Day Three: Aachen

I've just been corrected on my pronunciation of Aachen by the trendy hipster bar lady.

The fruit was still covered in flies this morning, so had an apple for my vitamins.  Caught the train out of Düsseldorf at 9am and arrived in Aachen after a very efficient ride through the industrial scenery.   

As soon as you walk out of Aachen station you are reminded of its equestrian heritage.  The first of many statues of horses stand in the square outside the entrance.

I romped into the city centre.  Aachen, unlike much of the region, is quite hilly.  The little streets and modestly impressive buildings make the centre quite attractive.  Being a Sunday in Germany, most shops were shut.  The only significant activity was the taking down of the structures for the Christmas market; vans and 4x4 pulled amazingly long flat bed trailers loaded with huge sheds.

I found the tourist information office - which was open.  An attractive and helpful woman behind the counter took great care and attention in helping me find the route to the football and equestrian stadiums, located to the north of the centre.  I was given a map and about three carefully selected photocopies of bus timetables and told to wait at bus stop 4 for the 11:02 departure of the number 51 bus.

At 11:18 I gave up waiting (I suspect the 51's route had been modified lately) and decided to walk up over the big hill to Soers area (a flat bit).  As I arrived 20 minutes later, and noticed that the number 51 bus service was clearly in service - I'd take the bus back.

The football stadium - home of Alemannia Aachen - was striking in its form and colour.  A modern and well designed football stadium, its yellow cladding was beaming in the winter sunshine. 

A new pedestrian footbridge provided a good view of the stadium and the neighbouring showgrounds - home of the world renowned CHIO-Aachen.  To provide a step free route, the bridge was a S-shaped ramp.  Great design. 

Next door the grounds of the CHIO-Aachen showground could be explored around the perimeter.  Two large stadiums, various open areas and a well equipped stabling area could all be seen at close hand.

Behind the grounds, open countryside and the borders of either Belgium and the Netherlands could be seen on the horizon (probably both - all three countries join at Aachen).  The fields contained obstacles used in the international carriage driving competitions. 

I spent two hours exploring the area.  And another half hour waiting in the cold for the next number 51 bus. 

Once back in Aachen I went inside the very well decorated and quite small cathedral and inside the historic town hall. I saw a cocker spaniel in a bakery.  However, most of the shops were shut but I did have a hot chocolate in a charioteers who sold you a block of chocolate and cup of hot milk.  

The train ride home was equally as uneventful as the ride to Aachen. 

Back in the trendy hipster bar.  Had a chat with the friendly trendy bar lady.  She spent some time in Cambridge as a nanny.  Hamburg is her favourite German city.  She has been to Berlin and enjoyed that. 

Just half a day tomorrow before I fly out. 

I wonder what Düsseldorf is like. 

 

Day two: Wuppertal, Cologne and Bonn (a bit too much for one day).

Up before dawn and before most other guests in the hotel.  Had a perfectly OK budget hotel breakfast.  I wasn’t sure about the dozen fruit flies that flew out of the fruit salad, but I needed the vitamins (from the fruit, not the flies). 

Still in the dark, I caught the tram to the Hautbahnhof (central station) and a very friendly railwayman with a big beard recommended that I get a regional travel day ticket.   With this I can travel on any form of public transport in North Rhine Westphalia, so long as it wasn’t an intercity or international train.

Caught the first regional train to Wuppertal, home of a famous overhead railway.  The journey to Wuppertal was uneventful, other than seeing many large industrial chemical works. 

The Wuppertal overhead railway thingy was very impressive.  I stood right under the track to take a photo of a passing train.  As it whizzed by a large quantity of water was dumped from the track on to the pavement to the side of me; a good job I was stood to the side. 

 

The stations look like something from an antique fairground.  And this is appropriate, as the ride quality on the overhead railway was reminiscent of an antique fairground ride.  The carriages swayed from side to side at the station, presenting a challenge to those boarding and alighting.  As the train moved quickly off, the ride quality was a little bumpy.

