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Published: July 14th 2009
Karlsruhe is an interesting place, sort of like a big Bendigo - with plenty of transport around the city - trams everywhere, but with easy to follow maps once you get your head around the names. I covered about a third of the town, checking out the castles, churches and the city itself. In Frankfurt, I was disappointed that the main cathedral had been ‘renovated’. What had been a beautiful building in the gothic style, the stonework and fresco’s had been painted over in a Tuscan pink with white painted lines where they thought it would look like grout between stones!!!! Renovation seemed to be a theme; many of the buildings have been clad on the outside for renovation in all the major cities I have been in so far. Karlsrhue was no exception. The Palace was also under renovation, but had a huge museum which went from pre-history to modern times, so there was a lot to see from stone age artifacts to fifties movie equipment and sets. All periods of clothing, jewelry and household implements.
Interesting times! Trying to get to Karlsrhue was fraught with problems, having been put on the wrong train - then to leave also
was a test of ingenuity. Before I left for London - Jess and I met up for dinner the night before I left and had a typical regional dish of stuffed pasta and potato salad washed down with a beer, we followed this with a trip to the train station to pick up my ticket so that I would not have the hassle the next morning at 5am! We then went into the centre of town and were bemused by people staring up, only to realize they were watching the Michael Jackson memorial service on TV screens. Jess told me I had to try the local ice-cream parlor, (Kimberley would have loved it!) decision making was difficult, so we ended up with three choices each - I could not move afterward. I had passion fruit, Mozart (pistachio, toffee and chocolate pieces) and one with a name I cannot remember. It was then time to go back to the flat and get an early night - given that it was still light at 10pm, the time got away from us and we went to bed around 11. I was apprehensive about the early start, and made sure both Jess and I
set our alarms, neither went off or we did not hear them and I woke at 5minutes to5 and I was due to leave on the train at 5am. I have never thrown everything in the suitcase so fast, dressed and ready to leave in around three minutes. Jess decided to try and catch the train in Mannheim, so we drove like crazy and made the train with 6 minutes to spare (well done Jess)
On arrival in London, I made my way to Finsbury Park to pick up tickets to Bath, then met up with Philip and Gary at the Brownswood pub. It was good to catch up with Bill, the local publican and his staff - some new, some old and talk to the locals. The next day Philip took me to the new Kings Cross station (from where you catch the Eurostar) and St Pancreas station. We had lunch in a quaint pub called the cross kings and then to Kings Place, which is a newly developed concert hall and art exhibitions.
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Elaine
non-member comment
amazing
wow looks like you are really moving around, are you going on the Euro? what an amazing experience that is , are you getting my replies ? I am imagining you getting up with 5 mins to spare I don't think I would have made it ! Take Care Love Laine XX everyone well here all asking where you are in your travels , going to Grant and Elicias 15th back 22nd need some warm weather freezing here XX