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 was okay for him to tag along with me that morning. I did not mind at all. In fact, 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 that’s not in within the Black Forest region.

The Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (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, so with only a basic map on a small brochure from Richard’s stash (this was before the time of GPS devices and smart phones with apps), he and I decided we would explore on our own, just be spontaneous, and see what we discover along the way. 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 strolled leisurely 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 Römerberg, 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 Römerberg. This time, Richard’s face lit up. It was like a German postcard come to life. He said this was the Germany he had in mind. I must admit that this was also my favorite area.

I later learned that the entire square was a reconstruction. As mentioned earlier, the city was flattened during the Second World War, but its citizens resurrected this area to recreate how it was like in the Middle Ages.

I think they succeeded because they captured the Old-World charm of the Alstadt (Old Town) with the townhall and its distinctive three-gabled façade on the western end and nearby Gothic churches providing a beautiful backdrop to the square anchored by The Fountain of Justice. The square’s east side features a row of six houses which were reconstructed from their original 15th and 16^th-century half-timbered styles. If not for the locals and the few tourists walking around in modern clothes, it was easy to imagine a medieval market there with traders plying their wares from all over Europe. But it must be equally pretty here in December with the slightly more modern Christmas Market in full gear.

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 Römerberg 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. Unlike the structures in the square, these are true Roman artifacts that stand testament to Frankfurt being a Roman stronghold many centuries back. These ruins are what remains of a 9^th-century Roman palace and villa, and they survived the modern war.

I stumbled upon a store called Teddy Paradies that sold everything BEARS! This was the perfect place for me to get something for my husband whom I was meeting in Namibia. It was his birthday the previous day and I didn’t have time to get him a gift before I left Ottawa. He loves bears and I had fallen into the habit of calling him, “Bear.”

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.

The panoramic cruise enabled me to see Frankfurt from a different perspective. I had a view of the city’s impressive skyline, glided past the West Harbour, sailed under the different bridges, and detoured to the East Harbour.

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 because 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.

(Note: I did go to Mainz a few years after, and yes, it is a beautiful town. Stay tuned for the story.)

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, but 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. She seemed friendly, so I chatted with her for a bit. She had guessed that I had come a long way because I was sleeping like a baby and must have been so tired. I told her that I flew from Canada and had not slept since. I also shared with her my adventures that morning.

She, on the other hand, was waiting for her husband to pick her up. She said she lives in Frankfurt. The week before, they 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. 

We chatted some more while waiting. 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. We had an interesting conversation about living abroad, being away from family, stating a new life in another country, traveling, 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 tips, as he travels quite a bit to Africa. He also mentioned he was going to Canada in the next few months, and I gave him a few tidbits as well. What a nice couple!

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 passport control, then the boarding area for yet another long-haul flight to Johannesburg and then a shorter one to Windhoek. It felt like a never-ending day.

But that single, extra long day in Frankfurt was indeed special. Though tired, I had a great time sightseeing, saw lots of interesting things, and met nice people who shared with me a bit of their stories.

This is what I like about bumping into strangers on a trip and striking up impromptu conversations that could amazingly turn deep or could just happen to answer some of your burning questions for the day. You get to experience meaningful connections even for a brief time and even if you know that you are likely not going to see each other again. Take Richard for example. We shared the same excitement over seeing Europe for the first time that morning. And the Frankfurt couple had a lot in common with me in terms of life experiences and travel.  Sometimes you wonder if these random encounters are just pure coincidences or are meant to happen.

Over the years, I had met and I continue to meet so many interesting people in my travels.