Bamberg

We wandered down the street to have breakfast in a café, but not until 9am. It was a fantastic, warm spring day. We went around the town a little and up to the Catherdral and another church up on the high side of town. The biggest church is closed for renovations, and we have seen the many city buildings severeal times before. When Bamberg was a regional powerhouse the administrators had the high side and churches, while the people had the low side and businesses, with the town hall on the very border. It was the burghers saying their admin was as good as that of the lords and nobles.

We met Max on the Rathaus bridge at 11:30, walked around, then had a coffee before he had to head home to see Jens, who was not well. His is not the easiest of lives.

The afternoon was spent wandering around bits of Bamberg we had seen before, but only ever in winter (seeing Karl Orff's house again, the flying fox again, the cricket ground (for us) again, the river, the Rathaus etc), then going to Ilke’s flute practice for 40 mins. It was in the same street as the laundromat from the day before, so we knew exactly where to go. She really is good, and her teacher was delighted we came. Ilke also ha a favour to ask of us, which was on a secret English project we had to keep hidden from Max.

Anne had mapped out dinner – two of Bamberg’s eight breweries were in the same street as the music lesson, so we tried the first one. It was simple Bavarian (or Frankish) pub life at its best, in a brewery that opened in 1649. It was crowded with non-tourists playing cards, talking and ordering very large (750ml?) glasses of beer. Dinner was simple pub food, but in massive amounts, and very good beer. After that we walked back through the town by going over a different bridge, from where we could see a SUP paddle-boarder on a very flat and still river, then back to the centre of town while the light was still so good.

Tomorrow is a train to... drum roll... Luebeck, but not until 9:42am.

19,124 steps, 14.5km and 6 flights…Baca selengkapnya