Sunday - mostly sitting

Time to pack up and go home!
We treated ourselves to our last German hotel breakfast this morning (sigh). Metropolitan by Fleming claims to have the best breakfast in Frankfurt. If you look at the video you will agree with her.

We then had the painful job of trying to squash our original clothes, etc, and all the stuff we have bought since (only three jigsaw puzzles, Your Honour!) into our two suitcases.

We had bought Neil a new suitcase yesterday, with double rollers to cope with the cobblestones. We left the previous one (used only twice) with the concierge, who instantly found it a good home with a junior staff member.

The day was heating up (high of 34C forecast). We crossed the road to the Hautbahnhof (last sentimental shot - no more trains). Here, after five days, we found an Apotheke open for a couple of routine purchases.

As our flight to Singapore was not leaving until 9.50 tonight, we had planned to take a taxi to Galleria and hide out in aitl-onditioned comfort. But no, it was a Sunday. Shut.
So we adopted Plan B: taxi to the airport and relax until the flight was due.

It’s a huge, modern and comfortable airport, but there was a Through the Looking Glass quality to the advice we got on where to go. One staff member said Hall A. Another Hall C . The solution was Hall B.

So many destinations. One , composed of seven cosonants and one vowel, I could neither pronounce or find on a map (guess: Poland). A lazy afternoon reading and watching the world go by.

Last shots of Hamburg: the mighty Alte Oper, or old opera house, built in 1880, blasted to bits in 1944 and copletely rebuilt. Currently playing Cats (one of many revivals worldwide for the show’s 50th anniversary). A wall full of cuckoo clocks (I saved up to buy one at 13, bought it home, and discovered it went BONG! Cuckoo! Every 15 minutes. Shifted to the end of the hall). And Paddington Bear’s rather threatening Uncle Otto. Maybe not a gift for a small child, but he would sure keep the burglars away!

And everywhere in Frankfurt, Goethe, the city’s most famous citizen. In the hotel (painting) and life-sized in a café at the airport.

Frankfurt, Auf Wedersehen.En savoir plus