Frankfurt – Europe Day 20

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Highway Vignettes Frankfurt, Germany

Time to return our rental car this morning. The photo I’m sharing here is of three of the four vignettes we were required to purchase as we drove across a small corner of Europe. The top orange sticker is from Switzerland, below that is Slovenia, and at the bottom is the vignette from Austria. Hungary used an electronic version. Vignettes are a taxing system to gain permission to drive the roads of a specific country. The Swiss one was our most expensive at 40 Euros (about $48), and while it was good for a year, we only used it for half a dozen hours as we drove from Colmar, France, to Como, Italy.

My thoughts on the vignettes are that they are a good idea. Do I love the cost? Not really, but I understand the idea behind them. I’m already spending at least $25 a day for a rental car, plus about $8 a gallon for gas. I filled up in France and didn’t need gas again until we were halfway across Italy. Without the vignettes, I would have crossed through Switzerland using their roads for absolutely free. I used a winding mountain pass over the Alps and tunnels and pulled over on gravel shoulders a number of times, thus adding to the wear and tear that a Swiss citizen will have to repair and be compensated for. While it could be argued that this cost was exorbitant, I cannot agree; we ended up spending about $8 an hour to pass through the Alps or about what we’d pay to watch a blockbuster movie per hour. Thanks for the privilege, Switzerland, and for being smart about this. The truth is that we are already spending $200 – $300 a day just to be in Europe, so this is of little consequence in the scheme of things.

Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt is in a massive building expansion with cranes dotting the landscape, just as we saw five years earlier during that visit. The area where these high-rise apartments are going up was an industrial area full of train tracks. Caroline had a job with a company there when I met her. Today, there is a luxury mall where we returned the rental car in their parking garage maze, a bunch of hotels, and blocks of new apartments that honestly are seriously visually unappealing.

Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

Rather than catch a subway right away, we decided to walk to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) to see what was in this neighborhood besides construction. The area is culturally diverse, and it shows up in the restaurant offerings from half a dozen countries, many from outside the European Union. While things are not gentrified yet, it seems that the writing is on the wall where improvements to one area spill into the adjoining area, and soon rents are going up, and some of the diversity is pushed further out along with some of the charm.

Frankfurt, Germany

Reaching the Hauptbahnhof, we needed to get underground a couple of floors to wait for the U5 subway/tram that travels in the direction of Preungesheim. Our stop is the fifth one, where we exit at Glauburgstraße, our old neighborhood.

Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

We’ll just go ahead and do this backward and start with a sweet. Of course, we had to visit Eis Christina on Eckenheimer Landstraße, our favorite place in the universe for “Spaghetti Ice.” This strange-sounding concoction is actually a dollop of fresh whipped cream in the bottom of the bowl topped with vanilla ice cream pressed through a device that pushes out what looks like spaghetti, which is then covered with strawberry sauce (looks a lot like tomato sauce, huh?) and finally, it’s topped with grated white chocolate for that authentic Parmesan cheese appearance.

John Wise Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

Around the corner are Weberstraße and Neuhofstraße. About three car lengths north of the intersection is the first place Caroline and I ever kissed, and that’s where we are standing for this selfie. It was at 5:00 am on a Sunday morning, the 18th of June, 1989. In a moment, I was smitten with a Frankfurter in Frankfurt. Today, I am still fully taken by this beautifully cute, curious, empathetic woman who helped me refine my enjoyment of life and shared a million incredible experiences that have made our lives far better together.

Pizza from Frankfurt, Germany

Walking down Nostalgiastraße, the experience wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Olbia Pizzeria. We enjoyed takeout from this tiny neighborhood joint for years, often two or three times a week. Today as we were already half-full from the Spaghetti Ice, we split a pizza.

Frankfurt, Germany

Today is Caroline’s and my day to do what we want in Frankfurt. From lunch in our old neighborhood, we walked towards Saalburgstraße to visit Jutta for one last time during this vacation. The importance of this particular sign is that it is from Rapp’s which is a local juice company from just north of Frankfurt. During the ten years I lived in Germany, I was in love with not only their orange juice but things like blood orange and passion fruit juice too. Looking up the company as I write this, I see that they now feature rhubarb juice; if only we’d known this earlier in our visit.

Frankfurt, Germany

Caroline’s favorite “graffiti” in Frankfurt that we’ve passed many a time while visiting Jutta (Caroline’s mom).

Jutta Engelhardt and Rita in Frankfurt, Germany

On the left, as many of my readers already know, is my mother-in-law Jutta Engelhardt. On the right is Rita, who is one of her “caregivers” visitors who help ensure Jutta stays engaged and able to live on her own as long as possible. We heard that Rita has learned much of Caroline and me, along with Jutta’s ten trips to the United States. It was a pleasure meeting this outgoing and happy lady who is fond of sharing her time with people who can benefit from her smiling face.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in Frankfurt, Germany

After a couple of hours, it was time to bid adieu to Jutta, give this sweet old lady one more hug for the road and leave her with wishes that we should see her again in a couple of years.

Leaving Jutta is bittersweet and mixed with many emotions. We can never give her enough time on our visits, though we are very well aware that her precious time may be shorter than our own. This impulse to shove another lifetime of great memories into a brief moment while on vacation is futile, and yet we suffer from the guilt of having to walk away. Maybe because we are so far away and not able to visit spontaneously it makes our togetherness all the more important and meaningful.

Frankfurt, Germany

From Jutta’s, we walk over to the Bergerstraße, grabbing a coffee along the way before boarding the U4 subway at Bornheim Mitte in the direction of Konstablerwache. Here and in more than a few of the subway tunnels, I’m amazed at the great selection of bread, fruits, vegetables, and other goods that are so conveniently available.

Frankfurt, Germany

We could stay on the train and arrive quicker at our destination, but we are trying to milk every moment we can in taking in Frankfurt from all angles. This is Zeil, that runs from Konstablerwache just past Hauptwache, which is out in front of us somewhere.

Red Currants in Frankfurt, Germany

Along the way down Zeil was a temporary fruit stand with a lady selling various berries. The ones I’m most interested in are these red currants. While we’ve indulged in our fair share of Sachertorte, apple strudel with vanilla sauce, vanilla ice cream with hot raspberries, and even a visit for some spaghetti ice, we’ve also made sure to eat anything and everything that comes paired with red currants. Maybe because of the tart flavor, red currants are not popular in the United States, or we don’t know where to look.

Frankfurt, Germany

Walked over by what used to be one of my favorite English bookstores in Frankfurt; it’s now a Five Guys Burger joint. Around the corner from there, we saw that Cookies Nightclub is still in business. Back in the day, I saw Nitzer Ebb, Happy Mondays, and Steve Albini, among others, perform here. On one occasion while out on tour with Psychic TV, I ran into Caroline at around 3:00 in the morning here and met Angela for the first time. This was two months before Caroline and I would fall in love.

Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

We are doing something very out of the ordinary today. Caroline is trying on new clothes with full consideration of potentially buying stuff. Caroline rarely shops for new clothes, opting instead to wear things for years or when need be shopping at discount and second-hand stores. Shopping at a fashionable brand boutique like Gudrun Sjödén, where we are, is exceptional. While this wasn’t one of the pieces she ultimately left with, I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised that we had bagged up at least half a dozen things that got pushed into the buy column and out of the uncertainty of I’ll-think-about-it column that is the norm.

John Wise and Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

After having Chinese tourists use us as props, it was our turn to use them in the same way. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and I only wish they could break out of their group clustering more often and engage with others.

Frankfurt, Germany

If you know Frankfurt, you know that we are crossing the Main River, and if we were just shopping near Hauptwache, then we must be heading towards Sachsenhausen. Believe it or not, we had quite the torrential downpour while we were in Gudrun Sjödén, but by the time Caroline had tried on more than 40 different items, that storm had come and gone. Good thing, too, as we do not have umbrellas with us.

Note: we brought our rain jackets from the States with us, and while they were great on the Colorado River in late fall, on the Alsek River in the Yukon in early summer, or on the Oregon Coast on cold rainy days, they were a horrible idea to bring to Europe on hot and humid days where we would have felt more like tightly wrapped sausages on a steaming table than would have been comfortable. We must bring umbrellas on our next visit.

Frankfurt, Germany

Looking back at the way we came, you can see a fraction of the many locks attached to Eiserner Steg. The “Iron Bridge” was built for foot traffic back in 1911/12 and today is as important to the skyline of Frankfurt as any of the churches or high rises.

Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

On our way down the world’s narrowest sidewalk to find the place we hope to have dinner at. Just kidding about the width of the sidewalk; we’ve been on narrower.

Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

Dinner in Frankfurt is nothing without a glass of apfelwein (apple wine), known as “Ebbelwoi” in the Frankfurt dialect, unless you are like me and don’t drink alcohol, and then a bottle of sparkling water will do. We were lucky to show up at the right moment and get a spot at a table as within minutes of our arrival, the place was packed.

Frankfurt, Germany

As I said, every spot is taken. Even under the tables, there are some well-behaved dogs down there.

Frankfurt, Germany

Green sauce is one of the signature dishes of Frankfurt and you can bet that we started by sharing a Handkäs mit Musik before the main course. The tastes of Germany never get old, and I’ll miss these dishes when we go home. Tonight’s last meal of the day was at Fichtekränzi established in 1849. The word fichtekränzi is the wreath of plaited spruce branches that signaled apple wine is served here.

Frankfurt, Germany

Beautiful graffiti rendition of Frankfurt!

Frankfurt, Germany

I suppose it’s not just the Frankfurt skyline that I’m in love with, but maybe it’s also the idea of all that I understand that surrounds this city historically, culturally, and intellectually. While it is not the seat of political power, Frankfurt is the seat of economic power and is in a role I don’t think it’s aware of; I believe it also plays a large role in the image of who a German is. Thirty-three years ago, when I first stepped foot in the city, it was cold and efficient. Back then, it had just barely recovered from the devastation of World War II that had concluded 40 years prior. As Caroline was growing up, she still saw the scars on Frankfurt, where the war had ruined places that were not quite finished being rebuilt. Now, more than 70 years after the war, the Frankfurters are a different people. They are not so cold and grim. There is color and laughter. The place is more casual, and service is often offered with a smile. Being in this city today, while comparing it to what it was in 1985, we are still in a melting pot of cultures, except now it doesn’t feel polarized and bitter.

While this trip didn’t take us to a dozen German cities like our visit five years ago, there is a different vibe in Frankfurt than the more stodgy, stuck-in-the-past Karlsruhe that was one of the other German cities we visited on this trip. This city shook the music world and brought a new generation to the dance floor with an impact that had implications on a global scale. Tonight in Frankfurt am Main, the city will celebrate Night of Science at the University Campus on Riedberg from 10:00 p.m. until early Saturday morning, with people from across the region attending talks and sessions about various disciplines across the sciences. The train system will be running over the wee hours to accommodate those who want to participate with the benefit of public transportation.

Frankfurt is the birthplace of Goethe, Henri Nestlé, Anne Frank, Theodor Adorno, and even American entrepreneur Peter Thiel. The city also can brag about famous residents over the years and centuries who called this home, such as Charlemagne, Arthur Schopenhauer, Max Beckmann, Max Horkheimer, Oskar Schindler, and Jürgen Habermas. Frankfurt has a long history of cultural and intellectual importance from the time of the Holy Roman Empire up to pissing off Otto von Bismarck regarding Frankfurt’s “Democratic spirit and freedom of the press” and more recently with The Frankfurt School of Critical Theory making large impacts on Western thinking.

A smarter plan feels needed, one that would better organize human potential than the laissez-faire methods that have gained so much popularity. A new outlook on education, culture, business, and finance is in order, and I, for one, vote for Frankfurt to lead such an effort. Frankfurt should take inspiration from its diversity, curiosity, and long intellectual history and put it to some good.

Frankfurt, Germany

Katharina had asked during the day if we’d be interested in waking up at 4:30 in the morning for a sunrise photography mission on a nearby overlook. Of course, we said yes. In order to try and get some sleep, we are leaving the inner city and heading back to Heddernheim.

Frankfurt, Germany

Waiting for one of the subways that will take us to the Zeilweg stop, we check out the posters that tease us about some of the events going on in the region over the next month or so. Events include literary, opera, stage plays, festivals, concerts, history exhibits, art shows, and everything in between.

Frankfurt, Germany

Our day of indulgently exploring Frankfurt together is nearly over. This is the view from the Zeilweg tram stop, where just ahead is the little turn-off between the bushes that leads us to the Engelhardt’s home. The sound of the trains pulling in and braking and then accelerating as they pull away will remain with us until we fall asleep. It is a welcome sound reminding us at midnight, when we finally head upstairs to get some sleep, that the people of Frankfurt are going home while others are going out as Germany moves forward on trying to be a positive catalyst for societal change instead of blundering ahead as a bulwark of blind adherents of conformity.

