More Hessen

So less and less of my exploring has been within Hessen the longer I'm here, but last week we headed out and took in more of the area. We devoted the better part of a day trekking up to the Niederwalddenkmal in Rüdesheim. There's a path going from town all the way up. This thing is planted way up above the vineyards and overlooks a great deal of the Rhein, Rüdesheim, and Bingen. The view is just magnificent, especially now that the weather is getting warmer. Unfortunately it's not warm enough to get them to open up the restaurants and winery (now there's something I never use in English yet find myself using all the time here in German). That would've been refreshing after the long hike, but it was worth the view.

The monument itself is imposing. I can understand, given Germany's history, why everyone downplays or utterly lacks any patriotic sentiment, yet seeing this monument made me think it's kind of a shame no one seems to show that kind of exuberance or enthusiasm for the country anymore. Sure, it's nationalistic and exaggerated, but it's discouraging how soberly and almost diffidently people talk about Germany here.

The next day we headed into Wiesbaden and took a little trip on this super touristy train that goes through the city and gives information on all the sights. Then it ends a few miles away at a Russian Capella that overlooks all of Wiesbaden and a few suburbs. The little train is silly, but I suppose I learned more about the city and they at least tried to make it funny. The capella is beautiful with gold onion domes on top. Then there's a trail leading up until you reach a memorial overlooking the city. Behind it is a nice cafe build inside some ruins.
I still can't believe how many people take their dogs with them to restaurants. I counted 4 dogs sitting around while we sat there. As we stood looking out over the view, a group of 5 or 6 people stood close by and had brought their own champagne and flute glasses. They toasted and enjoyed the view. I wish we didn't stigmatize alcohol so much in the US and instead just taught people how to live with it responsibility. Preaching total rejection of alcohol seems to be not only unrealistic, but ineffective. A bottle a champagne on a trip to a beautiful place or beer with your meal a few times a week can be pleasant and isn't going to hurt anyone. Why act like it's the end of the world?


The next day we headed into Frankfurt. I'd been there a few times before, but only to the airport, train station, opera house, and book fair. So I hadn't actually had the chance to see the city at all. As it turns out, it's fantastic for business but not so fantastic for entertainment. The buildings are all impressive, but they house banks and other companies and are flanked by any number of restaurants and cafes. The streets are full of people, several of them wearing suits and hurrying off somewhere. But occasionally you'll run into the odd pair of Mormons wearing their own sharp suits with added name tags.