Deustchland? Not my typical Mediterranean home turf, for sure. I hadn’t been to Germany in at least 20 years, & all the cities above were completely new to me. With little time to brush up on some rusty, dusty German, I hoped for the best… & was pleasantly surprised. This book assignment helped me rediscover what a great destination Germany is. Let’s get going!
When assigned work in the Iberian peninsula, typically it’s me doing everything: every chapter, all maps & all feedback. But when Rick or Cameron have tight schedules, they often need the assistance of other researchers to wrap up loose ends or perhaps get a different perspective. I loved the 2019 Italy assignment which allowed me to explore places I’d heard so much about but had never experienced. I remember several magical moments during that trip… turns out that Germany would be just as fabulous.
Nürnberg
Nothing says “Willkommen in Deutschland” like one of their massive train stations. Masterfully rebuilt after World War II, I didn’t have time to explore the surviving Art Nouveau lounge because I still had two more trains to catch. And of course I’d purchased an incorrect ticket online prior to arrival. Duh. DB staff kindly helped me figure out that mistake. Onward to…
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
One thing that always strikes me odd when following another researcher is not going to most of the principal sights. That’s already been done. So I’m off to hotels, correcting maps, seeing smaller museums & trying out some tricks that Rick can’t because he’s often recognized. I spent an inordinate amount of time walking the city walls, trying to make those descriptions tight. At least sweating in such humid weather paid off with clearer copy.
Friends warned me that I might not fall in love with Rothenburg ob der Tauber because it can be very touristy. While true, even during high season the tourists mainly came on the weekends & stuck to a pretty small part of the city. A few blocks away from the main drag & most tourists disappear. The hotel owner where I stayed was cautiously cool with me at first, but I kept chatting with her until we were good friends! I hope to be back in Rothenburg soon.
Erfurt
Heading back through Nürnberg & up to Erfurt, I hopped on my first ICE (high-speed) train. Comparison to Spain is unavoidable, so let me say that I wish RENFE would invest in digital screens & an actual restaurant car. Unfortunately I hadn’t reserved a seat, so with delays plus everyone jammed on board I made the almost two-hour trip standing. Not a great start for what would be an already heavy walking day.
I survived & fortunately Erfurt charmed the heck out of me, so I didn’t mind being on my feet. Less touristy than Rothenburg, here I had to make the most of my limited German. But a little effort & a smile work wonders. I was surprised that important museums had few English descriptions available, but thanks to Google Lens I discovered something fascinating: Martin Luther’s actual writing box, conserved from the 1500s!!
A chance thunderstorm had me sprinting back to the hotel, but I’d done at least 85% of my day’s work. I’d get up early the next day, finish the city walk & head out to egapark. I’ll admit that I didn’t have high hopes… I mean, a gigantic 1960s garden park really didn’t sound like my kind of attraction. But wow, wow & more wow. I couldn’t stop taking pics of the dahlias & zinnias, museum spaces were super informative, & I felt thrilled to provide an improved write-up for the guidebook.
So how much bratwurst can a person eat in 24 hrs? I won’t answer that… but I did have a funny language moment. At breakfast I was still groggy when a woman came over to ask me a question. Somehow my brain heard “Would you like something else?” to which I replied “No, thanks.” But the look on her face let me know I’d totally screwed that interaction up. Hmmm. She then walked over to the next table & asked the same question which I finally understood: “Is everything ok?” OMG, I cracked up & went over to her, apologized profusely & explained in German-English my mistake. We both stood there laughing hilariously.
Leipzig
And I thought Nürnberg’s central train station was massive! “Hurge” turned out to be a theme for the entire time I was in Leipzig with its large-&-in-charge architecture:
The city is a crazy mix of old & new… no other option really. I found its urban design fascinating with so many passages/galleries where older buildings coexist along with new ideas. Also, everyone I met was incredibly nice… even when they mistake me for a local until I open my mouth! But the most amazing experience today was the museum of the Stasi, not-so-secret police during GDR times. Had to be the best audioguide I’ve ever listened to… & I couldn’t help but compare 1974 Portugal to 1989 GDR:
Monumentalism went overboard at this war memorial, but I adore this kind of thing. Built to commemorate the 1813 Battle of the Nations, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal reminds us all of Napoleon’s eventual defeat. Lucky me, they were servicing the elevators that day so I had to hoof it up & down the 364 spiral steps to see those fantastic views. Anything for work!
If part of my job is to visit & write about museums, what do I do on my day off? Go to yet another museum! Force of habit. The Grassi is a stunning piece of Art Deco architecture, & the decorative arts collection has to be the best-displayed I’ve seen in years. I spent three wonderful hours there & left feeling recharged. Plus a temp exhibit about chairs!! What a morning!
Dresden
Dresden was surprisingly wonderful… even if full of tourists which I hadn’t seen since Rothenburg. But hey, it’s summer. Art in the Albertinum was thrilling, although most of the Caspar David Friedrich pieces are in Berlin now for a temp exhibit. All three Zwinger galleries are a treat. Of course my fave was the porcelain, cuz you can never have enough of that in your life. And a Soviet-era mural to boot. Then a stroll to the Hygiene Museum. My feet are feeling it today but got some great info. Let’s see how I survive mañana…
I have been ultra impressed by German museum organization & their take on curating in general: so didactic, often easy to navigate & with many opportunities for reflection. Take for example the Military Museum. Reopened in 2011 —initially built as an armory & later used as a Nazi museum— it feels fresh & new… thanks to a huge wedge added by Jewish architect Daniel Libeskine. Breaks up authoritarianism easily. Inside, themed exhibits meant to make the visitor reflect on war are all contained within that wedge. I didn’t have as much time to spend in the post-1945 section (filled with NATO history), but I wish they’d do a museum like this for Spanish military history.
Pro tip: Pick your accomodation in the Neustadt part of the city, across the river from the historic center. And arrive to the Neustadt train station instead of the Hauptbahnhof. Why? The location changes your Dresden experience 100%. Neustadt has an Art Nouveau station, is more residential & less damaged by bombing with a comfy & cozy feel. Most of the new construction lacks that vibe. I left wanting to spend several more days in Dresden.
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Berlin
Not part of my research assignment, Rafa took advantage of a long weekend to fly to Germany & meet me here. I’d never been to Berlin before, & Rafa has long wanted to show me around his favorite parts of the capital. While I found many of the sights & museums breathtaking, the city itself really didn’t do much for me. I know, I know… unpopular opinion! Details coming in a separate post.
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Hamburg
Almost missed my train thanks to an insane connection delay, but on arrival I fell in love at first sight with Hamburg. A cool, sunny afternoon greeted me with a small Pride celebration in the center. Mesmerized by the open expanse of the Binnenalster, a lack of traffic on Sunday urged me to explore with water & bridges everywhere… I’ve always been fond of port cities & Hamburg ticked off every one of my boxes:
As an architecture fan, I couldn’t wait to see Hamburg’s concentration of Brick Expressionist buildings. Sunday afternoon turned out to be an ideal time to visit with few people or tourist buses around:
Covering the remaining sights was challenging to organize, with dots all over the map to connect. As usual, walking worked best & at the same time allowed me to get a fantastic feel for the city. Winter days might change my mind, but Hamburg in the summer truly shines:
In under two weeks, I covered lots of new territory. Guidebook research is always this strange mix of rushing around & being hyperaware, but also thinking ahead & performing triage when things don’t go as planned. Sharing fun discoveries is the best part of the job, & I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the world. In fact, I had such a blast that I suggested to Rafa we return for summer vacation in 2025… Wir kommen bald wieder, Deutschland!