Dresden 2011

Our friend, Mark, visited for a week in October. Mark had visited Koblenz in the past and so wanted to see some other part of Germany while he was here. The facts that had seen some pictures of Dresden while watching the Women's World Cup games that took place in the "Florence on the Elbe" and that Dresden is the sister city of Columbus, Ohio, our hometown, made Dresden a logical choice for a visit.

Dresden is almost exactly a 5 hour drive from Koblenz. With Mark arriving on a Monday, returning the following Sunday, spending a day at BUGA, and another day on a hike around Koblenz, that left 3 days to drive to Dresden and see the city.

On a rainy Wednesday mourning, we got into the car and started off to Dresden. Driving east from Koblenz in not the easiest thing. The autobahn system is much more geared to North-South traffic. There is a good autobahn traveling southeast to Limburg. East from there are a combination of  an two lane highways and limited access highways (autobahn "want-a-be"s) that seem to be under continual construction but that does take the traveler through the farmlands of Hessen and the "dead zone" around the former border to the DDR. Then a few kilometers before the former border, the highway becomes a wonderful new autobahn. So new that for a large part of the remainder of our journey, our two year old GPS showed us racing across the green fields of Thuringen at 130 km/hr while it kept trying to correct our route to some abandoned road to the south.'

Dresden's Frauenkirche

We arrived in Dresden in the early afternoon and found our hotel, a newly opened ETAP conveniently located near at the Altmarkt. ETAP is one of the budget chains that is a part of the Accor hotel group. They have opened a number of new ETAP hotels in  major cities across Europe. While these new ETAPs have the ambiance of a youth hostel, they are inexpensive, clean and located near the tourist attractions. Obviously if  you feel that a part of traveling is enjoying drinks at the hotel bar or relaxing in a plush hotel room, ETAP is not for you. The Dresden ETAP had been opened just two months, was clean, had helpful staff, was in walking distance of the major attractions and was quite cheap. While it suited us just fine, I have to agree with the review I read that suggested that the room designs are such that you would only consider sharing a room with people that you are very close to.

After checking in, we took off, map in hand, to get our bearings and to visit at least one museum. The majority of the Baroque reconstructions in Dresden are centrally located in the Altstadt along the Elbe. The reconstruction of the buildings destroyed during the Feburary 1945 bombings started during the DDR time and continues today. Reconstruction of the 18th century Frauenkirche, a symbol of Dresden, took 13 years and was completed in 2005, one year before the 800th anniversary of the city founding.

A large part of Dresden's Altstadt (Old City) is pedestrian only, so it is great for strolling. As I mentioned, the areas is fairly compact, but big enough to have a lot of interesting buildings packed into them. Included in this area are the Frauenkirche, the Opera, the Hofkirche, the Fürstenzug, the palaces containing the major museums, and the river front.  The fact that there is a similarity in the architecture style and construction materials, seems to make it seem like there is more. There are open areas with interesting sight lines, and small streets. There are unexpected and elaborate fountains. The river front is dramatic. There is a thriving restaurant and bistro scene with tables spilling on to the streets and filled with people, even on a cold day. Or if warmth is desired, you can sit behind the large glass windows enjoying your favorite drink and a bit of people watching. The only negative thing about the restaurants in Altstadt is that a number of them seem to be parts of larger restaurant groups as a lot of the names are recognizable if you spent any time in Munich or Berlin.

Most of the Baroque buildings in Altstadt have been built with the same stone. That may not be obvious at first as a number of the buildings are black, while the the newer ones are a light brown. Our first thought is that some of these builds just need a good cleaning, but that is not the case. Rather the stone contains iron that oxidizes when exposed to the air. Over time, all the building will take on this blackness.

After strolling around the Altstadt, it is possible to continue across the Augustus Bridge to Neustadt (New City). The "new" here is relative. This part of Dresden dates back to 1732. There is still a neighborhood of Baroque builds that survived the bombings, although it is necessary to pass though a block of post WWII soviet style buildings to get there. There are a number of small antique shops (most selling Meissen) and other small shops that are interesting to visit. Also a number of restaurants that seem locally owned and are a bit less expensive than in Altstadt.

For centuries, Dresden has been a cultural and artistic center. Through its Brücke artists, Dresden was a very important city in the development of expressionism. For this reason, our first museum we headed for was the Galerie Neue Meister (the Galley of New Masters). Unfortunately, the expressionist collection was not as large as we had hoped. In retrospect this may have been more a problem with our expectation. Expressionism was after all considered "decadent art" during the Hitler years, and likely had little following in the post-WWII authoritarian government. There was a handful of paintings from the Brücke artists, and a number of seldom seen impressionist and post-impressionist to make the trip worthwhile.

