I am taking the train back to Frankfurt from Paris.  I need a change from the cattle car flights, enjoy some scenery, and begin to transition back to where I am most comfortable, home!!!

This trip, like my last several to Europe, started and ends in Frankfurt.  I just seems easier and a bit cheaper to fly into a hub, then take a local carrier to my ultimate destination.  I headed to Athens from here on the same day.  Likewise, my return to the US will be from Frankfurt.  I have grown to like this rather gritty, and diversely populated city.  But I have yet to find any sauerbraten in all of Germany that compares to my favorite at the Chef Burger in my former hometown of Pleasant Hill.

This was written about 5 years ago:

How many of you have changed planes in Frankfurt over the years?  I have changed planes here at least half a dozen times, on the way to or from:  Russia, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, to name a few.  Frankfurt Main Airport is one of the busiest international airports in the world, and of course, a hub for the state airline, Lufthansa.  The airport is the biggest cargo airport in Europe.  Over 342 trains daily arrive and depart for other parts of Germany, as well as Europe.  But little do I know about this great German city.

I recall from Uncle Murl’s world history class as a sophomore in high school, only a few pertinent facts about Germany.  Names pass by, like Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Empire, storming of the Bastille, the Napoleonic Wars, WW 1 and 2, and the old Common Market.  In fact, it was Charlemagne, the Kings of the Franks, who gave the city its name, after winning a battle against the Saxons.  He called it “Ford of the Franks” or Frankfurt.

I first spent a night here back in the 70s, when the U.S. Army or Air Force had a big presence here.  I even had dinner at an air or army base, pretending we were GI’s with long hair.   I also stayed in Wiesbaden for many days, and spent a day in Kaiserslautern as well.   Frankfurt sells themselves as the largest financial center on the continent.  It is home to the European Central Bank, Deutsche Bundesbank, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.  Over 4 million tourists a year visit this city.

And only one person in three do not hold a German passport.  Fully 51% of the population has an immigrant background.  Why does this work so well here?  Yet, it is only the fifth largest city in Germany, with about 2.3 million people, behind Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, and Munich, my personal favorite.  Catholics (23%) make up the largest segment of religion, followed by Protestants (19%), with Muslims (12%) third.  Over 180 nationalities live here peacefully.

The city is located on both sides of the Main River.  My train from ???? will arrive at Frankfurt Central Station (Hauptbahnhoff), which opened back in 1888.  Not only the people here are called Frankfurters, the sausages also answer to that name!  The Frankfurter Buchmesse is the largest trade show for books in the world.  Big publishing deals are closed here, Barry the V!!!!

The famous writer, Johann Wolfgang Goethe was born here, with his birthplace now a museum.  It is possible to see the puppet he played with as a child.  Frankfurt was home to the inventor of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg. You can spot a memorial dedicated to him and the early funders of the printing press in the city centre, Rossmarkt.  

This is I did not realize:  “This one’s for all you story lovers. Flashback to childhood! Remember reading or listening to the likes of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and more? Well, the creators of all these stories- the Grimm Brothers lived in Hanau, which is merely 25 kms away from Frankfurt! They later moved on to study at University of Marburg, which is about 100 kms away.”

Frankfurt has the largest inner-city forest in Germany, taking up around 80 sq. km. (a third of its territory), and the world-famous 20-hectare Palm Garden, which hosts plants from every climate zone on the planet.

Besides Goethe and Gutenberg, Frankfurt also boasts the following famous Frankfurters:  Helmut Kohl, Oskar Schindler, Ludwig Erhard, Alois Alzheimer, Anne Frank, and Martin Lawrence. 

I may be here only for a day, to catch my plane back to the US, or I may decide to spend a couple days.  Or I might return to Munich, home of the  Oktoberfest, and look up some old, old friends.

Updated in May

Just one night actually.  But enough time to shop and eat a bit before returning back home for the Memorial Day weekend.

Frankfurt Central Station (Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof), which opened in 1888, was built as the central train station for Frankfurt to replace three smaller train stations in the city centre and to boost the needed capacity for travellers. It was constructed as a terminus station and was the largest train station in Europe by floor area until 1915 when Leipzig Central Station was opened. Its three main halls were constructed in a neorenaissance-style, while the later enlargement with two outer halls in 1924 was constructed in neoclassic-style.  My hotel is less than a block from the Hauptbahnhof, which by the way, has some interesting places to eat and drink.

Another possible place to visit:  Kleinmarkthalle (since 1871)

Open daily except on Sundays, some 63 merchants in 156 market stalls sell all kinds of fresh foods, produce and flowers. Aside from the many regional specialities available, such as Frankfurt’s famous “Green Sauce”, visitors will also find a superb assortment of international delicacies, imported from the four corners of the Earth. Those feeling a bit peckish are urged to try some of the delicious specialities on offer right away, freshly prepared on site.  You know I love the open markets.  The AFAR editor has a great philosophy:  My basic belief is if you see a line, you should get in it. And that place had a huge line. It’s called Frau Schreiber; the sausage there is fantastic. 

