheeses, herring and smoked salmon, how could we not?), we were out to see the town....
.....then on to the old town square......
This was, of course, bombed to smithereens in World War II, and carefully reconstructed after the war..
Then to St. Barhelemew's Church, also rebuilt after the War on the remains of the old, but quite lovely,
We saw St Paul's, a church once, but now known as being the home of the first democratic legislature in 1848, then meandered about town (with several coffee shop opportunities on the way).....
Followed by the Goethe House and Museum.....
As you can see, Goethe was not exactly the starving artist. This was interesting for me especially, as my father fled Europe with a trunk full of books, including Goethe, Schiller and Heine. (The border guard let him keep the books, after telling him"Jews don't need Goethe". Or so my father said. He was an inveterate liar however - who knows what the truth was? It is a good story, though, so I've adopted it. What is true, in any event, is that my father was quoting me Goethe from an early age, so this was a "homecoming" of sorts.) Peter and I liked both the house and the museum, which housed a collection of romantic painters, or copies of romantic painters, very focused and nice, and came complete with museum guard, bored enough so that she was happy to share her knowledge of the paintings and their history with us, making it that much more enjoyable. Although being with Peter in any art museum is like having my own personal tour guide, what with his extensive knowledge of art and artists and religion and history - well, you get the idea...
By this time, it was late afternoon (we had, after all, not left the hotel until after 10 A.M.!!!), and time for a nap. It had been raining on and off all day, but before we got back to the hotel (crossing yet another bridge) we were caught in a downpour, including hail! It was a veritable monsoon - except for the hail pat! I can't remember when I gave been so wet!! However, once we stripped and dried off, the nap was most welcome!!
Followed by a brief down time, and another walk (this time with hotel-offered umbrellas in tow) to a more up-scale German restaurant called Main (as in the river, not as in major) Nizze. It was lovely, right on the river, a lovely room, a charming boy for a waiter, and great food. However, we have decided that tomorrow (I guess it is today), we will go for Italian. We are then off to Bayreuth, where there is not likely to be anything but German food, and one doesn't want to overdo a good thing.
By the time dinner was over, it was a lovely, clear evening (the umbrellas insured that, don't you know), and a nice walk back. I so rarely walk in the evening at home, and this was really magical, with the river beside us, the lights on the bridges and the highrises....
Another successful day, not to bad for a city that is really a business town, and not known for its tourism.
Well, still not sleepy, so I will continue reading "The Sorcerer of Bayreuth" (that would be Wagner, don't you know?) until it is time for breakfast. (I am here to tell you a Kindle works even after being soaked!)
Don't expect a post tomorrow - god knows what kind of shape I'll be in - but I will be back shortly!
Both Peter and I slept like the proverbial logs the night before, and so, after a wonderful buffet (yes, I know, I said I wasn't going to do that again, but it is included, and it was just wonderful breads and pastries, cold cuts and cheeses, herring and smoked salmon, how could we not?), we were out to see the town....
Starting by crossing one of the many bridges over the river, guarded by this fellow.....
.....then on to the old town square......
This was, of course, bombed to smithereens in World War II, and carefully reconstructed after the war..
Then to St. Barhelemew's Church, also rebuilt after the War on the remains of the old, but quite lovely,
We saw St Paul's, a church once, but now known as being the home of the first democratic legislature in 1848, then meandered about town (with several coffee shop opportunities on the way).....
Followed by the Goethe House and Museum.....
As you can see, Goethe was not exactly the starving artist. This was interesting for me especially, as my father fled Europe with a trunk full of books, including Goethe, Schiller and Heine. (The border guard let him keep the books, after telling him"Jews don't need Goethe". Or so my father said. He was an inveterate liar however - who knows what the truth was? It is a good story, though, so I've adopted it. What is true, in any event, is that my father was quoting me Goethe from an early age, so this was a "homecoming" of sorts.) Peter and I liked both the house and the museum, which housed a collection of romantic painters, or copies of romantic painters, very focused and nice, and came complete with museum guard, bored enough so that she was happy to share her knowledge of the paintings and their history with us, making it that much more enjoyable. Although being with Peter in any art museum is like having my own personal tour guide, what with his extensive knowledge of art and artists and religion and history - well, you get the idea...
By this time, it was late afternoon (we had, after all, not left the hotel until after 10 A.M.!!!), and time for a nap. It had been raining on and off all day, but before we got back to the hotel (crossing yet another bridge) we were caught in a downpour, including hail! It was a veritable monsoon - except for the hail pat! I can't remember when I gave been so wet!! However, once we stripped and dried off, the nap was most welcome!!
Followed by a brief down time, and another walk (this time with hotel-offered umbrellas in tow) to a more up-scale German restaurant called Main (as in the river, not as in major) Nizze. It was lovely, right on the river, a lovely room, a charming boy for a waiter, and great food. However, we have decided that tomorrow (I guess it is today), we will go for Italian. We are then off to Bayreuth, where there is not likely to be anything but German food, and one doesn't want to overdo a good thing.
By the time dinner was over, it was a lovely, clear evening (the umbrellas insured that, don't you know), and a nice walk back. I so rarely walk in the evening at home, and this was really magical, with the river beside us, the lights on the bridges and the highrises....
Another successful day, not to bad for a city that is really a business town, and not known for its tourism.
Well, still not sleepy, so I will continue reading "The Sorcerer of Bayreuth" (that would be Wagner, don't you know?) until it is time for breakfast. (I am here to tell you a Kindle works even after being soaked!)
Don't expect a post tomorrow - god knows what kind of shape I'll be in - but I will be back shortly!
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