Unfortunately Münster suffered considerable damage from the war. However, since the city decided to rebuild it exactly as it had been, the Altstadt (old town) still looks like it did from the 30s.
After we found parking on Saturday morning, we sought out a spot for lunch. Mokka D’Or was a recommendation by Lonely Planet. The restaurant was down a little alley which we would have never found without the address. The menu was almost exclusively all pizzas so we decided to both get pizzas and we weren’t disappointed. They were probably the best pizzas we’ve had since we were in the Amalfi Coast. Jim got an Arrabiata pizza and I got their specialty pizza with truffle sauce, bresaola, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and arugula. After 2 espressos we hit the town to wander around.
Our first stop was the big Saturday market which was set up in the shadow of the Dom St. Paul in the Prizipalmarkt. The majority of the vendors were food related. We didn’t want to get lured in by the cheese vendors so we got out of the crowds for a visit inside the Dom.
The cathedral was rebuilt after the war but it wasn’t an exact replica so didn’t have the same ornate design it once had. The best part about the church was an astronomical clock from the 16th century. The clock was removed from the church during the war so wasn’t damaged. The church used the clock to ascertain the dates of religious holidays. It is interesting to see ways in which the church at one time embraced science and technology. Now science and religion seem to be at opposite spectrums.
Of course we lit a few candles which I always enjoy for a few reasons. 1) It’s a great way to lighten your wallet and get rid of all those 1 and 2 cent pieces and 2) Jim always manages to burn himself and the cursing that ensues is always entertaining.
The other interesting aspect of the church was a gigantic statue of St. Christopher who is the patron saint of travelers; currently my favorite saint. St. Anthony, the finder of lost things, and I are still on the outs since the lost camera incident in Sorrento last year. I think the statue was so different from others I’ve seen in churches because of the sheer size of the statue and the fact that he had a real wood walking stick in his hand. The church must have stripped a tree of its leaves and placed in the statue’s hand.
After the cathedral, we did a little loop around the city stopping in stores and churches that interested us. When Sabine needed to eat, we stopped at Café Sieben for a coffee. The café sat along the green, tree lined bike path that circumvented the city.
Münster is an incredibly bike friendly town with bike paths all over the city and into the surrounding countryside known as Münsterland. I’d love to go back when Sabine can be in the bike carrier next summer and tour around visiting some of the 100 castles in the area.
We next walked to the Münster Schloss to walk through the gardens. The building itself is now part of the university so is closed to the public. We stumbled across a free botanic garden which was a pleasant surprise. We strolled through the garden while Jim held Sabine and pointed out plants. We quickly realized the danger of having Sabine feel any of the plants. She has mastered the ability to grasp things but we are still working on letting go so there were a few molested trees and plants along the way.
From the gardens we walked a few kilometers to the Aasee which is an artificial lake built to reduce the risk of flooding in the city of Münster. It was a beautiful day so there were lots of people by the water at the surrounding restaurants and tons of students barbequing in the nearby park. We stopped for a Flammkuchen (essentially the German version of pizza so we had pizza for lunch and dinner) and a beer by the water.
As the temperature started to drop we walked back to the Altstadt in search of gelato for dessert. We found a place in the mall which had the best gelato I’ve had outside of Italy. Thankfully for my hips and butt, they don’t have gelato this good in Bonn.
We made a quick stop at Starbucks to feed Sabine before heading to the hotel. I’m slowly breaking down Jim’s resistance to the ubiquitous coffee shop. Their seats are just so much more comfortable for breastfeeding and they are almost always open.
The hotels in the altstadt of Munster were all pretty pricey so I found a cheap hotel about 15 minutes away. The hotel was right off of the highway so I figured it would be a time saver and easy to find. Unfortunately gas stations and truck stops are also located right off the highway so our hotel room looked out on a parking lot full of trucks and the florescent lights of the truck stop. Oddly enough the lights were pleasing in a strange way. Our room was basked in a green glow that night which reminded me of being in a pool at night. Sabine, however, didn’t seem to like it and woke up five times that night so our family and the 10 truckers staying there didn’t get any sleep that night.
After our sleepless night we enjoyed our brotchens and coffee amid a few truckers’ glares in our direction. Our relaxing breakfast came to a swift end when Sabine managed to poop all over her father.
After checking out of the hotel, we drove to Ludinghausen to visit Burg Vischering.
This castle was from the 13th century complete with drawbridges and surrounded by a moat. We didn’t go into the museum. I guess people involved in 13th century construction didn’t think about making things stroller friendly. We simply walked around the path on the banks of the moat to see the castle from all angles.
Our next castle was completely different. We drove a short way to Schloss Nordkirchen which was billed as a German Versailles. This castle is now part of the state college so the only part that is accessible is the restaurant / café. We stopped for a coffee at the café before venturing out into the beautiful gardens where Sabine got her first introduction to grass.
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