Gary_Mc

We spent 12 days in Germany visiting some less frequented towns and their Christmas Markets. The Markets are never the focus of these trips but a pleasant addition to the overall experience. I will break my posts by different towns.

The flights from Salt Lake City to Atlanta and then on to Frankfurt am Main were uneventful and endless. With a group of diseases otherwise known as getting old, these long flights are a torture chamber. The airline food stood between us and starvation; that is all that one should expect from airline food. One perk this time, we were pre-checked by TSA. We could keep our shoes on and bypass posing for naked pictures. It is probably discouraging for the screening personnel to see a 68 year old without clothes .

Our first stop was Aschaffenburg, my favorite of the trip. We stayed at the Hotel Cafe Fischer. Nice folks, good breakfast and decent size room. Aschaffenburg has some tourist attractions but is not principally a tourist town. The weather was mild and sunny. We visited Johannisburg Schloss (palace) grounds the first day and city park the next, taking advantage of the weather. Good to be alive days. The second day we visited the museum at the Schloss. Not bad. Many medieval paintings and an exhibit of a more contemporary painter, Frederico Von Rieger. A pleasant few hours in the morning.

We had two good meals, one at the Theater Krause and another at an Italian restaurant just off the main square. A good meal, and a glass or two of wine will usually make a day for me.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-1...5491825_ht2CN5

Gary_Mc

Our next stop was Würzburg. I was stationed there in the 1970's and we have visited it many times before. We walked about enjoying familiar haunts and took a day to Ochsenfurt and Marktbreit on the Main River. We stayed at the Hotel St. Josef for the third time and the landlady remembered me from the spring of 2012. I did not use my camera in town but took a few cell phone pictures when we went out to eat.

The first night we ate at the Markt Bärbl after making reservations. The place is usually busy in Advent Season. I made a photo of the "Frost the Snowman" styled Christmas decoration. Much of Christmas in Germany has become similar to the US.

The second night we were on the prowl for supper and stumbled on a bar, Zur Burg. Good find. I have enclosed a picture of the joint and the Jägerschnitzel (hunter's schnitzel). As we walked into Zur Burg, all eyes turned towards us. Three men sat at the bar, 6 folks at one table and 2 at another. We took one of the two remaining tables. As the hostess (owner?) took our drink order, everyone settled back into their conversations. Everyone was friendly. It just had the feel of a neighborhood bar. A host (probably husband) came out of the back room wearing a Borrussia Dortmund tshirt proclaiming his soccer allegiance. He cooked our food on a stove behind the bar in our vision. The schnitzels came with tasty salads. My wife had her coke and lemon combination and I had a couple glasses of wine. Fully pleasant evening.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-1...5177469_pvt8sg

outwest

Beautiful photos--my husband and I were just discussing doing a trip like this next year--you certainly lucked out with the weather.

Gary_Mc

As mentioned, we took a short day trip from Würzburg to visit Ochsenfurt and Marktbreit on the River Main. The warm, sunny weather of Aschaffenburg had deteriorated into cold, gray and windy. The appeal of these towns was diminished by the dreary atmosphere. I hope to return to them some sunny, warm spring day and do them fuller justice. Ochsenfurt had many Gashäuser offering rooms and would probably be the preferable choice for an overnight. I will let the pictures speak for me.

We finished our day trip at the Marktbreit train station waiting for a train that was 10 and then 20 minutes late. We huddled in the glass shelter. Other folks tucked themselves into nooks in the old, closed station. A little unpleasantness makes the rest of the time that much more rewarding.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-1...5492722_mQ6vhz

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-1...5493179_CjNL9D

Gary_Mc

Thanks Outwest. More than half our time there was in very nice weather. In 2010 we had heavy snow. In 2012 it was very cold. When you go be prepared to layer. We enjoyed ourselves every time.

Gary_Mc

After Würzburg, we spent two days in Erlangen. Our purpose there was to visit one of the former members of my wife's youth group, his wife and their baby daughter. He has become a professional basketball player in Germany and married a local girl. We had a good time and Erlangen is an attractive university town. Even without a special incentive, like a new baby, we find reasons to visit some towns that are not primarily know for tourism.

