Regensburg

I entertained the possibility of making a quick stop in the town of Regensburg on my way to Nürnberg, but as the trip took longer than I anticipated, I decided not to. But The Great Spirit in the Sky was determined that I have my wish anyway. At first driving on the Autobahn was fun. The novelty soon wore off. There are about as many trucks on the road as there are cars. Fortunately, they are not as big as the monster 18 wheelers which terrorize the American road. Some drivers do drive fast, really fast. (I still haven't figured out if there is a speed limit or not; sometimes a 130 kmph is posted, sometimes nothing.) There is a lot of lane changing (to bypass the trucks which drive more slowly) and one must be very careful. A vehicle that looks like it's a mile behind you in your rear-view mirror can be on top of you in two seconds. I was able to get on the Austrian A1 right at Melk and proceed west, bypassing Linz. From there the road bends slightly north towards the German border town of Passau. And, thanks to the European Union, there is no border anymore, no identity check and no customs. Nothing. Right at the border there was a turn-off for the town of Braunau am Inn. That would not ring a bell for most people, but it happens to be the hometown of one Adolf Schikelgruber aka Hitler. (Would history have been different if he hadn't changed his name? Can you imagine the frenzied throngs shouting Heil Schikelgruber?) Braunau would prefer to forget its (in)famous son. The birth house of AH still stands, but there is no plaque, of course, and visitors are discouraged from loitering on the premesis.

Just at the Regensburg exit I saw what every driver dreads: a long back-up. The Germans call it 'Stau'. I saw a few drivers veer off onto the exit and I thought I would do the same. It appeared to be a smart move, but just for a moment. I had no map and had no idea where I was. Duh! But a bit further down the road I saw the unmistakable sight of two Gothic towers. Downtown Regensburg was just ahead, so why not? It is a nice city, famous for its imposing cathedral and the boys choir (Die Regensburger Domspatzen) which resides there. I found it disappointing. The facade of the cathedral is in sad shape. It is blotchy, like it has a skin disease of some kind, with spots of gray, yellow and brown. The towers were only completed in the early 19th century. Many of these grand cathedrals in Europe took centuries to build. Some were never finished. The inside is wonderful. I find that entering a Gothic church can be a spiritual experience. The graceful vaulting of the ceiling seems suspended in the air, floating on light. The cool, dark interior makes one feel insignificant in the presence of some mystery, only hinted at. The Baroque churches, on the other hand, although they can be awesome, are often ostentatious and oppressive. The decor speaks of the overbearing nature of the Catholic Church. The space doesn't entice you, it overwhelms you. So I say, buck the Faroque! Gimme life, gimme love, gimme Gothic! Anyway, the Regensburg cathedral is a nice foretaste of the next place I am visiting, the medieval city of Nürnberg. The photo is taken from my seat at the Café Dombrowski, where I stopped for some necessary fortification (in the form of Kaffee und Kuchen).