Dachau – Europe Day 19

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

Life should be colorful and bright, a celebration of being. For some, it becomes a footnote in a register that acknowledges that darkness is able to overcome the better senses of our species. A week ago in Budapest, Hungary, while Caroline and I were enjoying a sunny day in a foreign capital where, as far as we knew, we were not under threat, we stood for a moment in the shoes of thousands of people who were killed mercilessly and died anonymously to the majority of humanity. To their families, they were the world and a great reason for persevering through the struggle wrought by hatred in the hearts of ugly, dispassionate people who would extinguish their neighbors. I looked at a small gravestone with the name Markusne Lebovits. We had learned that in Hungary, married women are often referred to by their husband’s full name with the suffix “-ne,” so this was Mrs. Markus Lebovits. I wondered for a moment who this woman was who, at roughly my age of 55 years old, was probably a mother and a grandmother. In this book, I found the names of Oszkár Lebovits, aged 16, and Regina Lebovits aged 21, both from Budapest, and can imagine that they were the children of Mrs. Lebovits. Had Regina already given birth to her first child? This book records the deaths of people who were killed in connection with the first concentration camp in Nazi Germany: Dachau.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

Work will make you free. This only held true here if you believed that by leaving this earth to join your maker, you would be free because, in this life, you were a tormented prisoner in every barbaric sense of the word. Opened in 1933 by Heinrich Himmler, more than 188,000 people would pass through this gate. While many would survive being worked as slaves in nearly 100 sub-camps in the area, there were 31,951 reported deaths on this soil, with thousands more not accounted for. The death count seems low until you learn that prisoners who could no longer work were often shipped off to be killed at other locations.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

On the 29th of April, 1945, United States forces arrived and liberated the camp. Three days prior to the Allies’ arrival, Nazi personnel forced nearly 10,000 on a march out of Dachau as the camp leadership and SS did not want the prisoners to fall into anyone else’s hands. Of those marched out, over 1,000 were found in a nearby mass grave. Two days before the Americans arrived, an SS officer ordered windows and doors to be nailed shut and buildings doused in gasoline to murder another 4,000 people.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

When the camp was finally liberated, 10,000 of the 30,000 survivors were deemed sick and were being treated for malnutrition and associated illnesses brought on by starvation. For a time after this point, while the death rate dropped, the damage done continued to kill people, claiming between 50 and 80 per day for some unspecified time into 1945.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

We who are alive today can hardly fathom the conditions, smells, sounds, fear, and torture that millions of people were subjected to. On the contrary, we have glamorized the horror of war and death. No different than the Romans tossing Christians to the lions, we “modern-day” humans use surrogates in the guise of the enemy, monsters, traitors, and men of evil portrayed by actors to satisfy our blood lust. So long as the victims are bad and anonymous to minimize our ability to empathize with their suffering, we may cringe at the horror, but still, we tune it in as though we need a steady supply of carnage in much the same way we require food.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

We do not have a conversation about our obsessions with violence; we relegate it to being only fantasy in the movies we watch and the video games we play. We claim as a right to freedom of expression the ability to witness men slicing the throats of other men so we can justify the usage of weapons of mass destruction we gleefully use on their cities, allowing us to celebrate the defeat of the enemies we helped create. How does a man, woman, or child live in the cramped, cold darkness, fearing the approach of their minders who, at any moment, could inflict atrocities of the most heinous effect upon them and their families? We do not know any people cowering with rotting, festering sores, starving and mad with delirium, snuggling up against us in the dark, hoping to live to see another day with an inkling of a dream left alive that someday they might see the face of someone who still loves them. In our darkest despair, where and how do we begin to find the spark that keeps us human after we witness the barbarity of our neighbor and former coworker?

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

“Remember How We Died Here.” Do we, as a society at large, really care how anyone dies? Is concern for those we do not know and can never know real? While we can join the collective in showing compassion for those who are anonymous, I have rarely seen an outpouring of emotion aside from what is dragged out of us individually when we’ve known someone or loved an animal. Collectively we may contribute money to a just cause and thus purchase guilt abatement, but how many of us are driven to go get our own hands dirty and spirits tarnished by helping alleviate some of the cruelty that is often part of existence? So long as we remain profligate regarding the human potential for education and are resigned to our mediocrity, we as a species may never realize our better selves. By killing the human spirit in a crematorium or by neglect and emotional abuse, we are still robbing people of the ability to find the bright colors of celebratory engagement found when we ascend into the heights of being more human than human. As long as we persist in our smaller, ugly selves, jealous of those we perceive to be different or have an unfair advantage, we remain dark and without vibrancy.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

Stacks of dreams are about to be delivered to the fires of destruction, where the smoke from the furnace will fall back upon our heads, covering us with the soot of shame. Underfoot, we will bury the ash of hopes, a fertilizer that is a poison squashing our spirits as we walk upon the fallow ground where mass murder became ordained. One cannot walk the earth of Dachau, breathe its solemn air, and see the spark of happiness or find laughter.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

And today, we are still allowing the genocide to continue. Dachau was open for roughly 12 years and killed 31,951 people. In the United States, over the past 12 years, we’ve watched and done nothing, as approximately 15,500 children were murdered in a time of peace. On the other hand, Auschwitz only operated for five years and was responsible for the death of 1.1 million people, an unbelievable number. Then again, here in America, 96 people die every day from gun violence, and 222 are injured, so even without concentration camps and a lunatic dictator, America has witnessed the deaths and injuries of roughly 580,000 of its citizens during a similar five-year period or about half as many that were exterminated by murderous fascists, and we are powerless to effect change. And don’t begin to think America is the biggest perpetrator of this ugly behavior: worldwide, we silently witness as many as 1,000 people a day dying to gun violence or ten times as many people per year than the number that died in 12 years at a concentration camp. Why?

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

Because maybe the truth is we want blood to flow. We secretly love for others to suffer. I have no other faculty to begin to understand how inhumane and callous we are in our lack of action to abate this kind of life and liberty-threatening carnage, which appears to be accepted as a kind of normal. So while the Nazis localized the killing to specific areas where the targets were based on race, religion, politics, or education, as long as our genocide is anonymous and diffused, we can live with it. What kind of troglodytes are we?

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

We are sick because we are afraid that we don’t know what the glue is that has us functioning as well as we are. We are afraid to stir the pot and look for personal accountability because we have been inundated with a constant barrage of mayhem that has instilled great uncertainty about the well-being of our fellow citizens. Instead of embracing and mentoring them, we throw stones and beat them with sticks to try to keep the angry horde at bay. And people have the audacity to question how the average German citizen during World War II could sit by and allow the mass murder to happen at their front door. Are we really any different?

