Aschaffenburg

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Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Monday, 22 September 2014 13:24

Schloss Johannisburg in Aschaffenburg, GermanySchloss Johannisburg in Aschaffenburg, GermanyIn June, I flew back to Frankfurt to catch up with a friend, Daniella, whom we had met at Diverbo and spent time with again in Brussels.

Daniella lives near Aschaffenburg, 40kms east of Frankfurt and most people have probably never heard of it. A small city of 67,000, it is located on the border between the Bavarian and Franken cultures and has its own dialect separate from both. Being here and talking with locals, it became apparent how new ‘Germany’ is as a unified country, and not just the reunification of East and West, but of all the states. The supposed homogenisation of Germany only exists on an international stage as each state still has its own distinctive dialect and culture. Each state is also very proud of their heritage, which they celebrate often and with gusto.

Aschaffenburg was a pleasure to visit and explore and surprised me by the amount of activities to do, both as a tourist and as a local. Whether it is exploring the local architecture, museums & galleries, beer gardens & restaurants, or parks, there is something for most everyone here. During my time I visited a bit of everything and also tried to get an understanding of ordinary life.

Along the riverfront is the Schloss Johannisburg, a 17th century renaissance palace that has been heavily restored after damage sustained during the Second World War. Nearby, on the high bank of the river, is the Schlossgarten with a beautiful terrace and paths linking to the Pompeiianum, commissioned by King Ludwig I. It is a beautiful structure with a view over the river and surrounded by gardens, that is used for weddings and other events. There are a few paths along the high and low riverbank that offer some wonderful views and respite from the city.

Europe in the spring and summer is full of festivals and events as everyone enjoys the sunshine while it lasts. While it was still early in the festival season, I did manage to see a few events, although I saw the advertisements for many more.

Hofgarten Cabaret - Austria meets BavariaHofgarten Cabaret - Austria meets BavariaOne of the first I saw was at the Hofgarten Kabarett: ‘Austria meets Bavaria’. Three musicians took to the stage and proceeded to play folk rock with lyrics sung in Bavarian and Austrian dialects, as well as High German. For the most part the crowd was still, providing applause only at the conclusion of a piece, there were a few popular songs that had everyone (who knew them) bopping along.

At one of the nearby villages, Hofgut, we managed to catch a jazz performance in the beirgarten of the Schweinheim Guesthouse. The guesthouse had a great feel to it with groups of people sitting at long picnic tables eating and drinking through the night.

Kunst im SchlossparkKunst im Schlosspark

Kunst im SchlossparkKunst im SchlossparkAnother event that I was privileged to visit was the ‘Kunst im Schlosspark’ at the Schlosshotel Weyberhöfe. The hotel grounds have several open areas amidst the trees, and these spaces had been converted to a wonderful open air gallery. There was a good range of paintings on display, some sculpture, and digital works. The artists were onsite to discuss their pieces and hopefully sell their wares. Along a river stretching away from the gallery areas was a marketplace where many a trinket was available. It was easy to spend a couple of hours looking at the art and enjoying the space, so we were glad that there was a variety of food and drink available (although it was overpriced and not the best).

Part of the joy I find in visiting new places is tasting the food and drink, and while I was here I explored a variety of local choices.

The first night here, we drove to Wurzburg, 80kms from Aschaffenburg to see a mutual friend and her husband. We ate at a popular restaurant overlooking and the river to the castle, the Gasthaus Alte Mainmühle, offering traditional Franken food. I had Braised Schweineschäufele with dark beer, creamed savoy cabbage and homemade dumplings. The meat, pork from the shoulder, was excellent and tender, and the dark beer sauce was rich and thick (and we had to keep ordering more to keep the meat coated). The dumpling and cabbage were a good accompaniment although not excellent. I washed the meal down with a good local Weizenbeir.

While visiting this area, I felt compelled to explore the German fascination with Würst, or sausage. Everywhere had some form of sausage on the menu, the most common was currywürst. Currywürst is a pork sausage that is steamed then fried and served with a sweet curry sauce. There were many other sausages that I tried with varying levels of quality. It made me realise that my understanding of German sausages, developed from what I have tasted when visiting Hahndorf in South Australia and various German festivals over the years, is not correct. Eating Würst in Germany I found that they are simpler than what I understood them to be, and with less herbs and spices added. This does not make them inferior in any way but it does make you wonder about what happens when one country assimilates another cultures flavours. German sausages are excellently constructed and lightly flavoured and it is well worth trying the many varieties as you come across them. While I was here I tried Bierwurst (A lightly peppered and smoked Bavarian sausage), FränkischeBratwurst (a long sausage with a chunky filling and hints of marjoram), and Weisswurst (a finely minced pork sausage lightly seasoned with parlsey, lemon and garlic. It is cooked in salt water). Another excellent dish was Wurstsalat and Obatzda (an onion and cream cheese mixture) served with bread. You spread a little of the Wurstsalat and/or Obatzda on the bread, the sweet and sour mix over a lightly salted bread is excellent. Each sausage was a delight to taste and if you aren’t vegetarian I would recommend you try some everywhere you go through Germany.

