A Stopover in Regensburg On Our Way to Prague

Hallo und Auf Wiedersehen Regensburg – Ahoj Prague!

This morning we disembarked the Ms Joy in Vilsohofen, Germany, and started on our way to Prague, in the Czech Republic, but first a stop in the Barvarian town of Regensburg, Germany.  Regensburg, with a population of about 150,000 people, is situated at the confluence of the Danube, Naab, and Regen rivers.  Its medieval Old Town section was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. The Romans built several forts in this location over several centuries, with the earliest dating back to AD 90.  During World War II it was the location of the German’s Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft factory, as well as an oil refinery.  Both sites were heavily bombed by the Allied forces, but fortunately the Old Town was left intact.

Messerschmitt Bf-109 WWII German fighter aircraft

Here is my opportunity to take a short segue into fighter aircrafts of World War II.  The Messerschmitt Bf-109 was the backbone of Germany’s Luftwaffe. More of these were produced than any other aircraft in history.  It was a favorite of German pilots and respected by American pilots – highly effective in dog-fights.  I recall building an 18-inch plastic model when I was 10 or 11 years old, it was painted with the Luftwaffe insignia and colors, and I hung it from the ceiling in my bedroom.  Right next to it, I hung a model of America’s P-51 fighter – my all-time favorite! To this day, aircraft enthusiasts cannot agree on which was the superior fighter.  In my book, it was the P-51. It must be, because one day I came into my bedroom to find the Messerschmitt model on the floor, smashed and broken.  I had left the window open so the wind blew all my models around – the thumb tack I used to hang it, gave way – OR the P-51 shot it down.  Either way, this is undisputable evidence that the P-51 is better!  Back to our visit.

Stone Bridge into Old Town Regensburg

View of Regensburg from the Stone Bridge

Old Town alive throngs of people celebrating the holiday

Many buildings decorated with striking frescos

We entered Old Town by crossing the oldest bridge, built-in the 1100’s – Stone Bridge, over the Danube.  A beautiful entrance to Old Town.  The narrow streets were filled with people and activities, including a wedding.  Celebration was in the air everywhere you looked. The Dom’s (Regensburg Cathedral) Gothic towers and spires dominate the skyline, rising well above the surrounding buildings. Building of the Cathedral started in 1275 but was not completed in its current form until 1869.

The Cathedral is the home of the world-famous Regensburger Domspatzen – the official choir for its liturgical music. It is the oldest choir in the world dating back more than a thousand years. It is an all-male choir and school for boys aged 10-19 years old. Unfortunately, its notoriety expanded well beyond music, when a 2010 report revealed physical and sexual abuse of more than 500 boys, over a period covering more than 50 years. Much of this occurred during the tenure of Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Benedict XVI who resigned in 2013. The issue remains in the news, partly because the church is still diddling with a financial package to compensate each of the victims.

Hutkönig hat shop on the main square across from the Cathedral

After visiting the Cathedral, we got caught up with all the activities and celebrations in the square in front of the church. An ad-hoc group of musicians was performing contemporary music, while men in lederhosen and women in trachten were dancing. The cafés around the square were packed with clients looking for relief from the heat by enjoying elaborate ice cream sundae creations.  We settled for a take-out ice cream cone, and walked to the Hutkönig hat shop, across the square, opposite the church.  This hat factory has been in business more than 100 years, spanning five generations of the family, making ‘the’ right, hand-made, custom hat for each client. The list of world-famous clients is impressive and endless. No, I was not tempted to get one! I haven’t been a hat person since the time my mother made me (I was 5 or 8 years old)wear this cap with a long feather, sticking out the top…but that’s another story, for another time.

Oldest wurst factory in Germany

Enjoying the BEST wurst in Germany!

So having had ice cream for our dessert, it was time for that perfect Barvarian lunch – a Wurst a.k.a. sausage.  There is a standing argument as to where the art of sausage making originated:  Nürnberg or Regensburg?  However, there is agreement that the oldest wurst factory is in Regensburg.  The factory building and restaurant is located just next to the Stone Bridge.  Originally, it was the construction office during the time the bridge was being built. The size of the bratwurst is about the size of an index finger, and is made of pork and various spices. It is cooked over a beech wood fire, then served with sauerkraut, mustard, and a French-like baked roll. Each dish has 6, 8, or 10 wursts – we split a 6 wurst order. Unlike our hotdogs, the wurst is not placed inside the bun. You hold the wurst in one hand, and the roll in the other – take a bite of wurst, then a bite of the role. I definitely have a weakness for ‘tube meat.’  I loved the wursts, and the rolls were outstanding – yes, I know that they are not a healthy diet item, but who can refuse a legendary, old world, savory dish?  Not me! All washed down with a stein of pilsner beer.

Feeling content, we were prepared for the two-hour ride to Prague. Since all the countries we visited are part of the European Union, we passed from one country to the next without border guards or checkpoints.  We would never have known that we entered the Czech Republic if our guide hadn’t announced it.  I did notice differences in the style and architecture of houses and other buildings.

The Rodolfinum Concert Hall near our hotel

Reenacting art in front of our hotel

Arriving late afternoon at the Four Seasons hotel in Old Town Prague, located just a block from the landmark Charles Bridge, we decided to dine at the hotel’s outdoor restaurant and watch the sun set behind the Prague Castle. The backlighting created by the setting sun caused the castle perched on the hill overlooking the Vltava river to look like the center piece of a cutout.  Beautiful! As a light breeze cooled the evening, my mind’s ear could just hear Smetana’s symphony Moldau, playing in the background, depicting the journey of drops of water originating in the mountains, flowing downstream, joining other drops and streams, to eventually evolve into the Vltava river (Moldau River in German).

Prague Palace overlooking the Vltava River

Prague Palace against evening sky

Walking towards the tower of the Charles Bridge

Details of the Charles Bridge tower

Old Town view from the Charles Bridge

Crossing the Vltava River

We left the restaurant and hotel and sauntered through the immediate neighborhood, walking across the river on Charles Bridge. The bridge was packed with people from all over the country and world.  Prague is frequently compared to Paris for its beauty and history. I felt the mystique, the magic – similar to what I felt the first time I walked down Paris’ Avenue des Champs-Elysees. What a wonderful way to end the day.

End of a great day!