Regensburg

View of Regensburg from across the Danube River

Regensburg is another fantastic Bavarian city full of lovely things to see. We've changed our plans from staying here two nights to staying four nights, not leaving until Saturday. This will give us time to see more in Regensburg as well as make a day trip into the Czech Republic (probably tomorrow).

To say the weather has been variable here would be an understatement. The only thing that has been consistent, unfortunately, is the near-freezing temperatures! Remember in Bamberg when I said it was much warmer than it had been and we had a nice night walk? That's over now.


Snowfall outside the istoric Sausage Kitchen on the riverfront (more on this below).

It began to snow lightly as we left Bamberg yesterday morning and it has snowed several times in Regensburg since we arrived. It is very pretty, but unfortunately none of it sticks so everything just ends up cold and wet. It is also very windy, so the clouds move rapidly across the sky and we get some brilliant sunbreaks too.


Yesterday evening was one of the sunnier spells. Knowing it was unlikely to last long, I headed quickly over this bridge into town after we checked in to see the cathedral. After his big hike in Bamberg that morning, David was ready to take it a little easier and explore the area around our hotel instead.


Our hotel is located next to the train station and we've enjoyed watching the trains when we walk into town.


Regensburg Cathedral, built in the High Gothic style in the 1200s

I was really impressed by the cathedral. It has recently been completely cleaned to its original cream color and decorated with yellow-and-white banners that flapped in the strong wind. It's covered with gargoyles and sculptures inside and out, and has a huge collection of stained glass from the 1200s.








Some other highlights from yesterday evening and today in Regensburg:


Church of St. Ulrich next to the cathedral. It houses a museum, but does not open until April 1. Humph!


Angel over the south door of the above church



Towers of the Jakobskirche, a.k.a. the Schottenkirche.


The fascinating Romanesque portal of the Jakobskirche. Unlike the cathedral, it has not been cleaned and still wears the full black grime of the industrial revolution. But it is protected inside a modern glass porch, which also kept us out of the weather a bit. The portal is fantastic not only for its multitude of Romanesque (12th-century) sculptures, but their highly unusual and intriguing subjects.


This was one of my favorites. The small vertical columns look like normal, solid architecture features for the entire height of the portal, until you get to the bottom and see that this fellow has grabbed them and wrapped them around his head!


Entwined snakes


An assortment of intriguing human and animal figures


Inside there is some fine Romanesque architecture with large carved capitals.


The lovely Old Stone Bridge over the Danube River, built in the 12th century


View of Regensburg from the Old Stone Bridge


Next to the bridge right on the river is this fantastic little sausage restaurant, which is an astonishing 800 years old. The workers who built the bridge ate here! But it's no tacky tourist attraction - it still serves up delicious sausages with mustard, sauerkraut and bread to locals and visitors alike.




We joined a short line in the cozy little kitchen for some sausage with bread to go, as seen above. We ate huddled under the outside awning while the snow came down sideways, but there is some inside seating as well. Those who stay longer usually order 6, 8, or 10 little sausages on a pile of sauerkraut with bread on the side. It was seriously good sausage, and their sweet mustard is an old secret recipe too.

Another feature worth mentioning is not at all historical. Joined to the train station right across the street from our hotel is a complex that includes a huge American-style cinema, mall and grocery store. We stopped by one of the mall's bakeries this morning for breakfast. Being in the mall was the weirdest thing, like being instantly transported back home except everyone is speaking German.

The best part is that the grocery store, which is a lot like Winco, has Pepsi Max! We have not seen this delicious nectar of the gods since we were in England despite much searching - Germany is mostly a Coke country. We are thrilled, perhaps more than we should be about a soft drink, and will be carrying several 1.5-liter bottles across the Alps with us!


Easter bunny band in the mall.