The overhead railway follows the route of the river Wupper, a fast flowing river (presumably not navigable) that goes along the valley occupied by the city it gives its name to.  As the river twisted through the valley bottom, so did the overhead railway, making the carriage sway and bank as it sped along. 

After getting out and walking through the town centre, I decided to cut my losses – Wuppertal in the winter is pretty unremarkable.  I caught a train back out, but this time to Cologne. 

Approaching Cologne you can see the large indoor arena and the trade fair exhibition buildings.  Both are impressively large.  To enter the station, trains cross an imposing steel bridge over the Rhine.  Looking towards the river I noticed what looked to be brown leaves attached to the fencing separating a pedestrian walkway from the railway line.  

Once out of the station and past the dark and imposing cathedral I was able to take a closer look at the fence.  It was covered in padlocks.  The tradition, it seems, is for lovers to secure a padlock to the fence with their names inscribed on the metal case, and then throw the key in to the river below.  There must be tens of thousands of padlocks.   I lost count of the number of Helmuts (boys’ names) and sniggered at a Fanny (a girl’s name). 

The Cathedral is covered in black soot and could do with a clean.  Some restoration work is underway in a few parts.  The interior of the Dom is equally dark.  Two imposing church wardens in red robes stand guard at the entrance, asking disrespectful tourists to remove their caps.  Each warden carried a wooden box over their stomachs, held by a rope around their necks.  I wanted to ask what the box was for, but they looked quite angry. 

I had a quick look inside a few local attractions without going so far as to venture beyond the reception (that would require payment).  A large classical music venue and museum seemed quite interesting.   A small square to the side of this was empty, with stewards shouting at those who dared to walk on its hallowed paving blocks.  A sign on a pole asked politely, but firmly, that people not walk on the square, as an underground concert theatre was in use and the footsteps would cause a disturbance (a bit of a design oversight).

 

The shopping centre was very busy.  Amidst the bustle workers were dismantling the Christmas market stalls and huge Christmas tree, branch by branch.  Some blokes walked passed this, wearing red outfits and hats with massive feathers.  Not sure what that was about, but they smiled politely as tourists like me took photos.  

 Having a quick look around the centre, I decided to move on and headed back to the station.  En route, I stumbled across a wedding convoy, cars beeping their horns as if they were at a football match.  The bride was beaming ear to ear as the cortege was cheered and photographed by passersby.  Marvellous stuff. 

So on to Bonn, a small town in Germany and formally the capital of West Germany.  The town centre was just like any provincial precinct, except for a large statue of Ludwig von Beethoven, topped off by a nesting pigeon in his thick bronze locks of hair.   

Charming

I managed to catch a tram out to the area formally occupied by government buildings.  The area around Willy Brandt Allee has various modern buildings and a few pretty old streets.  I had a look around a museum about post-war German history.  The exhibits were good, but the captions were mostly in German (a shame as the leaflet I collected was in English). 

Feeling exhausted I slowly headed back to Dusseldorf.  I had to jump off the train at Cologne as I realised I’d taken an intercity express train (which was very nice) and this was not covered by my ticket.  It was an hour wait for the next Dusseldorf train, an hour filled by walking around in circles. 

The journey back to home had a few interesting moments.  Several people passed thorough collecting any waste bottles they could find.  Another chap walked down the carriage, placing small stuffed toys and laminated note onto each table.  He then walked back through, aggressively demanding EUR4 or the toy (and note) back.

I was struck by how industrial this region is.  At once, I could see three of four well illuminated chemical works on the broad dark horizon.  I passed a very modern stable yard, again well illuminated.  And, as the train was coming into the city centre, I noticed a large building which was dark, apart from the floor running level with the elevated railway tracks.  As we passed I noticed the rooms were awash with red light, each window had a number (1-29) and a woman standing in just her underwear.  Very odd.

Ghosts in Cologne

 A bath and a bit of telly soon got the aches out of the legs.  The TV programme as about training problems horses.  It was in German, so I didn’t exactly know what was going on, but it seemed a naughty pony was taught to be good by his owner waving at it with tea towel on a stick. 

 

Chuckle Brothers exhibit.

