It is a big show distributed in three locations in the city. One part is near Deutches Eck, a second part around the Bishop's Place, and the third and largest part around the Fortress Ehrenbreitstein. The first two parts are connected by a walkway along the Rhine, but as Ehrenbreitstein lies high on the hill across the Rhine, connecting visitors to this third part required an interesting solution, a hanging cable car system was installed.
We made our first appearance last week and were quite pleasantly surprised. Since we have a season pass, we didn't feel the need to visit all of the show in the first day. So we concentrated on Deutches Eck and Ehrenbreitstein this time. Here are some pictures and impressions:
- The gardens along the sides and back of St. Kastor were a highlight. Both were tulip gardens at the time. One was a explosion of colors with the 1200 year old Romanesque church as a backdrop. The other was much more contemplative with all white tulips.
- Behind the church was a story board that summarized the 5000 years of human inhabitation in Koblenz. This also reveal a new discovery that had been made in preparation for BUGA. There has long been documentation of a Roman temple that was built about 2000 years ago near the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle, but the exact location was never known. In preparing the gardens, it was found. The choir of the church was built directly over the temple.
- The cable car is a nice solution to connect the city with the fortress. The ride provides some unique views of Deutsches Eck and the city. Since this is was built within the areas that UNESCO designated as a world heritage site, the agreement is that the cable cars will be taken down at the end of the show. However, some are questioning if they should stay. On the positive side, providing such an easy connection between the city and the fortress (with its 3000 year history) would be a positive for tourism. On the negative side, UNESCO could withdraw their designation if the system stays.
- Ehrenbreitstien has been restored wonderfully, and the view of the city from the courtyard is as good as ever.
- The new observation platform on the northern end of the BUGA site around Ehrenbreitstein gives a different view of the city, but also an unexpectedly interesting view of the Rhine valley to the north.
- One area of the show, and a pretty popular one at that, was devoted to graves. This might be surprising, unless you understand that maintaining the grave sites of loved ones has long been an important part of the German culture, although it is a part of the culture under some stress right now as people become more mobile.
- Two large temporary building housed the various show plants. How judges decide a difference between gold, silver and bronze is hard (impossible) for me to see. Even the bronze orchids look good to me. Do you think a fly would feel better about being caught by a gold winning pitcher plant, than a silver of bronze one?
