Frankfurt - Day 5? Maybe??

I’ve lost count of our days, which is what you’re supposed to do on vacation, right? This is either day 5 or 6…

Today was another walking tour (2.3 miles), this time in Frankfurt, Germany. It was also our ‘ship-swap’ day. The Main (pronounced Mine) River between Frankfurt and Strasbourg is too low for ships, even ones as shallow as river boats. 

Up before the sun

So last night we packed up all our stuff and today Viking will move everything to an identical sister ship in Strasbourg, France. We’ll meet up with the new ship via bus this evening. Some itineraries have multiple ship-swaps so we’re happy we only have to do this once.

 Love locked bridge

First tour stop - the Iron Bridge over the Main, with its thousands of ‘love locks’. 

 Looking toward old town and the Cathedral

Great views of the river and the financial district’s skyscrapers. 

 Farewell, Viking Skirnir! (The second boat)

Frankfurt’s old town was almost totally destroyed 

in two Allied bombing raids in March 1944. 

One timbered house from the 1470’s survived ⬆️, as did St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral.

Everything else we saw today has been reconstructed, 

 Vestibule ceiling inside the Cathedral 

sometimes to match what was there before 

- like the Romer (city hall) and central cobblestone square -

 No blindfold on this Lady Justice 

sometimes to evoke a general era, like the buildings surrounding the Cathedral. 

 St. Bart’s was visible from everywhere 

This house was destroyed 

but the original owner kept such meticulous records that the city was able to build an exact replica, 

down to the scales on the corner. It was beautiful.

We also took the 1-hour hop-on-hop-off bus tour around the city. 

Not a lot of information on this particular tour but they are usually a nice overview of new-to-us cities. 

 Traditional pottery for the local apple wine. Love the pottery, the wine not so much. 

We’re in Strasbourg for 2 days. 

Our dinner companions 

Tomorrow we visit the spa town of Baden Baden and Wednesday we tour a medieval castle. It’s getting close to going-home time…