Well it's been over a week since I updated which has been largely due to slow and then non-existent internet connection in our apartment in Erfurt. I've quite enjoyed the time away from the keyboard but I know some family members were waiting on our updates, so here goes!
Last time I posted we were still in Brumath near Strasbourg in France. After enjoying the Christmas markets on the Monday, Georgia and I headed back into Strasbourg to drop off our hire car and then caught a train to Offenberg in Germany to pick up our 'winterised' car for our German leg of the adventure. The trip to Strasbourg - normally 15 minutes - took over an hour due to fog and glaze (ice) but we made it in one piece and even caught the train we were hoping for.
Upon arrival we discovered that our new car was a BMW 318d - a little smaller than we'd expected in terms of luggage space, but it would have to do. After a most disappointing stop at the Golden Arches in Germany, we headed back to France where we enjoyed a final French dinner of roast pork belly, Alsace Cremant and assorted other things that I've long since forgotten! A visit from our hosts was an added blessing on our last night there.
Last time I posted we were still in Brumath near Strasbourg in France. After enjoying the Christmas markets on the Monday, Georgia and I headed back into Strasbourg to drop off our hire car and then caught a train to Offenberg in Germany to pick up our 'winterised' car for our German leg of the adventure. The trip to Strasbourg - normally 15 minutes - took over an hour due to fog and glaze (ice) but we made it in one piece and even caught the train we were hoping for.
Upon arrival we discovered that our new car was a BMW 318d - a little smaller than we'd expected in terms of luggage space, but it would have to do. After a most disappointing stop at the Golden Arches in Germany, we headed back to France where we enjoyed a final French dinner of roast pork belly, Alsace Cremant and assorted other things that I've long since forgotten! A visit from our hosts was an added blessing on our last night there.
Farewell Brumath! Au revoir Andre et Fabienne!
After cramming the BMW with our gear, and assisting the automated tail gate to close - we hit the autobahns and headed toward Erfurt. It was a journey of around 500km so we were hoping to see lots of German countryside. Unfortunately visibility was very poor but we did enjoy some wonderful sights and the amazing change in scenery.
The much awaited autobahns have been an experience! On the whole they're fantastic roads with well behaved drivers. Trucks are limited to about 80 or 90km/h and mostly stick to the right hand lane. The far left lane is for brief overtaking manoeuvres unless you are travelling in excess of 200km/h. The 'recommended' speed limit is 130km/h but no one takes any notice of it! It's surprising how quickly you get used to the pace and how you get constantly swamped if you drive slower than 130km/h.
This video was taken on our way to Berlin, but it gives you a glimpse at how fast some people travel. We were sitting on 130km/h and the two cars that overtook were quickly out of sight. They were by no means the fastest out there, but they give you an idea. On our trip from Brumath to Erfurt a beautiful Maserati went screaming past - it must have been doing well over 200km/h - the exhaust note was sensational!
German roads are something to behold as we connected from one autobahn to another and travelled through mountain tunnels. The following video shows us emerging from an 8 km long, up hill tunnel. You get to see what the weather was like on that day.
We were heading north at about the same time the storm named Xaver was descending on the UK and so things were getting cold very quickly. It's amazing how the scenery can change so quickly. Here's another short video of the Narnia-like forests that bordered the road for quite a good deal of our trip that day...
We arrived in Erfurt late in the afternoon and after finding a massive supermarket, cooked some dinner and settled in for the night. A quick aside - beer is about 38 euro cents for a 500ml bottle of great German bear (and that includes an 8 cent deposit!) Finding a car park was a bit of a challenge, especially as it was dark by 4.30pm, but I finally found one reserved for me outside an establishment bearing a fine name....
Erfurt is famous for many reasons - not the least of which is that it was the place in which Martin Luther attended university and then joined the Augustinian cloister where he studied for the priesthood. It also contains some magnificent examples of medieval architecture including the oldest inhabited bridge in Europe, north of Venice - yes, it's a bridge with about 38 houses (and shops) on it! The streets of Erfurt are lined with Christmas markets at this time of year, although you can hardly see them for all the families that are out and about enjoying themselves.
It was a wonderful place to explore and for Laryssa, a very emotional place to be as it brought back so many memories of her dear mum and helped us to understand a lot better, many of the things that were important to her. Laryssa even managed to find a stall selling kartoffel puffers and apfelmus (potatoe pancakes and apple sauce) - a Lukjanov family favourite!
In case we needed reminding, Christmas is coming!
The Luther monument in Erfurt
Who's that crazy woman?
Behind us is the Krammebrucke - the bridge covered in houses, shops and people!
It was a tad busy!
Testing out her German language skills...she did well!
A bit of light reading under the watchful eye of an old friend - Good News magazine
The Christmas markets in Cathedral Square (Domplatz)
The cathedral on the left of this photo is the church in which Martin Luther was ordained.
One day during our stay in Erfurt (can't remember which one!), we headed out to Eisenach to visit the Wartburg Castle - an historic castle that also provided refuge for Martin Luther when the pope and the emperor had declared him an outlaw and put a price on his head. It was a great time to visit with the cold weather driving the crowds away - our tour had only 7 people in tow compared to the 50-70 per tour in summer! It's a magnificent building, first built in the 12th century (if my memory serves me well). As well as marvelling at the architecture and history, it was wonderful to see the original Cranach paintings of Luther, Melancthon and others as well as stand in the room in which Luther translated the New Testament into German in only 10 months!
We left the castle later than planned but were able to catch a late lunch at the Eisenach Christmas markets before heading back into Erfurt.
The lady's chamber with ceiling covered in mosaics telling the story of St Elizabeth who lived in the castle.
The 'rebuilt' chapel - still about 600 years old I think!
13th century wall painting in the chapel
The top floor of the castle - High School students from Eisenach have their graduation ceremony in this room each year.
A lousy photo of some familiar paintings
The hall way to Luther's room
Keeping the theme going...reading Good News (Law and Gospel) in the room in which Luther translated the New Testament
In Eisenach we parked outside a church and were greeted with these familiar words
Another beautiful Christmas market - photo taken at about 4pm
The day before we left Erfurt, Darcee was a little under the weather so Georgia and I went out exploring for a few hours, visiting the Augustinian Cloister where Luther trained for the ministry, and then the cathedral in which he was ordained.
Yep, here's another one...perhaps I should've bought another edition with me...although getting Law and Gospel rightly divided will take one a lifetime!
The sanctuary in the cloister church
The cathedral in which Martin Luther was ordained
Yesterday we drove from Erfurt to Berlin where we are staying for 3 nights...a surprisingly easy drive of about 300km with only the last 10km being off the autobahns. Things have started slowly this morning with everyone sleeping in, so we'll have to wait and see how much of Berlin we get to take in...but we're on holidays, so that's the way it goes!
Praying that you are all well and getting ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour in just a couple of weeks!
With love from us all!
The Ankers in Berlin
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