Mike und Charlotte in Deutschland!
Romerplatz, Frankfurt, Germany
September 4, 2008
We went to Germany this week! It was thrilling for me to be there, because I lived in Frankfurt when I was a kid. I haven’t been back since we moved away in 1988, so Mike and I decided to go visit Frankfurt this summer, twenty years later. The 13-year-old, German side of myself seems like a whole lifetime ago, so it was bizarre to go back and reawaken that part of my brain. It was a relief to discover that I remembered so much of the language and I could still navigate easily around town. I found my family’s apartment building and took Mike on a tour of all my favorite playgrounds. Ha! I gave him the children’s tour of Frankfurt!
Do I have any friends in Frankfurt who are reading this blog? If so, let me say how much I love your city! I’ll always love Frankfurt since I spent so much time there in my youth, but beyond that, it’s just a beautiful, stylish, friendly city that is a joy to visit again after all these years. I wish we could have stayed longer.
We stayed at the Radisson SAS hotel, which was a funky blue circle on the outside, and sleek and stylish inside.
Inside the hotel.
On the first day, we romped around in the rain and wandered through the city. Here’s the Hauptwache U-Bahn station (subway).
Here’s one for my Mom… Papier Kramer! We used to love to go to this stationery store near the Zeil shopping center.
I still drooled all over the pretty school supplies.
This was Frankfurt Elementary School at the time, and I went there for fifth and sixth grades.
Here we are at the Bundesbank duckpond. It rained all day, so we walked around like drowned rats. Apparently there is some newfangled contraption called an umbrella that we could have bought, so I should look into that next time.
Crossing the footbridge toward Grüneberg park.
Here’s another photo for my Mom. When my brother and I were kids, we made the mistake of telling her that we’d seen a drug deal go on in this very spot at Grüneberg Park. From that moment on, we were never allowed to go to that park without a parent. I suppose she feared that we’d buy drugs. So I finally had the chance to go there without Mom and Dad, so obviously I brought a 50 Euro note and stood in that spot and waited. 😀
The German people are so bilingual that signs everywhere flipped back and forth between German and English. I got such a chuckle out of all the Germlish we encountered everywhere. I feel really lucky to have grown up speaking an internationally recognized language, and I’m humbled by how much the people of Frankfurt made an effort to speak to us in English. Foreign visitors in the US or UK wouldn’t find the same in return, unfortunately.
Yesterday we had lunch at this cafe. Despite the rainy climate, Frankfurt is full of outdoor cafes that we loved.
We spent Thursday afternoon at the Palmengarten, a botanical garden. I like this photo of the communication tower rising over the waterfall.
It’s funny that I didn’t take pictures of the flowers, but I photographed the stinging nettles. I got attacked by a plant like this one while taking pictures of Richard and Lizzie at their wedding. It didn’t feel nice on my bare legs with open-toe dress shoes. I took a picture of it to remember for next time!
This is the cave under the waterfall.
We got a little lost while wandering through the elaborate rainforest greenhouses.
The flowers were beautiful at the Palmengarten.
I told Mike to look manly among the flowers.
We found this cool bowl-shaped swing, so of course we had to try it.
This is the Römer, Frankfurt’s town hall.
The Römerplatz is a beautiful square filled with half-timbered houses and plenty of tourists.
We had our final Frankfurt dinner at this restaurant in the Römerplatz.
While we were eating, the Beer Bike went by. Awesome.
Mike grinned while watching the Beer Bike, then he announced that Germany is a country that has its priorities exactly right.
What a great trip it was!
I remember in our high school German book, we always had these vignettes about some chick named “Lotte”
😀
Oh, what a nice thing to say, thanks! You made me smile!
How cool that you lived there, too! You should definitely go back!
It’s surprising how easily the language comes back to you. I hadn’t used German since I was in college, either, but the vocabulary was still hiding away in the back of my head. I’ve forgotten lots of the complicated grammar rules, but the many of the words came back quickly. You should go back and give it a try!
