I apologise that the last few days of blog entries are missing... mainly due to technical issues of internet connection, and also to the fact that the author has been having so much fun that by the time he gets a few minutes to type up his notes he falls asleep!!!! These should be up within the next 24 hours, albeit a few days late! In the meantime Rod has been putting up some very spiffy photos for you to enjoy (thanks Rod!), and to assure you that we have as yet not managed to lose anyone. Paul tried to test the thickness of the ice in a Stuttgart lake that was (only partly) frozen over, but he managed to survive without going under, despite a few threatening cracking sounds, but thats about as far as we have gone to losing anyone yet!!! I suspect there are quite a few of us who are having such a great time we might not want to return to Australia when the time comes...
Friday 22 January Rothenburg ob der Tauber – Nördlingen - Dinkelsbühl – Rothenberg
Everyone enjoyed a bit of a sleep in today... after a BIG night in Stuttgart for many of us, and MANY litres of Swabian beer consumed into the wee small hours!!!
After yet another fantastic German breakfast (hot eggs, lots of meat, beautiful fresh bread rolls, cheeses, fruit, yogurt, cereal for those who like it, lots of juices and big jugs of thick hot coffee and cream), most set off on foot in their own time to explore the amazingly preserved Medieval city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a beautiful little town on the Romantic Road, and for tourists (like us!) interested in seeing an intact, walled medieval city, the epitome of German towns. The Altstadt (old town) of Rothenburg is a patchwork of winding cobbled lanes lined with picturesque half timbered houses, brightly painted and decorated with ornate brass and iron signs which are themselves often worthy of a photograph or an adoring stare.
Massive towers like Röderturm and the intact city walls form a complete ring around Rothenburg and you can walk around these massive fortified walls to get great views over the city and the Tauber valley.
What makes Rothenburg ob der Tauber even more exciting is its reputation as town of eternal Christmas. All year round lots of shops offer beautiful handcrafted Christmas gifts and and crafted wood carvings and souvenirs. In December the town gets realy crowded, because nobody wants to miss the famous Christmas Market, one of the most romantic ones in Germany. Thankfully being here in January it is really quite, and many of us enjoyed a quiet stroll through the cobbled streets and spent time browsing in the quaint shops, many of which were crammed with the most beautiful toys and decorations.
Many of us walked beyond the Plönlein, that scenic fork in the road which is the landmark of Rothenburg, and one of the famous sights of the town. Though deserted, the market place and the Rathaus (aptly named Renaissance Town Hall) provided another scenic highlight. Another was the idyllic Burggarten (Rothenburg castle garden). Covered in a blanket of snow, and with mist rising in the valley below the castle walls it was a scene straight from a Fairy Tale. The western side of he historic square is dominated by the soaring gable of the Ratsherrntrinkstube (councillor’s drinking room) which dates from 1446 and features a remarkable sundial and ornate town clock which was erected in 1683. At 11am a group of us was lucky enough to watch the small windows either side of the clock open and as the bells rang, life sized wooden carvings of tow important figures who, according to legend, saved the town in 1631 when a city councillor rescued the town by taking the challenge to empty 3 1/4 liter of wine in one gulp!
A major pilgrimage site of Rothenburg is the splendid gothic church St.Jacob. Its main attraction is the Heilige Blut Altar (Holy Blood Altar) carved by Tilman Riemenschneider, said to contain drops of Christ's blood, collected at the time of the crucifixion.
In the afternoon we travelled along the ‘Romantic Road’ to visit several other of the famed walled cities of the region. First we visited Nördlingen, which was fascinating as it was originally built on the side of a giant meteorite crater. Apart from that it is the only completely intact Medieval city in Germany with high walls that can be walked all the way around. The historical old town is dominated by the stunning late Gothic hall church of St George, with its imposing 90 metre high bell tower (named ’Daniel’), which for those brave enough to climb it proved quite a challenge in sub zero temperatures!
Next stop was the small town of Dinkelsbühl, on the River Wörnitz. Ringed by 10th century walls, gateways and towers including the 14th century gateway the Rothenberger Tor, the impressive town is characterised by splendid early Renaissance burghers’ houses (even more impressive than those of Rothenberg or Nördlingen), beautiful decorated half-timber buildings, busy town squares and enchanting little laneways. In the middle of the town the lte Gothic Minster (also dedicated to St George) stands. Built in 1448-1499 the church has an incredibly high nave, and even though the tower rises 62 metres, it seems small. This is probably because the tower is from the original church, built in 1225. Inside the church, six impressive side altars date from the time of when the church was completed.