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

I can count roughly 100 young and old visitors in this photo of people who were visiting Dachau today. This is how many people will die today in America due to gun violence. Ten times, this many lives will be prematurely ended across our planet just on this day alone, but they are not in death camps. Instead, they are on a death planet. Leadership from all levels is not happening, though in general, order through a kind of intellectual tyranny is alive and well.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

Walls crumble, and the spirit of humanity finds a way to break free. Somewhere, there’s a person who will show others a path to a larger world. That place will be alive and vibrant, full of color, laughter, and the celebration of life. We must not forget that we are vicious animals that have just barely emerged from the savanna, but we have a symbolic language and an innate ability to share enlightenment and love through communication. Truth is not best served locked away in a cage or extinguished with a bullet.

Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany

The abyss of isolation is a monster that stirs our inner fears of being left alone and without hope. Only when we stand as communities do we thrive and advance. Hate and malice towards others breed war and death, while love and compassion are the fountains of life that bring forward the new.

Salzburg to Garmisch – Europe Day 18

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Salzburg, Austria

The oppression of blue skies and a still-functioning camera to take photos and go out to explore yet another city while on vacation is taking its toll on my stamina. How much fun during the long days of summer is anyone supposed to be able to enjoy? At least when we are in Oregon during the late fall or early winter, we have the excuse to stay in for some nesting because the weather laughs at our attempts to fight its ferocity, and we oblige it, else it may seriously smite us in our stupidity to tempt it. Reluctantly we have entered Salzburg and will go forward into the day with the hope of rain and an abysmal experience, so I can lament at least one day how horrible our vacation of perfection turned and crapped on us.

Caroline Wise in Salzburg, Austria

Hmmm, it’s probably getting old if you’ve read enough of my blog entries about how “Two Frankfurters are better than one,” and my entry about Caroline riding the wild wiener when she mounted the kid’s corn dog ride, or just days ago when she kissed the cock and I captioned it with, “Just the tip.” So, I’ll try to lay off the innuendo here and just let the picture talk for itself about how much my wife enjoys a good wurst (wiener for English speakers). Maybe you’ve picked up on that this was our breakfast today?

Salzburg, Austria

A good church always makes a great accompaniment to breakfast, and why should today be any different than all the previous days so here you go, this is the Kollegienkirche or Collegiate Church, should the English name suit you better. Either this is under renovation and yet still open to the public, or it is the most sparsely decorated church in all of Europe.

Salzburg, Austria

Out of one church and into another. We may not have even been outside for two minutes before we were able to take refuge from the sun in another ancient marvel of architecture. This is the Salzburg Cathedral, which is the third iteration of a church that has stood on this spot since at least 774. In 1181, the first (maybe second) church burned down, and then in 1614, the current cathedral was started.

Salzburg, Austria

We found some graffiti on a wall, and the tag read, “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was baptized here on January 28, 1756.” At first, I thought it was fake news, so I went to Wikipedia, and it said the same thing, but someone told me that they only post fake truths, so I went to a library and checked an encyclopedia from the 1960s back when truth and information were real and sure enough it too said Mozart was baptized at the Salzburg Cathedral a day after he was born. BTW, do you really believe that I went to a library to confirm in an encyclopedia the truthiness of a story?

Salzburg, Austria

I’m tortured by the church with its open policy of allowing me to take more photos than one should post in a single blog entry. How am I supposed to choose but a few to accompany my writing when every corner and arch demands greater scrutiny? Then it occurs to me that maybe I’m merely looking at Trompe-l’œil style painting and that the technique employed here is just so great that I believe I’m looking at windows and into a dome. That old question of perception versus reality rears its ugly head.

Salzburg, Austria

Back during World War II, a bomb crashed through the central dome seen here in its more beautiful restored state.

Salzburg, Austria

A close-up of the top of the dome as I struggle with getting the lighting right while hand-holding a camera where I should take hours and have the proper equipment to adequately do justice to such a magnificent building. Then again, these blog entries are more about the memories that are brought back to Caroline and me and hopefully some small amount of inspiration to those who find my blog and how they consider the way they travel. There are always ways to afford going places and more than enough time in a day to exceed your ability to experience a ton of things. Regarding paying for these types of travels, I like to share with those who wish they could travel like we do that it is simple, but some discipline is required.

First, you must set yourself the objective of doing something. Many have told me that they cannot afford a trip out of the country. If you can save $3.25 to $5 a day for a year, you can afford to go to Asia or Europe for a week to 10 days. Discount airline tickets, Airbnb or hostels, and street food are your friends. There’s no reason that a single person can’t travel to another country in this age for more than about $1250 ($3.25 a day saved for a year) to $1825 ($5 a day saved for a year).

Salzburg, Austria

You choose to stand atop the world paved in gold, or you suffer the indignity of living in the shadows unseen below the pawn. You need not be rich or privileged, but your perspective and “need” to be a winner or victim will play a role in where you perceive your existence. I cannot own the fortress that has been standing strong on the rock in front of me for almost 1000 years, but I can ascend its heights. First, though, I must believe I can do things outside my normal and then put into motion that ambition, followed by action that starts taking me there.

Salzburg, Austria

Sometimes, there are shortcuts on our path, and a few extra coins will allow us to speed our travels. Today, instead of pushing my bum knee up the hill, we are opting to ride the funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress. Back in 1515, a primitive funicular was written about that made the steep climb to the fortress; while this one is certainly quite modern this might just be the oldest operational railway on earth.

Salzburg, Austria

As you leave the funicular, you are presented with a cafe and a tremendous view. I’d recommend you stop and enjoy a piece of apple strudel and a coffee while basking in this beauty; it will make you look ten years younger.

Salzburg, Austria

Maybe because it was Wednesday, or maybe it’s due to it not being the main summer vacation time here in Europe, but it was pleasantly not crowded today. On Sundays, there is live music performed up here; why not every day?

Salzburg, Austria

Looking down into Old Town from the Hohensalzburg Fortress. That’s the Salzach River runs through the city, its source is in the Kitzbühel Alps. It’s a short river of just 141 miles (227 km) and joins the Danube up north on the German-Austrian border.

Salzburg, Austria

By now, you are probably wondering where the churches are. So are we.

St. George Chapel in Salzburg, Austria

There on the door to our left was the St. George’s Chapel, thus satisfying our hourly need to visit a church.

Salzburg, Austria

And beyond the church, some museum exhibits where we were requested not to take photos.

Salzburg, Austria

From here, we were about done visiting the fortress and were ready for our funicular delivery back to lower earth.

Salzburg, Austria

It’s not a church but a museum exhibit featuring items from a church, so it’s a win-win situation for us. We are in the Domquartier complex of museums where, yet again, we are asked not to take photographs. What’s up with these party poopers?

Salzburg, Austria

“Dead Christ on his Coffin” from about 1750 elicited a strange cackle from an American visitor who had a private docent accompanying her. She vigorously and adamantly begged this apparent university professor to explain to her how exceptional this piece must be, seeing it features Christ with maggots in his gut. She wanted nothing to do with the explanation that those were the artistic representation of intestines.