My dad was stationed at the Army base there; we’re all American in our family, but I’ll always feel a little bit German. 🙂
I love Munich, too. I haven’t been since I was a kid, but we are going to have to go back and try it grown-up style. 😉
LOL! I wondered who would catch that. “Die Katze kann nicht Auto fahren” was one of the highly practical phrases taught in German class at Frankfurt Elementary School.
Yay, another stationery fan!
Thanks!
Mike thought I was crazy for taking a picture inside a stationary store, but I knew I wouldn’t be the only person into stuff like that. 😉
Oh wow, then we did live there at the same time! I was there until the summer after 8th grade, which was 1988. I went to the army elementary school for 5th and 6th grades, and Frankfurt International School for 7th and 8th. Do you know if your husband and I might have crossed paths?
Yeah, it was too cold in Germany, and England, too! I did not pack enough warm clothes for that trip!
Oh how cool that you live in Frankfurt! It’s great to meet you. 🙂
I wanted to take a pic of your building, but I couldn’t remember which one it was, sorry! Was it directly across from the school? That’s what I remembered, but it didn’t look right to me.
The entire PX is gone, with no trace of it left, and the army base is being turned into Goethe University. So much in Frankfurt looks exactly the same, but tons of places don’t. It was a fun trip to see it all.
The waterfall was a fun discovery in the Palmengarten. I wish we could have seen people sitting in the sun near the river, but the weather didn’t permit. We did have a few nice walks along the river, which was especially fun in the evening, when the skyline was all lit up.
Very cool! I will always have a soft spot for Germany, too.
Ha! That’s pretty funny… the Germans do tend to be a little pervy. 😉
I presume you’ll be back in Frankfurt before too long because while you were over there, you probably convinced five engaged couples to let you guys photograph their weddings.
The thing I love most about your blog, not only do you showcase your wonderful talent; (I’ll admit to falling in love with your wedding photos in the real weddings community) but you also bring us into the wonderful world of Charlotte. I would love to tour a foreign city with you. I too would be drooling over school supplies, taking photos of plants that could hurt me, giggling at the beer bike, and playing in the bowl swing. I’m glad you had such an amazing trip.
–Erin
The thing I love most about your blog, not only do you showcase your wonderful talent; (I’ll admit to falling in love with your wedding photos in the real weddings community) but you also bring us into the wonderful world of Charlotte. I would love to tour a foreign city with you. I too would be drooling over school supplies, taking photos of plants that could hurt me, giggling at the beer bike, and playing in the bowl swing. I’m glad you had such an amazing trip.
–Erin
Oh my gosh, this post is WONDERFUL! My family spent three years in Germany in the mid-70s and this was such a blast from the past looking at these photos and remembering when we lived there. You guys look like you had a FABulous time!!
Prost!
Wow. Beautiful pictures (as usual!). I made several trips to Germany in my teens, both traveling with family and as an exchange student, so I have many fond memories of that country. I haven’t been back in 12 years. I spoke and understood German pretty well back in the day, but I haven’t used it much at all since I graduated college.
Wow. Beautiful pictures (as usual!). I made several trips to Germany in my teens, both traveling with family and as an exchange student, so I have many fond memories of that country. I haven’t been back in 12 years. I spoke and understood German pretty well back in the day, but I haven’t used it much at all since I graduated college.
Looks like you guys are having fun! Tamera
these are fantastic! thanks for sharing!
I would have to go on that swing too. Very cool!
Germany looks beautiful. I never knew you lived there as a child. Was it for the Military, or is your family German? Thanks for sharing these photos!
If you enjoyed Frankfurt, you will LOVE Munich, which just so happens to be the most wonderful city in the world. I miss it so. (New York is overrated.)
If you enjoyed Frankfurt, you will LOVE Munich, which just so happens to be the most wonderful city in the world. I miss it so. (New York is overrated.)
Let’s just talk about how DAMN CUTE YOU GUYS ARE!!!!
Love the photos! I miss Germany! Wanna go back!
