We had just 2 days of our holiday left (6 days more of the 30-day blog challenge) and today we really looked forward to seeing the renowned Nürburgring. One of the highlights was the opportunity to be driven around the circuit by an experienced driver. I was not too sure that it was something I would do for, as much as I enjoy watching F1 racing, I don’t think that I could be driven at such speed.
As I mentioned in my previous blog, we had been advised to catch a train from Andernach at 11:00, change trains at Remagen in 3mins and then take a bus the final few kms. After wandering around Andernach itself for a couple of hours we went to catch the train. It was about a 20mins train ride to Remagen so we set off with confidence but we should have known better. At the approach to Remagen Station the train had to stop on a level crossing for 5 minutes! Guess what? That meant that we did not manage to make our connection. Like Swiss trains, German trains do not wait.
This meant that we were stuck in Remagen until after 4pm when the next train which will stop at both Remagen and Andernach would arrive. So we put on our ‘let’s see what the town offers’ minds and decided to make the best of the situation and were very glad we did. Remagen turned out to be very interesting.
As we entered the town there was a small square with some lovely sculptures of children and ‘fairies’. They were so beautifully done and made such a lovely entrance to the town. Further on there was a beautiful statue of the Madonna and also a plaque commemorating St Martin, Patron Saint of Remagen.
As we walked further into the town we discovered a welcoming town or market square. Shops, a library and a post office were set out around the square. From there we walked down a steep street which took us to the bank of the Rhine River. To the left we found the Tourist Office and found a lot of information on Remagen itself. As with Andernach it played an important part in the 2nd World War.
Towers of the Bridge at RemagenIn March 1945 the Ludedorff Bridge, or Bridge at Remagen, was one of only 2 bridges across the Rhine still intact. The Americans captured the bridge and succeeded in getting 25 000 troops and equipment into the towns of Remagen and Andernach. 10 days after its capture the Germans, who had tried numerous times, were finally successful in blowing up the bridge killing 18 US engineers. The bridge was never rebuilt but the 2 towers on the western side have now been developed into a museum about the history of the bridge.
From the Tourist Office we walked in the opposite direction to look at the remains of the bridge but we did not go into the museum. We took a break to eat our late lunch while watching the river traffic. This was something of which I do not feel I could tire.
We returned to Andernach on the 4pm train sorry that we had not seen the race track but very happy to have discovered a town which was new to us. As I have said all along, travel is all about fun and seeing new things.
The following day was to be our last before leaving for home in the evening. We caught the train to Frankfurt and left our luggage at the station while we took a tour of the city. First we visited the outdoor science museum of the University of Frankfurt. It is a most amazing set up with fossils, plants and examples of extinct animals on the central island of the street with explanations on what each is.
Trevor in Frankfurt outside the Stock Exchange
From there we made our way to the city centre and to the German Dax Bourse with its 2 sculptures of a Bull and a Bear. These are the symbols of a Stock Exchange. At the end of the day we returned to the station to make our way to the airport to catch the plane back to South Africa. An absolutely wonderful holiday and we learnt so much.
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