We spent less than 24 hours in Nuremberg on our way from Prague to Passau, where our cruise was beginning. I did not do my usual researching ahead of time, and arrived with no expectations. It was just a city we were spending the night in on the way to our cruise. I should have done a better job! Nuremberg turned out to be a pleasant surprise!
 |
| Welcome to Bavaria! |
We took a four hour bus ride to Nuremberg and arrived at 3 p.m. wondering if we were at the right station, where our hotel was, and how were we going to get there. Our trusty smart phones told us we were less than a 10 minute walk from our hotel. Our phones did not tell us that the walk would be over mostly cobblestones (ugh!). We clickety clacked our way, dragging our bags behind us, to our lovely hotel. It really wasn't very far, it just seemed like it with those bags and those cobblestones. We only had a few hours before dark so we went out to explore the old town.
 |
| Turned out, old town was very close to our hotel! |
 |
| Pedestrian streets and outdoor markets! |
We wandered the streets and loved the markets, the Bavarian architecture, the manageable number of people (compared to Prague) and the numerous Christmas shops. It was just what we needed after four hours on a bus. The farther into the town we got, the more we liked it. We found the Nuremberg castle, not hard....just look for the biggest and highest building in the Old Town. We are such geniuses! I think we managed to hit all of the high points on our walk....you know...church, castle, pub.
 |
| I wanted to bring them all home! |
Since our lunch had consisted of the random snacks TJ bought in the store before we left Prague, an early dinner was in order. We found a nice place, near the church and sat outside for dinner. We embraced Bavaria and ordered the "tower of sausage"! The air was crisp and clear, the leaves were turning fall colors and we were in Bavaria drinking local beer and eating sausages! Our own private Oktoberfest without the oompah band!
 |
| Cheers St. Lorenz! |
 |
Tower of sausage!
Complete with mustard, horseradish,
sauerkraut, potato salad and yummy bread! |
Feeling fortified, we walked to the river. I am a sucker for arched bridges and reflections in the water. Who needs an ancient castle or a Gothic church when you can just stand on a bridge and watch the river flow? I looked at the houses along the river and wondered what it would be like to live in such a lovely spot. I wondered what it would be like to live in a city with such a dark history full of wars, religious turmoil, destruction and human tragedy. How many different feet have walked on those same cobblestones? The stories they could tell!
 |
| The Beautiful Fountain |
 |
| The 40 colorful figures that adorn the fountain represent the world view of the Holy Roman Empire. They are philosophy, the seven liberal arts, the four Evangelists, the four Church Fathers, the seven Prince-electors, the Nine Worthies, Moses and seven Prophets (Hosea, Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Isaiah and Joel). |
 |
Hospice of the Holy Spirit
Truth: when I took this I thought it was just a lovely scene.
It was only after I got home that I discovered what it was. |
 |
| Life along the river |
Our time with our daughter ended in Nuremberg as she headed "home" to Berlin the next morning and we took the train to meet our cruise. Who knew a year ago that we would be drinking beer and eating sausages with her in Germany? What a treat it was to have this time together! I think we were all pleasantly surprised by our short time in Nuremberg.
No comments:
Post a Comment