Probably the most interesting collection at the Galerie Neue Meister was a special exhibition called the Neue Sachlichkeit (the New Objectivity). During the 1920s, Dresden, Hanover and Karlsruhe became centers for this new artistic style that attempted to depict the emotional reality of the post-WWI life around them. The pictures were of unemployed people, war invalids, as well as working women and children. Some were hard  to look at, others beautiful in their elegant depictions. All showed the wide-spread depression of life in Germany at this time, the Germany that gave birth to Hitler.

The surprising highlight of the visit was the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Picture Gallery). In honor of the 500th anniversary of Dresden's most famous painting, Raphael's Sistine Modonna. Well you might not be familiar with the painting, I'm guessing that most people have seen a part of it. That is the two angels at the bottom might be the most famous two angels ever painted. In honor the this anniversary and the pope's visit to Germany this year, the museum had a special exhibition of Madonnas from a number of famous painters. Included here was another Madonna that Raphael painted at the same time. Since this second Madonna is owned by and has never left the Vatican, this was the first time the two painting have appeared together since they were in Raphael's workshop 500 years ago. 

The Gallery also a wonderful collection of Dutch School paintings that include a number of impressive Rembrandts and delightful Vermeer (Girl reading a Letter at an Open Window). 

Visiting Friends in Normandy

As the son of a history teacher who grew up in the shadow of WWII, when we decided to accept the invitation from a couple of friends to visit them in Normandy, there was little choice about one part of our literary. We did visit Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery near by. It was an emotional experience, but only one of many highlights from our trip.

Two of our neighbors in Columbus were working in France. Jim is a medievalist and Ann is an expert in Gothic art, both former professors of art at the Ohio State University. Jim has spend part of the last 20 years studying the Abbey at Jumièges. So when we got an invitation to visit them and perhaps see a bit of Gothic France through the eyes of these experts, we jumped at the chance.

Tympanum of the central west portal
Amiens Catheral

On the way to Jumièges, we stopped in Amiens to see the Notre Dame Cathedral there. This cathedral, started in the 13th century, has the highest ceiling  of all completed cathedrals in France, and also largest interior volume. The exterior of the cathedral is famous for the quality of the sculpture on the north and west entries, and for the tall central spire. The interior is surprisingly light, with large nave and chancel. The ambulatory around the choir provides access to a number of richly decorated chapels. The floor of the nave features a large labyrinth (walking the labyrinth was equivalent to a pilgrimage to Jerusalem) and swastikas that in the 13th century symbolized the triumph over death by Jesus.

Jumièges is a small town on the Seine. It one major tourist attraction is the ruins of the Benedictine Monastery that was founded in 654 AD. The monastery operated up until the French Revolution (which was as much a revolution against the church as against the monarchy). At the time of the Revolution, it was one of the largest monastery complexes in France, containing two churches, cloister, library, walls, and a number of other buildings made from the white limestone quarried in the area. But after the revolution, it was closed and sold off. The owner used the complex as a quarry, tearing down the buildings and selling off the stones. What is left is impressive and beautiful, but gives only a hint at the former glory, as the slide show below indicates.



On the second day, we made it to Omaha Beach, but not before stopping off in Bayeaux to see the famous tapestry from the 1070s that illustrates the story of William's conquest of England. It is wonderfully displayed    behind glass, but at eye level. The audio guide that is provided as a part of the admission fee explains the illustrations as you walk along the 70 meter tapestry. Afterwards a short film tells a little more about the history of the tapestry.

Cliffs above Omaha Beach

Outwardly, Omaha Beach now appears for the most part to be just another a beach. But there are a few hint to the events of June 6. Most visibly are the two memorials on the beach dedicated to these events. Then is the museum that you pass just before arriving at the beach. And, of couse, there is the constant flow of tour buses, even on a an October day, bringing Americans, mostly my age or older it appears, on their pilgrimage to this hollowed ground in American history. Seeing the cliffs above the beach, you have to wonder how the US troops were able to over come such a disadvantage (and why such a spot would chosen to send these troops). The American Military Cemetery not far away is a reminder of the exactly what it did cost. It is a beautifully manicured cemetery overlooking the ocean and is deeply respectful of the sacrifice of these troops and a reminder for anyone that visits. I wanted to weep. It was only a couple of hours, but it was emotional.

