Exploring Frankfurt!

We decided to get out and explore more of the city that we now call home. It has been great getting to know the Frankfurt area. It is a city, but because it is laid out better and has space, it doesn't feel so cramped and crowded. (It could be that we are comparing it to Mumbai and the packed area there). 

We did a walking tour to see some of the "New Old City." It is called that because all though it is built to look like the 1400s buildings that were there for years when Frankfurt was an important city to the Holy Roman Empire, these buildings are all new since WWII. This whole area was decimated by Allied bombers and over the years they have rebuilt. 

Either way, it is so ironically German and fun to see!

One of the buildings we went into was a building that houses portraits of the emperors starting 900A.D. to 1600A.D. Their life-sized paintings lined all the walls. It was amazing to walk around the giant Cathedral style room and see history. 

The big Dom (or Cathedral) in Frankfurt was the only building in the area that was not leveled during the war. All the timber, including the roof, was burned, but the building was left standing for the most part. This was due to the Allied bomber planes using it as a landmark. They would fly in and bomb everything around it. 

Walking into the Dom now you would not know it was once just stone walls. It is beautiful. 

The ruins above are the foundations of Charlamain's old palace. They are now under buildings and protected. 

We went up to see the Frankfurt LDS temple when Lucky Dragon was doing temple baptisms. Someone was nice enough to offer to take our photo. 

We went to a music store to get a saxophone for band. This guy was so happy to see pianos. He sat down and played three or four of them while we were there. I cannot wait to have our piano again, I miss hearing them play. They both seem to miss it too. 

Their first day of school! I cannot believe how fast they are growing! 

Trying to decide if I need to get some traditional clothes to wear to festivals! 

Look at that organ! I think the Muggles and I all wanted to play it! 

The old Church was smaller and less ornate than the Dom, but it is still impressive and beautiful. 

 

Above is a photo of the area after the war. I like when they have these so we can appreciate all the work and effort to repair and replace what was there. 

We made one of our evening walks into a botanical garden! It had flowers from all over the world! Each plant had a plaque telling us where they were from and the scientific name for it. Of course we had to see where ALL the US plants were. They even had a "Utah" plant. 

The Muggles loved the Venus Fly traps. They thought it was SO cool that there was a bee and a fly both caught by the plant!