Bayreuth, Germany

May 30th, 2011

Leaving Nurnberg we headed to Bayreuth for the day and then took the train back to Bamberg.  During our little mix up with Rothenburg we actually stopped in this town to make our switch of trains to get back on track to Nurnberg.  Before I could tell Paul that this actually may be a great place to spend the day, the train had arrived and there was no time to discuss.  I grabbed a brochure and we decided to see where fate led us.

Bayreuth is known for it's festivals and opera's due to having Richard Wagner as one of their most famous inhabitants.  My music history fails me here, but he was a very important 19th century composer.  The Opera house was closed, but the pictures of the inside are unbelievable.  There were several beautiful palaces within the city center.  One of them with the tera cotta can be scene below.    Paul and I spent some time in the main plaza, had some great local favorites.  We both fell in love with a dark unfiltered keller bier.  You will also see a picture of a big red & white striped pole with different signs on it.  No it's not the North pole, but a May Pole.  These were a way for richer cities to display which trades they had to offer in the main street market.  Bayreuth is also known for it's breweries.  There is a beer tour you can do, but as Paul and I do not like being on tours (even a beer one) we opted to wander on our own pace.  The German brick work is amazing.  It was Monday and many things were unfortunately closed, so we went back to the main street to people watch.  We decided to have lunch at the first  place we stopped, Oscar's.  They had my all time favorite German dish, kaiser spaetzle.  Basically, baked German style pasta with really good cheese (nothing processed here).  Paul ordered my second favorite dish, pork schnitzel.  We asked if the portions were big, and the server says..."normal, not too big."  When the food arrived, Paul's schnitzel was hanging over the already large plate.  I think he was able to finish half.  Ah, German portions.  On our walk back to the train station we made our loop through another palace and a beautiful public garden.  Due to space most Europeans do not own their own house, but have a condo or an apartment within a larger house or building.  I took a picture of a building where you can see that one family replaced the roof, and the other hasn't.  Thought it was funny.  Another thing I love about European cities....PUBLIC ART!  Love it.  Statues, paintings on buildings, fountains, simple gardens for all to enjoy.  An interesting piece was that of a forest with trees that had been cut down.  That one was not permanent, but a temporary display and offered visitors to climb up into the art.   Well, another gorgeous day and now back to Bamberg.

 

 

Nurnberg, Germany

May 29th, 2011

Actually, we were headed to Rothenburg for the day to then spend the night in Nurnberg (spelled with two circles over the u, otherwise English version is Nuremberg), but as it turns out the train had some other plans for us.  I did not realize when I typed Rothenburg into the train station terminal when getting our train itinerary that there is more than one Rothenburg.  One has the two little dots over the u and the other doesn't.  Itsy bitsy detail can be a big difference.  Paul and I were wondering why we were  headed North instead of South, but the German's are so efficient I thought there had to be a reason to the madness.  Well, that gut feeling that we were going the wrong way continued.  We were on a train that we couldn't stop and so we planned to just get to Nurnberg, normally only a 45 minute train ride from Bamberg, turned into a 2 hour train ride.  Beautiful countryside......deep breath.  Got to Nurnberg, found our hotel, which was another little bump in the road, but then once we were able to get our bags off our backs, and take a deep breath we got out to see the city.  First stop lunch, and of course our favorite beverage, then followed Rick Steve's suggestions and brief history on Nurnberg.  Every city has their own version or local sausage in Germany, usually named by the city.   Bamberg's sausage is the bamberger.  Just add an er to any city and that means it's from that city.  The nurnberger sausage is famous.  They are small, white sausages that as the locals like to say it "it's not the size that matters."  They (meaning the sausages) are amazing.  Nurnberg is one of the remaining cities in Germany to have it's original city wall still intact.  Many cities during the rebuild decided not to well, rebuild it, and allow their cities to expand.  Much of Nurnberg was bombed since it was such a important site for the Nazis.  We didn't have time to see these rallying sites, but I have seen it with my family on a trip a few years ago and it's another world from the quaint city of Nurnberg.  Meet the coliseum on German steroids.  Paul and I enjoyed just walking around and looking at the buildings, churches, castle, river, bridges, and so forth.  It was a Sunday, so most of the churches were closed, seems odd, but maybe for services.   There must have been a big festival the night before because this was the first German city we encountered to have litter in the main plazas and by the castle.  We ended our night with dinner, and as you can see we had to have some more nurnberger sausages.  Yum!

Bamberg, Germany

May 26-28, 2011

So we are back in Bamberg to celebrate my brother's 30th Birthday.  At his flat we are having a party with probably 20-30 people.  Friends of my brother are coming from Berlin just to say Happy Birthday Josh!  I wish I had some pictures of this great party, but I've learned that beer and camera equipment do not get along, so these great memories will just have to stay in our minds.  My brother has become some what famous for his ribs in Germany.  Something that is not found on the traditional German plate, but becoming popular.  Due to Josh's popularity in cooking and demands for more meat on the grill he brought over his own Weber grill from the States.  The kitchen is full of groceries and everyone is pitching in to help.  Josh rented tables from one of the favorite Bamberg brews, Mahr's Brewery, as well as a keg for the party.  Paul and I stopped there the day before the party to do some quality controlling, and were able to get a personal tour of the brewery by Stephen the owner and brew master himself!  There is a picture of Stephen holding a skateboard designed for Mahr's who sponsors a couple local skateboarders.  Paul and I ended up getting one of these rare boards made, and Stephen signed it, but to our saddest moments on the trip it was confiscated at the gate at Nurnberg airport.  We are still so sad about that.  On a brighter note,  there are some pictures of a market in Bamberg displaying their white asparagus.  The German's love their asparagus, and during this brief magical period everyone is giddy about this vegetable.  Every restaurant has special menus all about spargel (asparagus in German)!  If you ever visit Germany in the Spring you will experience what I'm talking about.  Paul's favorite thing about the markets was the sausage stands!  He has been already saying how much he misses them.  Some day we'll be back.  I hope!  Happy Birthday Josh.