Return to Erfurt, Nov-Dec, 2021

I flew to Germany again, just after Thanksgiving. Delta could not fly to Munich, so I flew directly to Frankfurt-Main, believing that simpler would be better. When I visited in late August, I had to fly to Amsterdam, change planes, and fly on to Munich with KLM.

I don't think I'll fly to Frankfurt again. It is a busy, busy place. Large, complex, and intimidating. Also, the convenient, underground shopping-area that I remember from the old days mostly closed when the epidemic started and has not yet reopened.

The weather was much colder this time. Days in the upper 30s, nights around 30 or lower. We had snow flurries in Erfurt and snow accumulation in the hills south of the city.

I live in a part of the US with a climate-system just a tad cooler than the Tropics. After two weeks in Erfurt, I found the task of putting on a sweater, a coat, and overcoat—gloves, hat, and scarve—sort of tiresome.

Days were much shorter. Twilight around 4:15 pm. During the Summer, twilight comes around ten p.m., and the morning starts just before five a..m.

Erfurt, western horizon, 1630 hrs. 1st December

Das Haus zum Güldenen Rade

When I visited Erfurt at the end of the Summer, I remember being impressed that restaurants had undergone renovation during the lockdown period. One of my favorites, the Haus zum Güldenen Rade, remodeled the interior to accomodate more seating. Perhaps you notice in the street-photo that there are no cars. Only service vehicles and street-cars can use it. The sound of human voices echoing off the walls of buildings remains with you. With no auto traffic—it gets addictive, it really does.