After tasty hot Goulashsuppe and bread, hot coffee and warm appelstrudel, we all walked back to the bus to return to Rothenberg, passing through the Romantic Road cities of Feuchtwangen and Schillingsfürst, before hitting the Rothenberger Hof Restaurant bar for German wines, beers and the ever-present Appelsaft and a lovely hot meal of soup, followed by roasted chicken with potatoes, tomatos and peppers and a pear and cream desert with chocolate sauce. Then it was time to put on all our warm clothes, hats, scarfs and gloves and walk back into the Old Town of Rothenburg to meet the Nightwatchman. Dressed all in black in his medieval cloak, and hat, and bearing his long axe and candle lantern, he proceeded to give us an unforgettable guided tour of the old city, its castle, walls, and important sights. He was a brilliant tour guide, and with the crunch of snow and ice below our feet, the total darkness enveloping the softly-illuminated buildings and about -4 degrees, it was most atmospheric as we were told of the fascinating history of the city, medieval life, wars, plagues, and some of the famous characters of the town.
The night ended with an impromptu performance (suitably in Latin) of MUCS’ favourite song, Laudate Nomen Domini... written about the same time as some of the buildings were were surrounded by!!! In the darkness and the ancient surrounds , the Latin words seemed to fit nicely as we huddled in the shadow of the magnificent Gothic nave of the St Jacobskirche. All agreed it was a fantastic and magical night.
Back to the warm and inviting bar at the Rothenburger Hof, and then to our warm beds. Much needed as the outside temperatures begin to plumet well below zero. That said, we are all getting used to the cold temperatures, and with a fine day and no wind during most of the day, it began to feel almost balmy !!!
Andrew Wailes
Friday, 22 January 2010
Jan 17 Sunday Schriesheim – Worms
Light rain was falling when we woke at six thirty am to begin preparations for our first major performance, the High Mass in the Imperial Cathedral of St Peter, Worms. About an hour away from Shriesheim, the sun was not up when we left, and winding our way along the Neckar Valley until we hit the Autobahn, we quickly made our way to the former sight of the famous Diet and place of the beginning of Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation.
Worms Cathedral is one of the oldest and largest Cathedrals in Europe, and one of the three great Cathedrals along the Rhine River. Standing proudly above the City of Worms for the last one thousand years, it is an imposing structure, built in red sandstone and designed in the Romanesque style, with massive spires and domes and a tall, and massive nave much larger than any church we have seen in Australia. Upon entering the Kaiserdom (Imperial Cathedral) we were all struck by the magnitude of the building… The cathedral is about 120 m long, and 40 m wide. The height in the nave is about 30 m; under the domes it is 40 metres, so you can imagine the acoustics of the building… one of the most stunning acoustics I have ever had the pleasure of performing in. The side walls are decorated with Romanesque and Gothic reliefs showing Christ’s life. Also, a lot of small chapels are added into the outer naves, but only some are open for prayers. A famous one is Nikolauskapelle (near the main gate), where a relic of St. Nikolaus is treasured. The side walls do have very nice stained glass windows, one of them is a storytelling window and tells about all events that happened in Worms in the past.
The choir’s performances of Schubert, Bruckner, Rachmaninov and Mozart were certainly enhanced by a 5 to 6 second echo that rang with a rare clarity and did not ever become muddy or distorted. Two excellent organs accompanied our singing… a significant 2 manual instrument behind the choir, and a huge romantic 3 manual instrument perched high above the nave in the middle of the Cathedral.
The Cathedral was the scene of several milestones of European history. In 1048, Bruno of Egisheim-Dagsburg was elected pope Leo IX here; in 1122, the Concordate of Worms ended the Investiture Contest, the struggle for supremacy between the emperor and the Church; and in 1521, Martin Luther was summoned by emperor Charles V to recant his teachings before the Diet of Worms, a historic assembly that was to change the history of Christianity.
The Cathedral is the burial site for the ancestors and members of the Salian dynasty, who had a castle in Worms until in the 11th century. In the Middle Ages, emperors paid the Cathedral numerous visits, and in the church or in its immediate surroundings, important political events took place, some of them sparking serious aftermaths.
The spectacular Baroque high altar by Balthasar Neumann was built after the city’s devastation in 1689, and is a breathtaking example of craftsmanship... covered in pure gold, and soaring high above the main altar. Another feature were the incredible hand carved choir stalls, also decorated with gold leaf, and featuring hundreds of faces of religious figures, instruments, angels and bishops.
Following the Mass, which was atended by about three or four hundred people, ended with a sustained ovation. Certainly it was a great way to start our tour.
