Trier, Germany
I actually don't mind driving around in this town. It doesn't seem as confusing to me as the other places I've been. There are also a lot of directional signs to landmarks here as were not in other places we've been. I've been twice; Jeremy has only been once. I went with my parents while they were here visiting, but we got there late and didn't get to see everything we wanted to see (Thursday, February 23rd). So, Jeremy, Karl, Harper, and I went Saturday, March 24th. I wanted to visit the Roman Baths and the Amphitheater.
Trier is set along the Mosel River in the middle of wine country. We didn't take many noteworthy pictures of the vineyards, but they are literally as far as you can see in both directions. The vineyards are literally on the sides of the most vertical slopes I have ever seen. I have no idea how they harvest and take care of the vines due to the sheer incline of the mountains. I hear they have a great wine festival. Trier was taken over by the Romans in 16 BC and was considered the best "Rome away from Rome," by the Romans. So when they took over Trier, they built a ton of Roman stuff. We didn't see everything in Trier; we hit the big stuff. The Amphitheater was pretty cool. It's Trier's oldest Roman structure (circa AD 100) and seated 20,000 spectators. It was a gladiator-style structure with cages for animals and a basement with a stage lift. The stands (made of stone) were demolished in 1211 so the monks from the monastery Himmerrod built their houses with the leftover demolition. It was excavated in 1816, 1854, 1891-92 and the arena basement in 1908. Because I've been to Greece and been to an amazing amphitheater I knew what to do when I got to the middle of this structure. Jeremy and Karl were at the very top of what were the stands (now just grassy hills). I walked to the middle and spoke in a regular inside voice as if the boys were right next to me. They heard me perfectly. The way they came up with a "mic-system" was just amazing.
The Dom (Cathedral) was the most amazing church we have seen so far. It's the oldest Christian church north of the Alps. It originated in AD 330, then it burned and got rebuilt several times and the structure there now takes up three blocks. When I was there with my parents, the organist played and it felt like the music was an actual tangible object. It was beautiful.
The Kaiserthermen (Imperial Baths) were super crazy cool. It is the site of a 4th-century bathing palace that housed cold- and hot- water baths and a sports field. There's not much left of the baths nor the palace, but the walls and the basements that do remain are just beautiful. The Romans knew what they were doing when it came to archways and masonry. They allow you to wonder around the grounds and all through the basement part. It's a crazy maze of underground hallways where the temperature changes and you can see your breath. It was worth my second trip back just to see the massiveness of the structure.
Ok, two more things and then I'll leave you alone on the Trier history lessons. We didn't go through the Porta Nigra (Black Gate) on my second trip (the boys were tired). I did go through it though when I went with my parents. It was pretty neat too. The history behind it is really the reason you'd want to go walk up all those flights of swirly stairs, but it was worth the little bit of Euro we paid. It was the city gate built in the 2nd century; one of the best military defenses the Romans had in that area. In the 11th century the upper stories were converted into two churches, and then completely disassembled in the 18th century.
Last thing...we've been trying to remember the places we've eaten too. We're not doing a good job of that, but Jeremy remembered this one. We ate at a place called the Currybrat. Apparently it's Berlin's trademark meal, and it made its way to the south. I thought it was good; the boys weren't impressed. Though I have to say that it was very difficult to eat that day. We sat outside on the Hauptmarkt and were completely the center of attention by the passerbyers. We got more stares than necessary. It was actually very uncomfortable, and we couldn't figure out why so many stares. Jeremy said his mustache was the cause, Karl said our Appalachian sweat shirts were to blame. I just think we look American. I don't know, but that was the first time I have felt like an outsider (well, besides the obvious lack of communication skills when ordering our food or buying something).
~Tara
Trier is set along the Mosel River in the middle of wine country. We didn't take many noteworthy pictures of the vineyards, but they are literally as far as you can see in both directions. The vineyards are literally on the sides of the most vertical slopes I have ever seen. I have no idea how they harvest and take care of the vines due to the sheer incline of the mountains. I hear they have a great wine festival. Trier was taken over by the Romans in 16 BC and was considered the best "Rome away from Rome," by the Romans. So when they took over Trier, they built a ton of Roman stuff. We didn't see everything in Trier; we hit the big stuff. The Amphitheater was pretty cool. It's Trier's oldest Roman structure (circa AD 100) and seated 20,000 spectators. It was a gladiator-style structure with cages for animals and a basement with a stage lift. The stands (made of stone) were demolished in 1211 so the monks from the monastery Himmerrod built their houses with the leftover demolition. It was excavated in 1816, 1854, 1891-92 and the arena basement in 1908. Because I've been to Greece and been to an amazing amphitheater I knew what to do when I got to the middle of this structure. Jeremy and Karl were at the very top of what were the stands (now just grassy hills). I walked to the middle and spoke in a regular inside voice as if the boys were right next to me. They heard me perfectly. The way they came up with a "mic-system" was just amazing.
The Dom (Cathedral) was the most amazing church we have seen so far. It's the oldest Christian church north of the Alps. It originated in AD 330, then it burned and got rebuilt several times and the structure there now takes up three blocks. When I was there with my parents, the organist played and it felt like the music was an actual tangible object. It was beautiful.
The Kaiserthermen (Imperial Baths) were super crazy cool. It is the site of a 4th-century bathing palace that housed cold- and hot- water baths and a sports field. There's not much left of the baths nor the palace, but the walls and the basements that do remain are just beautiful. The Romans knew what they were doing when it came to archways and masonry. They allow you to wonder around the grounds and all through the basement part. It's a crazy maze of underground hallways where the temperature changes and you can see your breath. It was worth my second trip back just to see the massiveness of the structure.
Ok, two more things and then I'll leave you alone on the Trier history lessons. We didn't go through the Porta Nigra (Black Gate) on my second trip (the boys were tired). I did go through it though when I went with my parents. It was pretty neat too. The history behind it is really the reason you'd want to go walk up all those flights of swirly stairs, but it was worth the little bit of Euro we paid. It was the city gate built in the 2nd century; one of the best military defenses the Romans had in that area. In the 11th century the upper stories were converted into two churches, and then completely disassembled in the 18th century.
Last thing...we've been trying to remember the places we've eaten too. We're not doing a good job of that, but Jeremy remembered this one. We ate at a place called the Currybrat. Apparently it's Berlin's trademark meal, and it made its way to the south. I thought it was good; the boys weren't impressed. Though I have to say that it was very difficult to eat that day. We sat outside on the Hauptmarkt and were completely the center of attention by the passerbyers. We got more stares than necessary. It was actually very uncomfortable, and we couldn't figure out why so many stares. Jeremy said his mustache was the cause, Karl said our Appalachian sweat shirts were to blame. I just think we look American. I don't know, but that was the first time I have felt like an outsider (well, besides the obvious lack of communication skills when ordering our food or buying something).
~Tara
