Altstadt Frankfurt, Germany

On May 14, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany10 Comments

One of our favorite places in Frankfurt was the old town, or Altstadt, and we spent many afternoons there during our time there. Frankfurt has a reputation for being a very modern city and is considered the Manhattan of Germany, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still have some historic charm. Although many of the historical buildings were not rebuilt after World War II as they were in many other cities in Germany, the old town area still has some wonderful buildings that are hundreds of years old.

Not surprisingly, the heart of the old town area is a courtyard with a wonderful fountain. Just like the hearts of most of old towns, this was a gathering place for everyone in the city and it is certainly still true today. During the festival season, the courtyard gets transformed into a bustling market with plenty of vendors selling food, drinks, and a variety of products.

There are some traditional restaurants around the courtyard where you can certainly get your fill of schnitzel, bratwurst (or other wursts), sauerkraut, beer, and wine. Our favorite little pub called Alten Limpurg was also located in the plaza and we became friends with all of the staff there. Like many places in Europe, people can be found sitting at tables on the patios outside of the restaurant throughout the year, with heat lamps providing warmth during the cold winter months.

The old town in Frankfurt is also just a few steps away from the Main River where you can go for a walk along the river, get a tour on a sightseeing ship, or just sit on one of the benches and people watch. It is hard to believe that is has been three and half years since we moved to Frankfurt for a while and one of the things that we miss most about living there was our time in the old town plaza. If you want to get away from the historic feel of old town, the heart of the modern shopping area is also within walking distance.

The town hall is also located in the old town plaza and one of our favorite memories was seeing wedding ceremonies take place there. The people would come out of town hall dressed in their wedding attire and celebrate with all of the people in the plaza. One of our favorite weddings concluded with the bride and groom climbing onto an old tractor to be whisked off to their reception. We really felt as if we were one of the locals.

Heinzelmännchen Fountain in Cologne, Germany

On May 11, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany1 Comment

One of the interesting sights to see when visiting Cologne is the Heinzelmännchen fountain. The Heinzelmännchen are actually supposed to be little gnome creatures that come out at night to do all of the work of the citizens of Cologne, allowing them to be lazy during the day. The gnomes would disappear before anyone awoke, but the wife of a tailor was curious to see what they looked like. She apparently spread peas on the ground in the workshop to make the gnomes slip and fall. The gnomes got so mad that they left, never to return again and the people of Cologne had to do all of their own work once again.

It is an interesting story and the Heinzelmännchen fountain was created with plaques along the wall to tell the story of the gnomes and the tailor’s wife. The legend was first written down in the 1800’s and the fountain was built in 1899. One of our first stops when we visited Cologne was to the Früh Brewery and the Heinzelmännchen fountain with all of the carvings is located in the square outside of the brewery. Certainly fun to see after a couple of local beers.

According to what we’ve read, the story roughly translates to: “Once upon a time in Cologne, how comfortable it was with the Heinzelmen! For if you were lazy, … you just lay down on your bench and took care of yourself. Then at night, before one knew it, came the little men and swarmed and clattered and rattled and plucked and picked and jumped and trotted and cleaned and scoured –and even before a lazy bum awoke, all his daily work was … already done! …”

We love seeing some of these fables as they remind us of our history and culture and also to keep our childlike wonder of the world. We were in Cologne in November, so the fountain wasn’t running, but that didn’t make any less fascinating. It may not be on the top of your list of sights to see when visiting Cologne, but it was a great start to our short time there.

Another Citizen of Cologne Happily Sleeping

The Monkeys of Gibraltar

On May 7, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Spain1 Comment

Gibraltar is a British Territory located in Southern Spain where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is a very interesting place to visit for a variety of regions and hiking the trail that leads to the summit of the famous Rock of Gibraltar is obviously number one on the list. We took the cable car to the summit and then hiked down the trail, which includes going into the caves that served as part of the fortress system. As interesting as that is, seeing the monkeys that live along the trail is also very fascinating.

The monkeys are Barbary Macaques that have inhabited the area for hundreds of years, if not even more. There are several theories as to how the macaques came to live in what is now Gibraltar, but no one is sure if they were introduced by the Moors, migrated there naturally, or brought by some other group of people. Either way, they can’t be missed if you decide to take the trail that provides stunning views of the area.

Sitting Right in the Middle of the Trail

Although the monkeys look cute, it is important to remember that these are wild animals and should not be approached. In fact, they are the only wild monkey population in any part of Europe. You also need to be very careful with your cameras, purses, or other items that you might carry as they are known for grabbing them and running away. As long as you treat them with the respect that they deserve, they will enhance what is already a wonderful experience.