Salzburg, Austria

This is one of the staterooms of the Residenz.

Salzburg, Austria

Getting even churchier with a visit to St. Peter’s Abbey and Monastery, has been serving up missionary work since 696. That’s over 1,300 years for those of you who don’t know that there was human history before the “founding” of America.

Salzburg, Austria

Tomb of Field Marshal General Hans Werner von Raitenau.

Caroline Wise in Salzburg, Austria

Time for an exquisite lunch in a swanky place next to the monastery. We are about to dine at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, which has been feeding people since 803, making it Europe’s oldest restaurant. After our amazing lunch, it was time to head down the road for the beginning of our return to Germany.

German Alps

We are not on the fastest road to Germany, but it is far more scenic than the one that travels north of here.

German Alps

Sheer rock faces with a ring of trees that appear to be growing on some kind of lip. I wonder what’s up top?

German Alps

When you see this photo in its full resolution, you’ll notice that the rocks are well-worn by erosion. Something to consider is that there are no visible debris collections or talus at the foot of these mountains. This begs the question if the rocks have been carried away or did these mountains stop crumbling long ago.

German Alps

These clouds have been moving in and out all afternoon; as a matter of fact, we had a bit of a heavy downpour just before leaving Salzburg that had us taking cover for about 10 minutes before darting for the car.

Caroline Wise roadside in Germany

Hazelnut and vanilla soft-serve ice cream had me wanting a second cone for the rest of our trip. Why oh why can’t we have this quality of ice cream anywhere in America and who gave McDonald’s permission to call what they sell soft serve too? Okay, to be fair, there is Anderson’s Custard in Buffalo, New York, which is pretty amazing, as is Andy’s in Missouri, but that is it. Don’t even ask about whatever it is that they sell at DQ because it isn’t what it claims.

German Alps

Storm and sun make me think of Sturm and Drang, which makes me think about The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe, which makes me think about Caroline in Vienna or Frankfurt, or Weimar – where we visited five years ago, and I forgot to fill in that day for my blog. So now I’m feeling the Sorrows of Old John, whose Sturm is not as Drang as it used to be.

German Alps

We are starting to cross through the mountains to the north side of the Alps.

German Alps

A single-lane toll road cuts a shortcut through the mountains.  It’s beautiful out here, and we get to see a side of Germany not typically seen: a landscape for kilometers with no sign of a village or small town.

German Alps

Just to my right, there’s a small hint of a rainbow, but not enough to warrant pointing the camera at it.

German Alps

Back to civilization. So now we’ve been on the southern side of the Alps, in the middle of the Alps, and now we are on the north side of the Alps. Tomorrow, we are supposed to be on top of the Alps, but the weather needs to be on our side. Hopefully, I didn’t wish too hard for rain.

German Alps

What might have otherwise been a simple picture of pastures, flowers, farmhouses, and snow-covered mountains in the Alps is transformed by the majestic heavy clouds that transform a landscape into one of high drama.

Garmisch, Germany

We are now in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, heading to a parking garage after we checked into the Gasthof Fraundorfer and figured out that we’ll be eating dinner there too.

Garmisch, Germany

Gasthof Fraundorfer is a quaint, touristy bit of Bavarian cliches that make you fall in love with the place once you are old enough. Thirty years ago, you wouldn’t have caught Caroline or me here for all the proverbial tea in China or beer at Oktoberfest. Here in our 50s, there’s certainly something quite appealing about all of this.

You are probably looking at about $20,000 worth of Bavarian clothing, known as trachten in German-speaking countries. Caroline would love for me to get some lederhosen but when we looked at their 1,200 Euro price tag, I took a double-take. If you want to go full traditional, you’ll need the hat, the Gamsbart (the hairy thing on the hat), suspenders with hand-embroidered edelweiss flowers for them, jackets, special shoes, and, of course, socks. These guys on the adjacent table were musicians just finished with their work for the day and had sat down at what must be the busiest place in town. You can rest assured that we had a traditional German meal with all of the accompaniments.

Garmisch, Germany

Our room upstairs was right out of the 1970s. I couldn’t find an Airbnb anywhere in the region, hence we opted for a hotel.

Note: Due to the nature of tomorrow’s post and the focus I want it to have, I’m putting this here that we decided in the morning that we were not visiting the Zugspitze for a view atop the Alps. The weather was forecast as a mixed bag, and with the cost of taking the cable car being about $100 for both of us, we felt that the weather should be perfect for such an expense. Maybe we’ll visit another time. As for our change of plans, Caroline said it best, “We are going from the highest point in Germany to its lowest point in history.”

Frankfurt to Colmar – Europe Day 6

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

On the Autobahn driving southwest in Germany

Today begins our road trip out of Germany. We left Frankfurt early, and sadly, there was heavy enough traffic this morning that I was never able to drive faster than 180 kph (115 mph), so I’m hoping that on the return journey, I might yet see 132 mph (200 kph). Next stop: Karlsruhe.

Father Hans Engelhardt and Caroline Wise in Karlsruhe, Germany

We had this appointment with Caroline’s father, Father Hanns Engelhardt, here in Karlsruhe before the official beginning of the road trip. He and Caroline spent the first part of the meeting talking about language and Hungary to a large extent. At lunch, the conversation switched to English and philosophy, specifically to Schopenhauer, Adorno, and Horkheimer. Hanns will be in Hungary about a week after us, giving a talk to the Hungarian-German Lawyers Association, of which he is the co-founder. Before Hanns became Father Hanns, he was a judge at Germany’s Federal Court of Justice.

John Wise and Caroline Wise in Alsace, France

Entering France.

On the road in the Alsace region of France

Nice to start the no-obligation, self-indulgent leg of the trip with such beautiful weather. We are now officially on holiday.

Alsace, France

We find that it is often difficult to spot a pullout where we can stop for a photo not just in France but across our travels in Europe. It is as though roads are merely a practical means for moving between points instead of admiring the views and capturing the memories of a road trip. This is one area that America got right.

Alsace, France

Beyond the vineyards, a castle is perched upon the hilltop, creating a spectacular view!

The Statue of Liberty in Colmar, France

With this scale version of the Statue of Liberty, we figured the village of Colmar, France, must have something to do with the monument that arrived in the U.S. back in 1885; sure enough, the sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who designed Lady Liberty was from Colmar.

Colmar, France

We arrived in the city center and found parking fairly quickly. Summer holidays for Europe don’t start for about another month but already things are pretty crowded, although still only a fraction of what’s about to happen. When planning for our trip to Europe last year, we already knew that if we couldn’t leave before June 1st or after September 15, our flights would be much more expensive and our lodgings too.

