A Full Day in Frankfurt

I explored the beautiful city of Frankfurt for a full day on a long layover. That time, I was travelling from Canada to Namibia. I remember being very excited because it was my first trip to Africa, and at the same time, also my first time in Europe.

Frankfurt has earned the moniker, “Gateway to Europe” since it is a popular transit point to other European cities. Travelers, especially from North America, often only pass through it, which was what I exactly did there that time.

My plane landed at around seven in the morning. I got out of the Frankfurt airport thirty minutes after going through customs and then I hopped on the train bound for downtown, which was only a 15-minute ride. The train station was conveniently located at the lower level of the airport and though the instructions on the ticket machine were all in German, I managed to purchase the correct one with the help of a local.

I also accidentally found a tour partner. I met this young lad while I was waiting for the train. He was holding a collection of brochures and walking back and forth like a lost puppy while studying a map of the city. He stopped to ask me if the next train was headed for downtown Frankfurt and when I confirmed it, he mentioned he had a five-hour wait until his connecting flight to Italy, so he was thinking of going out to see the city. I told him I was doing the same, only, I had a longer wait as my flight to Africa wasn't leaving until 8:45 p.m.

He tentatively asked if it's okay for him to tag along with me that morning. I didn't mind. I was grateful for the company. It was much better than walking by myself in an unfamiliar city. I recall his name was Richard and he told me he was a Yale University graduate student. Coincidentally, he was also Canadian...originally from a small town in Ontario whose name escapes me.

We both agreed that the short train ride was pleasant. We passed by a lot of greenery, which we did not expect to see in a German city. The Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof (usually translated as Central Station) in downtown was bustling with activity when we arrived. Apparently, it is the busiest railway station in Germany. It is a terminal for long-distance trains, regional trains, the subterranean S-Bahn, and local trains. Its architecture, an interesting blend of Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Classicism provides a sharp contrast to the modern shops and restaurants that line its corridors. I was especially attracted to the large clock on its façade and the statue of Atlas on the roof supporting the world on his shoulders.

The shops and the tourist centre were still closed that time, so Richard and I decided to begin exploring on our own on foot. It was nice having someone to talk to as we walked along the streets of Frankfurt. Richard was shy at first but once asked the right questions, he became animated. He excitedly told me he was attending a science convention in Milan and it was his first time in Europe, too. He shared with me his travel plans in Italy and said he would have a layover in Switzerland on his way back to the States, so he wanted to explore Zurich as well. Richard also gladly volunteered to be my photographer, that is, on the moments when I wanted to be in the picture. I told him I'd do the same for him, but he said he did not want to be in any picture as it makes him feel very self-conscious.

Since the city was just starting to wake up and the shop owners were just arriving, there was nothing much to do yet. We just walked and walked until we reached the river and saw a bridge. We crossed that bridge and discovered more sights on the other end. We soon found out that this was the River Maine and that several other bridges, old and new, ancient and modern, connect both sides of the town. I also found out that there are river cruises in the afternoons, so I bought a ticket for a two-hour boat tour.

Frankfurt has an artsy-industrial sort of charm. Richard was a little disappointed because he was expecting to see traditional German architecture. I told him that from what I read, Frankfurt was heavily bombed during the latter years of the Second World War, so only a number of old structures remain. Most of the buildings are thus modern, consisting of high-rises and industrial complexes.

I did hear about an old section of Frankfurt that still has some original buildings. This place is called Romerberg, where the city hall complex and the most beautiful Old Town square are located. We made it a quest to find it.

After a few more minutes of walking and asking for directions, we reached Romerberg. This time, Richard was not disappointed. It was like a German postcard come to life. He said this was beginning to look like the Germany he had in mind. I must admit that this was also my favorite area. After some more roaming around, picture-taking, and browsing at souvenir shops, Richard told me it was time for him to go back to the airport. We said our goodbyes, I thanked him for being my travel companion and photographer for half the day, and wished him luck for the rest of his trip.

I spent the rest of the morning wandering around the areas in Romerberg that we had not yet explored. I was surprised to find some Roman ruins in an archeological garden tucked behind a modern building in the Old Town. I also stumbled upon a store (called Teddy Paradies) that sold everything BEARS! This was the perfect place for me to get something for my husband (my pet name for him is “Bear,” he can speak German, and the day I was there, it was his birthday and I didn’t have time to get him a gift before I left Ottawa).

