Traveling Notes - Europe Road Trip - Germany, Days 1&2

I should warn the reader that my Europe related posts are simply scattered notes made while on the road and put into chronological order later on. They have little (to none) educational or informative value and might merely provide some sort of entertainment. That being said, let me begin my tales with a few numbers, as lately I’ve been into numbers rather than words – a paradigm so uncharacteristic of me that I don’t even dare digging into that psycho trap =)

Countries visited: 5

Germany

Luxembourg

Netherlands
Belgium

France

Cities (villages, towns, communes) visited: 13

Day 1.  Frankfurt
Day 2.  Trier, Eltz
Day 3.  Luxembourg City, Esch-sur-Sûre, Bourscheid, Vianden
Day 4.  Amsterdam
Day 5.  Muiden, Zaanse Schans
Day 6.  Brussels
Day 7.  Rouen, Mont Saint Michel

Unesco World Heritage Sites visited: 5

Trier Roman Monuments
Luxembourg Casemates (fortifications)
The Canal Area Ring of Amsterdam
La Grand-Place in Brussels
Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay

Castles visited: 6

Eltz Castle (Germany)
Esch-sur-Sûre (Luxembourg)
Bourscheid Chateau (Luxembourg)
Vianden Castle (Luxembourg)
Muiderslot Castle (Netherlands)
Mont Saint Michel (France)

Museums, churches, palaces, landmarks  - infinite number

DAY 1 - July 25 - Frankfurt, Germany

We arrived in Frankfurt late afternoon and I had to reorganize our luggage, write a few things down, clear up my email – in other words, this day was full of final touches to get ready for the trip and sort of didn’t count. Sort of.

While I was busy with my routine, Pasha went to see the main landmarks, climbed the Main Tower to catch the city view and then we headed to the Römerberg for some beer and apfelwein paired with Frankfurters for him and salty potatoes for me.

The story.

Perky part:

We got a kick out of our fun hotel, 25 Hours Hotel by Levi’s, which was anything but ordinary. Each floor was decorated to represent a decade of the 20^th century – ours was the 60^th.  The room looked like a James Bond movie setting and offered complementary tiny bottles of Jägermeister as a welcome gesture from the hotel. We were informed of the famous DJ party which would take place in the lobby later on and which we could enter free of charge if we wished. We thought – how fun! Little did we know, poor travelers!

Sad part:

The party started at 11pm. It did not end until 3 am. How do I know? Imagine sleeping in a canopy bed placed in the middle of a nightclub with curtains serving as the only dubious shield from the shindig. That’s how loud it was. Every bit of our room’s glamorous décor resonated to the bass sounds from downstairs. Lamps danced on the bed tables. Curtains proudly presented their ‘shake your booty’ moves. And we tried to sleep. Somehow… I'm all 'bout that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble… you don’t say!

Payoff (maybe):

Free ‘Hangover’ breakfast (real deal) totally healed our revolting souls. It was sooo mouthwatering good! I guess by far the best breakfast I’ve ever had in a hotel. Ever! Delicious Shakshouka (poached eggs in tomato sauce), mushrooms, Brie and Gorgonzola cheeses, spreads, prosciutto, smoked salmon, freshly baked intoxicating bread, exotic fruits (passion fruit, dragon fruit, cherries)… Everything tasted so incredible, we even started joking about swapping the castle for a few more hours indulging in all this food J

What we’ve learned:

Trier, founded by the Romans in 16 BC and claimed to be the oldest city in Germany, was once known as Augusta Treverorum,  which became one of the capitals of the Roman Tetrarchy at the end of the 3rd century and was called the “Rome of the North”. The surviving Roman monuments in Trier are UNESCO World Heritage Site and an outstanding testimony to the Roman civilization.

The Porta Nigra, the best-preserved Roman city gate


The Roman Trier Amphitheater


Ruins of the Roman baths, where we met odd kids with no parents supervision and surmised they were local ghosts. Their laughs followed us well beyond the baths into other cities and even countries where on several occasions we spotted children extremely resemblant of Trier's little ghosts. So, yeah... Very exciting tour of the baths - highly recommended!

What I will remember about Trier

Nummer eins:

My boyfriend Pasha is a sightseeing addict. When I long for a glass of wine while staring at the crowd and imbibing the moment, he is into chasing landmarks. I get tired and bored - he gets angry. Not a perfect scenario. So while haunting Trier’s attractions one after another, I came up with a little game to entertain myself. Before proceeding into yet another church or museum, Pasha had to give me a kiss and it had to be all new and original stuff! This game is the reason I remember that Karl Marx was born in Trier and his house is the museum now. That piece of lore would most certainly leave my mind without a trace, hadn’t we had that amazing French kiss right in front of the museum with an older couple watching us from the nearby parked car. They were smiling. We were happy. Karl Marx would have probably disapproved of us, but I disapprove of his theory, so we are sort of even.

Nummer zwei:

On Sundays Trierians (citizens of Trier??) go hand in hand on a promenade, eat ice-cream, gather in city squares, kiss, cuddle, play with kids. It was nice to be there on a Sunday.

Nummer drei:

My finger got bit by a bee. It grew twice its size and turned scarlet.  I freaked out having no recollection if I was ever bitten by bees and whether I could be allergic. Half an hour later, still alive, my panic surrendered. =)

Random observation

In Germany there are parking spots designated for women only. This should not be regarded as a sign of discrimination but rather of respect. They are arranged in the most convenient locations, close to the entrance/exit and furthermore they are wider than regular parking spots. I found it weird at first, but it actually is kinda cool. We are the ones who have to wear high heels after all =)

On the way to Trier from Frankfurt

The Eltz Castle – absolutely stunning piece of medieval architecture built in the 12th century! The castle has been owned by the same family for 33 generations. The current heirs still use some parts of the castle as their hit and run living quarters. This is one bad ass vacation house if you ask me! The secluded location and beautiful nature add mystery and romance to the already breathtaking beauty of the castle. Half an hour hike to Eltz was just perfect. The guided tour was interesting and more importantly fun (something guided tours usually lack). Visit it, if you get a chance. You won't regret!

Have a great warm weekend! =)