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Trip to Aachen with the Anglo-German Family History Society Xmas 2001 |
To Aachen for the Christmas Markets
This was arranged by Ken with the help of Maxine Ashworth & Hilary Christmas of Norman Allen Travel.
Friday 14th December 2001 Round Aachen
The buffet breakfast was good, although Avis grumbled that there was no yoghurt or müsli, just 'British' cereals. We left at 1000 & Derek left us at the Theatre, not his regular spot but in fact, a better one. We walked through a square with a hot spring coming up in it, welcome as the temperature was -6°C & warmed up later to -5. Barbara & Stuart tagged along with us all day. The markets were not yet open, so we went round the 'new' Town Hall of 1350 (the old one was built in 1267 by Richard, King of the Romans, he who blocked the Slough Cut of the Thames). This had had the Coronation Hall restored after a fashion (this town was largely trashed in WWII) but was still worth a quid to go round. The markets opened & I bought a tiny teapot on a night-light heated little stove for £6, which will take care to get back in one (three) piece. We had coffee & bought Avis socks, which she put on in the shop to the assistant's vast amusement. Then, we went into St Foillan's (who?) Church, largely restored & with good modern glass & into the Dom, which is small but very tall. Then, a great lunch in the Albrecht Dürer Stübe (!), one of the few old buildings left. We bumped into the Howells, who told us of the Newspaper Museum, which we visited & found fascinating. Time for glühwein in the Goldener Eichorn pub & just back to the coach in time for 5, to the jeers of the party but we were one minute early. A ten minute drive back to the hotel. The Howells, Michey & Alan had walked but it was all up hill & Cold. Jean Fairclough had a stinky room full of tobacco tar, which they changed straight away but the Schnaars had a horrible poky room with a non-functioning TV & they wouldn't change it until we sent in the Wehrmacht in the shape of Rudi, who bawled them out, which did the trick.
The Coronation Hall in the 'new (1350)' Town Hall |
Aachen 'new (1350)' Town Hall |
Pottery buildings in the Aachen Xmas Market |
The Aachen Xmas Market |
Modern glass in St.Foillan's (who?) Church |
Stuart, Barbara & Avis after a really German meal |
Saturday 15th December 2001 Köln
I had suggested a 9 o'clock start but was voted down for a 9.30 one. Their mistake, as it was very difficult to park at 1040 (don't tell me the Krauts are organised!) & the town was packed with people. Although the day was slightly warmer at nearly 0°, my feet froze & I bought 3 pairs of thick, wooly socks for 4DM at one of the stalls later. But we started with a perfunctory look at the Dom Market (Pommes Fritz forsooth, I am long used to Pommes in German, pronounced Pommers) & then, the Bethlehem (twin town) Market nearby. After that, we walked through the extensive modern main shopping area to the Neumarkt & had a prowl round before stopping for a hot chocolate in the 'Almhütte', very Alpine-looking. Then, a not very attractive stroll to the Rudolf Platz for the very attractive Märchenweinachtsmarkt, which had fairy tale characters on the roofs of the huts. We took a different way back to Brungs, a restaurant that Michey & Al (who were with us all day) remembered from their trip in September. We had lunch in the basement, venison goulash & very good, too. Because of the basic dinners, we are going to overeat on this trip. Then, on to the Altmarkt. These were all much of a muchness but we did eat kebabs made of chocolate-covered cherries there. The Dom was dark & gloomy. We went back to the river for 'tea', Avis having an apfelstrüdel & I, cherry tart, which was cheaper but, if anything, bigger. The road was clogged up again where the coach was supposed to arrive but we found our group hovering. Search parties were sent out for Derek, which found him. We only had to send me out again for Barbara & Stuart, who soon turned up. We all decided that, having been there, done that & got the tee shirts, we would give the Köln markets a miss in future, because of the crowds. (We didn't - more photos from the 2003 trip on this link).
Köln Bethlehem Market - glass |
Köln Bethlehem Market - |
Köln Town Hall, largely modern |
Avis, Ken & Michey in the Märchenweinachtsmarkt, Köln |
Peter's Baruerei, Köln |
The market on a ship, Köln |
Contact: Ken Baldry at 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY +44(0)20 7359 6294 or e-mail him
URL: http://www.art-science.com/Tourism/AGFHS_trips/Aachen/index.html © 2000 - 2001 Ken Baldry. All rights reserved Last revised 13/12/2003.