Nordrhein-Westfalen: Aachen, Düsseldorf and Köln
/I had moved to Mainz for work, but it was only for a month before moving back to Australia. There were things I wanted to get finished, but this was not going to stop me from enjoying my weekends. Indeed, there were two things I wanted to see in Germany before I left: Berlin and Neuschwanstein. In addition to this, I had friends I wanted to visit in both Köln and Hamburg. This provided four clear places to go and I had four weekends with which to go - it was all very convenient.
Lessons learnt
Leaving Paris was a draining task mentally, but also physically. A late afternoon train from Paris to my new home of Mainz meant a late evening changeover in Mannheim and me struggling to stay awake. My accommodation in Mainz had been organised, but one my first trip to Germany I learnt - at a cost - not to try and get access to an apartment after hours. So I took refuge in the Hotel Königshof across from the train station, which was a great idea. The next morning saw me deliciously satiated after a buffet breakfast and causing inconvenience on a very crowded bus to the university with all my luggage. I made my way to the physics department, where I would meet the secretary of the professor with whom I would be working, who had organised my accommodation and contract. My apartment was close to the university and dutifully, she had organised everything for my after-hours arrival, leaving my access card with campus security. However, as I arrived during business hours we went to collect everything together and it was during this process I was vindicated in my decision to stay at a hotel the night before. Firstly, with the directions I had been provided, the security post would have been near impossible to find, and moreover, it was only staffed during the day - after hours you needed to place a phone call, and my German is not sufficient to ensure that was a smooth process. Then there was finding the accommodation, an apartment building which is part of a larger complex of student accommodation was is extremely difficult to navigate. Finally, there was the access card, which it turned out had not been registered and did not function, and I had to be issued with a new one from access control, which is only open during business hours. So not only had my fears of difficult access to the apartment been justified, they had been justified many times over. But I did eventually get access to my apartment, a spacious studio overlooking fields, and I also got access to the university systems, so relatively quickly I could settle into a normal routine. The university is somewhat isolated from the city of Mainz, and as I was staying near the university - on the "wrong" side to the city - I was even more isolated. Except if I wanted to go to the new stadium, or interact with the sea of workers building the new tram line out to said stadium. Otherwise, there was essentially nothing in the area. My priority was to get some food, for which I visited what I thought was the closest supermarket; however, this was only close under the metric of as the crow flies, taking about 30 minutes to walk there. Moreover, it was a pretty average supermarket, but after looking a little further afield, I found a much newer and better-stocked Rewe, which was also a shorter walk at 20 minutes, despite being further away. But perhaps the most comforting experience occurred when I connected to the network in my apartment and ran a speedtest: 825/727 Mbps. Let's just say that after this, moving back to Australia was a bit of a shock, where on a good day I might get 10/0.7 Mbps.
When it comes to travelling in Germany, I have been fortunate to have done a fair bit of it and by far the best way to get around is by train. Whilst you can talk at length with any German and hear the woes of DB and how they provide terrible service, but it is indeed a fantastic service. It becomes even better when you travel for many days in a fixed period of time, for example, every weekend during one month, as German Rail Passes offer such arrangements for greatly reduced costs. It was for this reason I purchased 10-day flexi pass, which is usually more than 300 €, but there just happened to be a sale at the time and I paid only 254 €, which meant that my travel for the rest of the month was sorted. The only thing to figure out were the destinations.
I had some friends I wanted to visit in Köln, but as I had been there previously, I wanted to profit from being in the area and see something new. The nearby town of Aachen had always held great interest for me, so I formulated a plan to spend the Saturday there and then make my way to Köln on Sunday.
