A Visit to Frankfurt

Frankfurt.  It was a ford (furt) over the river.  Really.  Frank  furt.  Cool.  That was more than 1300 years ago, so it has changed a bit since then.

We were there to visit old friends.  The friends are not old as Frankfurt, but in our personal history, pretty old.  Lüder and Werner were in high school together and have never really lost touch. Lüder and Ellen, old high school sweethearts, were lost to each other but found each other again.  They've been asking us to visit for ages,  and we finally did!

Why drive when you can sit on the train and watch the landscape go by and when besides it costs less than the gas for the car and often takes less time than driving and you can nap.  Really.  Is that a question?

So, we took the train.  Had a sandwich.  Did some reading.  Needled some work.

Lüder and Ellen picked us up and we drove right into town.  Frankfurt's not that much bigger than Bremen, but it has the banks and the stock market and, therefore, the money.  The downtown area is bustling and has some incredible buildings.

And the old Markthaus - indoor market - a building that houses lots of small stands that sell stuff from all over the world.  Wow.  We've seen these in Paris and Florence and Rome and they are all wonderful.  I bought some Iranian barberry, sort of small sour cranberry to use in rice and lentil dishes.  Can't wait to try it.

Between showers, there was a bit of sun.  Frankfurt has skyscrapers, and though not New York, sitll an impressive skyline.

Then we wandered some more and headed back to their place for an evening of chatting and chomping.

Sunday was  not as wet, but still windy and cool.  After a generous breakfast, we took the subway to town and walked through Sachsenhausen, an upscale area leading to the museums.  Lots of them.  The Architecture Museum, the Film Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum, the Icon Museum --- the list goes on and on!  We had time for one, so we chose the Städel Museum where we could all find something we liked!

Food midday was at a Tapas bar.  Such fun sharing all our dishes!

Walking afterwards took us through neighborhoods and commercial areas and finally back to the subway and home.  We're old - then it was time for a late afternoon nap!!

Evening bread and more talk and a gentle end to our time together.

But good-byes are only temporary.  We'll be together again, and we are looking forward to it!