Europe2012third-Nuremburg-Rothenburg
by furtech
We took a day trip over to Rothenburg. The travel agent said it was the go-to place for Bavarian flavor and he was right! We got there on a Monday, and with the heat and no weekend crowds, the place was almost deserted!
This is what we have come to know as a typical medieval walled city. There once was a castle, but an earthquake felled it hundreds of years ago and the businessmen of the city (it was a thriving place for merchants) did not feel any pressing need to repair or replace it.
In the first of many teddy bear stores (three, actually), I saw the Steiff Border Collie. Sigh. Not that I need more stuff...but the Steiff version is really nice.
The town is a bastion of kitsch and "authentic" German/Bavarian/Medieval souvenirs. Plus, food galore. I highly recommend at least a day trip there.
It was here that I finally found a hat (I forgot mine). I'm-all aware of too much sun and the problems that can lead to-- and having seen (in some friends) what they actually remove if they think it's melanoma has me terrified of the same happening to me. So, a hat. At least this one is in the neighborhood of "stylish" and beats all heck out of the wizard hats, Tyrolian wool hats for tourists!
While we were there, a weather disturbance rolled though. I thought for sure we'd have a thunder storm: the mamatocumulus clouds formed spectacularly overhead, making for a dramatic backdrop to the town square buildings. However, despite some thunder and lightening, the rain missed us.
We ate at a hotel restaurant just off the square that had shady outdoor seating and a cat. Fine food: I had a mix of local sausages and a wonderful garlic soup; Tracy had wild game goulash.
The pics aren't exactly in order: we actually visited the Steiff store on our way out of Nuremburg, the day after out Rothenburg trip. I also popped into the comic store: three stories of comics (including a huge selection of European comics), LARP/gaming supplies, models, and other fannish things. Unfortunately, I only had ten minutes to breeze though it.
Next stop: Garmisch! And the Alps!
