Northern Germany, Southern Italy & a couple of different valleys of the Dolomites

[RB]

We have been back in Australia since last Friday so it is time to make a start on another trip report. Since the onset of covid we have managed a few interstate trips but have been really looking forward to the opportunity to get back to some overseas travel. Our 2020 planning went out the door like it did for so many other travellers, but we used some of that planning for this trip.
Europe has been a favourite destination of ours for a long while and we were able to secure award flights on Singapore in Oct last year. Still lacking a little in confidence of whether the trip would actually happen, we primarily booked cancellable rates for our accommodation (offset a bit by Cashrewards). We are still public transport users so trains & buses were our go to and we made good use of the German 9 Euro offer.
We live on the Mid North Coast of NSW and drove to and left our car with friends who now live at Lake Macquarie. On the day of our departure from Australia we caught the train from Morrisett to Sydney International- fortunately a day before strike action was to disrupt such a train journey.

Bit of a Guide to our Journey- flew into Frankfurt, out of Milan & had an internal flight Hamburg to Bari (so ignore the driving time on the map )



A pretty nice spot on Lake Macquarie before our trip. We also enjoyed excellent Asian food at the Rathmines Bowling Club & great fish & chips from Splash Take-Away Seafood in Toronto


Mrs RB on the train to Sydney- we quite enjoy that ride down past the Central Coast



Now it was getting real- Singapore Lounge Sydney.

 

[RB]

Syd-Sin-Frankfurt SQ222, 14 & 15K & SQ26, 14 & 15K

Syd airport presented no problems on the day. We had no wait at SQ check-in, about 10 min for security/immigration and no wait at TRS. The SQ lounge was pretty full with quite a few single travellers claiming tables via multiple pieces of luggage on seats & others conducting noisy business calls. I quite enjoyed a snack of the butter chicken that was on offer & the Mumm was on offer. There was a lounge call for boarding and it was only a short walk to Gate 61. We were straight on the 380 via a priority lane. We eventually scored a pre-departure champers. The crew were great & I enjoyed the available music choices-Queen, Springsteen, Billy Joel, Amy Whinehouse etc. The flight was smooth, the Tiger beers were cold (I did have a Singapore Sling also) & I enjoyed how the path tracker is presented. We passed straight over Lake Eyre & you could see there was plenty of fresh coming in. I noticed at one stage we were coping with a 222km/hr headwind but we were into Singapore on time. We visited the lounge straight above our A4 departure gate-no wait for a shower but seats in the lounge were at a premium. Thought the food was so so & the 1 barman at our end was very busy. It was a bit of a scrum at the departing security check ( laptops out) as several gates are lumped together. Again priority boarding worked well. Our departure was delayed around 15 min as a passenger was offloaded for apparent visa issues ( flight continues on to New York). Noticed a little white mutt during boarding ( maybe a support animal). Announcements on this leg were also made in German. Bit less impressed with this flight- the champers I had was warm as were the beers, garlic bread was cold and again the Aberfeldy single malt was missing (same as Syd leg) with only 12yr Chivas on offer. The staff seemed to struggle with the big J numbers on the 380 upper deck. Noticed that the first leg had overhead storage only in the centre while the second leg the storage was over the window seats- both seats were pretty comfortable with heaps of seat level/floor storage for our backpacks.
This flight landed pretty well on-time and then it was a super long walk to everything. There were no lines at passport control, customs was wide open and our bags were among the first few out ( Mrs RB’s 2nd out) as they started spitting out as we arrived at the carousel. We had made a conservative rail booking so we wouldn’t be rushed (also only 1 swap). It was another long walk to find Platform 4 at the DB Airport station. There is a very impressive dome roof & plenty of people watching. Mrs RB refused to pay $10 for a Starbucks coffee while we waited.











Salmon in wild lime butter sauce on 1st leg

 

[RB]

Think this was the Kok kee wonton mee




Satay sticks

 

[RB]

Final photos from flights & arrival in Frankfurt

Lobster thermidor with fondant potato & buttered seasoning- a little too much zoom!