The third day was spent in Rouen. Maybe it was that I didn't really have high expectations, but I as blown away by this city. It has a incredible wealth of 5-6 story, half-timbered medieval buildings. It just seemed like street after street, on both sides, we were fascinated by one building after another. Then there is the cathedral. You know the one that Monet painted in various lighting. The interior isn't much, but the exterior is pretty special. We were particularly intrigued by the reliefs and sculptures of the north portal. The following slide show contains pictures of some of these carvings that we found interesting.

Discoveries on the Way to Meck-Pomm: Lübeck

The first time that I saw Lübeck was returning from a trip to Copenhagen in 1991 (the year that I worked in Germany). I remember seeing the Holstentor (the main gate to Lübeck) from the train. It was impressive, but not impressive enough to make me go back to visit. Boy was I wrong. Walking through the streets of Lübeck is a delight. Perhaps my favorite city in Germany. Certainly on any short list of favorites.

The Lúbeck Altstadt (old town) sits on an island in Trave. It was the capital of the Hanseatic League, the cartel of German and Dutch cities that controlled north-south trade routes in the 13th to 17th centuries. It has maintained much of the medieval character as befitting an important harbor town during this period. The preferred building material was brick, red or glazed black (stone quarries don't exist in the low lands near the ocean), giving the city a feel of architectural unity.

The Hostentor on the west side of the city, was build between 1469 and 1479. It was the second gate of the main entry through the city's perimeter walls (it actually predate the building of the walls). Now it stands in the middle of a small park at the end of the main bridge into the city. Like many of the medieval brick buildings in Lübeck, the Hostentor has quite a lean to it today. Still it is among the most famous buildings in Germany, and so use to be on the 50 deutschmark bill.

The Rathaus (city hall) dating from 1250 sits between the Markplatz and Breite Straße, the main pedestrian shoping street in Lübeck. On Breite Straße across from the Rathaus is Cafe Niederegger, a Mecca for lovers of marzipan (like me).

Marienkirche is the largest, and oldest brick Gothic churches in Germany. It was started in 1250 and was used as a model for 40 some brick Gothic churches in North Germany. The church was bombed in 1942, starting a fire that burned the supports for the bells. This caused the bells to soften by the heat of the fire and to fall from the bell tower.The partially melted bells remain today where they fell in 1942 at the base of the south tower, a reminder to the horror of war.

Next to the church is the Buddenbrookhaus. This house was owned by the grandfather of Heinrich and Thomas Mann. The brothers were frequent guests in the house in their youth. Thomas Mann used the house in his famous book Buddedbrooks about the rise and fall of a patrician family in Lübeck.

Henry the Lion laid the corner stone of the Romanesque Cathedral in 1173. The cathedral was finished in 1230. Henry the Lion was the Duke of Saxony from 1140 to 1180 and Duke of Bavaria from 1156 to 1180. In addition to founding Lübeck, he is credited with the founding of Munich, Lüneburg and Braunschweig. The 'Paraise', the Gothic entrance way to the north trancept was added in 1260. In the interior of the church is a large Gothic Crucifix made between 1470 and 1477. The south tower has a noticeably southern lean to it. Two large steel beams connecting the north and south towers have been added to prevent further leaning. I haven't found anything that explains to the reason for this lean. My speculation would be that it is connected with the bombing of 1942 that damaged east and north sections of the church. Reconstruction was delayed several years because priority was given to Marienkirche. It was finished in 1982.

Two other churches worth noting are the Katharinenkirche and Petrikirche. The 14th centruy facade of Katharinenkirche contain rows of niches that hold statues. The first three left of the lowest row of niches hold statues made by Ernst Barlach, a late 19th to early 20th century expressionist sculptor, printmaker and writer. Petrikirche has an elevator that takes the visitor to an observation tower in the top of the tower, offering fantastic views of the city.

But this list of sights does not do justice to the feeling one gets just meandering the small winding streets of this ancient city with their brick row houses. Or setting at a table in an outdoor cafe along the Trave, watching the boaters while the city towers are reflected off the still waters of the river. It is a truly beautiful city.

Frannie's favorite thing was the park that had been created where one of the city wall use to stand. The city invites people to let their dogs run off leash in this park, a rarity in Germany.

Interestingly, shortly after we returned from our vacation, the New York Times Travel Section had an article about Lübeck. Click here to take a look at their advice.

