Just more than the Fair

Goethe was born in Frankfurt, so visiting his birthplace for a literature lover like me has been a very special experience. There are countless museums in Frankfurt, including Film Museum, Jewish Museum, Museum of Modern Art, all best in class... so difficult choices must be made if you are visiting for a short while. Not to forget, Euros are made in Frankfurt, where European Central Bank is located. Also, shopping can be a satisfying experience in Frankfurt as well as dining; it has no less to offer than other finance capitals of the world. Eating in a cider pub is an experience that you should not miss.

Quick Tips:

Annual book fair 'Buch Messe' is a good excuse to visit Frankfurt. See the seperate section about it.

Walking around the streets can also be surprising, you should not miss the daily activity in this huge city. Once a girl in funny clothes approached me and said that she was getting married and she had to sell a small surprise package to save money for it. She was in a big group of girls and I paid the small change for the package she sold. Pictures made, laughed, I wished her luck with marriage. This is a typical bachelor night for girls in Germany where her friends making fool of the bride. What was in the package? A condom.

Best Way To Get Around:

I simply walked and used the U-bahn. Taxis are expensive in Germany. Frankfurt is easily reachable by train from all over Europe and it is also a crossroad for German highways. Driving in the city center can be challenging.

It is a typical Holiday Inn, and it has so many rooms that it could offer us one during the Buchmesse. Additionally, we did not want to be too central with the car because traffic in Frankfurt, like in most cities, can be challenging. After parking the car in the parking place of the hotel (€12 for 24 hours), we explored the city on foot and public transport. Holiday Inn is only 10-minute walk from the busy street of Schweizerstrasse, where there are local cider pubs, restaurants, and action.

A continental breakfast will set you back by €15 per person in Holiday Inn.

One last, but not the least, reason to stay here is for the great view if you are on the right side. When the evening fell, we watched the skyscrapers with our drinks from our own balcony.

It is a typical cider pub (Apfelwein) located on the Schweizerstrasse. It is large, cozy, and friendly. A reservation on Saturday evening is necessary. When we were there, all tables were reserved for one hour later so we asked if we could stay for one hour. This can be tricky if you want to enjoy this local experience, but simply cannot plan things ahead.

They serve a huge glass of cider for €1.50, apple juice for the same price, and many kinds of German beer are available for different prices. A Frankfurter sausage is around €3, and if you are vegetarian, stick to good old handkas mit musik, around €3 euros. Handkas mit Musik has nothing to do with music, as it is hard cheese softened in vinegar with onions and served with German bread. I never thought that this combination could even be delicious, but it is exquisite. Service is efficient and food is fresh because the turnover is huge. Even the taste of cider is just different from normal restaurants; it is just more natural. There is green sauce on the menu too, Goethe's favourite when served with sauces or beef.

I also liked the way locals hanged out here: older Germans in very traditional clothing, families with children, and young people; all were enjoying the same atmosphere. It is something to see.

For more information look at
www.zumgemaltenhaus.de

Guten apetit!

WEGA is another treassure that Schweizerstrasse offers. This cool place is popular among young people and locals. They have a rich menu consisting of fusion food, foods from the modern kitchen melt into traditional German concepts. The sauces are great: I could taste the fresh peper in my meal melt into a mysterious mix of cheese, cream, and musterd. I think Goethe would like this more than his favourite green sauce if he lived today. The chicken was well cooked and the portions were filling. Next to the typical German drinks, international cocktails are also available. Service is fast, friendly, and enthusiastic.

The kitchen is always open until midnight from Sto Thursday and until 1am on Friday and Saturday. If you will arriving after 11pm, make sure you have a reservation as it is very popular among locals.

If you are around, this place is an excellent stop for a hip dinner.

The museum consists of two parts. The modern part is used for exhibitions, seminars, and has a library. The other part is the house that belonged to Goethe's family. Goethe was a rich guy; you can say it after a tour of the house. Of course, only the rich were educated at that time.

You see the room where he was assumed to be born, the table where he wrote, and even his mother's porcelain set. The cake forms in the kitchen are also original and interesting, as well as the big clock on the third floor. The house is elegantly decorated with artwork and original material where possible.

In the exhibition part, you can see the works of German artists, mainly from 18th and 19th centuries.

Explanations in English, German, and French on a double sided A4 paper are given, audio phones are available for €4.5, and if you want a guided tour and you are not a student, it will set you back by €52 (only €16 if you are). There are only two guided tours per day at 10:30 and 2:00, by appointment only.

If you want to hang out on your own, the entrance is €5.
The Goethe Museum is open everyday. For more information check out:
www.goethehaus-frankfurt.de

Most of the old city was destroyed during the bombings of Second World War. This square has been rebuilt according to the original historical architecture that existed before the war. It was a sunny, but cold, day when we were there. People were outside, young people were sporting, the elderly were feeding the birds, and everyone was enjoying the sunshine. It was a challenge to get a table on one of the pubs located in front of the historic-looking houses. Notice the giant city hall and the 12th-century church on the corner. You will then feel that this city has its distinct history. It was here where I felt that Frankfurt is just more than the skyscrapers or the Buchmesse.

Romerplatz is an excellent place to rest with a drink and watch the action. If you walk to the east behind the square, you will see some Roman ruins called the archeological gardens.

For some, Buchmesse can be the ultimate reason for visiting Frankfurt. Only open to normal people the last two days (Saturday and Friday), it is a specialised fair dedicated to publishing-industry professionals.

In 2004, participants were allowed to sell books. They liked this idea because the transport of the books to their home country costs a lot and the visitors also like buying a few books they can not get easily at home.

Every year the book fair has a theme. In 2004, it was Arabic world. Islamic poetry and the Arab language were the central points of discussion.

Also, many international and German writers participate in the action by setting up readings, and discussions.

In 2005, it will be held October 19 to the 23, and the theme will be Korea. Look at www.buchmesse.de for more information.

There is a big parking space dedicated to the fair, and once you park the car, the fair ground is reachable by a free shuttle. The fair area is also reachable on foot from the central station.

Entrance to the fair was €9 in 2004, but it may change every year. There are food and drink stalls in the fair area as well as countless coffee bars and restaurants, so you will not starve. It is forbidden to take any pictures in the fair area.

Walking around millions of books published in every language on earth and feeling their scent of paper hanging in the air; one does not have to be in the publishing industry to enjoy that.