Frankfurt

I had a vacation this weekend. I have a weak, nevertheless present, instilled and false mentality that, being in Europe, I'm in a vacation. I'm absolutely not. I'm at school, just like i was in Madison. It's just a different place and a different system, but it's an active life with a job (occupation: student). Freiburg is not a vacation spot, a spot away from my "normal running" life, it is my normal life. When I'm in Madison for 9 months to study, it's not my vacation from a grounded life in Boston. It's the same here. When I'm in Freiburg (for 12 months), well, it's living just like living in Madison. Different place. Many, many differences. but not vacation. Frankfurt was vacation, something I haven't had in too long of a time. I slept without an obligation to wake up, I thought of nothing that needed to get done, I went out to eat, i bought a souvenir. Related thought: quite recently, I was walking through a new part of Freiburg, and i had an impulse of "wow I'm in Europe!" I saw a sight of the foreign and exotic land that is Europa, something that I no longer see in my daily goings in Freiburg. Freiburg is Freiburg, just like Madison is Madison, it's no longer "Europe!"

Thank goodness for vacation. It has such a mental savior twist to it, in addition to that curiousity and excitement of a new place twist.

Frankfurt is not a city you hear about (not in my experience anyway) when you think of Germany. It is known for its airport, yes. As a matter of fact, upwards of 50% of the pictures, postcards, stickers, and patches of Frankfurt are of the airport. or of a plane. or just, the sky, with an airplane in it. That says alot about the city, by saying nothing at all about the city.

Frankfurt, however, really isn't bad. I did nothing but walk while there. No bus, no train, although the system is excellent and extensive. I love walking; it's the best way to feel the city and its people, as opposed to the museums (which have nothing to do with the city, they just happen to physically be there). I like sitting in as many cafes as possible, drinking a tea, and watching the everyday life. Here's some of Frankfurt, as seen through by feet and a glass of tea.
Exiting the main train station upon arrival. It's always a promising sign when the first things you see with the above ground sunlight are bicycles :).

One of the gateways to the city center. The entrance of the left is to the Ratskeller! Made me think of Madison. Ratskellers in Germany are cooler.

This is a gem of Frankfurt. It came out of nowhere in the center of the city. It's amazing how, once you notice it, and realize what it is, everything in that area seems to become eerily quieter. It's a Jewish memorial ground for those who died/were killed during WWII. It's small (about the surface area of a football field), grassy, dimensional ground with winding stone paths and tall trees like the ones you might learn to draw in an art class. The ground is enclosed by the wall above. It looks the wall goes on forever when you stand at one end. Each stone has the name of a victim, years (often with an unrecognized year of death), and camp at which they died (also very often unknown).The most frequented camp was Theresienstadt, a ghetto and concentration camp located in modern day Czech Republic, though Germany at the time.

Frankfurt is located on the Main River. There are three prominant bridges over the river, all of which boast resemblance to the Mass. Ave bridge crossing into Cambridge.

This is the main square of Frankfurt. There was a drum collective playing and drawing a hefty crowd with mesmorizing music. These trees line the city; they line the main squares, pedestrian ways, and the river.The city from a rooftop cafe. The elevator that takes one to the aforementioned roof cafe: no smoking, no balloons! Sorry Nena.

This was in many ways an aspect of the city I did not warm up to during my 72 hour stay. This exact spot is cool, yes, it's the old city center. What's uncomfortable is the unfitting mix of new and old. Lots of old, lots of new, thrown together in a strange and rubbing sort of way. There are new and old buildings in most cities, but the ones here don't seem to work together. It's like using silk for half your shirt and wool for the other. The textures just don't work.

Ahh, best part of my days. Cafe, some tea, a postcard or two, and lots of people just living their lives. That is the way to do it.

Hookah bar right under the roof cafe! We had a great seat. See that little window on the front wall? People would, on a minute to minute basis, walk by to go up to the cafe and look in to investigate the hookah bar. The glass is strange and curved and the people looked the fish! But they didn't know it. I felt like I was in a submarine.The beautiful Mary Mo. The reason I was in Frankfurt. She, my New York/Boston-now-living-in-London friend, was there for work so I, being a quick and easy two hours south, zipped up for the weekend. Above: enjoying the best glass of red wine we had the entire weekend.

The city grew on me everyday, and on the last day i started to actually like it. I got to know a few parts somewhat well (as well as you can in... no time at all), but only walked through others once or twice, and would love to have more time in those sections.

Ten more days till the next travels! MEETING ERIC AND CAROLYNE IN DUBLIN! Think about it everday. Very,very excited :D

cheers and love,

Ben.