Germany, Germany (Deutschland), officially the Federal Republic of Germany is a federal parliamentary republic in west-central Europe. Germany is in Western and Central Europe, with Denmark bordering to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France and Luxembourg to the southwest, and Belgium and the Netherlands to the northwest. The country consists of 16 states, and its capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 square kilometres (137,847 sq mi) and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state in the European Union. Germany is one of the major political and economic powers of the European continent and a historic leader in many theoretical and technical fields. (Wikipedia)

     Our first stop in Germany, or more properly, Bavaria, the old town of Regansburg. It began as a Roman fortress around 179AD and for many years, at least until the late 15th century, it was an important and wealthy trading centre.

    Between 1135 and 1146, the Stone Bridge across the Danube was built at Regensburg. This bridge opened major international trade routes between northern Europe and Venice, and this began Regensburg's golden age as a residence of wealthy trading families. Regensburg became the cultural centre of southern Germany and was celebrated for its gold work and fabrics. (Wikipedia)

    I was looking forward to visiting Regansburg, not for the history or the churches, but for the wurst (sausages). This little "old" restaurant serves wurst (sausages), sauerkraut and beer, although you can order a few other things. Old? Various sources suggest it started in the 1200s or perhaps even earlier. It's been rebuilt at least twice after destructive fires. While the others went on a guided walking tour of Regansburg I stayed back and then ventured out in the light rain - a quest for the best wurst, perhaps the best in Europe let alone Germany. Situated on the banks of the Donau river, beside the Bruckturm museum (1600s), and next to the Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge, 1200s). There is a small canopied, seating area outside, and a smaller seating area inside. There's a tiny doorway right next to the grill where you can get some food "mitnehmen" (to go). I had 2 wurst in a bread roll mit sauerkraut und their own sweet mustard. Simple place, simple food, great taste - it was well worth the 1/2 mile walk. And now for a little tourist humour.

    Denis, Hilda & Heather had left the walking tour to do some window shopping on their own and they wandered down a few twisty streets before they stopped for some refreshing Bavarian beer. Now it was time to return to the Amacerto, remember the cloudy sky the light rain... Of course they got "slightly" lost. They stopped several people and tried to describe the town square they were looking for but no one seemed to know or understand. Eventually they found their own way. Later on the Amacerto, while reliving their adventure over a glass of wine, Heather sat back laughed and said; "Why didn't we simply show them the pictures of the square in our camera - doh!!"

     What is this??? The Continental Divide is not an interesting town or city, why include it? I included it because, well, it's interesting for its own sake. As elevation goes, technically, on the right side of the marker the water would flow South, on the left side of the marker the water would flow North. That is if the water could flow but as this is a canal and we are between locks the water doesn't flow, how could it... First plans were developed in 1938 and by 1966 the canal was almost at Bavaria. The last section, 34km, was completed in 1992. From 1960 to 1992 the investment was around 2.3 billion euros. An engineering feat of imagination and construction. For the nautically minded, the location of the continental divide that we "crossed" on the Amacerto is N49°11'7.16 / E11°17'24.23.

     We were about an hour late getting into Nuremburg as the canal and locks were busy so our tour time was abbreviated - too bad really. We split up tours, Heather & Hilda took the Old Town tour while Denis & I took the WWII tour to see some of remainders, perhaps one should say reminders, of the Nazi period. Our guide was a 30s something history major who did tours to make ends meet. His style was quite open and frank and he had a wicked sense of humour and irony as he was most definitely a proud German and an anti-Nazi. We managed to see some of the "grand" Nazi places. Almost all buildings from the Nazi (National Socialist) period are either gone or in a decrepit state, result of the combined efforts of time, nature and German nation. This stadium was patterned after the Roman colosseum, only built to be larger, 1½ times larger, but it was never finished... On the inside the walls are revealed - not marble as seen from the outside but a thin layer of marble over brick, a facade.

     This is Zeppelin Field, or rather what's left of it. Once massive both in size and spectacle it is now reduced to visiting tourists and athletes running up and down the stairs. Another Nazi creation designed to be bigger than other similar fields, it could hold up to 100,000 of the party faithful or soldiers on the grounds and 60,000 more in the stands. I have searched for images from its infamous past and it is difficult to balance what the photos display, massive crowds, multiple searchlights, and then stand in front of what is left today. Like the colosseum, which is located just adjacent, this structure was also a facade, marble over brick.


     Can you imagine a stadium about 4 times as big as a CFL field ringed with (at least) 134 searchlights. Talk about spectacle!

     As we left Zeppelin stadium area enroute to the Nuremburg courts, our guide spoke of his views on Germany past and present. He is a member of a group of citizens whose aim is to track what happens to Nazi era buildings and facilities and told us one of his "favourite" stories. He began with a question. "Can you imagine how much electricity was required to power the 100+ searchlights? A special building was created to hold massive transformers and wiring. Our guide was concerned that (some years ago) there was a political decision to destroy the building. After all, the majority of Nazi facilities were already destroyed as many citizens did not want any reminders/remainders of the the Nazi era. Along with others, he campaigned to have the building saved as there were so few structures still intact. He was at first disappointed to learn that the building was instead sold to a private company for commercial purposes. Later, with friends discussing the situation at a local beerhall, he changed his attitude and was in fact more than pleased. Since 2006 the building has been home to a BurgerKing fast food restaurant. Our guide finished his story with; "Yes, the former Nazi power station is now producing HAMburgers!" - emphasis mine, irony his.

     Sometimes you're just lucky or perhaps the stars are aligned. When the idea for this rivercruise first was considered and the route was studied, I decided that I wanted to do the Nuremburg tour as it included a visit to the very building where the Nuremburg trials were conducted following WWII. The brochure further stated that often, when court wasn't in session, the tours managed to enter courtroom 600 - the very courtroom! Turns out on our visiting day the courtroom was in use but because of our earlier mentioned late arrival, court was done for the day and we were able to visit and even sit on the visitor benches - fantastic. Our guide was in his element. He had a true sense of history and pointed to where the defence counsel sat, the state counsel, the accused such as Goering, and even where American journalist Walter Cronkite had sat in the visitor gallery. On the bus ride downtown he also provided a detailed account of many of the trials and events. I gave him an A+ and 5€.

    The interior of the courtroom of the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials in 1946 during the Trial of the Major War Criminals, prosecuting 24 government and civilian leaders of Nazi Germany.
    Visible here is Hermann Goering, former leader of the Luftwaffe, seated in the box at center right, wearing a gray jacket, headphones, and dark glasses. Next to him sits Rudolf Hess, former Deputy Fuhrer of Germany, then Joachim von Ribbentrop, former Nazi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wilhelm Keitel, former leader of Germany's Supreme Command (blurry face), and Ernst Kaltenbrunner, the highest ranking surviving SS-leader. Goering, von Ribbentrop, Keitel, and Kaltenbrunner were sentenced to death by hanging along with 8 others.
    Goering committed suicide the night before the execution. Hess was sentenced to life imprisonment, which he served at Spandau Prison, Berlin, where he died in 1987.    (AP Photo/STF)

        Visit Geoff Walden's excellent website Third Reich in Ruins for much more detailed information, particularly about buildings and locations all over Germany and in other countries as well.