I’m writing this in the trendy hipster bar.  The woman working behind the bar is still friendly, but looks pissed off.  The WiFi isn’t working, people keep complaining and she doesn’t know what do to about it.

What’s German for “switch it off and on”?

Dusseldorf: Day One

So I’ve made it to Düsseldorf. 

The M6 was buggered, so the journey from Burnley to Birmingham took two hours longer than planned.  Booking a taxi whilst taking a pee at a motorway service station, I took a gamble.  If I could get to Brum airport for 5pm, I should be able to dash through security and make it to the gate with 30 minutes to go. The plan was a success and I even had time for half a Guinness before the gate was called.

“Just half?!” snorted the portly woman behind the bar.

“Yes”, I said calmly, whilst thinking, ‘I’m about to board and it’s none of your sodding business.’

It cost £2.  For half a pint.

Anyway.  The flight was short at just an hour.   Short enough for me to squeeze in another half a pint on the plane.  That cost £4.  For half a pint. 

At the airport I easily caught the S Bahn to the central station (Düsseldorf Hbf).  I had 50c and 25 minutes to spare, so I decided to see what I could get from the platform vending machine.  The large machine had three items in stock.  For 50c I could get a packet of Mentos, so I popped the 50c piece in and pressed 1 and 2 on the key pad.  Number 28 (an empty spiral thingy) turned and bugger all came out. 

Thankfully, the ticket machine was not a thief and, moreover, had the option of English instructions and EUR2.50 was a bargain for the efficient 12 minute ride to the centre of Düsseldorf. 

My first impression is that the people of Düsseldorf seem to speak very softly and then not very much.  After walking onto the main concourse, some random homeless woman asked me for something in a very quiet, almost shy manner.  I just shook my head and she apologised.  Quietly.  The old moustachioed  bloke at the information desk was a little meek. 

“Hullo. Spre-ken sie English?” I offered. 

The moustache didn’t move.

“Do you speak English?"  I asked, in English – wondering if my attempt at German was counter-productive.

The ‘tache twitched... I took that as a yes and asked for a map.  He obliged.  In silence.

Then, whist waiting for the efficient German tram, a softly spoken mad dog lady, with small dog in a pram and another dog on a lead asked very politely for something.  And then apologised after I shook my head.

The hotel’s reviews are accurate.  It is a very efficient and very clean crap hotel.  I don’t think it has been redecorated in several decades.  The staff are helpful.  I seem to have had breakfast added to my booking.  I look forward to seeing how good that is in the morning.

After I dumped my stuff in my Soviet inspired hotel room, I went to Bar Apartment.  It’s a trendy hipster bar.  

My beer, two hipsters and a bicycle

“Ein beer, bitte” I splutted.  The lass behind the bar didn’t speak and gave me a bottle of beer.  The label was plain white with black lettering: “Bier”

 

I sat at the end of a long trendy retro table.  The trendy bar pulled off using old furniture and made it look modern and chic.  The hotel just uses old furniture.  Perhaps the bar’s chandelier and wall-mounted bicycle add something that the hotel’s wood chip wallpaper can’t? 

By the time I ordered my second beer, the lass behind the bar was speaking in English to me.  She was very thoughtful and stopped me from accidentally ordering an alcohol free beer.  What a thoughtful woman. 

Most of the women in the bar were wearing oversized spectacle frames, whilst the men sported beards and jumpers.  I blended in quite well for the only person sat on his own. 

Got back to the hotel room to discover I had forgotten my toothbrush.  Searching through my bag I found a box of matches – not sure how I got those through security.

Day Two: Arsing about and the Cadre Noir

 

Some woman on a bridge, Tours

This morning was a bit of a late start.  Had brunch around 10:00.  Got a cheese toastie and a pastry from a little bakery who also gave us a lovely bag for life carrier bag.  Cashback!  Walked over the Pont du Wilson and along the north bank of the Loire.  Then back over a wobbly suspension bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and moped riders (somewhat worryingly). 