We stayed at the Hotel Rokokohaus. Contrary to its name, it was not overly decorated. It was a good stay.

Erlangen has a small Christmas Market and a historical market that is devoted to hot alcohol. They must have done some heavy drinking in the town's history. We had decent meals at the Gasthof Strauss and the La Brasserie.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-1...5493806_HzfbjJ

Gary_Mc

Our next to last stop was Stuttgart, which has an enormous, well organized Christmas Market. It also has a gazillion department stores. My wife had saved her shopping for this stop. My job was pack mule. I performed well as long as I was well fed.

One aspect of being fed I have not mentioned, lunch. One good midday choice for us has been the cafeteria atop many department stores. Galeria Kaufhof is our favorite. They usually have an extensive (not cheap) salad bar. It is our opportunity each day to load up on veggies.

While walking into the pedestrian zone one day we were following a young man and three young women. My wife asked if I had noticed that the young men all wore baggy pants but the young women's pants (leggings) were skin tight. I said no, I had not noticed that. She saw right through that one. There seems to be a certain fashion statement.

We stayed at the City Hotel about 10 minutes walk from the Altes Schloss (old castle). Good breakfasts, nice stay. Rooms are small but that seems to be the norm in large cities.

We had a couple good meals in a nice atmosphere at the Weinstube Kachelofen.

Stuttgart is our favorite large market town.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-1...5503831_QdGfx8

Gary_Mc

While in Stuttgart we made a day trip to Esslingen. It has both a Christmas Market and a Medieval Market. It also has a wealth of attractive old buildings. I was burnt out on markets but found the town very appealing. I would like to return there in another season and spend some time.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-1...5504333_SfNrdp

Gary_Mc

We originally had a flight from Stuttgart to Atlanta. That flight was cancelled. We chose to train to Freising to fly home from München. We like the Hotel Bayerscher Hof in Freising and really enjoy a meal at the Weißbräu Huber. The only kink was that a broken signal along the line delayed our train twice and then dumped us in a small town that was only serviced by RB trains, that is infrequently. We got to Freising as the sun was setting. Still it was a nice final evening.

I have said that the flights to Germany seemed unending. The flights home seemed twice as long.

We like many touristy towns in Germany: Rothenburg, Bamberg, Nürnberg, Goslar, München, etc. We also enjoy places that make their living in other ways. They are often as attractive and maybe a little more appreciative for the business. If you are going to make the trip, you might just mix things up a little.

pja1

Thanks for the report Gary. Enjoyed the photo's also. Is Marktbreit as charming as your pictures make it appear? I'm sure it is. We also recently returned from a trip to Bavaria and Austria for the Advent Markets. Wonderful time to visit.

mokka4

Love your photos and report. Nice choice of towns. I'll have to add a few to my next trip!

Gary_Mc

Thanks pja1. Marktbreit is attractive but small and does not have many tourist amenities: rooms and restaurants. It is only 3 minutes by train from Ochsenfurt, which is loaded with places to stay and eat. If we return, I think we will consider Marktbreit a nice trip from Ochsenfurt.

Thanks for your comments mokka4. Good luck with your future trip.

5alive

Great report. I loved all of your photos as well. You clearly have a lot of history with your past work in Germany and know the region well.

I liked seeing your pictures of the towns with gray skies. Because when I envision the people who lived there in centuries past, it could not have always been summer for them.

That one statue in Ochsenfurt that you titled "Local Hero with his beer mug" --was there any further history or information on that?

Mainhattengirl

Thanks for the trip report. I am another fan of the Stuttgart Market and the one in Esslingen. These two are my favorites right now. Great photos!

Gary_Mc

5alive, the term "Local hero with his beer mug" was only my flippancy. I am not sure of the story behind the statue. I am attracted to works of art that pop up in small squares all over Germany. Part of the fun.

Jo, glad that you liked the report. Your comments on Esslingen were part of what led us there. It was tired of markets but it was still a nice stop. I hope to return.

5alive

Yeah, I was pretty sure that was your title.

It has a little bit of whimsy. Without the beer mug, it almost has a proletariat feel.