Discoveries on the Way to Meck-Pomm: Bremen

A little over a week after returning from Switzerland, we took a second trip during Magda's school summer break. Friends of ours have a vacation apartment in a "castle" in Meck-Pomm. Meck-Pomm is short for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, one of the former East German Bundeslands (sort of the German equivalent to a State in the USA) that were incorporated into German Republic after the collapse of East Germany.

It was about an 8 or 9 hour drive to the castle. For a couple of reasons, I have grown to prefer making such longer drives on a Sunday. The biggest reason is that there are very few trucks on the autobahn on Sunday. On the other days of the week, there are so many trucks on the autobahn that the right lane is often unusable by regular autos. As Sunday is a national day of rest in Germany, most workers (including truck drivers) are not allowed to work. The second and related reason is that because the businesses in a city are also closed, it becomes easy to slip into a city to walk around for a few hours and see the sights (restaurants, museums, and other tourist related businesses are allowed to remain open).

So looking for a way to break up our drive, we noticed that Breman and Lübeck, two cities that I had never visited  were on our route. Lübeck is one of the 3 star cities according to Michelin Green Guide (Michelin's highest rating for a town or attraction). It and Bremen (two stars) are two of German's Hanseatic League cities. The Hanseatic League was a alliance of cities along the North Sea and Baltic Sea that controlled north-south trade routes from the 13th to 17th centuries. The drive to Bremen would take about 5 hours and Lúbeck would take an additional hour, a pretty good chunk of the anticipated 8-9 hour drive to the castle. The idea was to visit Breman on the way to Lübeck, staying two nights in Lübeck before heading on to Meck-Promm.

After a pleasant 5 hour drive one Sunday morning in late July, we arrived in the Bremen Markplatz. Bremen is a relatively large city, the 10th largest city in German with approximately 550,000 inhabitants, on the banks of the Weser river. It is Germany's oldest maritime city with market rights from 965. Trade with the USA started in 1783. If you have German ancestors that immigrated to the USA in the 18th or early 19th century, they most likely came on a boat from Bremen.  In 1358 it joined the Hanseatic League. You can see the early importance of the city in the large Markplatz surrounded by historical buildings. The Rathaus (i.e. City Hall, "Rat" is the German word for "advice", not a reference to the animal), that was originally a Gothic brick building built between 1405 and 1410, dominates the north side of the square. However,the facade with many decorative gables in the Weser Renaissance style was added in the 17th century.  In front of the Rathaus is the 10 meter high statue of Roland holding the sword of justice. On the west side of the Rathaus is statue of the Bremen Town Musicians made famous in Grimm's Fairy Tales.

Next to the City Hall in one corner of the square is the Cathedral St. Petri. Construction on the Cathedral started in the 11th century in the Romanesque style. In the 13th century, additions to the Cathedral in early and late Gothic were built.

On the south side of the Markplatz is the Schütting, an elegant 16 century building with a Flemish inspired facade that use to house Bremen's Guild of Merchants. East and west are pubs (serving Becks beer, of course), cafes and restaurants.

Off the south side of the Markplatz is the Böttcherstraße was transformed in 1923–1931 by the coffee magnate Ludwig Roselius. He commissioned local artists form the near by artist community of Worpswede  to convert the narrow street into a mixture of Gothic and Jungendstil (i.e. the German equivalent to the French Art Nouveau). It was considered degenerate art by the Nazis. Today, the street is one of Bremen's most popular attractions.

Not far from the Marktplatz is the the Schnoor. This is a small, well-preserved area of crooked lanes that in the 17th and 18th centuries was occupied by fishermen and shippers. It is now occupied by cafés, artisan shops and art galleries. Reminded a lot of German Village in my hometown of Columbus.

After spending a couple of hours in Bremen, we headed to the village of Worpswede, 20 km north. In the late 18th century, this village began attracting artists, many of which made important contributions to the Jungendstil movement in the early 19th century. Still a center for artists, we happened to arrive on the week-end of the annual open house where artists open there workshops to visitors. The most interesting artist for me was an man in his 70s who worked in wood inlay in the way that "his father and grandfather taught him". Using different types of woods and stains, this gentleman recreated photos and drawings in unbelievable detail. One that I could not take my eyes off of was the recreation of black and white photo of a tree. My eyes kept moving back and forth between the photo of the tree and the wood inlay next to it. It was hard to believe the detail of the photo that he was able to capture  in the inlay.

We would have liked to stay longer among the thatch-roofed houses of Worpswede, but we needed to get to Lübeck, the subject of the next blog.