Getting closer



Our elusive platform- a long way from the others


Part of the impressive roof


Not sure I could handle the caulking job

 

[RB]

Frankfurt to Hann Munden

We haven’t seen Frankfurt other than catching a train through or transiting the airport. However after seeing the accommodation rates because of Achema 2022 trade show, we decided Frankfurt could be done at another time. Why Hann Munden?- in the general direction we wanted to go,a short, uncomplicated travel day while we overcame any jetlag & a relatively small location while we got back into the swing of overseas travel.
Our first challenge was a very late platform change & our lack of German. We found a DB worker who put us on to the right track & carriage. This ride was not part of the 9 Euro scheme & we enjoyed a great ride with only 3 in the carriage. We were soon seeing larger farms & had our first sightings of wind turbines for this trip. We passed a huge potash mine near Neuhof. Our train change was at Kassel-Wilhelshohe. Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station - Wikipedia
Our 2nd train threw a curve ball when it prepared to leave from the other end to the platform from where we and some others had been waiting. Our first 9 Euro ride was only very short haul , left 6 minutes late & we mixed in with the many push bikes-Long-distance cycle routes from Hann. Münden: Cycling along the Fulda, Werra and Weser rivers
Our 2 night stay was only a 10 minute wander downhill to an apartment on the river

We were in 1st class but didn't use the tea/coffee service


Over time the overhead storage in the trains has improved-plenty of room for my 16kg bag



This is a photo taken from the net showing the size of the Neuhof pot ash-also mentioned by @OZDUCK in his trip report

 

[RB]

Ferienhaus Gronemann-Hann Munden​

A comfortable apartment located right on the Werra River and just over a 10 minute walk to the Old Town. We collected the key from a couple of doors away. Steps up a level from the street were a challenge with bags but overall very happy with our choice. A good, comfortable bed and pretty good shower. No microwave and there were bar stools on a bench for eating, while storage was also in short supply in the bedroom and bathroom.















Not the pink one!


Nice flat walk to town

 

[ellen10]

Looking forward to travelling along.

 

[RB]

Around Hann Munden
We certainly enjoyed our time in Hann Munden.The Old Town area is very compact and easy to get around on foot. There are around 700 half-timbered medieval houses, the history apparently dates from 802 and the name derives from Old German meaning “confluence” -appropriate given the Fulda/Werra/Weser rivers. Soldiers were trained here from the 18th Century and today police force takes place. We are not fine dining people but we were happy with the pizza, schnitzels, wursts and kebabs. We used the supermarket to get our fruit & yoghurt for our breakfasts & I have fond memories off buying 500ml cans of good pilsner beer for 40c Aust! There was a small street market on the morning of our full day-just a bit of fresh produce & not the volume of some markets we have seen in Europe. Something that we did note was the absence of eye contact with the locals-seemed a bit common in the areas of Germany we visited during this trip.
Our wanderings covered the area around Welfenschloss Castle from 1501 (now admin centre), Old Werrabrucke the historic bridge area, Bramburg, St Blasius, the Town Hall (Weser Renaisssance & rebuilt) & it’s wall paintings from 1927-29, the Tillyschanze, the Wall Tower & the Rotunda (only remaining part of the Upper Town Gate). I guess it helps that the historic area is pretty small but it was great that gaudy modern shops haven’t taken over the historic buildings. The Forstbotanischer Garden & the multitude of cyclists throughout reflect the slow pace of life in Hann Munden.




Hampe Tower


The historic bridge



Welfenschloss Castle

 

[RB]

Statue for Dr Eisenbart- he was holding what looked like a drenching gun.
Johann Andreas Eisenbarth, known as Dr. Eisenbarth ⋆ The Passenger







Bridge & town view

 

[RB]

Inside the Town Hall





St Blasius



Pioneer Bridge spans the Fulda

 

[RB]

Well located caravan park


Tillyschanze


Town views from Tillyschanze




Wall Tower


Rotunda

 

[RB]

Hann Munden to Sankt Andreasberg & Aound the Harz Mountains

Train to Nordhausen on our 9 Euro tickets and then picked up by our host of the next few days.