Colmar, France

We had left Karlsruhe around our planned getaway time of 1:00 p.m., so we would arrive here in Colmar while a particular museum was still open. That’s where we are heading right now.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Welcome to the Unterlinden Museum. This place houses a very special, unique, and historic piece of history, but I’ll hold off on sharing what that is until we get to it in the same sequence as we first came upon it during our visit.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

There are several other historic pieces of work, architecture, sculptures, and art from the area from Roman times onward. This image is of the details of a Roman tiled floor.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Makes one wonder if anyone presses their grapes using this old method anymore.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Even the casks back in the day might become historically important in the future as this one did. This is what the inscription says: “Here I sit, fat-bellied, with my juice of the vine which makes healthy people brave and gives strength to the sick. Those who help themselves of it with measure the lord will make happy and will fill their hearts with joy. Those who misuse and drink too much day and night will lose money, body, and soul. On 9th November 1781. Peter Meier.”

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Maybe we should have done better research and found out if there were any bottles from these casks still sealed and in someone’s collection somewhere on Earth.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

While I’ve seen plenty of pieces similar to this at museums as far away as Los Angeles in the Hearst Collection, seeing them from the region of origin allows us to get a better sense of the local history instead of some distant random place where a wealthy individual was able to adorn their home with the historic treasures of another culture.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Just walking through the halls, Caroline and I saw our doppelgangers from antiquity.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

A scene within a scene within a scene (Melancholy by Lucas Cranach the Elder).

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

It kind of makes you want to take up carving wood panels as a hobby so you can translate your favorite Elvis Presley glow-in-the-dark velvet poster into something a bit more three-dimensional, doesn’t it?

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

In the days before wallpaper, there were large wood tiles. We need to bring back this art.

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

And this is why we came to the Unterlinden Museum, the Isenheim Altarpiece.

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Imagine a visitor to a church walking up to this 500 years ago, kind of what one might expect right? Well, there’s a lot more to this than meets the eye. I’d think that the common person five centuries ago wasn’t as lucky as us to be able to see this work and study it in the light we can for the cost of a few Euros.

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Those panels in the picture above this one open up to reveal other scenes from the bible, and successive panels behind those open to yet other scenes so that gradually, the Altarpiece is fully revealed. This work was originally done by Germans Niclaus of Haguenau and Matthias Grünewald back in 1512–1516.

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

This is part of the final panels prior to arriving at the sculpted elements of the Altar. I’m not showing you each and everything due to the length this blog post has already taken on, plus it gives you something to discover should you ever find yourself in the Alsace region of France along the German border. What struck me as we came around the corner and crashed into this artwork was how incredibly psychedelic it is. Not just a little psychedelic but full-on, “Was this guy on mushrooms?” kind of trippy.

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

Just what kind of chicken crab lizard is this abomination? Look to the left, where you see the webbed foot of what is next to this.

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

This seems fairly obvious to be a victim of ergot poisoning (also referred to as St. Anthony’s Fire), but the webbed feet and the backside of the body on the lower left beg for interpretation.

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

And now the dream slash nightmare goes full-on bizarro with cartoon characters, hawk warriors, antlered beaver gnomes, shadow demons, and some kind of nymphs riding upside down shark kind of things and maybe some dismemberment. Seriously, this was created 500 years ago?

Isenheim Alterpiece in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

And then, finally you reach the sculptures in the innermost part of the altar. By this point, those centuries ago, the gold and detail must have thrown the minds of the faithful into a religious ecstasy that this is what sat behind all those panels. To them, this must have looked almost real and cast out of solid gold. This was our first encounter with St. Anthony on this road trip across Europe.

Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France

And now some pretty unicorn and a sheep.

Colmar, France

Back on to the streets of Colmar to go find our very first Airbnb apartment.

Colmar, France

In the courtyard of our Airbnb apartment in Colmar, France, with a terrific center city location.

Flambe from Colmar, France

Dinner started with a local favorite called “Flambe.”

Foie Gras in Colmar, France

Followed by an amazing slice of foie gras with fig jam.

Spaetzle casserole in Colmar, France

Caroline’s main dish was the most visually appealing; it was Spaetzle casserole served in a small iron hot pot.

Colmar, France

After dinner, it was time again to explore the village. Views like these are what attract visitors by the thousands.

Colmar, France

The night starts to descend on Colmar.

Colmar, France

Late in the day, there are great details to discover, as we found here on the arch above the door of a church.

Colmar, France

At night, this took on a beautiful glow. The next day, we almost missed it as much of the drama was missing. From here, it was a good point to head back to the apartment as our feet were sore from walking nearly 7.5 miles (12 km), climbing 13 floors, and driving a few hundred kilometers to get here.

Randomness – Europe Day 5

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise in Frankfurt, Germany

Once again, on the way to breakfast with Jutta. These walks are telling the truth that’s a bit difficult to come by from Jutta herself, as her stamina is pretty soft, and these walks are tough on her. In conversation, she claims to walk to the park and the market all the time, but if she did, these little jaunts around the corner wouldn’t be so taxing. The truth is that dementia is taking its toll, and the idea that my mother-in-law will ever again be ready to rise to the challenge is sadly needing to become a long-forgotten memory. Good thing is that the three of us have built so many memorable times together that her long decline will have to be pushed out of our memories after she’s gone so we can relish the brilliant moments.

"No Nazis" sticker in Frankfurt, Germany

While signs of white supremacists are evident, especially with people’s clothing and tattoos, there are many signs across the city of an active community that is against intolerance. The sticker “Stadt Fur Alle” means “City For Everyone.”

Caroline Wise at Wolle Roedel Yarn Store in Frankfurt, Germany

This is the look of yarn-buying confusion where Caroline considers the right or left hand. Instead of regular yarn, she opted for reinforcement yarn that is used for strengthening heels in socks she is working on.

Kleinmarkthalle in Frankfurt, Germany

The Kleinmarkthalle “Small Market Hall” in Frankfurt, between the main shopping street and City Hall, has always been a favorite destination for Caroline and me. Back when we lived here, this was usually our last stop before going on a road trip. I think part of the appeal of markets like this is that the proximity of everything on display affords us a beautiful display of contrasts between colors and shapes, as in American grocery stores, everything is so spread out and the displays so large that you only really ever get to see an item or two within your general view.

Kleinmarkthalle in Frankfurt, Germany

Mushrooms, white asparagus, and more mushrooms; besides the portabellos, there’s really nothing else in this photo that we see very frequently in Arizona markets.

