Trier, GERMANY

Trier, GERMANY

Bright and early I was on my last hike through the hilly city of Luxembourg's capital on my way to the train station. Now, if you know me, you know that I love to exercise. But it isn't exactly my ideal workout to shower, get ready then strap on my backpack (yes, Clayton, I know it is too big... I learned...) then climb up the most massive hill (people leaving the hostel generally take a tram so they don't have to proceed on a nearly technical climb with all their crap) and walk a couple miles through the city to the train station. My plan was to hike the hill and grab the bus that would take me to the train station in about 15 minutes. Surprise the buses only run 4 times daily on Sunday, not every 15 minutes like they do the other 6 days of the week... But hey, it's a beautiful day and I have a healthy body so why not just walk there... after all the train isn't going to come get me at the hostel. So there I am sweating away, admiring the serenity of a quiet city on a Sunday morning when a mini van rolls past me and then stops abruptly. Should I be nervous? As I near the vehicle a woman asks if I am heading to the train station. Obviously, I am. She says that she is going there as well because it is the only place in the city that is open on a Sunday and she wants to buy some croissants for her family. Immediately, my stranger danger kicks in. Is she a masher, trying to kidnap me? Is the minivan full of children's toys all a ploy to make her appear sweet and innocent and get me to come willingly? As I look up at the next mountainous hill looming in front of me sweat runs in my eyes and I suddenly find myself buckling my seat belt in the mini van. It turns out she was just a really nice lady offering a sweaty traveler a little assistance. We ended up having a great conversation and I even made the early train!

After a short trip (it is located only six miles from the Luxembourg border) on the train I arrived in Germany's oldest city, Trier! Woo hoo more Roman ruins! Once again, I forgot that I was traveling on a Sunday and everything was closed... live and learn. I managed to find the area of most interest to foreigners and even at the early hour of 10 AM the vendors were busy slinging ice cream cones and ?? German fries?? The quaint market square (Hauptmarkt) is filled with fruit stands, flowers, painted facades, and fountains and loads of tourists eating crap wayyyy to early in the morning. The map I picked up at the TI had all the info I needed for my short visit. I managed to see the Porta Nigra, a second century Roman city gate that was eventually saved from destruction when a monk turned it into a church...
I think I saw about 12 other churches in the small downtown area; amongst them was the Trier Cathedral
and the Basicilla of Constantine. Being that it was Sunday and all, I decided to stop in and visit a church. When I arrived the service had already started but was in German so it wasn't like I was up for understanding much of it anyway. I just like to get a little taster of religious services from other places in the world. As things were wrapping up I saw a lady with an older man and as usual, I made up a story about their lives. The elderly man was the middle-aged woman's father and they were just attending their weekly services together. Not that I am a middle-aged German woman or that you are an elderly, mumbling German man, Dad, but seeing the family together made me miss mine. Moving on I decided to sample a treat from my first German bakery (which was an ordeal trying to order from someone who didn't know a lick of English and all I can say is "Danke" and "Guten Morgen" in German). In order to relax from the stressful pastry ordering session I took a walk along the Moselle river. Eh, it is big, but not terribly impressive and not wonderfully clean either but it is marked with ruins of ancient toll bridges... interesting. After not too much longer I had had my fill of Trier and was back on the train. Next stop Frankfurt, Germany!