Real Switzerland, Experiencing Heidi Moments

Peg, one of our friends from Columbus, visited us in late June. Peg has wanted to see Switzerland for sometime and wondered if it was possible to combine the visit to Koblenz with a trip to Switzerland. Magda and I said sure, but what is it that you want to see or do in Switzerland. "I'd be happy sitting at a cafe with a view of some mountains while having a cup of coffee" was her response. This became known as our search for a "Heidi Moment."

To be honest, driving 6 hours to reach the Swiss mountains for cup of coffee and then driving back seemed a little extreme. Then there is the "vignette" or the toll for use of the Swiss autobahn that would increase the cost of that cup of coffee. And in point of fact, everything is Switzerland is pretty expensive.

Figuring that we were in for a penny in for a pound, we started looking for something more that a Heidi Moment, more of a "Heidi Experience". We came upon a offer from Ameropa for a 4 day trip that included train from Koblenz to Davos, 2 nights in Davos in a 4 star hotel, free use of public transportation in Davos, first class reservations on the Glacier Express to Zermatt including a 3 course meal for lunch, one night in Zermatt also in a 4 star hotel, and the train back to Koblenz.

While Davos it self is not the prettiest town, its setting near a small lake in a high valley surrounded by mountain peaks is hard to beat. The breakfast room at our hotel with its floor to ceiling windows looking over a small park to a near by peak and snow-capped range of mountains took full advantage of this setting. Enjoying this view over breakfast realized a Heidi Moment for Peg.

Davos has a Museum containing a collection of works by the German expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Magda and I became interested in Kirchner after attending a exhibition of his works in Frankfurt. However, as I was not feeling well that morning, Peg and Magda went to the museum while I rested for hiking in the afternoon. Magda was very impressed by the collection and still mentions this as a high point of the trip.

The free use of public transportation in Davos included the use of "Bergbahnen". These are the cog wheel trains or cable cars that go up and down the mountain. In the afternoon we took the cog wheel train to Schatzalp on the north side of the valley, returning by foot on a short trail through lupines, mountain orchids, and other wild flower, past a waterfall, and that was guarded by carved wooded figures. Later we took a cable car up the south side of the valley to Jakobshorn. From here we had a fantastic 360 degree view of the peaks and mountains. Really did not want to come down from here. Talk about a ultimate Heidi Moment.

The next day, after another breakfast with view (or view with breakfast), we boarded the Glacier Express for Zematt. The Glacier Express bills itself a the world slowest express train as it travels 7 hours between St. Moritz or Davos and Zermatt through untouched mountain landscapes, delightful valleys, 91 tunnels, and across 291 bridges. While the Glacier Express uses the same tracks as the regular Swiss trains, it offers panorama wagons with large glass windows that allow a more complete view of the landscape. While great for viewing, these windows cause reflections in any photos taken along the way.

While the whole train ride was beautiful, my favorite part was the first part from Davos to Chur. During this part the train travels through forests, crossing several deep gorges using stone bridges. In Chur, the train changes engines to one with a cog wheel to climb and descend the Oberalppass (2033m), the highest point on the journey. Descending to 650m at Visp, the Glacier Express then climbs approximately 1000m to Zermatt (1604m). Really stunning scenery the whole way. But to be honest, it is hard to concentrate on the scenery for that long. Which is to to say that we didn't enjoy the trip, and we were certainly able to add several more Heidi Moments along the way.

What can you say about Zermatt? I suppose it is a place that people will either love it or hate it. Once again a wonderful setting  in a high valley surrounding by high mountain peaks. A walk to the end of town to see the Matterhorn made the stay worthwhile for me. What a mountain. Like Davos, I only wish we could have had more time to do some serious hiking in the area.

The town itself is another story. While Zermatt has banned automobiles on its streets (autos are parked in about 5 km away and then people take a train into the town), it is hard not to call it a tourist trap. Almost every storefront is a restaurant or shop catering toward the tourist. Even the grocery store is stocked more for the tourist than an inhabitant. But some people love rummaging around shops like these. Even for me, the collection of outdoor shops was interesting to see.

Our hotel in Zermatt was the Hotel Alex. A wonderfully run hotel, with a great breakfast (although without the kind of view we had in Davos), but with the most eclectic decor I have ever seen. Peg thought it was the most interesting and beautiful hotel that she had ever stayed in. Magda had a more negative impression or the decor. Once again, love it or hate it.

