After an interminable fourteen hour overnight trip back from Paris, apparently taking in most of the Benelux countries as well as western Germany, we were reticent to embark on any train again. However, Ian had a business meeting arranged in Nuremberg, which is a pleasant two hour trip through rolling countryside north of Munich.
Following a fascinating meander from the Hauptbahnhof to our very pleasant hotel in the old town (suitcase wheels don’t handle cobblestones too well) we sat down on benches under the trees at the Bratwursthausle to a traditional lunch of Nuremberger (of course) sausages and sauerkraut served on traditional pewter plates. On passing the kitchen on the way back from the bathroom, we noticed the traditional Vietnamese staff.
To many, Nuremberg conjures up lots of nasty Nazi associations, so we got these out of the way on the first afternoon, initially visiting the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, the site of the 1945-46 war crime trials – “Courtroom 600”. There was a comprehensive exhibition of the events leading to the trials, the concept of international law and the trials themselves. However, the most impressive aspect of the visit was just sitting in the courtroom itself.
We then took an interesting tram ride out to the Nazi Party Rally Grounds where the shell of the 50,000 seat Congress Hall gave an idea of the megalomania behind the original plans which included a 400,000 seat stadium. There was an unnerving ‘train wreck’ attraction about the place. Standing on the podium overlooking the Zeppelin Field where 200,000 acolytes once massed, Ingrid was so overcome with the feeling of power that we had to calm her down with a glass of prosecco. (It’s a pity that Neville Chamberlain didn’t know of this antidote 70 years ago)
Ingrid had searched out the delightful little restaurant “Hutt’n” which specialises in local Franconian dishes. In reference to the size of the servings, we were amazed to hear Ian utter the words “Look at the size of the bloody thing. I can’t finish that!” Even his mythical appetite was defeated. As is the norm, we were shown to a table in a booth already occupied by a local couple with whom we then spent a very amusing evening full of beer bonhomie, fantasticly fractured German and a deadly double round of schnapps to finish off.
Next morning Ian had his business meeting so we wandered around the quaint backstreets of the old town until we ended up at the Kaiserburg or Imperial Castle which dominates the town. The views from the tower were impressive, but not as much as the depth of the well next door. To illustrate the depth, the guide poured a jug of water in. It took a long time to fall 48m.
We then meandered back down to town along the top of the very imposing walls which had delightful formal gardens. We visited St Sebaldus Church which, like the rest of the city, had been severely damaged by allied bombing in 1945 but which has since been impressively restored. We had a pleasant lunch at the Café am Trödelmarkt on the river in the company of a grumpy waitress and some quite bold sparrows.
Whilst Ingrid and Louise went shopping, I took the opportunity to visit the Neues Museum (State Museum for Art and Design) - a beautiful stark combination of white, concrete, brushed aluminium and glass. I was so enthralled by the building itself that I almost ignored the exhibits. I loved the visual pun of the front of the building reflecting the surrounding architecture.
Ian and I quickly visited the Deutschebahn (Railway) Museum which was quite fascinating if a little too eclectic. We also walked the length of The Way of Human Rights which consists of 29 white concrete pillars and an oak tree bearing the 30 articles of the Declaration of Human Rights in as many different languages. All that was left to complete our visit to this fascinating city was to buy a sandwich and a traveller for the quick train trip back to Munich.