Caught the train to Saumur.  It costs about EUR11 each way for the 50 minute journey.  Saw a few chateaus on the way.  From the train station, you approach Saumur over a big bridge.  The town has an amazing skyline, with spires and a hill top chateau rising to the side.  Walked around and to the hill top chateau.  It is closed for restoration. 

Walk back down and stumble across the French Cavalry's facility in the town.  Some old riding arenas and military buildings and not much else. 

Main indoor riding arena. Engineered timber roof.

After some deliberation, decide to catch a taxi to the Ecole Nationale D'Equitation, run by the famous Cadre Noir.

www.cadrenoir.fr/

What a wonderful establishment.  There are 400 stables, in several large blocks.  Four or five large indoor arenas, a number of outdoor arenas and access to 40km of off road riding tracks through the local forest. 

Most of the buildings date from the mid-1970s.  The visitor centre is next to the main riding hall, which has seating for 1500.  The arena has an impressive timber beam roof and spectacular lighting in the form of cuboid roof windows.

Tiny tour guide under large photo

Tour guide was about four foot tall.  She was quite a good tour guide, full of facts and able to answer most questions in good English.

Many of the original barns have stables arranged in four rows.  Two rows look out on each side, the inner two rows look down a central aisle. 

In many ways, the stables are advanced - high levels of automation and a fountain of expert knowledge.  However, I did think that the stables themselves could do with being a little bigger.

Nonetheless, the stables are very well designed.  Between the outer and inner rows is a small corridor for the grooms, with small doors to each stable.  Down the small corridor there is also an underfloor conveyor belt to take out the manure.  The manure is piled up in purpose-build clamps - and thousands of tonnes are sold to mushroom farmers each year.



The stables all have automatic water - something that is quite common, even in England - and they also have an automatic system for dispensing feed! 

Each barn has a feed room that sends out 5kgs of hard feed to each horse, three times per day.   It is not possible to vary this, but as all the horses are pretty much the same size I think they can get away with it.   

Each barn also has wash boxes, tack rooms and offices.

Underfloor manure conveyor

Automatic feed dispensers

 

Sadly, the veterinary clinic and farrier's smithy were no on the tour, but I did managed to see a video.  And sneak around to a few other things not on the tour at the end. 

  In Saumur there are a few signs up for the international carriage driving competition this weekend.  Looking forward to it.  Saw a couple of lorries taking international drivers and their horses and carriages to the competition venue.

  www.saumur.org/

Sadly later read that two of the Polish team (Adrian Kostrewa and Weronika Kwiatek) had a bad accident in Dortmund and had to turn back. Horses suffered only minor injuries, thankfully.  How very disappointing. 

Heofnet: Polish Drivers In Car Accident
 
Got back to Tours at around 6pm.  Had dinner then went back to hotel. Not sure what to do tomorrow.

A Tourist in Tour: Day One

I'm in Tour, in the Loire Valley, France.

Prison room at hotel

Flew out on Bloody Ryan Air this afternoon.  A quick 50 minute flight, preceded by five hours of transfers, checking in, security, waiting, queues, boarding. etc.  Tours' airport was tiny but modestly efficient.  The taxi driver from the airport to our no star hotel was very friendly.  Wanted to tell us where to look and how to get there.

The hotel was booked last week, and at EUR40 per night isn't too bad.  The room is basic, sparse, but colourful.  I imagine this is what the rooms in young offenders' prisons look like.

View from hotel room

The view from the room overlooks a large government office block -  reminiscent of something Le Corbusier might have designed - with the baroque spires of the cathedral in the distance.
  
 Walked around town and found an architectural mixture of art nouveau, baroque, modern and a sprinkling of medieval.  The Gare de Tours (main train station) tries to do all styles, but still looks quite impressive. Much of the place is a building site - a new tram line is being constructed - and many of the old stone buildings have undergone recent and meticulous restorations.

Smörgåsbord of architecture

 Had a look at a big cedar tree, a fibreglass replica of an elephant (called Fritz), the cathedral, the Pont de Wilson bridge and a few of the streets and squares.  The Loir is quite wild and it has never been made navigable.  There is a ferry service on some days (across the rapids) to a park on one of the many islands.  I don't think my travel insurance would cover it.