FlammkuchenFlammkuchenOne night we went out looking for a specific dish before we had a few drinks. The dish was called Flammkuchen; diced ham, shredded cheese and herbs over pita bread then baked. It’s the local version of pizza and, while simple, it is very good, especially when accompanied by a Raddler. We met a couple of locals, Seb and Max, and had a great night out as we visited a few bars including Wurst Bendel Wirsthaus which serves a locally famous beer called Baba Bier.

One we went to a place called MiniBar, near the centre of town to listen to a live act. Minibar is a cosy bar with comfortable couches and a small outdoor area. It has a great vibe and the music was good as well. The performance we saw was a solo singer/guitarist performing popular songs from the last few decades with an occasional original. The music in between sets was generally relaxed rock. It’s a nice bar to relax in after a meal or to warm up before going to a club. 

Aschaffenburg has many restaurants, cafés, eateries and biergartens that offer variety of international cuisines as well as local fare.

Chad and Daniela Hiking in the SpessartChad and Daniela Hiking in the SpessartThe area surrounding Aschaffenburg has a number of excellent areas to hike. We took a walk out in the Spessart, a nearby region, along one of the numerous trails, most of which were clearly marked but a few side trails that were not which can allow you to lose your path quite easily. The good thing is that all the trails lead back onto main tracks so you can never really get lost. Another excellent thing about hiking out here is that there are family operated hiker’s huts where you can rent a room, get a meal and a drink. It was at one of these that I tried the Martinsbrau Radler and Pilsner, as well as traditional sauerkraut.

Chad and Daniela Hiking in the Spessart with a deerChad and Daniela Hiking in the Spessart with a deerWe intended to walk through the forest and fields and make our way to a café for some afternoon tea. Unfortunately there are few with an outdoor area so we moved on taking a trail on the other side of the highway back to the car. The area was a pleasure to walk through, and it was made even more wonderful by the deer we saw on the trails and in the forest.

In early June the weather was beginning to warm into the low 30’s, which I normally love, but after travelling in areas where the temperature barely touched 20 I was feeling the heat. To relieve ourselves of the heat we visited a lake at Niedernberg, a nearby town. The lake had a resort on one end but there was an open trail through a light wood surrounding the rest of it. Every few metres the trail would have a small bathing area for people to occupy. The earlier you get here, the better your chance of getting one of these small semi-private ‘coves’. If you miss out, you just have to sit on the one of the larger beaches scattered around with everyone else, most of whom sunbathe over swim. While the lake was busy it never felt crowded, and was a wonderful place to relax, swim and cool down. An interesting cultural point is that women here sunbathe topless and nobody cares or notices, it is just a normal thing to do.

Other Articles from Germany

Frankfurt

Diverbo 

Bremen

Three German Castles 

Beer in Aschaffenburg and where to drink it

Sylt

 

Bremen

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Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Saturday, 06 September 2014 14:14

The reason we travelled to Bremen was to meet a friend of mine. We had been friends for over a decade but had not seen each other in a number of years as our lives had gone separate ways.

Bremen is a beautiful German city, more so than I had given it credit for prior to coming here. The city has a great variety of activities for all and many of them are within walking distance of the city centre. Surrounding the city are parklands which offer a delightful area to relax, as well as the riverfront which has many grassed areas.

Market Square, Bremen, Germany

St Peters Cathedral, Bremen, GermanyThe city is over 1200 years old, and is centred on the Market Square (a UNESCO site). The square is home to numerous historical buildings such as the Town Hall (1405-1410 CE), St Peters Cathedral (900 CE), The Schütting Guildhouse (now the Chamber of Commerce) and many more which make for an impressive panorama. In front of the town hall there is the largest statue of Roland in Germany, symbolizing Bremen’s independence, and around the corner are the Town Musicians of Bremen (1953), from the Grimm Brothers fairy tale of four animals who made their way to city to become musicians. There are a few Cafés on the square but be warned they are expensive. St Peters Cathedral is quite impressive in its construction, but it is beautifully minimalist inside. From the basement chapel through the main hall, it is excellently maintained and decorated with geometric patterns throughout. There are small areas where they have uncovered pre-Lutheran art which have been kept and maintained. The Market Square also hosts a produce market.