We then changed into our warmer clothes and headed to various cafes and restaurants for warm coffee, gluwein and soups, chocolate cakes, and baked pastas to charge our batteries before we enjoyed a walking tour of the sights of Worms. Upon meeting our tour guides, we explored the ancient German city on foot, visiting sights including the oldest jewish synagogue in Germany. The city is known as a former center for Judaism. The Jewish community was established in the late 10th century, the first synagogue was erected in 1034. The Jewish Cemetary in Worms dating from the 11th century, is believed to be the oldest in Europe The Rashi Shul, a synagogue dating from 1175 and carefully reconstructed after its desecration on 'Crystal Night' is the oldest in Germany.
We also visited the Luther Memorial. In the year 1868, the world’s largest Reformation memorial was unveiled, created by Ernst Rietschel. Donations from Lutherans all over the world had helped to build the monument, which was set up in a park laid out in the former city moat. It the castle-shaped monument (inspired by Luther’s song A Mighty Fortress Is Our God), the history of the Reformation is told from pre-Reformation times to the 19th century. The statue of Martin Luther is posted in the centre, with forerunners of the Reformation at his foot. The embattlements are crowned with statues of noted contemporaries of Luther. Between them, allegorical figures represent cities that played a major role in the aftermath of the Reformation.
Another sight visited was the Trinity Church. After the city had been destroyed by a devastating blaze in 1689, the Lutherans of Worms build the baroque-style Trinity Church as a Reformation memorial church, seeking to outrival the Cathedral, which had remained Catholic. It was erected on the place of the Mint, which had also been destroyed in 1689, and which was—erroneously—believed to be the spot where ‘Luther professed his words’ (laying of the foundation stone 1709, consecration 1725). It is the city’s largest baroque church and as for its history the main church of the city’s Protestants. After the church had been heavily damaged in the second world war, works to restore the interior of the church in a modern way were finished in 1959.
Erected in 1905, the Hagen statue is one of the most popular monuments of the city. The bronze sculpture by the riverside reminds us of Hagen throwing the legendary treasure of the Nibelungen in the floods of the Rhine. The famous Nibelungenlied is set here in this city, and it is the starting point of the so-called ‘Nibelungen route’, the itinerary the Nibelungen followed on their way eastwards to Hungary, where they finally met their fate at king Attila’s court.
After Worms, we returned to our Hotel, for a night of drinking, singing, laughing and general noisiness... it was really great to see everyone, young and old, having such a fantastic time and getting on so well. This really is a great group of people to tour with.
Andrew Wailes
Worms Cathedral is one of the oldest and largest Cathedrals in Europe, and one of the three great Cathedrals along the Rhine River. Standing proudly above the City of Worms for the last one thousand years, it is an imposing structure, built in red sandstone and designed in the Romanesque style, with massive spires and domes and a tall, and massive nave much larger than any church we have seen in Australia. Upon entering the Kaiserdom (Imperial Cathedral) we were all struck by the magnitude of the building… The cathedral is about 120 m long, and 40 m wide. The height in the nave is about 30 m; under the domes it is 40 metres, so you can imagine the acoustics of the building… one of the most stunning acoustics I have ever had the pleasure of performing in. The side walls are decorated with Romanesque and Gothic reliefs showing Christ’s life. Also, a lot of small chapels are added into the outer naves, but only some are open for prayers. A famous one is Nikolauskapelle (near the main gate), where a relic of St. Nikolaus is treasured. The side walls do have very nice stained glass windows, one of them is a storytelling window and tells about all events that happened in Worms in the past.
The choir’s performances of Schubert, Bruckner, Rachmaninov and Mozart were certainly enhanced by a 5 to 6 second echo that rang with a rare clarity and did not ever become muddy or distorted. Two excellent organs accompanied our singing… a significant 2 manual instrument behind the choir, and a huge romantic 3 manual instrument perched high above the nave in the middle of the Cathedral.
The Cathedral was the scene of several milestones of European history. In 1048, Bruno of Egisheim-Dagsburg was elected pope Leo IX here; in 1122, the Concordate of Worms ended the Investiture Contest, the struggle for supremacy between the emperor and the Church; and in 1521, Martin Luther was summoned by emperor Charles V to recant his teachings before the Diet of Worms, a historic assembly that was to change the history of Christianity.
The Cathedral is the burial site for the ancestors and members of the Salian dynasty, who had a castle in Worms until in the 11th century. In the Middle Ages, emperors paid the Cathedral numerous visits, and in the church or in its immediate surroundings, important political events took place, some of them sparking serious aftermaths.
The spectacular Baroque high altar by Balthasar Neumann was built after the city’s devastation in 1689, and is a breathtaking example of craftsmanship... covered in pure gold, and soaring high above the main altar. Another feature were the incredible hand carved choir stalls, also decorated with gold leaf, and featuring hundreds of faces of religious figures, instruments, angels and bishops.
Following the Mass, which was atended by about three or four hundred people, ended with a sustained ovation. Certainly it was a great way to start our tour.
