Day 37: Regensburg

After about 7 days straight of intense traveling and sightseeing, we had a relaxed morning at our apartment. We had rolls and croissants from the bakery down the street, the boys got some homework done and we spent some time planning the next few days of travel and touristing.
Eventually we did head into the Altstadt of Regensburg, which, as most of it remained undamaged during World War II, is the largest old town center in Germany. Our first stop was the St. Peter's Cathedral - building on the baroque cathedral began in the early 1200s, but was not completed for about 600 years.

Although the cathedral was significantly smaller than some we have seen, its spires were visible over the surrounding buildings from almost everywhere in the old town area - only in the narrowest of alleys were we not able to see them. We worked our way through the many narrow pedestrian streets / passages to the Danube River, which although it is frequently referred to as the Blue Danube, did not appear to be blue at all.

We had lunch alongside the Danube at the Wurstküche, a 500 year old sausage restaurant. The menu offered a variety of dishes, consisting of 6 sausages, 8 sausages or 10 sausages (all with sauerkraut and the restaurant's specialty sweet mustard). The sauerkraut and sausages are also made on the premises and everything was delicious.

Just outside the restaurant is a 13th century stone bridge across the Danube.

We had been eager to see it, as the pictures are fantastic - unfortunately, most of it was covered in scaffolding. The pontoon-shaped footings were an engineering marvel in their day and they clearly still work effectively, lasting through the recent high water mark from the 1980s, which is about 20 feet higher than the current water level.




We shopped a little as we made our way back toward the center of the old town. As always, we passed through several Christmas Markets - the many holiday lights caught our attention at the markets in Regensburg.