Love From Germany (Part 2)

I knew as soon as I arrived in Bamberg I knew that my blog post would have to be split. Despite Bamberg being a small town in Bavaria, it has a huge amount of history and the architecture is breath taking. I probably became a bit obsessed with the houses and the cute windows (yes this post is v photo heavy #sorrynotsorry) I couldn't help it, the brightness of the buildings and the details was a fresh sight from the grey buildings of Scotland. 

Like Scotland, the mountains and hills dominate the south of the Germany. Bamberg is enclosed by 7 hills each crowned with a church and there is a mass of trees. Seriously, trees everywhere. In gardens, along the street and then grand forests leading up the the Altenburg. Altenburg is a small castle situated on the highest hills in Bamberg. Emphasis on the word highest. Lara thought it was just "a little walk up the hill". We got half way and realised we maybe should have packed food, water and a tent. Walking up the hill it seemed never ending. Luckily the weather was good to us and the sun was shining as we reached the top and the gates of the castle greeted us. The Altenburg looks over the whole of Bamberg and the villages around it with flashes of gold from the rape seed contrasting next to the red tiled roofs. As I gazed to the horizon it hit me that I was in a total different country. There were similar aspects to of the land to home, but it wasn't the same. Everything was brighter and in the open. Maybe I've grown accustomed to the city but I remembered how much I love the country side, I knew it was going to be tough to leave.

The town's cobbled street and 17th Century buildings can be found in the films such as Romeo and Juliet and The Three Musketeers. I thought it would make a good backdrop to Pirates of the Caribbean and then I suddenly had the strong urge to dress up and have a sword fight. Lara dragged me away from the picturesque Alte Hofhalung courtyard before I got carried away to the rose garden which over looked the town and the grand Abbey which dominated the view. 

There is so much to see in this little town but luckily there are cafes at every corner. Along the canal there are multiple cafes and with the sun shining, it felt you were in Italy. It is no surprise that this corner of Bamberg is known as Klein-Venedig (Little Venice). It over looks the canal and onto the old town which is linked by a bridge and the old town hall. Walking through the arch leads to, what feels like a different world as the old town hall was built in 1386 and the buildings surrounding has kept their original structure. With the sun shining I didn't feel out of place with my camera as I certainly wasn't the only tourist. I had an afternoon to myself where I unknowingly joined a guided tour group. Stopped me from getting too lost I suppose. I nodded along to the German tour guide, pretending I knew what he was talking about. Fake it til you make it, as I always say.

Along with churches, cathedrals and pretty streets, Bamberg is famous for their beer. Bamberg has eleven breweries and two regularly brew smoked beer. One is in the centre of the town and has a tavern so you can enjoy the home grown beer in it's natural habitat. I noticed that people just really enjoy a good beer here. Not like me who just drinks any cheap cider (Strongbow, you devil), but they really appreciate the taste and don't necessarily drink to get drunk-but they can drink just as good as us. I personally am not a fan of the smoked beer but it's still a proud selling point for the town. And how cute are the wee crates? 

I could have spent at least another week there. There are market stalls on regularly and a good number of shops to keep me entertained as well as many more streets to take photos of. Another visit is definitely on the cards, I've been back for 3 weeks and I can't stop thinking about Bamberg and Munich. I think I'm in love.