We then changed into our warmer clothes and headed to various cafes and restaurants for warm coffee, gluwein and soups, chocolate cakes, and baked pastas to charge our batteries before we enjoyed a walking tour of the sights of Worms. Upon meeting our tour guides, we explored the ancient German city on foot, visiting sights including the oldest jewish synagogue in Germany. The city is known as a former center for Judaism. The Jewish community was established in the late 10th century, the first synagogue was erected in 1034. The Jewish Cemetary in Worms dating from the 11th century, is believed to be the oldest in Europe The Rashi Shul, a synagogue dating from 1175 and carefully reconstructed after its desecration on 'Crystal Night' is the oldest in Germany.
We also visited the Luther Memorial. In the year 1868, the world’s largest Reformation memorial was unveiled, created by Ernst Rietschel. Donations from Lutherans all over the world had helped to build the monument, which was set up in a park laid out in the former city moat. It the castle-shaped monument (inspired by Luther’s song A Mighty Fortress Is Our God), the history of the Reformation is told from pre-Reformation times to the 19th century. The statue of Martin Luther is posted in the centre, with forerunners of the Reformation at his foot. The embattlements are crowned with statues of noted contemporaries of Luther. Between them, allegorical figures represent cities that played a major role in the aftermath of the Reformation.
Another sight visited was the Trinity Church. After the city had been destroyed by a devastating blaze in 1689, the Lutherans of Worms build the baroque-style Trinity Church as a Reformation memorial church, seeking to outrival the Cathedral, which had remained Catholic. It was erected on the place of the Mint, which had also been destroyed in 1689, and which was—erroneously—believed to be the spot where ‘Luther professed his words’ (laying of the foundation stone 1709, consecration 1725). It is the city’s largest baroque church and as for its history the main church of the city’s Protestants. After the church had been heavily damaged in the second world war, works to restore the interior of the church in a modern way were finished in 1959.
Erected in 1905, the Hagen statue is one of the most popular monuments of the city. The bronze sculpture by the riverside reminds us of Hagen throwing the legendary treasure of the Nibelungen in the floods of the Rhine. The famous Nibelungenlied is set here in this city, and it is the starting point of the so-called ‘Nibelungen route’, the itinerary the Nibelungen followed on their way eastwards to Hungary, where they finally met their fate at king Attila’s court.
After Worms, we returned to our Hotel, for a night of drinking, singing, laughing and general noisiness... it was really great to see everyone, young and old, having such a fantastic time and getting on so well. This really is a great group of people to tour with.
Andrew Wailes
Sunday, 17 January 2010
MUCS 70th Anniversary Tour
written by Andrew Wailes
Our Etihad flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi was excellent. Brilliant food, excellent service, smooth flight and very comfortable. I actually managed to sleep more than I ever have before on a long haul flight, but that was probably due to the handful of valerian tablets I dosed myself up with after dinner!
We arrived in Abu Dhabi at dawn after a 15 hour flight. Brand new airport… the Arabs don’t muck around. Everything that opens and shuts, clean and efficient, and the fastest exit I have ever experienced in an international airport.
6 of us were on the flight and we were expecting to pay for a visa to be allowed to exit the airport, but were very pleased when we were told by the border guards that we were free to enter the city as long as we returned in time for our flight… hey stamped our passports, waved us through and no charge! Excellent.
I arranged for a mini bus to collect us – brand new Mercedes complete with soft leather seats etc, and we hit the Abu Dhabi expressway… no lights, boredered by green lawns and thousands of massive Palm trees, and a totally straight road with no speed limits. We were flying along at 155 kms an hour in no time!
First thing that struck us was the sky… a glowing red/pink colour, with the Moon, stars and Sun all present at once. Quite beautiful. The second thing was how flat it all was, we were surrounded by desert sands. Abu Dhabi is the capital city of, and the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates. It lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The entire city has been built during my own lifetime which is hard to believe… basically all the creation of Sheik Zayed who only recently died.
Our first stop was down town Abu Dhabi, and its magnificent skyscrapers, reclaimed islands, water front marinas and beaches, and vast shopping malls. We had a coffee in the Marina Mall as it as just opening and visited the top of the Marina Mall Tower, a massive tower with a revolving glass restaurant at the top with breathtaking views over the city.
We then spent some time on the beach, but were getting too hot so then headed for the Sheik Zayed Mosque, otherwise known as The Great Mosque.
The Sheik Zayed Mosque, is a stunningly beautiful building, with white marble domes which can be seen from far across Abu Dhabi, and as you enter the city from the airport. We arrived as the fire-like sun was rising above the Arabian desert in a red sky, and seeing this sensual group of massive white marble domes & towers illuminated under the soft-coloured sky was beautiful...you really felt like you were in an exotic far away place...
