Cruise Report - Nuremberg and home

We cruised overnight to Nuremberg and many people were departing the same day.  I decided not to for two reasons:  First, because the flights with the fewest connections left early in the morning, and I wanted to leave a cushion in case we arrived late; and second, because I had a bucket list item to complete.

So my travel agent booked a room for me at the airport hotel, and when I went to arrange for transport with the cruise director, she very sternly advised that they only arrange for transport to the after-cruise journey hotel (which I was not joining) and to the airport.  I assured her that the airport was exactly where I needed to go.  She said I could join one of the large group transports.

When I checked the schedule after supper, to get my coded luggage tag, it said that I was on the motorcoach leaving at 11:00am.  I worried that I would not have enough time to see and do what I wished, but it was that or pay for a taxi to the airport or the hotel.  I decided to save my funds.

After leaving the room and putting the luggage out to be brought outside the boat, I stayed in the lounge and worked for a couple of hours.  And, as I do, drank tea.  Sadly, they did not have my favourite cookies in the jar in the lounge or I would have nibbled a few - I really like the cocoanut ones we had two days.

When the motorcoach was announced we made sure to get the luggage aboard, and there was so much that the underside was filled and a few bags were in the aisle!  The trip to the airport was shorter than I expected, and the guide gave us some information as we traveled.  When we arrived she said that people going to the gates go in, "those going to the hotel it is across the street".  And it was!

Taken from the front door of the hotel - just past the parked
vehicles is the entrance to the airport, check-in to the left.

I pre-checked in but it was too early for a room, so I stored my luggage at the desk and headed to the train station to get a train to the center of town.  I had a basic map and figured I'd see as much as I could.  Buying a ticket took a couple of tries, because first I pushed the button for an all-day pass but it was over 9€ and I decided to see if a one-way ticket was less than half.  It was just over 3€ so definitely a wiser option to get two one-way tickets.  They are not distance-bounded so I could have traveled to anywhere the trains would go.

I decided to exit at the main station in the city centre, where several lines converged.  It is a typical large station with plenty of food and beverage outlets, and shops selling other items.  I perused a shop selling small luggage and all kinds of bags, because the tote I'd brought for souvenirs was not great quality and the seam split when I packed!  I thought if I could find something inexpensive to replace it I would do so, and otherwise I would carry it as my second onboard item and put my purse in my briefcase.  The shop had a couple of possibilities but I didn't want to carry a bag all day.

Outside I found a map (they were posted periodically on the main road), oriented, and decided to check out the castle.  The station was under a tower of the town wall, so I knew I would be able to find it at the end of my day:

On the way to the castle I saw the old town hall; interesting buildings; and a market in the square by the cathedral:

  

A painted spire also in the cathedral square:

 

A couple memorial gates across the road from each other:

 

 

A mural that wrapped around one building:

And, finally, the castle:

  

View down to the town from the castle.

Then it was time to complete my bucket list item.  Many people heard of Nuremberg because of the trials held here after World War II.  For classical music lovers, it has another meaning: the setting of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.  The opera has been one of my favourites for most of my life; my 16th birthday gift was a box seat to see it at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and I have seen it several times since.  The story is based upon actual persons, and I wanted to go to Hans-Sachs-Platz to see his statue and pay homage.  As you can see at the top of this post - I made it there.  I was a bit giddy, and I don't think it was just due to the heat!  Hans Sachs is one of Germany's best-known poets and singers of the 16th Century.

Once that was accomplished, since I had time left in the day, I decided to check out the city museum even if it would be for only an hour or so.  Turns out the museum is open until 20h30 or 8:30pm on Wednesdays!  So I went in and explored it thoroughly.

 

 

 

I saw some early prosthetics:

And a very early bicycle:

These are a very common heating stove, so many rooms in many museums had one:

Much of this building was repurposed, and still resembles its origins:

There are several related museums but by the time I was done at the city museum, I was really done for the day.  I passed the Toy Museum but it was closed - and just as well.

I didn't go back by the main station, because on the way to it we'd passed the one for the Opera House and of course I had to see it.  Luckily, a few shops on the main street sold bags of various kinds, and while I saw a large one for cheap, it resembled a beach bag in size and quality.  I didn't have enough to fill it and worried about it surviving the trip.  Another shop had a rack of small duffle bags and a sign that they were on sale for €9.99!  Most were something between ugly and tolerable, then I found one with a water pattern that would do nicely.  I went in and with English and German, made my purchase.

Then it was back to the Opera House station, and the train to the airport.

I'd noticed that my ticket had two barcodes on it.  I decided to try the second one, because if it was rejected then I'd just buy a new one.  But it was accepted!  This meant I had my trip out and back for a third of the ticket I almost purchased.  I waited for my train, and back to the airport hotel - conveniently, the airport is the final stop in that direction.

My room was ready, and the hotel had a large jug of ice water for guests.  Even better - they gave free ice cream bars!

 

Three glasses of ice water, two ice-cream bars (they are coated with fruit purees), and one shower later, I felt much recovered from the day.  I packed from the ripped tote into my new duffle and moved the luggage tag.  The deceased bag went into the room's trash receptacle.

After a solid night's sleep, I woke and ate the canelé I'd purchased in Strasbourg.  These little cakes are covered in a shell so it stayed fresh.  That and some tea from the in-room kettle, and a quick walk across the street (when I checked in, I also checked out - handy system), and I located the correct wicket for my check-in to the flights.  After a very short hop to Frankfurt and a long line for passport controls, I stayed in the lounge until my flight home.  They have a large buffet with all kinds of foods and snacks, so I had breakfast - but not with the beer many others drank!

I forgot to hold my phone out during the flight, so no photos.  Nice meals and a solid nap, and I arrived back in the USA around midafternoon.  I went through Customs quickly - when I said I had under $1,000 in purchases, I was waved through.  So it was home to shower and start laundry, and adjusting back to my home timezone.  Since I'd kept up with work, and had colleagues covering, my inbox hadn't exploded too much - but  I made a sneaky peek to clear out a few things before heading to my own bed.

A coda to my trip:  The following week, my FitBit report noted a precipitous drop-off in number of steps and other measures of activity as my life reverted to my normal levels: