Bamberg

Mom, Niki and Ulli flew back to the States on March 5, and that afternoon we picked up our rental car. Evan and I aren't terribly prone to car envy, but let's just say a week of driving/riding in an Audi A4 was pretty swank.

The car in all its glory. Evan's recorded high speed on the autobahn was 220 km/h, after which I had to help him pry his hands from the steering wheel.


Our first day trip was to Bamberg. The Altstadt (Old Town) has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site because it survived the Allied bombing raids of WWII unscathed. The other reason to visit: 10 breweries in the town limits. Evan had a delicious Rauchbier (smoke beer) at a local brewery, which I think was the highlight of the day for him!

The Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) is the most photographed building in town - pretty cute, huh?


Bamberg's Klein Venedich (Little Venice)


One of Charlie's favorite things on the trip: fountains. He couldn't get enough. This was the highlight of our hike up to the Michelsberg Kloster.


Daddy, smell this flower!!


No, really - smell this flower.


The Bamberg Dom. Inside is a famous statue of the Bamberger Reiter (the Bamberg Rider). The identity of the rider, and the artist, are unknown. When Hitler visited the Dom, he appropriated the image of the Bamberger Reiter as the Aryan ideal. Pretty creepy, huh?


It was too dark in the Dom to get any good pictures of the Reiter, but I found this one on-line.


Heading back to our chariot via cute cobblestone streets.