Aachen
Armed with my rail pass, I made my way to the station on Saturday morning for the trip to Aachen. Depending on connections, it can take between 2h30 and 3h00 to get there with either one of two stops. I was taking the slightly slower route with a single change in Köln, but perhaps the most remarkable event of the morning was witnessing a train pull into Mainz HBF from Amsterdam, bound for somewhere in eastern Europe - I think it was Budapest? A bit of searching online brings up the party train, but it was the wrong time of year. In any case, it was raucous, with bodies out the window, music pumping and a general vibe of "getting trashed". An interesting sight, and pretty committed given it was 0800! Once the party train had left, it was not long until my train arrived and I was on my way.
Aachen is a town located near both near the Dutch and Belgian borders and is the westernmost German city. The area has evidence of occupation for approximately 5,000 years, owing to an abundance of flint and also numerous hot springs. The city was eventually settled by the Celts which was subsequently taken by the Romans in 124 CE and the spa town of Aquae Granni was established. Indeed, the name Aquae Granni means "water of Grannus", the Celtic god of healing, but also spas and springs. The town would go on to be taken by the Franks, and eventually, become the effective the seat of the Frankish king, beginning with Pepin the Short but of more significance, Pepin's second successor Charles I, or Charlemagne, made it his imperial residence. It would once again have time in the sun with the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire being crowned in the city until 1531. Things would become complicated for the city, with invasions from the Spanish, French, Allied occupation and eventually the USA. Nowadays, the city is known for its university and chocolate factory, along with the relics which survive from the glory days. It also stands as a city with a tremendous diversity of names across languages, known as Oche in the local dialect, Aix-la-Chapelle in French and English of old and Aachen in German and modern English.
The Aachen train station is about 1 kilometre from the action and so I made my way into the old town. The first point on interest is the Elisenbrunnen which serves to an entrance to the Elisengarten, but moreover the town. The building is impressive, representing the spa culture of the town and is a reconstruction of the original building 19th Century building which was destroyed - along with the rest of Aachen - at the end of WW2.
The old town is tiny, and consequently, once you arrive you can see all the main attractions. The primary reason for my interest in Aachen was the heritage of Charlemagne, notably the Aachener Dom which was build at his behest. Construction began in 796 and the chapel was consecrated in 805, making it one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe and the oldest in northern Europe. It has suffered throughout the ages, from viking raids to Allied bombings and consequently has been repaired and renovated many times. Despite this, much of the original structure remains in some form or another and consequently is a UNESCO world heritage site and the first listed in Germany.
The building is certainly striking, having been built with multiple styles; however at first sight I was more stuck by the surrounding Münsterplatz, which is absolutely gorgeous. Given it was midday, I though I would roll the dice and hope other people would be eating lunch rather than exploring a cathedral. I was not correct, but I was not wrong either, with plenty of room to move about, which was good given how pokey the place is. The design is centred on a central octagon in the Byzantine style which was capped with dome. After this things went a little wild, with the addition of a Gothic choir in the late 14th century, modelled on my favourite building in Paris, la Sainte-Chapelle du Palais. Nowadays, the cathedral is famed for its many relics, including the throne of Charlemagne and the Karlsschrein (the shrine of Chalmagne), as well as its gaudy interior, with golden mosaics adoring almost all available space on the ceiling. Visiting was fascinating, but much like visiting any other cathedral, was largely unremarkable. That is with the exception of being that guy, waiting for the right time and then executing the photo from the centre of the cathedral, up throught the Barbarossaleuchter.
After my religious exploits for the day, it was definitely lunch time. With only a little wandering, I came across a delicious looking bakery MOSS am Dom, from where I picked up a sandwich and headed to the Katschhof, the square just to the north of the cathedral where I found a seat and enjoyed life.
