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3. Germany itself!

Having spent months in Hannover in the last two years, some of the shininess of it has worn off, but I managed to find new ways to stay awake to its appeal: Arriving in the final month of spring, I witnessed a warm glow which deepened as summer set in. The reds of the Old Town reached their epiphany, complementing the burgundies, golden yellows and purples of the flowers dotting the centre.

I explored the city through its food scene, revisiting old favourites like Masa (Afghan cuisine), The Bavarium, hof:geflüster (typical German cooking) and Bar Celona (continental European), while discovering great Thai, Mexican and Indian restaurants. Sometimes I opted for cakes at Café Konrad, the apple torte at Kreipe CoffeeTime, and bubble tea at Meet U. On one occasion I tried Belgian-style chips with a cheddar cheese sauce, satiating my curiosity about the flavours of this street food. 

At the supermarket, I tried a species of peach that I’d never seen before. There was a strawberry stall one tram stop over, so I indulged in the ruby fruit a couple of times. And, finally I tried a variety of chocolates which were local to Germany, all of which were mouthwatering. 

I’ve already written about my trips to Coppenbrügge, Hameln and Cologne, but not yet about Aachen:

Aachen’s citizens were almost universally friendly to me and my family. I think it’s the friendliest German city I’ve ever been to, making it easy to enjoy. With plenty of beautiful sights to fill up three days, we took in the mosaics with geometric patterns luxuriating in the cathedral, UNESCO-recognised jewellery and sculpture, life-like paintings of natural settings in the Couvens Museum (once an upper class dwelling), and the tasty local dessert of Printen (gingerbread).

I also enjoyed the layout of the buses, seemingly designed to facilitate communication among the residents, with rows turned to face each other, and some forming a horseshoe - people could conceivably hold a mini conference here!

The city council had recognised the longevity of many of Aachen’s businesses, adorning their shopfronts with a simple, circular sign showing how many years they had been in operation. One pharmacy had been continuously open for 360 years! Every fifth or so shop was emblazoned with one of these green signs, speaking to a respect for tradition.

If you remember the plans I had for travelling around Germany (which largely fell through), Aachen wasn’t among my final list of destinations. I didn’t really know anything about it until circumstances intervened and my parents decided to bring me there, but it turned out to be a happy occasion. I can say that I have savoured one of Germany’s hidden gems!