I may pay a visit to the European Central Bank, as it looks like an interesting place.  Last visit, I took a wine tour up to Ruseheim, which was rather disappointing.  We did very little wine tasting, and spent too much time on a cruise of the Rhine River.  But the “Jack the Ripper Fright Tour” sounds interesting.  I also have not ben to Heidelberg in decades.

One of the more interesting places here is Romer, which I will tell you about in a separate email.

One of my favorite morning spots here is a bakery in the Hauptbahnhof.  The manager greets every customer with a hearty “Morgen!” and is just unbelievable as he waits on two or three people at the same time!!

Meanwhile, I am back in Frankfurt, from Paris via Duetsche Bahn, a 4 hour trip, most pleasant compared to flying.  It reminds me quite fondly of my days traversing Europe with a student Eurail pass.  Might that be fun again?  Yes.

Would you believe the train stopped in Kaiserslautern. I visited over 50 years ago, found an American GI with a burger joint. He married a nice German girl after WW2, and stayed around. But, he really missed his American football!!!

But since this is the very end of my trip, I may be too tired to do much more than search for my sauerbraten and some cold beer!

See you back home.  It has been a long three weeks.  Take me home, country roads, to the place, I belong!!!!

Definitely not one of my favorite cities, Paris is nonetheless in the hearts and minds of many of you.  Perhaps my reluctance to embrace this city started in the 70s, when France and Paris specifically, were very anti-American due to the deGaulle years.  Yes, it has become infinitely better over the years, though I find a kindler, gentler France when I head out to the countryside.  Places like Loire, Bordeaux, and Champagne are certainly more welcoming than Paris.

So, why not take a rather irreverent look at the City of Lights?

Over 9 million people visit the Louvre annually, making it the most popular museum in the world.  Only 35,000 pieces are on display, though their collection numbers over 460,000.  If you allowed 30 seconds to view each piece, your visit would last 35 days!

The Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889 and meant to be a temporary monument.  Parisians called it a “useless monstrosity.”  A mere 1665 steps get you to the top unless you take the elevator.

If you are a fan of the Bourne Trilogy, you remember Jason’s ill-fated meeting with the CIA at the Pont Neuf (New Bridge).  It was one of the first stone bridges with pedestrian sidewalks.  

Love-lock bridge, aka Pont des Artes no longer exists.  Over one million locks weighing over 45 tons, had to be removed to prevent structural damage.  Did any of you place a lock there?

Over 400 Metro stations in Paris, but 14 have never been used or now abandoned.  Some are rented out by film production companies.

The French army was the first to use camouflage, which comes from the French verb “to make up for the stage.” The army began wearing camouflage in 1915 during World War I.  Leave it to the French to stay fashion forward!

Every year since 1994, Le Grand Prix de la Baguette takes place: a competition that relies on a jury of baking pros and six randomly chosen Parisians to determine the city’s best baguette. These lucky bread lovers get to eat baguettes all day long — judging each loaf for taste, texture, smell, and aesthetics — and the winning boulangerie (bakery) gets a line around the block and national notoriety.

Starting with the first arrondissement, which is found in the center of the city near the Seine River (and houses the Louvre), the arrondissements are numbered in a clockwise spiral. If you zoom out, the placement of arrondissements resembles the swirl of a snail shell, which just so happens to be one of the foods associated with the French.  And I just love escargot!

There are a total of 14 cemeteries in Paris.  One houses the tomb of Jim Morrison.  Another is home to a horde of stray cats.

Every summer, the city hauls in tons of sand and palm trees to make Paris feel like the beach.

Paris has free sparkling water fountains.

There’s an unwritten law that states that every city in France must have a road named after Victor Hugo, author of Les Misérables. Paris’ Avenue Victor-Hugo can be found in the 16th arrondissement, and is also where the novelist lived. 

The famous “Bloody Mary” cocktail originated in Paris at the Ritz Hotel, by who other than famed novelist Ernest Hemingway himself! Legend says that the popular drink was the result of Hemingway’s request for a drink that didn’t smell like alcohol, so he was given vodka mixed with tomato juice. 

The first photo ever taken of a person was taken on a street in Paris by Louis Daguerre. By today’s standards it isn’t great quality, but it paved the way for people like me to do what I do!  We studied Dabuerre in my photography class.

If you love cheese like I do, head to Paris.  They have over 1000 distinct types of cheese.

Paris has over 500 km of bike lanes, a new destination for cyclists.  I cycled on my last trip to Paris, on regular streets.  the bike lanes are most welcome.

There is a phenomenon called “The Paris Syndrome”. Most common amongst Japanese tourists, The Paris Syndrome comes as a result of the media’s depiction of Paris as a world-class fashion destination with endless natural beauty. Upon arrival in Paris, these visitors feel super disappointed by the false image they’ve been fed.  I assume it is better than the Stockholm Syndrome?

There are more dogs in Paris than children.

So, almost time to take the Metro to Roland Garros.

French is the second most studied language in the world, after English of course.