If you have read my previous post on Nuremberg, then you pretty much know the story of my trip to Regensburg as well. That is not to say it was redundant or boring! In fact, I enjoyed touring this Bavarian city just as much as the last! The similarity was in the fact that my family continued their trend from the previous day; short walk, cafe, shorter walk, restaurant and so on.
Regensburg is a very old city. Long before the Romans would set up a fort at the location in the year 90, it was known to ancient Celtic tribes as Radasbona. Since the Roman takeover, its history has been illustrious. Regensburg was home to bishops, royalty, and trading superpowers. The old city center is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany.
There was no in-between of shadow and light when I visited Regensburg. The sun seemed to shine with strength I’ve never known, though likely the cloudy Tatra winter just had me underexposed. It was often too bright to look down open streets and always inconveniently contrasty for photos, but I forgot about these detriments entirely as I enjoyed the sun on my face for the first time in what felt like an eternal winter.
Ethereally presiding over the city and instilling disbelief, the spires of Saint Peter’s Church appeared almost weightless and glowing in the bright sun. I can not imagine how the laborers and craftsmen who built this cathedral managed such an engineering feat without modern equipment. To haul stone all the way up there and set it intricately at such a height… it is no wonder construction took over 600 years! I encourage you to look closely at the photo and appreciate the almost lace-like quality of the steeple.
After I spent a bit of time exploring the old town alone, I rejoined my host family and their friend for lunch. We dined at an extremely nice restaurant. In decor at least, it seemed a palace! We sat in heavy wooden chairs, surrounded by fine rugs, artwork and floral arrangements. The food was distinctly German, but had a refined sense about it… at least compared to the wooden platter of sausages and mustard I’d eaten previous day. I had to sneak a photo of the place. I doubt the management would have minded, but I didn’t want to disturb anyone’s meal.
Regensburg was a nice trip, short like Nuremberg before it, but, as I look back now, that was for the best. A few slow days of actual vacation were welcome respite before the intense week of exploring the laid ahead of me. The following seven days, I spent in Prague! Each one of them, I will cover in the following few weeks.
Signed,
Andrew