The Great Mosque has only been opened for about a year, having taken 13 years to complete. It is the 2nd or 3rd largest mosque in the world, covering 22,000 sq metres, and its surrounding grounds about the equivalent to 5 football grounds. Sheik Zayed (the Arab Sheik who basically created the city of Abu Dhabi the year I was born) has his grave here in a separate enclosure, strictly guarded and with musilim prayers constantly chanted over huge set of speakers, and strictly no cameras allowed. Visitors like myself are however allowed to visit the main mosque, and the outside if the building is as massive as it is beautiful. Made of pure white marble and gold, and surrounded by bright blue reflective pools, the building reminds me of a cross between the Kremlin Cathedrals and the great Taj Mahal. Inside is as stunning as the outside, vast spaces, domes, thousands of massive columns of white marble inlaid with mother of pearl and semi precious stones, extravagant overisized chandeliers, (7 in all, including the largest in the world, shipped in from Germany, adorned in 24 carot gold & covered in thousands of dazzling swarovski crystals). The main space is covered in an elaborate carpet, handwoven by 1,200 Iranian women, again the largest hand woven carpet in the world.
Abu Dhabi is a pretty amazing place. It began as sand, and in a few short decades it has become a major city. With many of the world’s tallest buildings being built there, its is fast becoming one of the great cities of the world. We were only there for a day but it was a great way to break the trip to Germany.
We departed on time but there were some delays landing at Frankfurt, due mainly to the chaos in Europe caused by the unusually cold weather and snow in Europe at the moment. It was quite strange to see Frankfurt, one of the world’s busiest and biggest airports completely covered in snow… totally white apart from lots of flashing lights! We cleared customs, jumped in the sky rail to transfer to terminal one, then got the train into the city, and the massive Hauptbahnhof (Main Rail Station) which is one of the biggest and busiest in Europe.
Heavy snow greeted us in Frankfurt, wit a lot of snow lying o the ground – unusual for Germany, but a nice atmosphere to start the tour with.
After checking in to the hotel, a group of us walked over to Romerburg, and for those visiting Frankfurt for the first time I did a bit of a brief on where things were and what they were etc, before we headed to the ‘Pauliner Hof’ behind the Church of St Bartholemeu (the ‘Dom’) for dinner. A traditional hotel / microbrewery and German restaurant was the perfect setting for our first meal in Germany.
Next morning snow had cleared and though overcast, was a pleasant 4 below zero. Gradually people descended on the old town , and our numbers grew from 6 to 40 in no time for the first walking tour at 8.30am. It was great to see all the familiar MUCS faces again, and hear of everyone’s travels, via distant lands as diverse as London, Seoul, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Singapore, Paris, and even Helsinki and Moscow! Finally MUCS were in Germany, and the tour was no longer a dream but a reality.
We enjoyed fantastic walking tour of Frankfurt and its fascinating sights, from the impressive Dom of St Batholomaus (venue for the coronation ceremonies for ten of the Holy Roman Emperors between 1562 and 1792), even though it was not actually a Cathedral), Roman ruins dating from 72 AD to the medieval churches and houses, through to the post-war reconstructions and the modern skyscrapers that give Frankfurt Europe’s tallest skyline. After a few hours the first group headed for the wonderful museums that line the River bank – the Boticelli Exhibition at the Stadt Gallery, the Jewish Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and Natural History Museum all popular. Sights visited included the Alte Nicholai Church, Rathaus, Oldest surviving house in Frankfurt, the Roman ruins, the Alte Stucke, the Jewish Holocaust Memorial, the old Jewish Cemetery (including the memorials to Anne Frank and her sister and the Rothschilds), the ‘Stumble Stones’, and lots of beautiful churches. Meanwhile another 30 or so people had arrived and began their walking tour at 11.30am, before we all headed to Sachsenhausen to the Dauth Sneider Restaurant, in an old traditional family owned ‘Apple Wine Pub’ where we feasted on Wurst, Sauerkraut, Pork knuckles, liver soup, bread, potatos and dumplings and drank the local Apple Wine Sachsenhausen is so famous for.
After lunch 70 of us recommenced the walking tour, crossing the River Main, and visiting the Church of the Knights Templar, dating from 1150 AD, as well as other sights such as the Stock Exchange, the Old Opera, the Ziel, St Leonard’s Church, Goethe Haus, the old medieval watch tower, city wall etc.
After a quick briefing in the Romerplatz outside the Old Nicholas Church we all headed our own ways for dinner. A large group of us visited the old tavern opposite the church, the oldest original house in Frankfurt still standing, dating from about 1400, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner and beer before making our way through the snow to our respective hotels.