It is quite a youthful city - I think we were close to the university - and lots of young people were out and about.  Some were sat by the river, eating, drinking and smoking and talking about serious things (presume university students).  Some went around in small groups, looking menacing, and pimping girls (presume criminals).

Man on a bike with a dog in his basket

Had a beer, saw a man on a bike with a dog in his basket, and then had a cheesy crepe at quite a pleasant little eatery.  The owner wasn't sure whether to speak to us in French or English, given our bilingual approach, but he seemed very friendly nonetheless.  Food was good, though some irritating English woman spend most of the meal talking at full volume about how her boyfriend is difficult to live with as she just wants to relax in an evening as she has a physical job, but he just wants to work on his laptop, and how she gave him an ultimatum and spoke to her dad and...   

Interesting station facade.

On the way back to the hotel we found the posh end of the city centre.  Lots of expensive clothes in shops and on people.  


Think we'll look for a chateau tomorrow.

Happy Shopper Adventurers: The Family Connection

Brother Adam is off to eastern Europe. 
Should be fun! 

Happy Shopper Henry Holland

Day four.  Last day in Portugal.  Wake up early even though I wanted to sleep late.  Rush breakfast and set off in early morning sunshine for Roman archaeological remains.  Walk around in circles for a while, then find striking structure covering the series of small walls. 

Receptionist very nice. 

“Entry is one euro.  Or... are you a teacher?”

“Yes.  I am actually...”

“So entry is 80 cents.”

“But I teach Physics.  It is not relevant to Roman history, so I don’t mind paying one euro. ”

Have Mrs Doyle style fight over how much I should pay.  Look around the series of small walls.  Rusty steel structure covering the remains of more interest to me.  Though they have a very good interactive touch-screen presentation.  

Last look around Braga.  Poznan supporters arriving in large numbers, all wearing blue colours.  Decide I’ve seen enough of Braga and need to make most of time left in Portugal.  Ask at tourist office.  Told that Famalicao, half way to Porto, is very cultural so catch train there.

Famalacao described in tourist leaflet as ‘cultural and commercial centre of the region’.  Arrive and station seems a little way out of centre, so start walking.  Very sunny and warm.  See old building now used as a university building – very pretty.  Modern church building opposite must have quite stunning in its day. 

Find centre.  Not much there. 

Find Centro de Estudios del Surrealismo (Surrealism Studies Centre).  Have to wait for long staff lunch break to finish before I can enter. 

Surreal bookshelves

Ladies very friendly, one in particular, who can speak excellent English, is very excited about having a foreign visitor and I am made to feel very welcome.  The centre has an exhibition gallery, a library, bookshop and a few staff.  Look at various drawings of metamorphic forms (trees/people; people/chairs) and have a quick look at bookshop.  Friendly woman seems a little disappointed I took only twenty minutes to visit. 

Walk down street to find tourist information office.  Panic as I enter.  Even more panic as I ask if anyone speaks English.  Two woman smirk and gesture to each other as bloke points out the town highlights to me.   

“Here, the museum of surrealism you have been too. Here, a church.  And over here... the library.”

Tourist info office is an interesting structure, built around a preserved weighbridge.  Door is an unusual shape and hinges part way in; decide that is most interesting thing in whole town.  Take photos of door.

Decide to leave Famalcao and go back to Porto.  Catch an old diesel train back to Porto and try to think of other places to visit.

Back at Porto train station and catch metro towards edge of town.  Get off an edge of town station.  Nothing on edge of town, so go back to centre within ten minutes.

Walk up to trendy university area.  Find another old bookshop.  Interior is amazing.  Lots of people taking photographs of ornate stair case.  Books more Sussex Stationers than Foyles, so rather disappointing. 

 

Have a nice vegetable lasagne at one of the cafe bars frequented by trendy people.  Ate inside with old drunks, rather than outside with trendy students  -  a little more entertaining. 

Catch metro back to airport and complete trip to Portugal.