I really want to visit Germany someday! Looks like lots of fun 🙂
The cat cannot drive the car? LOL
I’m so jealous you had a chance to live in Germany and that you have more than my pitiful knowledge of the language. I agree with you wholeheartedly about people being nice and speaking English to us, though. I always would ask question in German, only to have people answer me in English. I guess they felt that was easier given my “abilities” LOL
Thanks for sharing your photos…glad you had so much fun reliving your childhood. The drug deal photo made me truly laugh out loud!
What a fabulous town! And, looking at the Papier Kramer, I have total stationery envy!
Charlotte, were you an Army brat, by any chance and did y’all live on post? My husband was over there at about the same time, I believe. They lived in Frankfurt and in another place in Germany (I am totally blanking out right now) until 9th grade. He is our age.
It is so gorgeous there! I’ve never been but from the photos, I can tell. Your photos are gorgeous, too. I love the first one; the reflection makes it looks like there’s a painting on the side, or a building in a building. And the inside looks awesome!
1. Love your blue top – so cute!
2. I, too, would love that stationary store.
3. Mike does, indeed, look very manly in front of the flowers. But perhaps next time he should look manly without looking like he’s about to attack you! 😉
Hahahahah LOVE the beer bike. Looks like a great trip, although it looks like maybe it was kinda chilly already?
What a fabulous town! And, looking at the Papier Kramer, I have total stationery envy!
1. Love your blue top – so cute!
2. I, too, would love that stationary store.
3. Mike does, indeed, look very manly in front of the flowers. But perhaps next time he should look manly without looking like he’s about to attack you! 😉
hahah i heart your use of deutsch!
I can’t believe it!!!
I’m an avid stalker of your journal for no other reason (well, I believe it is quite a valid reason!!) than that I think you both are wonderful photographers and I must admit to going all gooey over weddings.
And get this – I live in Frankfurt! I can’t believe you were here!! And just this week!
When I glanced at your entry on my friends list I thought “Wait a minute… those buildings behind them look so familiar…”.
I’m happy you had such a great time here, even though the weather was far from hospitable. If you want to you can drop me a line next time – that is, if you’re up for a university student’s tour of the city. ;))
My brother and niece have been stationed in Germany for many years…I want to go sometime…beautiful shots.
I can’t believe it!!!
I’m an avid stalker of your journal for no other reason (well, I believe it is quite a valid reason!!) than that I think you both are wonderful photographers and I must admit to going all gooey over weddings.
And get this – I live in Frankfurt! I can’t believe you were here!! And just this week!
When I glanced at your entry on my friends list I thought “Wait a minute… those buildings behind them look so familiar…”.
I’m happy you had such a great time here, even though the weather was far from hospitable. If you want to you can drop me a line next time – that is, if you’re up for a university student’s tour of the city. ;))
i really enjoyed these… i’ve always wanted to go to germany and hope to one day. thanks for sharing!
i really enjoyed these… i’ve always wanted to go to germany and hope to one day. thanks for sharing!
holy hannah! i did a double take at the school to make sure ms. haynes wasn’t wagging her finger at me through the window. and the playgrounds were awesome. remember the one behind my house? we used to put up the tent and pretend we were in 3’s company.
LOVE the beer bike!!
looking at you both on the fotos one may realise how wonderful you spent your time there! 🙂
some years ago I lived in Frankfurt for two weeks, the best thing I liked about this town is people sitting near the river in the sun and watching at the skyscrapers
but I have not seen the waterfall and did not know that it was possiple to come into the cave under it 🙁
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your pictures! I have a huge soft spot for Germany as I spent my junior year of high school there.
I love how the German Justice shows a little skin ;-).
looking at you both on the fotos one may realise how wonderful you spent your time there! 🙂
some years ago I lived in Frankfurt for two weeks, the best thing I liked about this town is people sitting near the river in the sun and watching at the skyscrapers
but I have not seen the waterfall and did not know that it was possiple to come into the cave under it 🙁