HAMBURGER WITH THE LOT

Saturday 29th November

Seoul to Frankfurt

Day started with a 515 alarm so we could be up and ready for the 600am shuttle to the airport for the 13+ hour flight to Frankfurt.

Weather was chilly and windy but not enough to rug up in the Winter woolies- that would be for later in the day.

The F1 driver must have slept in and was replaced by an escapee from the Driving Miss Daisy team who pottered along with the assistance of Google Maps to take almost double the time to reach airport.

At 545 on a Saturday morning the airport was mayhem, it felt like half the 55 million residents were heading off on an international holiday.  Once we found the actual entry point Korean efficiency saw the line move pretty well  and we spent about 40 minutes getting through Customs and Security.

A light breakfast in the Lounge and we were soon boarding the upper deck of the A380-800 psyching ourselves up for the almost 14 hour trip. Like our trip over we were under the control of one of my distant relatives Captain Lee.

A bit of bingeing on a tv series, a few bites to eat and the odd drink, plus some fitful sleep and the journey was over arriving in a mild and rainy Frankfurt mid afternoon.

Pretty seamless entry process and then a search for the station and the usual ‘ how the hell do these ticket machines work’  moments, before we paid our 40 Euros and were off to the main railway station. 

Another grand piece of architecture full of food stalls and a mass of humanity.  Thankfully we found the Railway Information booth and sorted out the rebooking of tomorrow’s second leg of the journey to Prague.

Vasco got her compass and map out and we negotiated the 300 metres to the Hotel Hamburger. If the service we received from the reception staff was a precursor of German hospitality, we are in for a ripper of a trip.

Freshened up and rugged up we headed to the Xmas Market at about 430 in the pitch black. The streets were alive with people, as were the bars and cafes on the 25 minute walk. Frankfurt is a wonderful mix of the ild and new. The diversity of the food offerings certainly cements fact that it’s a true multinational destination.

The crowds on the streets  getting there were only a precursor to the throng of people at the Xmas Markets. Anybody that went thirsty or hungry simply wasn’t trying, as long as the wait didn’t deter you.

Pop up bars were very popular, with most people tossing down the mulled wine from little mugs that you drank from and kept as a soyvenier( sure saved washing up).

Full of sensory delight and slightly wet after the walk and wander around in rhe rain we headed home via the Mitchell Inn food truck, where we grabbed our first German Sausage and 500ml can of Beck’s to finish the day.

Next stop Prague for a few days.