September 4, 2015

September 4, 2015

The last four days we stayed at a farmhouse inn in Salzburg on recommendation by Rick Steves’ guidebook.  It had a good location, with easy access by car and on the bus line to downtown. It even came with views of frolicking horses; but on the downside it came with the smell of farm animals.

We rented a car for our Bavaria week because it is the most convenient way to visit the countryside. Cars come with their own issues.  Europe has a different standard lane width than the US.  The road we drove today to reach the highway was literally one lane wide with two way traffic. Every so often I had to pull onto the shoulder to let oncoming traffic pass.

We drove the Autobahn all the way from Salzburg to Munich.  When we returned the car, the inspector noticed some tiny scrape on a hubcap and pulled the manager in.  I had heard German car rental companies are notorious for scamming repair charges.  When they saw me flipping through pics on my camera, the problem disappeared. (I always take before and after photos when renting cars.) With all the narrow lanes we traveled, it was wondrous I didn’t have a bunch of dings on the tires.

We took the subway to the Munich train station. I notice a couple dozen police gathering by the track from Vienna, so I figure something is up. When it arrives, they pull over everyone with Middle Eastern looks.  Europe is in an immigrant crisis.  We just happened to watch the European news last night and the issue came to a head yesterday with immigrants rushing the train in Budapest and refusing to get off.  Hungary had to cancel all international trains.  The immigrants are trying to find any way to reach the northern countries with their generous social benefits.

From Munich, we took the fast train to Nuremburg.  This train reached 150 mph at peak speed.  After checking in to our hotel, we started off with a walking tour of the Old Town.

Nuremberg (or Nurnberg) has 90% of its medieval town walls still intact.  Surprising since most of Nuremberg was destroyed during WWII. It has been rebuilt in a sort of modern German classic architecture. Despite the damage it has quite a few unique medieval structures. One of our first stops is the Granary Storehouse.  It looks like a very large house with an abnormally large attic area. Our guidebook says it is one of eleven the city had.  I don’t think I have run into another city with such storage capability.  Our next stop was St Lawrence Cathedral.  It is an ancient Gothic structure that suffered heavy damage.  A lot of the treasured artifacts had been removed and stored underground.  It has been repaired beautifully and has an abnormal number of art pieces inside.

Another interesting stop was at a medieval tower house. It looks like a castle keep and was built at a time before the city walls when you had to defend your own house.  Down the middle of the city flows the Pegnitz River.  Extending out into the river is the Hospice of the Holy Spirit, one of the largest hospitals of the Middle Ages.

From the river we worked our way through the other half of the Old City, up to the Castle.  After hiking up the castle hill, we tour the museum inside.  It is mildly interesting.  It has lots of cool medieval weapons and armor on display.  It also has extensive exhibits on the old Holy Roman Empire.  This loose confederation of the old German kingdoms was not hereditary but an elected position so its capital moved around.  

Nuremberg was its unofficial capital because it held an administrative function.  After the HRE was dissolved by Napoleon, Nuremberg went into decline.  At the top of the high castle tower, where we got a great view of the city, were posted photos of Nuremberg after WWII. Startling how in one day, a thousand years of history could be wiped off the map.

Just below the castle lies the home of Nuremberg's favorite son, Albrecht Durer.  Durer was a famous artist, especially of engravings, who brought the Renaissance from Italy to Germany.  Walking back toward our hotel, we stopped for dinner at a large beer hall that sits in the cellar of the Granary.