3/8/16
Our ship docked in Bonn where we would go on a walking tour of the city. Our walk saw us go through the Hofgarten park and into the town square. I love how most European towns and cities all have a Town Square.
It was still raining so you still had to be careful on the cobblestones. Just getting off the ship was an art in itself! The gang-plank was very slippery and one wrong foot, in the river you go!
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and I wish I had been able to record him, so I could listen to it later. At one stage when we were standing in the park it was all going over my head. I couldn’t take it all in. So I took lots of photos. However, I did learn quite a few things about Bonn.
The University of Bonn is the former residential palace of the Archbishop of Cologne, built by Enrico Zuccalli from 1697- 1705. It crosses two streets and one side overlooks the park of Hofgarten.
Ludwig Von Beethoven was born on 17th December 1770 in Bonn. Part of our tour we went and saw his birthplace. Every where around the town of Bonn are statues of Beethoven. It’s quite funny as its widely known that Beethoven hated his birthplace.
In 1933 saw University students burn books in front of the Town Hall during the Nazi period. 3 years ago they have made a memorial and there are 60 copper plaques of the books that were burnt that day. It’s very somber to see these plaques in the cobblestones. To think reading, writing and thinking was not allowed by the Nazi’s.
Once the walking tour was finished we had some free time to wander the streets of Bonn. We would catch up with our guide in front of the Town Hall steps to be escorted back to the ship.
In the market place there are cafes and restaurants and every day there is a market. The choice of fresh fruit and vegetables was amazing, and all locally grown. We 3 purchased some berries, we did eat some, however we actually forgot we had them and 2 days later, in the bin they went. We at least helped the German economy by buying them 🙂
I even found a boutique named after me Bree!
We wandered into a boutique called Zero and Paula and I again helped the German economy! Would you believe I still have one of those tops, its my favorite! The European sizing was different to say the least, however the shop assistant was very helpful. Limited English and us with limited German we all did ok.
We literally stumbled on a coffee van where we purchased coffee and tea. Best coffee I had in a long time!
The Bonn economy certainly boomed from our spending.
After our shopping spree we met up with the Tour guide and made our way back to the ship.
Our next stop would be Cologne/Koln but there was ice cream on the ship to eat!
** Next will be our Ice-cream, and Cologne and that sunning Cologne Cathedral.**
Travel and Lifestyle with Bree 
Wow, thanks for taking us along on your explorations! What a beautiful city with so many things to see 🙂
Feel free to share at My Corner of the World
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Thank you so much. so many beautiful places to see in the world.
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What a beautiful location. I had some of the best coffee I ever had in Germany too. I believe it was Berlin, though, not Bonn. I hope you get to travel again soon!
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I hope travel is on the menu soon too. Perhaps Germany know how to make coffee!
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Bonn looks like a nice city to explore. Thank you, Bree, for sharing your story and photos.
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sorry for late reply. Oops….Yes it most certainly is a great city to explore. Thank you
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A memorable visit
Wish we hadn’t wasted the fruit
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Nice blog
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I wouldn’t have been too keen to disembark the ship, though better rain on the gang-plank than ice I suppose!
That’s a good idea to record a tour guide so you can listen to it later. Maybe next time. I hadn’t thought of doing that but on any times I’ve had a tour somewhere, it’s been fascinating but it’s a lot to take in, and I tend to forget things pretty quickly!
It sounds like a very poignant tour. I’m glad a memorial was put up with the plaques to remember the books burnt, and how oppressive it was in those days for Nazi’s to basically decide all free thought and writing was evil and not to be allowed. xx
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Yes i tried to write points down on our trip to Portugal and Spain. However it may as well have been shorthand lol. Had to do research to figure out what I had written. Sorry its a late reply. Yes the memorial for the books burnt imprints on the mind. I hope we never get to that where freedom of speech and thoughts are outlawed.
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The town hall looks so similar to Nymphenberg Palace! Have not been to Bonn, but hopefully one day when I return to Germany.
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Oh I do hope you get to Bonn one day. Sorry for late reply
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I would love to visit Bonn. Beethoven never had anything good to say about his birthplace but it could have been more to do with his unhappy childhood.
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I think your right about the unhappy childhood for his reason to not like Bonn. Too many bad memories
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I love the bookplate memorial – we have not spent a lot of time in Germany yet, only Munich but we will add Bonn when we do.
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Lets hope travel will soon be allowed. Maybe next year. I cant believe I never replied. I seem to have got a bit slack.
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I never knew Beethoven hated his birthplace!
The marketplace is as amazing as the monuments! The pandemic has made good, fresh produce rare in my area.
Bring on the ice cream! 😀 😀 😀
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I think his childhood wasn’t nice so that’s the reason I think
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