Kleinmarkthalle in Frankfurt, Germany

Deer, wild pig, and horse are just some of the meats and sausages here on display. At another stall, we picked up three different preparations of horse to eat along the way to France and Italy starting tomorrow.

Caroline Wise and Angela at Kleinmarkthalle in Frankfurt, Germany

We only had a very brief window of opportunity to connect with old friends on this trip to Germany, and Angela was someone Caroline just had to see. This is where the day began to get seriously random.

A Cortado coffee at Kleinmarkthalle in Frankfurt, Germany

We met at Konstablerwache and headed right back to Kleinmarkthalle as Angela told us that there was a vendor there that had her favorite coffee: a cortado.

New construction near Frankfurt City Hall

From our coffee stop, we headed to “Neue Altstadt” (New Old City) near Römer (City Hall).

New construction near Frankfurt City Hall

This area of development has been a construction site for the past six years and has been met with some measure of controversy due to the imitation of the old style of building and that some wanted it to remain an open pedestrian area.

New construction near Frankfurt City Hall

Shocking at first, I was soon growing comfortable with the idea of what this was, bridging the area between Römer and the Dom (Cathedral) here along the Main River.

New construction near Frankfurt City Hall

This area just opened at the beginning of May and is yet to see tenants and businesses take their place. It could be interesting in a few years to return and see how it’s weathering and how it feels when it comes alive with people living and shopping here.

Angela and Caroline Wise at Konstablerwache in Frankfurt, Germany

Angela brought us back over to Konstablerwache, where the Erzeugermarkt (Producers’ Market) takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays. This is the only place where she can find her favorite cheesecake EVER!

Flowers at Erzeugermarkt at Konstablerwache in Frankfurt, Germany

The flowers and strawberries have always stood out in my memories here at Erzeugermarkt.

Erzeugermarkt at Konstablerwache in Frankfurt, Germany

When the weather is nice, the crowds can get large as most vendors here at the market are also preparing food to accompany a glass of apple wine or a tall beer.

Erzeugermarkt at Konstablerwache in Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt is famous for the Bembel pitcher used for serving apple wine, another Frankfurt specialty.

Bratwurst at Erzeugermarkt at Konstablerwache in Frankfurt, Germany

The perfect accompaniment for a glass of apple wine.

Asparagus at Erzeugermarkt at Konstablerwache in Frankfurt, Germany

It’s white asparagus season.

Rhubarb at Erzeugermarkt at Konstablerwache in Frankfurt, Germany

Rhubarb too.

View from our dinner table at Seven Swans in Frankfurt, Germany

This is the view from our dinner table at Seven Swans vegan restaurant along the banks of the Main River. We had a reservation for 7:00 but showed up at 6:30; good thing we did, as we were able to nab the window seats. There are only two seats per floor near the windows because the building is considered the narrowest in Frankfurt. The bar down on the first floor is likely the smallest in the region, too, only able to hold 16 patrons.

Caroline Wise at Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

A bowl of fresh water, herbs, and flowers to rinse our hands prior to our meal, and Caroline was about to take the first sip of her Aperol Spritz.

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

Little did we expect to spend more than four hours at dinner tonight. From the spectacular view to the exquisite meal, each and every moment of our luxuriant evening hit the mark.

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

Everything served here is locally grown in nearby Bad Homburg on the restaurant’s farm. Even the dirt served with the potatoes. Of course, we had a bowl of water for washing the potatoes, but seeing they felt confident to serve their “earth apples – Austrian term” in the dirt, I felt that it was probably fairly healthy, so we just brushed them off and went with it.

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

Fresh, colorful, and everything on the plate is edible.

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

Parsnip with Cucumber and Mustard with a grape seed drizzle infused with herbs.

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

The Peas with Wild Garlic and Poppy Seed was a savory favorite. We were by now lost in how many dishes we’d had with our 6-course meal. What threw things off was that the Amuse-bouche with several teasers before we got started with the Leek with Kohlrabi and Birch leaves (not pictured).

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

We still had one more plate centered on asparagus and turnip tops before these two pea pods with pea sorbet were delivered.

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

Followed by a small portion of beet sorbet. These savory vegetable-based sorbets were a first for Caroline and me and hopefully not the last.

Seven Swans Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

By the time a third dessert was brought out and before a cheese plate arrived, Caroline was on her sixth glass of wine as after the Aperol had been delivered she figured, “Why not try the wine pairing?” One good reason not to try a wine pairing with a six-course meal is at the end of the four hours she was pretty tipsy. The dessert seen here is a sweetened warm oats and cream dish that certainly belongs in the comfort food category.

This was the most elegant and expensive dinner (nearly €300 or about $350) Caroline and I have ever indulged in Frankfurt. Seven Swans is considered one of the seven best vegan restaurants on earth, and with good reason.

A Day with Jutta – Europe Day 4

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Elizabeth Engelhardt now Caroline Wise of Frankfurt, Germany

It was around 1970 when this photo was taken of Caroline sitting on a stuffed bear she “really” wanted, but at about 1,000 Deutsche Marks at the time, she wasn’t going to be riding the bear at home any time soon. We were at my mother-in-law’s early this morning, and while she had a bite to eat, Caroline and I went through a couple of old photo albums. We’ll be dragging them back to the States with us, where I’ll scan them to have better copies than what I made here using my camera.

U-Bahn stop at Bornheim in Frankfurt, Germany

Once breakfast and meds were dealt with, we needed to make our way to the nearby subway stop for a quick ride to the Hauptbahnhof, where we transferred to the S8 for a 30-minute ride to Mainz on the Rhein River.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in Frankfurt, Germany

The reminder about the efficiency, smoothness, and convenience of a proper public transportation system resonates hard with me as I’m able to plug in my headphones, open my computer, and work on my blog while underway. The only problem with that was I couldn’t watch where we were going so within a couple of minutes, I put the computer away and put my attention on watching my surroundings. The two women in front of me were busy cackling away in German, so my headphones use didn’t have me feeling like I was isolating them, but instead, I was adding the soundtrack that someday listening to these songs again will help bring me back to this moment.

In front of the Mainz Hauptbahnhof

Utilizing public and alternative transportation compared to our car culture in America feels enlightened these days. When I came to Europe so many years ago, it felt primitive and old-fashioned, but with obesity, pollution, and the isolation that comes with our cars, I can’t help but see the benefits of doing things differently. While not obvious in this photo, I’ve seen a lot of electric-assist bicycles that I can’t help but think would be stolen across America when locked up, like these freestanding bikes that could easily be thrown in the back of someone’s pickup truck. Another small note: it’s nice not to see anyone wearing guns.