Next day we had a free morning in Frankfurt for people to explore the city further, visit the museums and galleries, take more photos, enjoy the pubs and cafes or hit the Ziel for shopping before the tour officially began. At 2pm the entire group assembled for the first time, at the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, a magnificent structure in itself, and one of the world’s busiest railway stations. There we met the last few members of our part who had flown in from various parts of the world, as well as our two full time tour guides, the very entertaining Maritza and Greta, and boarded our two luxury coaches.
Driving through Frankfurt, across the River Main, and south, we headed for the Necar Valley, and to our Hotel in Schriesheim, just a little along the river from the ancient University town of Heidelberg. We arrived at the charming Hotel Scheid in time for drinks, and enjoyed a few hours to relax and unwind in the very comfortable and charming hotel bar before our first tour meal with everyone together at last. With snow falling outside, and the hotel set amongst hills and forests, it was a perfect setting for our first formal tour meal. German dumpling soup, piles and piles of vegies, with roast port and lost of it!!!
Saturday morning we rose early and enjoyed a huge breakfast, with a feast of old meats, cheeses, breads, cereals, sweets, fresh fruit, yogurts and even Tiramisu for the sweet tooths amongst us! We then boarded the busses, and headed for Heidelberg. A short drive away, we arrived to the stunning views of Heidelberg completely blanketed in snow… a rare treat indeed, and a beautiful sight to remember. We were met by our two very entertaining local tour guides and then embarked on a bus tour of the Neckar Valley, before leaving the busses at the Nackarmunzplatz and embarking on a walking tour of the town and the castle. Given the amount of snow on the ground we rode the Funincular (a steep railway that goes through a tunnel straight up the mountain to the castle) rather than walk, and then enjoyed a three hour tour of the huge red sandstone castle ruin and grounds. The castle is one of the greatest Gothic –Renaissance castles in Germany and is dominated by the great tower with its 26 foot thick walls that were blown up by the French in the late 17th century. We enterd the castle and explored the magnificent ruins of the Palace of Friedrich IV erected in 1601, and the ancient bell tower which dates from the early 1500s. We entered the great Wine Vat building, and saw the famous ‘Great Cask’ – the largest wine cask ever built – built in 1751 and capable of holding more than 208,000 litres of wine!
Whilst visiting the Great Cask, we were asked by the castle guardians to make an impromptu performance for the retired German President and his enterage of VIPs who were present. So, quite fittingly, our first official performance in Germany was for the former President, in the grounds of Heidelberg Castle, next to the world’s biggest wine cask!!! Our impromptu performance, with no music, was very well received and we celebrated with local wine, hot coffee and butter cake!
In freezing, windy conditions we then spent the rest of the day exploring the old university town and its churches, walkways, views and inns. Some of the highlights were the recently restored Jesuit Church, the imposing Heiliggeistkirche, the Marktplatz and its charming stalls, the student prison, the magnificent bridge and Philosophers Weg ( a winding train up the mountain over the other side of the River with stunning views of the Castle and City), and some of the 300 year old pubs and bars that are still serving gret food and beer. These included the famous student pub the ‘Red Ox Inn’ which opened in 1703 and has enjoyed guests ranging from Bismark to Mark Twain. Next door the ‘Zum Sepp’l’ bar (dating from 1634) was another student pub adorned wit graffiti and carvings on the walls and furniture dating back hundreds of years.
With the strong wind creating a wind-chill factor of around -10 degrees below freezing, the warm bus trip home to our comfortable hotel was enjoyed by all, and we enjoyed another dinner at the Hotel Scheid before a short rehearsal in the restaurant which gave us all a chance to run through things before our first big performance in the morning at the Imperial Cathedral of Worms. It also gave Rod a chance to try out his new recording gear and test the remote system he is using to record our performances with.
Our Etihad flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi was excellent. Brilliant food, excellent service, smooth flight and very comfortable. I actually managed to sleep more than I ever have before on a long haul flight, but that was probably due to the handful of valerian tablets I dosed myself up with after dinner!
We arrived in Abu Dhabi at dawn after a 15 hour flight. Brand new airport… the Arabs don’t muck around. Everything that opens and shuts, clean and efficient, and the fastest exit I have ever experienced in an international airport.
6 of us were on the flight and we were expecting to pay for a visa to be allowed to exit the airport, but were very pleased when we were told by the border guards that we were free to enter the city as long as we returned in time for our flight… hey stamped our passports, waved us through and no charge! Excellent.
I arranged for a mini bus to collect us – brand new Mercedes complete with soft leather seats etc, and we hit the Abu Dhabi expressway… no lights, boredered by green lawns and thousands of massive Palm trees, and a totally straight road with no speed limits. We were flying along at 155 kms an hour in no time!
