Finally.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > europe > germany > 20040727-frankfurt

On the road.

I leave Vienna around lunchtime Thursday 22nd of July, drive westwards following the Danube river.

Not yet wilderness. But wild. Realise what I have done to my life is yet beyond my abiltiy to comprehend.

First stop is Bad Hofgastein. I am very tired after those partying past few weeks of intense preparations and go to bed early and dream of what may come or may not come.

Next day, after more then 10 hours of sleep, the fierceness and stress from the past day have vanished.

Some friends, Andi and Andi and Franz and I go on a little tour on a mountain near by.

We are getting into a heavy thunderstorm with lots of rain. It actually feels good to be finally away, out in the fresh air, with some funny friends around.

I leave for Innsbruck, some 200km away and meet Daniel, a friend from my time in London. Of Innsbruck origins his profession as an architect has led him back for the time being. He enjoys "his privilege" of being one of the very first people I meet on my trip.

Then Saturday morning, still hung over, I drive up Arlberg, a climb of about 1,000m in altitude to Lech. Up-mountain the Landy manages at times a max. speed of 35km/h. Reveals some short-comings?! Weather is bad: about 10°C, rain and fog.

Angelika's and Norbert's wedding though compensates for the efforts of coming to this place in time. Though rainy the environment of Lech makes it a wonderful event to attend to and a great occasion in time to catch up with some unique old friends.

Then down from Arlberg via Bregenz, the most Eastern provincial capital of Austria, into Germany.

Leaving Austria I drive along the northern border of Lake Constance (Bodensee) and then follow the Rhine-valley to Schaffhausen in Switzerland for a quick picture session of the Rhine-falls the pics nothing worth talking about).

Next day via Freiburg to Frankfurt. So far I have slept in the car 3 times - quite well actually. I am pleased.

I am back in Frankfurt

... the city I hated so much when I worked here. The city I shunned for more then two years. But coming back now is even more unreal. Like memories, that I was trying to erase, only bits and pieces are creeping back to my mind. Standing in front of our house, our flat on the second floor. That magnificent, large, old-styled flat, Irene and I were living in, looks like it is empty, no lights on in evenings, maybe they're just away.

But where are the memories gone. Who where all the people I hung out with then. Oh yes, we did not hang out with the locals much because they all live in Bad Homburg or Kronberg or who knows where. So what did I do then. I think I spent most of my evenings on the driving range. So Frankfurt is the town I managed to learn to play golf?! Is that all that's left here.

Sitting close to where we lived on Schweizer Platz in Cafe Felinis' drinking beer I go through my very special relationship with Frankfurt without managing to find many answers. Was it me and my attitude towards the city or was it its people? I met nice Germans though in Frankfurt (Uwe, Stefan, Kai, Dirk, Tim, Axel, Markus Charlotte, Ulli and Eugene but Eugene is not German) and some of my Austrian friends like it here (Norbert, Michael), -- and sure we managed some good parties here. But, - ... unlike Berlin, this cool place where I lived for 3 years before Frankfurt and London and where memories remain vivid and alive, still telling of one of the best times of my life, vital experiences made, of friendships that I lost and found and, and, and .......

I am drinking more beer and the answers to my questions move even further out of reach. Coming back was a good thing but still not much is keeping me here. The next day I play Golf with Charlotte (she is happy now, has a boyfriend and stuff) and leave for Gelsenkirchen to see Kathi and Christian.

I want to go to Hamburg for the weekend, then Holland, then France and reach London by 8th of August.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > europe > germany > 20040727-frankfurt