Off the southern side of the Market Square is Bötcherstrasse, bought by Ludwig Roselius in the 1920’s and renovated in an art nouveau style. The street has a number of boutique stores, two art galleries and a pub with an interesting story, the Ständige Vertretung (StäV). The interior of the StäV is filled with pictures highlighting the 40 year history and political figures of West and East Germany until Reunification, giving the visitor a visual lecture if they are so inclined. The StäV also offers Kölsch in a variety of sizes from very small glasses (150mls to keep it fresh and stop it getting warm) up to ten litre kegs for your table or to take away. If you order the small glasses a waiter will keep replacing them until you place a coaster over the glass. Directly outside the StäV is one of the major tourist points in town, a glockenspiel that chimes for ten minutes on the hour throughout the afternoon. As the glockenspiel chimes a section of the wall rotates revealing pictures of the history of aviation. The galleries are the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum (Expressionist art) and Roseliushaus (Museum of interiors).

On the southern side of the city is the Schlaachte Embankment, a stretch of bars, cafes, restaurants and beer gardens. There are many a place to relax and enjoy the company of friends with a beer and food. The beer gardens will charge you an extra 1€ per glass on the first round and give you a token to redeem at the end.

Schnoor, Bremen, GermanyOn the south eastern corner of the city is the Schnoor, an area built in the 15th and 16th centuries which was a poor district. Having survived WW2 intact, it has been rejuvenated since 1958 and has since become a major tourist attraction filled with art and craft stores, goldsmiths, and cafes. The buildings are very close together and there is no uniformity for the width of the streets, with one so thin you have walk sideways through it.

Over the river to the east of the city is one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan areas of the city, the Viertel. Full of restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs, the Viertel has a wide appeal and offers a little something for everyone. Each time I visited the Viertel was thrumming with people.

Burgerpark, Bremen, GermanyTo the north of the city, beyond the Hauptbahnhopf is Bürgerpark, a wonderful wooded area with dozens of trails to meander. There is a luxury hotel at the southern entrance and a petting zoo on the western side. It is a beautiful area to enjoy and escape the city for a while.

There is a tour of the city centre you can take which provides an excellent introduction to Bremen. After the tour we took our guide to The StäV for a drink where he shared many stories with us of Bremen and particularly the institutes that work with the European Space Agency where he used to work.

An interesting thing of note regarding Bremen is that it is the birthplace of Joachim Neander, after whom Neanderthals were renamed.

Bremen was a great place to visit and a surprisingly enjoyable backdrop (most of the Germans we had spoken to previously had said it was a boring city) for spending time with my friend.

the Ständige Vertretung (StäV), Bremen, Germany

Other Articles from Germany

Frankfurt

Diverbo 

Aschaffenburg

Three German Castles 

Beer in Aschaffenburg and where to drink it

 

Frankfurt

Details
Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Saturday, 06 September 2014 14:04

Senckenberg, Frankfurt, GermanyWe came to Germany to take part in an English Language Immersion program run by Diverbo which was taking place near Frankfurt. We arrived in Frankfurt on the Friday and stayed at Paulies Hotel next door to the program meeting point.

Frankfurt is a muddle of restored 19th century, ageing 20th century, and 21st century architecture, making for a walking experience that is both beauteous and hideous at the same time.

I like visiting museums, I find that they are a good place to begin understanding any culture you are visiting, as they display the history of the world us understood and respected by that culture at large, and the Senckenberg is an excellent example of how Natural History Museums should be. It has several floors with multiple galleries, briefly covering Earth’s formation and geologic history; displays of plant, animal and human evolution; displays of dinosaur fossils, amphibians, insects, arachnids, mammals, reptiles. The brevity of each display allows for the Senckenberg to have comprehensive coverage of the epochs of our planet, and some of the specimens are exquisite, making it well worth the visit.

In the afternoon, we visited the Städel Museum, which while not one of the most famous art museums, it was definitely one of the best planned and designed. There are four floors; the ground floor is for current contemporary art projects while the lower level is for contemporary art from 1945 onwards; The 1st upper level contains art from 1800-1945, and the 2nd upper level has pieces from 1300-1800. The upper levels are divided into numbered rooms that are curated in such a way as to guide you through time as well as specific artistic movements. The Städel has a great array of art on display on the upper floors but it never feels like you bloated or overloaded. This is because of the variety of artists and movements on display give you enough variety that you do not feel that you seeing the same piece repeatedly thus keeping you engaged in the experience. The contemporary exhibition on the lower floor, while also numbered, is a partitioned space that you weave and wander through. I’m not a fan of contemporary art and a great many of the displays failed to engage me, but it is still a worthy display.

After Diverbo, we caught the train North to Bremen, where a friend of mine was living and studying.

Other Articles from Germany

Frankfurt

Diverbo 

Bremen

Aschaffenburg

Three German Castles 

Beer in Aschaffenburg and where to drink it

Sylt

 
 

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