Having finished my lunch but continuing to enjoy life, I continued on my tour of the town, which essentially involved turning around to the northern side of the Katschhof, where the Aachener Rathaus is located. The town hall has its beginnings in the palace of Charlemagne, which connected the modern day town hall with the cathedral. The cathedral is comprised of original structures, whereas the oldest element of the town hall is the Granus Tower, constructed at the end of the 8th century. This is the only surviving element from the palace days, with the modern building having been completed in 1349. Unfortunately, like many buildings in Aachen, it was subject to much torment, having been burnt during the great fire of Aachen in 1656 and then again, although this time much more severely in 1883. The building was dutifully rebuilt and restored, evolving with the style of the time, but it would be people that would cause the greatest damage, with a post WW1 Rhenish republican separatist movement inflicting massive damage, although not structurally, which would be provided by the bombing of the city during WW2. Miraculously, the building didn't collapse, but to save it was a massive effort, with the restoration of the building being completed in 1979.
My visit would be limited to the exterior, as I could not face the entering and had received a tip from colleagues from work that it was not worth it. The exterior is pretty, especially from the Marktplatz which is home to a large fountain, adorned with a statue of Charlemagne. But like many Marktplatz, it is the magnet for tourists, scammers and expensive shops. It was around this time that I decided to track down my accommodation, the Hotel Benelux and dump my stuff. The hotel was a bit out of town, but in Aachen, this corresponds to a 10 minute walk. The place was uninteresting, except that is, for the emergency exit procedure which required one to break a glass panel (relatively normal) to get the key for the exit (much less normal).
After recharging for a bit, I made my way back into town largely contented with what I had seen. I had plans to take a few photos once the light became a little friendlier, but otherwise, I was not interested in further sightseeing. Consequently, I did what I consider the correct German thing, which is find a brasserie where I could get a beer with a good view and enjoy the nice weather. I ended up at Lasaro, which has a fantastic location, and I once again sat and enjoyed life - along with doing my German language homework.
As the sun was getting low, I made my way back to the Katschhof, where I hoped I would be treated to a light show over the cathedral. Certainly the light was better, but it wasn't the burning sunset that I had hoped for. But once again, it was a nice place to sit and enjoy reading a book whilst watching the transition from day to night and also from natural to artificial light. After some time, I needed to get some food. During my downtime, I had been doing some research, namely where is the best döner kebab in Aachen? As I had only recently moved back to Germany, I wanted to fill of the local specialities. Having had a few döner in my time, I would say German döner are in line with my tastes. So the consensus on the internet was Sultans Of Kebap, a short stroll north of the centre. This was definitely the happening district, with the average age dropping with every step northward and the nightlife becoming more outlandish. In any case, it was clear that Sultans Of Kebap was an institution, being absolutely packed and with a significant line, but it looked like the real deal, so I committed. Perhaps it was because I had not had a döner in quite some time (or meat for that matter) but it was absolutely delicious, and the chips were on point. Definitely a good decision.
After dinner, I only had one mission which was to return to my hotel, but it was during this time I had one of those surreal experiences which you can have when wandering the streets of places where history is waiting around every corner. That is not to detract from the natural world, which captures my imagine much more than anything made by man, but when the conditions are just right, and you are wandering through the grounds of the palace of Charlemagne; it is night and you actually have the place to yourself. The experience is further heightened after leaving a place which is viscerally alive, in my case the student party district on a Saturday night, and transitioning into a moment of solitude, but with the weight of the stories of all who have come before, and the sheer wonder at that which they created. It is a difficult feeling to describe, but I have been lucky enough to experience it a few times, and been aware enough to enjoy it when it has happened. It was the perfect way to end my evening and was by far and away the highlight of my trip to Aachen.
Düsseldorf und Köln
During the night, the favours had shifted and the cracking autumn day of Saturday was replaced with a thick mist and the dreariness that the region is known for set in. I had plans to meet friends in Köln for lunch, which left me with a free morning. Rather than spend my time in Aachen, I decided to go to Düsseldorf, which is just downstream of Köln, is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia and the centre of the urban mass that is the Rhine-Ruhr region. The city's history is not as rich as the surrounding cities and hence is often overlooked, despite being one of the largest cities in Germany. The city's prosperity has had ebbs and flows, but the high watermark was during the industrial revolution which was followed by the low point: its complete obliteration during WW2. The city was made the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1946 and due to the strategic importance of the region, its reconstruction was frantic. Today it is an an economic hub, but does not have any major draw cards for the discerning traveller. But with a bit of time to kill, I thought I would check it out.