Around noon on the fourth day of our trip we boarded the first of our trains to Koblenz. The second leg of our journey was interesting because it was in one of the new Swiss high speed trains. These really nicely designed trains. The third leg was on a German ICE, so we could make a direct comparison with the Swiss. The ICE is showing its age in the comparison. Of course it didn't help that the ICE broke down just before Mannheim causing use to miss our connection. The DB (the German train company) did give us 12 euros to help with a dinner while we waited 3.5 hours for the next connection. And later, they refunded 10 euros each. Of course, the extra 3.5 hours did mean we got back pretty late, and needed to get Peg to the airport early the next day.

First Time in Germany

Emily, a friend and former colleague, was on a business trip to Frankfurt last week. Her meetings took place over two days in the hotel at the Frankfurt airport. She didn't even leave the hotel/airport over those two days. But thanks to the cancellation of a third day of meetings and the OK to stay an extra day before heading home, she had two days for an introduction to Germany. What to do?

Day 1 started with the train trip from Frankfurt airport to Koblenz where I met her at the train station. Emily arrived early enough that we could come back to the apartment for a German breakfast (see previous post).

About 10am we headed south for a tour of the "Upper Middle Rhine Valley", a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We began a Braubach with a tour of the Marksburg castle. This castle, built in the 12th century, is one of the few that have never been destroyed. Upstream we stopped at the Loreley. The story of the Loreley distracting the ship captains with her song and her beauty and causing them to wreck their boat brought on the observation, "It just like men to find a woman to blame their mistakes on." Later, we crossed the river using the auto ferry at Kaub, during which we could get some good view of the toll castle, Burg Pfalzgrafenstein. Next we spent a couple of hours exploring Bacharach, a village with a fantastic collection of half-timbered houses and great wines, and its Burg Stahleck. Finally we drove back to Koblenz to explore St Kastor (we were lucky to find the door open so we could see the interior of this Romanesque church that dates back to the 800-900 BC) and Deutsches Eck.

Day 1 finished with dinner at home consisting of very German menu of roast venison, apple sauce, rotkohl, potatoes, rote grutze and a Bacharach wine. Of course that also meant a conversation around the table until jet lag got too much about 11pm.

Day 2 involved a tip to Cologne to see the Cathedral, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, lunch in a traditional Kölsch pub, a bumble through the Altstadt, finishing at the Chocolate Museum. The last stop was to the sake of Emily's two boys.

Day 2 ended in the Koblenz Altstadt walking trough the stalls of the Christmas Market and having a pizza at a small Italian restaurant.

5am the next morning, we drove to Frankfurt to catch the 8:00 flight.

Well I realize, we only glimpsed a small part of what is Germany. Given the time available, I think we did a pretty good job putting together an introduction. Time will tell if it was enough to simulate the wanderlust for some follow-up trips.

Matthias Chapel

One of the advantages of living in Germany is the opportunity to explore "little Germany". That is to say, discover some smaller attraction that is a bit off the typical tourist path, but is itself a little gem. Matthias Chapel situated above the Moselle wine village of Kobern-Gondorf is one such gem.



The chapel was built between 1220 and 1240 by Heinrich II. von Isenburg on his return from the crusades. The story goes that Heinrich II searched for and found the head of the apostle Matthias in the Nile delta. He brought it back to his home and built the chapel to attract pilgrims. The relic was removed from the chapel in 1347, eventually ending up at the cathedral in Trier in 1420 and then in 1927 in Trier's St. Matthias Abbey.

The hexagon shape of the chapel is a bit unusual and reminiscent of the architecture Heinrich II would have seen on the crusade. And there is some really fine stone carvings decorating the entry way. But it is the interior that is what makes this chapel special. The delicate columns that support the roof, the historically accurate colors, the unusually shaped windows, and most especially the mosaic floor combine to make a memorable experience. Some scholars find hidden meaning in the number of hexagons and triangles in the floor.

As I understand, the chapel is open Sundays and holidays, 11:00 to 17:00, from Easter to November 1st. Also for special occations. I was lucky to be there with a group of teachers on an outing that had arranged for it to be open.

Freiburg, August 2010

Generally speaking, I have a more of a preference for the villages and countryside of Germany than I do the cities. In fact, I think I can say that about most countries that I have visited. I just think that is were you find the soul of the county.

However, Germany is blessed with a number of cities that have a sense of uniqueness to them making a visit worthwhile. One of those cities that we keep going back to is Freiburg. Freiburg, on the western edge of the Black Forest, is the major German city in the southwest corner of Germany. It was established around 1120 as a fortified market town of free citizens. This is the basis for the name of the city ("frei" meaning free and "burg' meaning a fortified citry). The city holds on to its roots as a market town in a couple of ways.