St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany

This church was at the center of the reason for coming out to Mainz. It is St. Stephan and is the home of glasswork by Marc Chagall. The church was originally founded in the year 990 but has been destroyed and rebuilt more than a couple of times. After World War II, the church had to be restored due to bombing near the end of the war, and by 1978, it was time to replace the glass.

St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany

The blue light inside the church adds a beautiful hue to the environment. Before Marc Chagall died in 1985, he had completed nine windows with the black paint done by hand. Following his death, an associate of Chagall’s for 28 years finished the glasswork.

St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany

We missed an organ performance by 10 minutes, which is only performed twice weekly at 11:55 a.m. for a mere 20 minutes.

St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany

Detail from one of the windows finished by Chagall’s associate Charles Marq.

St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany

Caroline and I will never pass up a visit to an old church or cathedral, as they are often architectural wonders with an atmosphere of light, smell, temperature, lines and angles, sounds, and history that leave great impressions.

St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany

The exterior of St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany. Little did we know with these blue skies that a thunderstorm was soon going to arrive.

Jutta Engelhardt in St. Stephan Church in Mainz, Germany

Jutta will be turning 83 years old this July. Sadly, her short-term memory is disappearing at an ever-increasing pace. An hour or two after eating, she doesn’t know what she had or where she was. As is often the case, she has very clear memories of her past and still knows many of the details of all of her trips to the States. When on Friday we head south to France, I’m not very confident that she’ll remember that we were visiting her this week.

Lunch at Heinrich's in Mainz, Germany

A quick check on Google showed a place with a Michelin acknowledgment called Heinrichs Die Wirtschaft. Around the corner and up the hill, we dragged Jutta along and were happy we did. This is Caroline’s dish of calve in green sauce with roasted potato. Not pictured is my chicken breast with white asparagus and potato.

Lunch at Heinrich's in Mainz, Germany

Jutta opted for the rosefish and shrimp with white asparagus and potato. We did a three-way split on a dessert of raspberry compote with whipped hazelnut cream and vanilla ice cream. Throughout this vacation, I will likely feature too many photos of food, but when outside of our routine, much of the food we enjoy can have as powerful an influence on our memories as the antiquities we search out.

Streets of Mainz, Germany

In the window on the right, the sign reads, “Love what you do.” We do.

Carnival Fountain in Mainz, Germany

We take more breaks than would be normal with Jutta as her stamina has been declining along with her memory. Fortunately, we were able to bring her to New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco back when, with a bit of a push, we could prod her into walking upwards of 12-15 km per day, even in her 70s! This is the Carnival Fountain at Schillerplatz, which was created back in 1967; it is also one of our rest stops.

Walking to the main cathedral in Mainz, Germany

The Mainz Staatstheater looks to have some very interesting performances being put on that would probably be too obscure to play in Phoenix. This is especially tragic as Mainz only has a population of a shade over 200,000 while the greater Phoenix area has more than 2.5 million inhabitants. I guess an education in history and culture has its rewards.

Walking to the main cathedral in Mainz, Germany

Market Square in front of Dom St. Martin is our next place to visit.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany. In German “Dom” is a cathedral. The origins of this church date back approximately 1,000 years, and if you’d like to know more about it, there is an incredibly detailed story about its history, strange acoustics, and consideration for the organ over on Wikipedia.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

Like many cathedrals, visits should occur at different times of the year so one can experience the light within. Weather and time of day also play large roles in the aesthetics.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

Fine details abound, and no relatively short blog post will ever capture all that can be seen.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

Grandeur also has its role.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

I don’t believe when we are young; we can quite understand the connection and continuity of histories that stretch back a thousand years and how churches are living bridges between the ages. While I have been to the Washington National Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, there’s another feeling when entering a cathedral built when the Vikings were active, Islam was in its golden age, and the Holy Roman Empire was taking control of Europe while America would remain unknown to Europeans for more than 500 years.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

Caroline will have to add more information about this image as she was the one who requested I snap this for her.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

Plaque in the dedication of the Dalberg family dated 1606, who were nobles. By 1848, the family became extinct.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

Detail of the plaque from above.

Inside Dom St. Martin in Mainz, Germany

The back of the cathedral is just as elegant to me as the front.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise sharing a banana split in Mainz, Germany

We’re on vacation, so it’s total indulgence all the time. Stepping out of the cathedral, there were many sidewalk cafes on the square; we took the first free table we found and ordered coffee and a banana split. We probably didn’t get a bite into our sweet treat, and the rain started; no problem because others took shelter in the cafe, so we took their place under the awning.

From the cafe, we grabbed a taxi back to Mainz Hauptbahnhof and our trip back to Frankfurt. After walking Jutta back to her apartment, it was approaching the time for dinner, believe it or not.

Handkaesse mit musik from Ebbelwoi Unser in Frankfurt, Germany

The number one rated restaurant for traditional German food as rated on Yelp is Ebbelwoi Unser over in Sachsenhausen. The place is nearly packed, and the menu is relatively simple, but our first impressions let us understand why this place is so highly rated. We started by sharing another Handkaese mit Musik (hand cheese with onion and cumin), and this was the best yet of the three or four we’ve tried so far.

Ebbelwoi Unser in Frankfurt, Germany

This was Caroline’s meal of Leberknodel mit Specksosse, Apfelsauerkraut und frischem Kartoffelpuree (liver dumplings with gravy, sauerkraut with apple, and mashed potatoes. This was an incredible bargain, costing less than 10 euros. Of course, Caroline had apple wine with her dinner.

Ebbelwoi Unser in Frankfurt, Germany

Because I can’t get enough green sauce I ordered the Gekochter Tafelspitz vom Jungbullen mit Gruener Sosse und Pellkartoffeln, loosely translated as calf roast with green sauce and horseradish with boiled potatoes. When I was younger, I would have never opted for sparkling water, but that’s all I’m ordering these days, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the variations.

Caroline Wise at Ebbelwoi Unser in Frankfurt, Germany

This is a Mispelchen, a local specialty “Medlar” drink. Caroline will fill you in on the details during the editing process of my blog entries. Caroline here: Mispelchen is made from Calvados (apple brandy) and a canned Mispel (in English: medlar) fruit. As it turns out, though, “real” medlars are rare, and it is not uncommon to find loquats in their place. Medlars (Mespilus germanica) and loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are both members of the Rosaceae family. I found this out because I was trying to find canned medlars here in the US.

Ebbelwoi Unser in Frankfurt, Germany

Three desserts in one day must be a record. This one is baked apples in a crust with fresh whipped cream, and ice cream was a perfect end to a great day. I think we used our 14 hours out and about to the best of our ability. Over that time we walked 6.5 miles or 10.5 km and climbed 17 floors, not bad when it’s considered that we had Jutta with us the majority of the day.