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| Bad Ems (postcard) |
I had left Sweden on a Friday, by night train, and travelled down from Hamburg via Koblenz to Obernhof an der Lahn on Saturday - not sure when exactly I arrived at Klostermühle (see my previous post), but probably late afternoon.
The next day being a Sunday, I assume there was probably some kind of morning worship service between breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon it seems we were free to do whatever we wanted, as my photo album tells me that I ended up visiting Bad Ems (an old spa town located on both banks of the River Lahn, between Obernhof and Koblenz), with a couple who kindly invited me to come along with them.
And on Monday afternoon I went to Bad Ems again; this time with a whole group of girls. As I rememer it, people were generous all week to include me - the foreign visitor... I think one of my biggest "problems" was actually to get people to talk to me in German, rather than practising their own English! ;) (And I also recall finding it strangely difficult myself to switch quickly between the two different foreign languages.)
The couple who invited me to come along with them to Bad Ems on Sunday.
There was an old Roman spa well preserved, from which you could still drink the water.
Possibly healthy (with lots of minerals in it) - but not really "to my taste"...
The gang of girls I was hanging out with in Bad Ems on Monday afternoon. Looks like a good day to enjoy an ice cream at a street café... :)
People are generally kind to strangers, despite common misconceptions.
ReplyDeleteJanice, when signing up for a holiday course of some kind, most of the participants are usually strangers to each other from start, and open to making new friends; which helps too. This time I felt a bit "extra strange" because of coming from a different country, though! ;)
DeleteI would like to think people in New Zealand are nice to tourists. I've never seen anything Roman though, that would be a thrilling experience.
ReplyDeleteAmy, at the end of that holiday I also spent a couple of days in Trier, which I had chosen especially for having lots of Roman remains!
DeleteI love the photos, especially the two next to last. I would never in a million years have drunk that water!
ReplyDeleteGinny, I forgot to mention the water was warm: 46'C = 114,8'F ! I know I did taste it, but after all these years I can't remember if I took more than one sip...
DeleteI agree that that strangers are usually friendly, even in these crazy days.. I probably would not have tasted the water.. the photos are crystal clear and beautiful, that is amazing
ReplyDeleteSandra, I've edited the old slide photos in Picasa3, the best I could manage...
DeleteFab photos, bringing your memories back to life. That's been a very worthwhile project, hasn't it?
ReplyDeletePauline, the slides as such haven't really added all that much to the photos I have in my old album... But the whole process of going through them (including trying to edit the faded colours) and turning it into a blogging project does help to stir memories and put them into "lifetime" perspective ;)
DeleteIt looks like a great place to visit.
ReplyDeleteRiver, it was, and I'm glad I did.
DeleteThe way the café looks (chairs, tablecloth, ashtray etc.) is exactly how I remember such places from those times... lovely to "revisit", even if I have never been to Bad Ems myself!
ReplyDeleteWere you the only visitor from Sweden, and everyone else at the Klostermühle was German?
Meike, I was certainly the only visitor from Sweden that week, and as far as I can remember, everyone else was German. And that the point, from my perspective... Not just to visit Germany as a tourist but to meet Germans in a context that would involve more talking.
Delete... and that *was* the point...
DeleteA warmly nostalgic glimpse of travel and human kindness where unfamiliar places like Bad Ems became welcoming through the simple generosity of others.
ReplyDeleteRo, I no doubt got more out of the trip by also being with people a lot of the time, listening and talking, than if I had been touristing on my own all week.
DeleteWhat an elegant town Bad Ems is - I would assume it hasn't changed too much over the years. Not sure I would have sampled the water - at that temperature we Brits would prefer to drink it with a tea-bag added!
ReplyDeleteCarol, I haven't been back since, but I imagine it's one of those towns that strive to preserve their connection to history.
ReplyDelete