First there is a large market around the Freiburg Munster, Monday through Sunday. When we were there on a Tuesday at the beginning of August, I would estimate 30 framer stands selling fruits and vegetables, 4 selling flowers, another 2 stands selling meat, 4 stands selling cheese, 5-6 selling prepared food, 2 selling carved wooden items (a black forest specialty), and another 5-6 selling other items. Really a good size market, especially for an every day market.

The other connection to the roots as a market town is the availability of department stores and shops in the city. Freiburg has a huge pedestrian area that is lined with such stores. Shopping in Germany can be interesting. The sales people in the major department stores tend to be professionals who have been doing their job for quite a while. Many can look at you and tell you what your size is. Not only that they will know there stock and know if they have something that might be the right cut and color for you. If you try something on that is not a good fit or color, they will tell you and suggest you try something else. If they don't have anything, they will let you know that they have nothing that they can recommend.

The church at the center of Freibug is called referred to the Frieiburg Munster. Munster means that it is a major church but is not the seat of a bishop. However, this church has been the seat of archbishop of Freiburg since 1827 and therefore could be referred to as a cathedral. The church in transitional, having been started in 1200 as a Romanesque church but with construction switching over to the Gothic style about 1230. Although the tower is currently under reconstruction and is covered by scaffolding, I know from past trips that the climb to the top is well worth the effort for it's 360 degree views and the close-up look at the intricate stonework of the belfry.

There are a number of other reasons to like this city from the gutter system that dates back to the middle ages to support the fighting of fires, the remains of the wall that fortified the city,  the late Gothic Merchant's Hall and the City Hall from the 16th century, to the restaurants along Munsterplatz that have outdoor seating allowing you to enjoy a beer or glass of wine in the shadow of the Munster anytime of the year (in winter, each chair has a blanket or a sheepskin that you can wrap up in). Freiburg is also has one of Germany's oldest universities, which adds to the vibrancy of this city.

Sunday Shopping around Koblenz

So it is Sunday in Koblenz, Germany and you need a few organic veggies for dinner. Or maybe you need to pick up a birthday present for a friend. Maybe a nice orchid, a book about orchids, or a nice pie of art glass. An of course you need a birthday card.

But it's Sunday....in Germany. The stores are all closed.

OK there are the stores at the gas stations. But you aren't going to get organic there. And be honest, would you eat anything from a local BP station after the last 6 weeks? And a nice birthday present, no way.

Frankfurt Airport has shops open. But that is an hour each way, assuming no "Stau" (traffic jam). A little far. Plus parking is a pain.

You could take a trip to Luxembourg, but that is also a bit more than an hour each way.

There actually is an answer to this riddle, a 15-20 minute drive from Koblenz to Maria Laach Abbey. Maria Laach Abbey is an active Benedictine abbey on the south shore of the volcanic lake known as Laacher See. The monks there operate a greenhouse, a fruit and vegetable stand, and a store selling books and craft items. And they are open 7 days of the week.

In addition to the shops, the church there is considered one of the finest examples German Romanesque architecture. The church and a number of the structures date back to the 11th through 13th. If you wanted to make a day of it, a system of hiking trails is maintained around the abbey and lake. And of course there is the restaurant and biergarten on the grounds where you can relax after the hike or shopping.

I suppose some might question the sincerity of the monks operating a store on Sunday on the grounds of the  church while the rest of the country is required to honor this day of worship. But you need to remember that monks are always been a practical lot. Take the story of the invention of the German version of ravioli called Maultaschen. Maultaschen was invented by the monks at Maulbronn Abbey because the only time of the year that the parishioners would donate meat to the monks was during Lent, when the people themselves were not permitted to eat meat. The monks reasoned that by covering the meat with a layer of dough, God would not be aware that they were eating meat and it was therefore OK.

This practical side lead Maria Laach Abbey into some controvery during the period of National Socialism. The Wikipedia site goes into a bit more detail. But suffice it to say that the monks at Maria Laach were very aware of what they were against and grabbed a hold of something that was much worst. Is there a lesson here for us?

Traumpfad - Booser Doppelmaartour

Magda had a holiday last Monday, May 24. Monday holidays are great for Magda because one third of her classes are on Monday. So not only does she get a day free, but one third of her prep time for the week is freed up. With this freetime, we decided to tryout another of the Traumpfad hiking trails that we have been hearing people talk about.