Sankt Anndreasberg in the Harz Mountains is the place that Mrs RB’s Great Great Grandfather left in the mid 19th century to head for South Australia. The family is still in residence in Sankt Andreasberg, so we are enjoying their company and hospitality while exploring the silver mining heritage of the Harz Mountains.
1st up after being picked up from Nordhausen was a long held tradition of a stop for a wurst on the roadside at Hohenstein- soon to disappear due to a highway bypass. Next was a tour of the Grube Samson mine and museum. Silver was mined here from 1521 to 1910 - it was one of the deepest mines in the world at 810 metres and is now a UNESCO world heritage site. It is also the site where the Harz Roller Canaries were bred, taught to sing, and exported all over the world. We were very lucky to be shown around by Matthias Bock who plays an important role in the historic mines in the area. On another day Matthias also introduced us to Dr Wilfried Liessmann, a mineralogist and mining historian who showed us around the magnificent mineral and natural history exhibit at the University of Clausthal which has 220,000 different minerals and crystals from around the world. Mathias also gifted documents and maps from the 1750's onwards to the Archives at Clausthal. The Bock name was mentioned a few times in these, and they were in amazing condition.- obviously some great history, but the smell of old paper was very strong in the archive room! We followed this up with the world's slowest bob sled run at the local track and a look at the work Matthias and a group of volunteers have done on their own historic mine - the Grube Roter Bar.
On another day we visited Bad Lauterberg. Long known as a health resort, it has now gained some fame as a shopping destination with a pedestrian zone of designer shops that would seem unexpected for the district (seems one family acquired the town centre and introduced the shopping). A chairlift ride also provided great district views..
Sankt Andreasberg also has a great pizzeria, nice beer and wine, and lots of German home cooking by our hosts Our final night included dinner at the hotel where the German Police drama "Hartner Brocken" was filmed.
Interesting to note that in Sankt Andreasberg the heavy snow & downhill runs are no longer experienced here & the large-scale ski tourism is much diminished. Also concerning is the widespread, current loss of spruce trees to bark beetles Climate change blamed for death by beetle of German trees | Euronews



Grube Samson Mine


Too bad if you were claustrophobic



Got a lot colder on the descent


A few samples from the museum

 

[RB]

Canary teaching aids


The canaries were walked to ports to export them to America


The same breed are still kept at San Andreasberg


The one remaining farm is on this hilltop


Some of the trees that are dying

 

[RB]

Some of the documents given to the archives-paper in excellent condition & ink still very easy to read.







My knowledge of minerals/rocks is pretty limited-these are just a few of the photos we took. The collection had sample from throughout the world. On a previous trip Matthias had introduced us to another superb collection at Freiburg terra mineralia - Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg

 

[RB]

Market Church of the Holy Spirit in Clausthal-The Church of the Market of the Holy Spirit is the largest wooden church in Germany and, because of its architecture and furnishings, it is one of the most important architectural monuments of the Baroque period in North Germany. The church was built between 1639 and 1642 entirely of oak and spruce wood.


In winter a small glassed in section of the church is used so the congregtion can be kept warm



Unable to capture the whole exterior


One of Mrs RB's ancestors


The old tag system being reused at Grube Roter Bar

 

[RB]

Home cooked Stuffed Zucchini-one of the highlight meals of our trip


Church in Bad Lauterberg



War Graves in San Andreasberg

 

[RB]

Sankt Andreasberg continued


Info board on the town walk


Home to Hartner Brocken Tv show




Small sample of the destroyed hillsides

 

[OZDUCK]

Lovely photos - it is always nice if there is a bit of personal relationship to an area.

We were going to the Harz Mts in 2020 until Covid put an end to that trip. But we would have been on the other side at Wernigerode or Quedlinburg. I was looking forward to taking the steam train up the Brocken. This year it just couldn't be squeezed into our itinerary. The German travel programmes we watch have been showing the death of those trees a fair bit.

The organiser of the recent reunion we attended in Berlin has been in the Harz Mts, near Thale, in the last week and he has sent us photos - to make us jealous.

 

[RB]

Lovely photos - it is always nice if there is a bit of personal relationship to an area.

We were going to the Harz Mts in 2020 until Covid put an end to that trip. But we would have been on the other side at Wernigerode or Quedlinburg. I was looking forward to taking the steam train up the Brocken. This year it just couldn't be squeezed into our itinerary. The German travel programmes we watch have been showing the death of those trees a fair bit.

The organiser of the recent reunion we attended in Berlin has been in the Harz Mts, near Thale, in the last week and he has sent us photos - to make us jealous.

I have been on that steam train previously-it seemed like a long day! The tree loss is so widespread & along with the olive trees dying in Puglia it was devastating to see

 

[RB]

Harz Mountains to Schwerin-The last Sunday of the German rail Promotion
We were dropped off at Goslar to start our journey- two changes to get us further north. Our first ride to Magdenburg was a nice relaxed trip with plenty of room & plenty of young families setting out on a day of exploring. Magdenburg to Wittenberge was less enjoyable with crowded carriages and the train delayed by the sheer numbers getting on and off. I was very happy to get off the Wittenberge to Schwerin- way too crowded with masses standing and being crushed into corners as even more people boarded- think we ended up about half an hour late.

Nice calm start to the day






Very glad to arrive here