We put Christmas cards in Emily’s mailbox to be sent out on Monday. After dropping us off at Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, she brought our car back to her house and would take it to the airport parking before we returned on December 12. Since it was Sunday morning, we saw little traffic in Georgetown or Lexington. Since we had checked in on Saturday night, we dropped off Mary’s checked bag quickly and there was no line at security. Our Global Entry allowed us to avoid some of the hassles at security.
We had some time before we boarded so we read as we waited. I had checked out three early Tony Hillerman books and started People of Darkness, which I believe to be one of his better mysteries that is underrated. Lexington airport is very small. We really didn’t have a great place to walk, but we walked around until our flight departed on time just after 11 am. I gate checked my new Osprey backpack/duffel bag and picked it up when we landed. The bag was great for us since the backpack straps can be neatly tucked away if the bag is checked or stowed in an overhead bin.
We arrived at Charlotte Douglas Airport around 12:15 and walked around several concourses of the airport. The gate for our flight to Frankfurt wasn’t posted until after 2 pm, so we walked around to get a lay of the land. We decided on Panda Express for lunch. Mary had the bowl portion of broccoli and beef with rice, while I had the regular portion of orange chicken and kung pao chicken with fried rice. The meal was surprisingly affordable and tasty for airport food.
We met Cindy and Jodie when they arrived a little before 3 pm and had a chance to chat some before our flight boarded before 4 pm. We were only a couple of rows behind Cindy and Jodie, but the flight was completely full. Everyone had to gate check everything except small personal items, so I checked my Osprey, taking only the small backpack in the cabin with us. The flight departed on time, and we were seated near the rear of the aircraft. Because of turbulence, the in-flight meal wasn’t served until after 7 pm. We both had chicken and rice with a roll, crackers and cheese, salad, brownie and Sauvignon Blanc wine. As in-flight meals go, it was pretty good. I had finished People of Darkness and decided to try to nap. Frankfurt would be 6 hours ahead of Eastern Time and we would arrive at 6 am local time. We would need to be rested.
We arrived at Frankfurt by 6 am, which was well before our scheduled landing. It was a good thing that we were early because the line for immigration and customs was long and did not move quickly. After about 30 minutes, additional agents opened, and the line moved more quickly. While we were in line, the German National 17 and under soccer team was returning after having won the FIFA under 17 World Cup. As expected, that created a great deal of activity at the airport with the media and fans welcoming the team.
The deal that Mary and Cindy found through to-europe.com provided hotel accommodations, all ground transportation including high speed and regional trains, subway, light rail and taxi, breakfasts at each hotel and day passes to attractions at each city where we would be staying. The plan covered everything except evening meals and souvenirs. We were amazed that we were able to travel for that little money. Part of the reason for the cost was likely the strong dollar compare to the Euro at this time.
We arrived at Frankfurt by 6 am, which was well before our scheduled landing. It was a good thing that we were early because the line for immigration and customs was long and did not move quickly. After about 30 minutes, additional agents opened, and the line moved more quickly. While we were in line, the German National 17 and under soccer team was returning after having won the FIFA under 17 World Cup. As expected, that created a great deal of activity at the airport with the media and fans welcoming the team.
The deal that Mary and Cindy found through to-europe.com provided hotel accommodations, all ground transportation including high speed and regional trains, subway, light rail and taxi, breakfasts at each hotel and day passes to attractions at each city where we would be staying. The plan covered everything except evening meals and souvenirs. We were amazed that we were able to travel for that little money. Part of the reason for the cost was likely the strong dollar compare to the Euro at this time.
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| Frankfurt's main train station |
From the regional train station at the airport, we took the short ride to the Frankfurt main train station where we caught the train to Würzburg. The ICE train went as fast as 170 miles per hour on the route to Würzburg. The Hotel Würzburger Hof was only a short walk from the train station. Jodie and Cindy’s room was ready, but ours was not, so we piled our bags in their room while we walked through the Würzburg Christmas market. The market was just outside our hotel and stretched to the center of Würzburg’s Old Town. We went to lunch at Schonborn Café, a short distance from our hotel. Because we were cold, we were looking for a sit-down restaurant where we could warm up. Everyone but me had potato soup which they reported was excellent. I had a baguette with ham and cheese which was also good.
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| Lunch at Schonbon Cafe |
By the time we finished our lunch, we were able to check in to our rooms in the small but elegant hotel. The hotel was built in 1908 and had survived two world wars. While the building was old, it had been updated to modern conveniences and comforts.
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| Wurzburg Christmas Market |
After relaxing a bit, we walked to the Würzburg Residence, the home of the Prince-Bishop, the highest ranking official in the city. Our tour with an English-speaking guide took us through the building’s official areas as well as living quarters. The residence was constructed in 1720 and has been restored after receiving major damage from allied bombing in 1945. The highlight of the tour in the residence was the ceiling in a main room with paintings throughout the ceiling showing the importance of Germany in Asia, Africa, North America and Europe. The Würzburg Residence is now a UNSECO World Heritage Site.
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| Wurzburg's Royal Residence |
As we walked through Würzburg, I kept admiring the cobblestone streets. It is just amazing that these streets have had these pavers for hundreds of years and we can get a paving job to last five years. The cobblestones in the Old Town of Würzburg are beautiful and we expect to see the same thing in the old sections of other towns that we will be visiting on this trip.
After touring the residence, the guide took us to the Würzburg Cathedral. The cathedral was constructed in 1075 and sustained minimal damage in bombings during the Second World War. The US Monuments Men are credited with protecting much of the artwork in the residence and the cathedral.
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| Christmas Market at night |
By the time we left, there was a brisk snowfall making the city even more beautiful. We bought some gingerbread to take to the room and called it a night. Because we hadn’t slept much on the airplane, we showered then went to sleep by 7:30.
We wished that we could have given Würzburg more of our attention, but we were so sleep deprived that we don’t think that we were able to take full advantage of what the city had to offer. I was especially interested that Würzburg was the home to theoretical physicist, Werner Heisenberg (Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle) and Wilhelm Rontgen (discoverer of X-rays). This is a place that we would like to visit again.
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