Traumpfad or "Dream Hike" is a project of Rhein-Mosel-Eifel Touristik, an organization whose purpose is to increase the tourism in this part of Germany. The Traumpfad project involves setting up well marked, circuit hiking trails in smaller villages in an effort to entice people to get out of the major tourist areas and see some other parts of the region. What is nice is that some of these towns have taken a sense of pride in their Traumpfad and have made efforts to make the hikes even more interesting.

Such is the case with the village of Boos. It is about 5 km from the Nürburgring, the famous race track in the Eiffel. Largely a farming community, the only indication of tourism is the motorcyclist attracted to the Nürburgring that race around the roads in the area. But the Traumpfad does help bring a little tourism to the area. To make their Traumpfad distictive, they has set up information stations along the way to explain the geological and natural features of the area. Also they have build a tower at the highest point in the hike that offers panoramic views of the Eiffel landscape.

The trail is a nice one even without these additions. Just under 10 km, in winds its way on the edge of the woods through the Eiffel. This means that most of the hike is under shade, while still allowing views across the hills and fields of the Eiffel. There is only the one major climb up to the tower. Other than that, the hike is mostly level or slightly downhill. The hike starts and ends at the double "Maar". A "Maar" is an small lake formed in the crater of a volcano. The Eiffel has a history of volcanic activity, the potential for which persists even today. These two "Maars" are mostly filled in, however the bowls of the craters are clearly visible and some water still exists. Some rather rare plants have found a home here, including Germany's only wild orchid and a plant with yellow follows that is only found in marshes (see the pictures below).

Bernkastel-Keus and Wehlen

We took a short trip to Bernkastel-Kues last week-end to look around. Bernkastel-Kues is a town in the heart of heart of the best vineyards on the Moselle. In fact, some will claim that Bernkasteler Doctor is the best vineyard on the Moselle.

But were were there to see the town that contains a number of half-timbered houses, some dating to the 15th century. One of these is called the smallest house in Germany. It can be seen in the background of some of the pictures in the sideshow below.

Going to places like this can be a little risky. It is a Mecca for tourists. So not only are the streets filled with tourist, all the shops there are gear towards the tourist trade. This means all kinds of junk and shops selling sweet white wines of marginal quality.

Still on balance, I have to say, Berkastel-Kues is worth the trip.

After a couple of hours there, we headed downstream to visit a couple of wineries and have some lunch in Wehlen. Wehlen vineyards are not quite as famous as Bernkastel's, but they are pretty darn good.

Lunch was at a Strasswirkshaft on the Moselle directly across from the vineyard call Wehlener Sonnenuhr. In Germany, vintners are allowed to set up some tables and serve food with their own wines for a few months of each year. One of there is known as a Strasswirkshaft or Strassi for short. A Strassi gives the vintner another avenue to sell their wines and provides a little local color for visiting tourists. We have had good luck with the food and the wine at the Strassis that we have visited. Nothing fancy, just good local food using ingredients from the region. Plus they are usually a pretty good value.

We also visited a couple of other vintners in town, including S.A.Prüm that is considered among Germany's best. There wines were definitely a cut above by at a price 2 or 3 times that of the other vintners that we tried. One other nice thing about S. A. Prüm is that they let the barn shallows nest in their tasting room. They also use their images in there literature.

House of the History of the German Republic

We took a quick trip up to the Museum Mile in Bonn to visit the Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. This is a museum devoted to the history of the Germany since the forming of republic following WWII.

The museum is organized so that you feel you are walking through a time line starting in 1945 to the present. The initial displays then are about the liberation and occupation. There you can see photos and videos of the state of the German cities following the war, artifacts from the occupation, and exhibits about the Berlin airlifts. This period also includes coming to grips with the atrocities of the war.

The exhibits then flow into formation of republic, the political parties, and the division of Germany. From this point as you walk along the time line, there are displays showing the results of each German election to orient you along the time lines. Along the time line are presented displays illustrating the life in Germany and the forces effecting that life. These include things like the cultural influences, the political forces in play, the products being produced, immigration, and, of course, reunification.

Many exhibits are interactive, allowing you to experience the sights and sounds of the time. There is, of course, the video of John F. Kennedy in Berlin. Also a 1950 VW Beatle with its split rear window, a BMW Zeta, Zeiss Optics, interviews with immigrants and rock music.

It really is a nice museum, and it is free. You can buy a guide to the exhibition to 3€ that can help follow the displays. But even without that, there is much that someone without good knowledge of the German language can enjoy here.