I slept like a log and woke up around five in the morning. The heating system in my room seemed to have broken down and the room had become very cold. . The duvets on my bed also appeared to have been made for dwarves, so getting myself completely under was a challenge.
I wrapped up nevertheless and to take my mind off the situation busied myself with compiling a list of places to visit this day. I had before leaving home listed Hauptwache which luckily was just three stops away from the Bochenheime Warte underground station which was nearest to me. Seemed a good place to start my adventure since the Goethe Museum was located in the vicinity. The hotel wanted me to pay Euro 10 for breakfast and I declined since I eat so little for breakfast anyway and when you know you have a discount supermarket not too far away from you, getting stuff at cut price almost becomes an addiction.I nevertheless complained about the wonky heating system in my room before I went out, warning that I was prone to nosebleed in case of too high or too low room temperatures and this should be disastrous for the white sheets on my bed. The receptionist promised to have someone look it over.
I travelled in the U-bahn to Hauptwache, which as I have mentioned was only three stops from my neighborhood Bockenheimer Warte underground station . I definitely underestimated the importance of Sundays here .There weren’t many people around and all the major shops were closed. I took a walk around and luckily stumbled upon a sign pointing to the Goethe Museum, which I was looking to visit . The regular entrance fee was Euro 7 but I got a half price reduction by reason of my Frankfurt Card . The exhibits were quite entertaining and I wandered about inside with a busy camera for about an hour.
Now I must say something about this city. Not for one minute had I seen a policeman in uniform, nor a policeman carrying a gun. I was sure they would be in mufti, mingling invisibly into the crowds. The general feeling I had since I arrived here was that of ease and wellbeing. The tourist map told me that the zoo was not so far away but I was too tired and my back hurt, so I decided to return to base, catching a takeaway Chinese chop-suey with rice on the way for lunch.
Two guys came to check my heating system and they assured it was now okay, but it wasn’t at all okay to me. Maybe coming in from the tropics could be an issue I consoled and again not wanting to kick up a fuss. I caught a little sleep and thereafter decided to have another look at neighboring Frankfurt by underground.
West end was the next stop to mine It was now night and I found West End not anywhere near in comparison to West End in London. Not a lively soul in sight here. I retraced back into the underground and again proceeded further to Hauptwache which was as a lot busier tonight – rather like a merry English bazaar. I strolled around in the hope of finding some roasted chestnuts, Alas, every stall was selling marzipan and wurst and nuts and confectionery and apple wine and knickknack. Yuck!
I returned to base around 8pm after stopping briefly at a takeaway takeaway to buy myself kebab with salad, chip on the side and all bathed in a gooey garlic sauce. Nothing else to do tonight, so I busied myself with some writing work in progress , also uploading my photos to online storage and some to provoke envy of my Facebook and Twitter followers .
it was near midnight before I was done. The room was still cold so I reinforced my bedclothes with a cardigan I had quite forgotten I brought along with me. , took a couple of paracetamols for my pains and the cold, donned my wooly cap and muffler and rolled up as best as I could under the miniature duvet.
See http://rotimiogunjobi.me.uk/goethe-house-and-museum-franfurt-am-main
Contents
19 December – Guten Tag
20 December – Palmengarten
21 December – Hauptwache
22 December – Clarks Goes to Shoe Heaven
23 December – Adenauerplatz
24 December – The Pink Pipes
25 December – Down in the Dungeon
26 December – Memorials
27 December – Auf Wiederhersen