The two store clerks were more than happy to practise their English with me, translate the cards for me, and give me gift suggestions. I bought a small, cuddly bear in sky blue pajamas and nightcap, a bear keychain, a bear tea tin can, and some bear cards with German messages. Some of the cards even bore our surname, which is a common German term of endearment translated to “dear or treasured one” in English. This was such a wonderful coincidence. The friendly store clerks even gave me a discount and volunteered to take my photo with the giant bear stuffie outside the store (and even though the sign said, "Do not touch," they allowed me to hug it for a couple of seconds for the picture). Apparently, this giant stuffed bear has become a tourist attraction there and they even dress him up for special occasions.

After that, I crossed the street to board the boat for the river cruise. It was a good way to see some more of the city while resting my tired and achy feet. I was finally able to put down my semi-heavy backpack and grab something to eat. They served food on the boat so I had a simple lunch of fresh bread, frankfurters (frankfurters in Frankfurt, why not?) and apple beer, which is supposed to be one of the city's specialties.

After the two-hour ride, I got off and went to visit two churches. The first one was the Alte Nikolaikirche (Old Nikolai Church), a medieval Lutheran church that served as the chapel of the Imperial Court until the 14th century. It miraculously survived the bombing of Frankfurt during the Second World War and suffered only a minor damage.

The other one was the Roman Catholic Gothic church, Saint Bartholomew's Cathedral, also known as the Kaiserdom. This was the place were kings in the olden days were elected and emperors were crowned. This church has the skullcap of St. Bartholomew (one of the 12 apostles), its most important relic. I offered a prayer at the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and lit two candles for my husband and myself for our safe travel in Namibia.

By 5:00 pm, I was already feeling exhausted. I did not sleep at all during the flight from Ottawa to Frankfurt and the nights prior to my departure were sleepless nights as well due to the fact that I had to cram for my French finals that week (I was taking French classes in the evenings that time at a nearby college, while working full time during the day.)

I decided to head back to the airport, but not before buying some fresh bread from one of the many bakeries near the station that sold delectable German pastries. My husband loves fresh bread. He would have loved the desserts, too, but I didn’t get any since I couldn’t squeeze those delicate sweets in my backpack.

When I boarded the train, I learned that it was actually going to Mainz, a quaint town about 15 minutes away from the airport in the opposite direction. I heard that if you want to see the more traditional Germany, this is the place to go. The temptation to go there was so strong and I knew I still had a few more hours to spare but fatigue got the better of me. I must be really tired because the moment the train stopped at the airport, I got off. Mainz would have wait for the next trip.

The airport was packed when I arrived. There were more arrivals and departures that afternoon and the place was like a zoo. It reminded me of the Metrotown Mall in Burnaby (Vancouver) on a busy weekend. After braving the crowd, I managed to find a comfortable little spot in one corner to rest my feet, and before I knew it, I fell asleep...yes, just like that. I must have been really exhausted to have slept sitting down in a public place, surrounded by strangers, without a care in the world. Luckily, nobody paid any attention to me while I was dozing off.

I felt a little refreshed after that sit-down power nap. There was a Vietnamese girl sitting beside me when I woke up, so I chatted with her for a bit. She was waiting for her husband to pick her up. She said she lives in Frankfurt and the week before, she and her husband traveled to France. Air France lost their luggage and couldn't track it, so for the duration of their trip in Paris and the surrounding areas, they had nothing and had to buy everything from toiletries to clothes.

That day, their luggage was finally found and she was at the airport to claim it. Her husband was going to meet her after his appointment. She mentioned that though she lives in Frankfurt, she goes to Vietnam twice a year and twice a year to South Africa too, where she spent the previous three years studying English and where she met her husband. We had an interesting conversation about living abroad and learning another language. When her husband arrived, she introduced me to him and upon learning that I was bound for Namibia, he gave me some travel tips, as he travels quite a bit to Africa.

When they left, I bought myself a big mug of strong coffee, a small sandwich, and a pastry. Recharged with caffeine and sugar, I had some energy left to check a few shops before proceeding to the boarding area for yet another long flight to Johannesburg.

All in all, my day in Frankfurt had been productive in terms of sight-seeing. Though tired, I had a great time, saw lots of interesting things, and met nice people along the way. Best of all, I brought with me wonderful memories of my first glimpse of Europe.

Photo Credits:

seat61.com, HEN-Magonza, GoodFon.com, viator.com, frankfurt.de