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Published: March 15th 2015
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Back Through the Wall
As you may see, the weather was not exactly gorgeous today. But for winter in Germany the temperature was rather comfortable. No snow, just an occasional sprinkle. The original plan I had in my head was to spend this day cruising the environs in and around Nurnburg. No particular plan - just a day in the new car. However the dawning of the day brought a foggy. miserable day with the hint of snow in the air. Hoping things might eventually clear the wife and I took a leisurely breakfast before heading out to look for a bank. But time was not on our side and the day remained dismal. A new plan was instituted and we decided to leave the new X1 garaged while we explored the historic Old Town on Nurnburg.
Our day started with a great breakfast spread. We had a choice between numerous cereals, yoghurts, cold cuts, cheeses, rolls and bread, fruits and my absolute favorite, soft-boiled eggs. We had them almost everyday and it seemed like each hotel we stayed at made them better than the previous one. Our hosts at the Smile Hotel had plotted a nice little itinerary for us on a map. They warned us to do as much sightseeing in the daylight hours as possible because that night would be Fasching (Mardi Gras in Germany). Things would be
loud and people would act crazy. We set off following their suggestions and within half an hour completely deviated from their well-planned agenda. Instead of going directly to the Albrecht Durer house and exploring the medieval heart of the city we quickly got diverted by the many bridges spanning the river Pegnitz coursing through the center of the walled city. After taking photos from every possible angle we headed north to the looming castle rising high above us. It didn't match the hike up to Neuschwanstein but climbing the slick cobblestone hill leading up to the imperial fortress of Kaiserburg left us winded. When we finally caught our breath and made our way to the castle entrance we were more than a little disappointed to see that the castle was closed on only 4 days all year: Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year and Fasching Tuesday.
We took more pictures of the shuttered castle then proceeded back downhill to see the painter Albrecht Durer's house. It was only a short stroll away. But instead of heading inside we were distracted by the posters advertising the World War 2 Art Bunker. It too was closed but a sign indicated that there
On Our Way to the Old Twon
We didn't get too far on our walk toward the historic old section of Nuremberg before my partner started slowing down to check every stinkin' sale item in every stinkin' store along the way. No purchases were allowed because we had a full day of walking and exploring scheduled. would be a tour at 2 pm. When we found the ticket office we also saw that they offered a tour of the medieval tunnels below the old city which began at 1 pm. We signed-up for both and planned to spend most of the rest of the day out of the cold and deep underground.
Nearby was the Sankt Sebaldus Church. Free admission so we went inside. The church had sustained heavy damage during World War II bombings. The renovations are continuing to this day. The church was huge and impressive, but most interesting was the exhibit depicting the destruction and then the rebuilding of the church.
Up near the castle we saw a pair of delivery trucks bringing foodstuffs to a very old looking restaurant. The Burgwächter restaurant (http://www.restaurant-burgwaechter.de) sits just below the castle walls and appeared to be warm and welcoming. Once again we climbed up the steep hill to find sustenance. We liked the look of the place and quickly found a table. Gail and I decided to forego our usual beers with our food. I had a delicious Goulaschsuppe and we both had a little
Ritzy Homes Along the Pegnitz
You could almost believe was in the air as we crossed the river into the scenic side of Nuremberg. Some of the trees appeared to have buds already. sausage sandwich.
By the time we finished eating it was time to head back downhill to the tour office. We were part of a small group of only 8 people. Gail and I both found the tour fascinating. The medieval tunnels were hollowed out of the local sandstone mountain that the castle and old town were built upon. They were used by Middle Ages clergy, Renaissance brewers, Romantic Age lovers and food vendors and by the Nazis as command posts. The tour is not for claustrophobes but the miles of tunnels were not strenuous to walk. Our tour was conducted in English and ended too quickly. The last stop was a visit to a distillery that was still using some of the old tunnels to store and age their booze. The free sample at the conclusion was a high point.
Then it was on to the tour of the WWII Art Bunker. It seems the Nazis were actually concerned that all the precious art of Nurnburg might be destroyed by Allied bombers (much was) so they began storing it in a series of tunnels beneath the Kaiserburg. As the bombing got worse
Where is Everyone?
It was after 10 in the morning but the town seemed to still be asleep. Today was Fasching day and we were warned that people would get crazy at night, but shouldn't people be sleeping in on the day after the party? Knowing the Germans they probably have both days off. more and more art stolen from other nations by the Nazis was also stored and cataloged there. This tour was the non-English one but we were given audio
headsets that kept us informed in our own language. I enjoyed this tour even better. It was amazing to see so many 75 year old artifacts still in pristine condition. As a WWII history freak I often tend to view the war solely through the eyes of the Allies. The preserved Nazi sites in Germany help get a perspective from the other side. I tend to forget just how horribly the German common people suffered. This exhibit really brought that message home.
The evening was approaching as we finished our sightseeing day with a stroll through the old neighborhoods of Nurnburg. The truth is that these ancient looking buildings were restorations of the old structures that had been almost completely flattened during the Second World War. As pretty as it looked to us I knew that in the summer it had to be even more beautiful.
Our Fitbits told us we had walked over 8 miles that day and our feet verified that stat. We were too tired to explore
We Should've Checked This Out
We accomplished much on this day and by evening both of us were really dragging, but somehow we forgot to return to this part of town to explore the many unique antique bridges over the Pegnitz River. eating establishments. We headed back to where we had eaten the previous night. Once again the Karlsbruckla served up a fabulous dinner with much needed libations. Despite all the warnings about bawdy revelers milling about ready to reek havoc, we were one of only two tables in the restaurant. Dinner at the same establishment the night before had been so great we both ordered the exact same meals. Dinner for two with a litre of beer each = €24.80.
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