The train ride from Aachen to Düsseldorf is about 1h30 and the station is about one and a half kilometres for the old town. Given my commitments in Köln, I had approximately one hour to explore the city, which would involve walking into town, wandering around for a while and then walking back to the station. Being a Sunday morning, there were scant many people, which I absolutely adore. The first point of interest I came across was the Kögraben, a delightful canal-like pond which form part of the Königsallee, which is basically the fancy road of the town. As always, my interest was getting to the Marktplatz which when coming from the station is connected via Berger Straße and Marktstraße, which are some of the nicer streets in the altstadt. Arriving at the town centre, one is greeted by the Rathaus Düsseldorf but perhaps more impressively, the Jan-Wellem-Denkmal, a both gorgeous and enormous baroque statue by Gabriel de Grupello of the Elector Palatine Johann Wilhelm.
Down on the the waterfront of the Rhine is the Rheinwerft, a pedestrian walkway which evidently hosts a market on Sunday morning - or at least on the Sunday morning that I visited. From here one has a view of the brutalist architecture which is common in the region, with the Rheinkniebrücke upstream and beyond that looms the Rheinturm, a 250 metre communications tower which now also operates as an observation deck. Time was not on my side, so I would not have to make the decision of whether that would a worthwhile experience, although my money is on "probably not". I took a different route back to the station and passed by some more modern buildings, including the Kö-Bogen building which upon researching seems to be a swish shopping centre, had the exterior had some cool design features.
Back at the train station, I boarded a train headed for Köln for which the journey is only about 0h30. I arrived more-or-less on time and made my way to our designated meeting spot, the Römisches Nordtor, or northern Roman gate. It is often worth taking stock of these moments, as I am meeting some friends, former Australians no less, at a Roman gate in a German city, directly in front of one of the most impressive cathedrals in existence; what a trip!
I had visited Köln for the first time in 2011 and fall in love with the city. Yes it is industrial, yes it is grimy but there is something to the grittiness of the city that just resonated with me. I should say that this may also have been due to my friend and her partner, both of whom took a day to guide me around the city and were incredibly well versed on the city's history and then capped it off with a traditional dinner. Indeed, it was my express purpose for visiting Köln to visit this friend, along with some other friends from Australia whom also live in Köln, so I was not going to play tourist, but rather enjoy the company of friends.
For lunch, we went to Bastians, which was a cool bakery/brunch looking place, pretty uncommon for Europe. The food was both interesting and delicious, with a soup that somehow involved apple and top-tier bread. There was also a delicious looking treat selection, but my afternoon catch up was coffee and cake, so I held off. After a good catch up, we walked to the tram station where I boarded the number 12 in the direction of Zollstock Südfriedhof and then followed the directions my friend had given me. Initially we planned to meet in the city, but as they had recently had a child, it was easier if I went out to their place. I found it an interesting experience as one tends not to go out into the residential suburbs of cities as a tourist, and it can really alter your perceptions of a place. Especially for an industrial town, I was stuck by the sheer amount of greenery, in addition to the quaintness of the hamlet where they lived. Upon my arrival, we went to a nearby cafe and picked up a few cakes before returning to their place and having afternoon tea. It was a great way to pass an afternoon. As the day stretched on and it was time to return to Mainz, I was kindly offered a lift back to the station and consequently experienced driving on German roads for the first time. With only a few minutes at the train station, I tried to recreate a photo I had taken back in 2011 which I quite fancied, but thought I could do better. Unfortunately for me, the universe did not play along and I didn't have the time to get what I wanted, primarily as I wanted to catch the fast connection to Mainz via Frankfurt airport which is only 1h20 rather than 2h00 direct. Perhaps next time I will have better luck.