First thing that struck us was the sky… a glowing red/pink colour, with the Moon, stars and Sun all present at once. Quite beautiful. The second thing was how flat it all was, we were surrounded by desert sands. Abu Dhabi is the capital city of, and the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates. It lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The entire city has been built during my own lifetime which is hard to believe… basically all the creation of Sheik Zayed who only recently died.
Our first stop was down town Abu Dhabi, and its magnificent skyscrapers, reclaimed islands, water front marinas and beaches, and vast shopping malls. We had a coffee in the Marina Mall as it as just opening and visited the top of the Marina Mall Tower, a massive tower with a revolving glass restaurant at the top with breathtaking views over the city.
We then spent some time on the beach, but were getting too hot so then headed for the Sheik Zayed Mosque, otherwise known as The Great Mosque.
The Sheik Zayed Mosque, is a stunningly beautiful building, with white marble domes which can be seen from far across Abu Dhabi, and as you enter the city from the airport. We arrived as the fire-like sun was rising above the Arabian desert in a red sky, and seeing this sensual group of massive white marble domes & towers illuminated under the soft-coloured sky was beautiful...you really felt like you were in an exotic far away place...
The Great Mosque has only been opened for about a year, having taken 13 years to complete. It is the 2nd or 3rd largest mosque in the world, covering 22,000 sq metres, and its surrounding grounds about the equivalent to 5 football grounds. Sheik Zayed (the Arab Sheik who basically created the city of Abu Dhabi the year I was born) has his grave here in a separate enclosure, strictly guarded and with musilim prayers constantly chanted over huge set of speakers, and strictly no cameras allowed. Visitors like myself are however allowed to visit the main mosque, and the outside if the building is as massive as it is beautiful. Made of pure white marble and gold, and surrounded by bright blue reflective pools, the building reminds me of a cross between the Kremlin Cathedrals and the great Taj Mahal. Inside is as stunning as the outside, vast spaces, domes, thousands of massive columns of white marble inlaid with mother of pearl and semi precious stones, extravagant overisized chandeliers, (7 in all, including the largest in the world, shipped in from Germany, adorned in 24 carot gold & covered in thousands of dazzling swarovski crystals). The main space is covered in an elaborate carpet, handwoven by 1,200 Iranian women, again the largest hand woven carpet in the world.
Abu Dhabi is a pretty amazing place. It began as sand, and in a few short decades it has become a major city. With many of the world’s tallest buildings being built there, its is fast becoming one of the great cities of the world. We were only there for a day but it was a great way to break the trip to Germany.
We departed on time but there were some delays landing at Frankfurt, due mainly to the chaos in Europe caused by the unusually cold weather and snow in Europe at the moment. It was quite strange to see Frankfurt, one of the world’s busiest and biggest airports completely covered in snow… totally white apart from lots of flashing lights! We cleared customs, jumped in the sky rail to transfer to terminal one, then got the train into the city, and the massive Hauptbahnhof (Main Rail Station) which is one of the biggest and busiest in Europe.
Heavy snow greeted us in Frankfurt, wit a lot of snow lying o the ground – unusual for Germany, but a nice atmosphere to start the tour with.
After checking in to the hotel, a group of us walked over to Romerburg, and for those visiting Frankfurt for the first time I did a bit of a brief on where things were and what they were etc, before we headed to the ‘Pauliner Hof’ behind the Church of St Bartholemeu (the ‘Dom’) for dinner. A traditional hotel / microbrewery and German restaurant was the perfect setting for our first meal in Germany.
Next morning snow had cleared and though overcast, was a pleasant 4 below zero. Gradually people descended on the old town , and our numbers grew from 6 to 40 in no time for the first walking tour at 8.30am. It was great to see all the familiar MUCS faces again, and hear of everyone’s travels, via distant lands as diverse as London, Seoul, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Singapore, Paris, and even Helsinki and Moscow! Finally MUCS were in Germany, and the tour was no longer a dream but a reality.
We enjoyed fantastic walking tour of Frankfurt and its fascinating sights, from the impressive Dom of St Batholomaus (venue for the coronation ceremonies for ten of the Holy Roman Emperors between 1562 and 1792), even though it was not actually a Cathedral), Roman ruins dating from 72 AD to the medieval churches and houses, through to the post-war reconstructions and the modern skyscrapers that give Frankfurt Europe’s tallest skyline. After a few hours the first group headed for the wonderful museums that line the River bank – the Boticelli Exhibition at the Stadt Gallery, the Jewish Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and Natural History Museum all popular. Sights visited included the Alte Nicholai Church, Rathaus, Oldest surviving house in Frankfurt, the Roman ruins, the Alte Stucke, the Jewish Holocaust Memorial, the old Jewish Cemetery (including the memorials to Anne Frank and her sister and the Rothschilds), the ‘Stumble Stones’, and lots of beautiful churches. Meanwhile another 30 or so people had arrived and began their walking tour at 11.30am, before we all headed to Sachsenhausen to the Dauth Sneider Restaurant, in an old traditional family owned ‘Apple Wine Pub’ where we feasted on Wurst, Sauerkraut, Pork knuckles, liver soup, bread, potatos and dumplings and drank the local Apple Wine Sachsenhausen is so famous for.
After lunch 70 of us recommenced the walking tour, crossing the River Main, and visiting the Church of the Knights Templar, dating from 1150 AD, as well as other sights such as the Stock Exchange, the Old Opera, the Ziel, St Leonard’s Church, Goethe Haus, the old medieval watch tower, city wall etc.
After a quick briefing in the Romerplatz outside the Old Nicholas Church we all headed our own ways for dinner. A large group of us visited the old tavern opposite the church, the oldest original house in Frankfurt still standing, dating from about 1400, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner and beer before making our way through the snow to our respective hotels.
Next day we had a free morning in Frankfurt for people to explore the city further, visit the museums and galleries, take more photos, enjoy the pubs and cafes or hit the Ziel for shopping before the tour officially began. At 2pm the entire group assembled for the first time, at the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, a magnificent structure in itself, and one of the world’s busiest railway stations. There we met the last few members of our part who had flown in from various parts of the world, as well as our two full time tour guides, the very entertaining Maritza and Greta, and boarded our two luxury coaches.
Driving through Frankfurt, across the River Main, and south, we headed for the Necar Valley, and to our Hotel in Schriesheim, just a little along the river from the ancient University town of Heidelberg. We arrived at the charming Hotel Scheid in time for drinks, and enjoyed a few hours to relax and unwind in the very comfortable and charming hotel bar before our first tour meal with everyone together at last. With snow falling outside, and the hotel set amongst hills and forests, it was a perfect setting for our first formal tour meal. German dumpling soup, piles and piles of vegies, with roast port and lost of it!!!
Saturday morning we rose early and enjoyed a huge breakfast, with a feast of old meats, cheeses, breads, cereals, sweets, fresh fruit, yogurts and even Tiramisu for the sweet tooths amongst us! We then boarded the busses, and headed for Heidelberg. A short drive away, we arrived to the stunning views of Heidelberg completely blanketed in snow… a rare treat indeed, and a beautiful sight to remember. We were met by our two very entertaining local tour guides and then embarked on a bus tour of the Neckar Valley, before leaving the busses at the Nackarmunzplatz and embarking on a walking tour of the town and the castle. Given the amount of snow on the ground we rode the Funincular (a steep railway that goes through a tunnel straight up the mountain to the castle) rather than walk, and then enjoyed a three hour tour of the huge red sandstone castle ruin and grounds. The castle is one of the greatest Gothic –Renaissance castles in Germany and is dominated by the great tower with its 26 foot thick walls that were blown up by the French in the late 17th century. We enterd the castle and explored the magnificent ruins of the Palace of Friedrich IV erected in 1601, and the ancient bell tower which dates from the early 1500s. We entered the great Wine Vat building, and saw the famous ‘Great Cask’ – the largest wine cask ever built – built in 1751 and capable of holding more than 208,000 litres of wine!
Whilst visiting the Great Cask, we were asked by the castle guardians to make an impromptu performance for the retired German President and his enterage of VIPs who were present. So, quite fittingly, our first official performance in Germany was for the former President, in the grounds of Heidelberg Castle, next to the world’s biggest wine cask!!! Our impromptu performance, with no music, was very well received and we celebrated with local wine, hot coffee and butter cake!
In freezing, windy conditions we then spent the rest of the day exploring the old university town and its churches, walkways, views and inns. Some of the highlights were the recently restored Jesuit Church, the imposing Heiliggeistkirche, the Marktplatz and its charming stalls, the student prison, the magnificent bridge and Philosophers Weg ( a winding train up the mountain over the other side of the River with stunning views of the Castle and City), and some of the 300 year old pubs and bars that are still serving gret food and beer. These included the famous student pub the ‘Red Ox Inn’ which opened in 1703 and has enjoyed guests ranging from Bismark to Mark Twain. Next door the ‘Zum Sepp’l’ bar (dating from 1634) was another student pub adorned wit graffiti and carvings on the walls and furniture dating back hundreds of years.
With the strong wind creating a wind-chill factor of around -10 degrees below freezing, the warm bus trip home to our comfortable hotel was enjoyed by all, and we enjoyed another dinner at the Hotel Scheid before a short rehearsal in the restaurant which gave us all a chance to run through things before our first big performance in the morning at the Imperial Cathedral of Worms. It also gave Rod a chance to try out his new recording gear and test the remote system he is using to record our performances with.
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