Category Archives: Germany



Eltz Castle and Germany

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For Christmas, a friend and I decided that it might be fun to visit the Eltz Castle in Germany. This was the second time I was the shotgun to the driver, and unlike the first, it was entirely uneventful.

Our trip started quite late, so we decided to first take a detour to Frankfurt with the intention to arrive at Eltz the next day. In hindsight, it was the right decision as its a rare treat to witness a city as big as Frankfurt be entirely calm and devoid of any traffic – vehicular or pedestrian. It reminded me of a trip I made to Hamburg during Christmas a few years ago

After a leisurely all-you-can-eat breakfast the next morning, we started driving. And within the hour, this sight was bearing down us.

Few hours of later, we began our return journey through the spectacular countryside of Germany. The rolling hills and sprawling greens had the classic WindowsXP look.

Soon we were passing through several towns. The decision to stick to secondary and tertiary roads as much as possible, did not disapoint us.

And just like that we were out on the highway and on our way home.

Flea Market at Straße des 17.Juni, Berlin

Talking about Berlin with friends brought back memories from the trip I took there last December. One sight that stood out the most was the Flea Market at Straße des 17.Juni – which was filled with vendors and hawkers in old clothes and soiled jackets – selling antiques, jewellery that appeared used, decorative objects which could not hide their age, used kitchen items, other articles of assorted shapes, colors and sizes – all setup neatly on creaking wooden tables and beaten down benches. There was something very unique about them. A common style was that they were all out of style.

The rays from low afternoon sun, piercing through mild winter fog to light up the day evoked a feeling of time being stuck in a forgotten era. I couldn’t help but wonder – Where did these come from? What did the broken photo frame have in it when it was hanging? Who was the original owner? What fate had befallen on him that his once valuable possessions are now valued dime a dozen? A momentary recollection of history associated with the country sent chills down my spine.

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Shot on 35mm film Portra 400 @ 35mm f1.4

Hamburg

A friend and I took off to Hamburg for christmas and were surprised to be greeted by a beautifully lit & decorated city that was pretty much deserted.

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Roaming around the streets in the centre of the city, all drowned in the resounding music of a lone street saxophonist was the most unforgettable experience I brought back from Hamburg

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The food was great too.

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Whenever the sun was out, the city basked in golden sunlight

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and when it left, it lingered around in the sky, just long enough to dazzle the sky in saturated color gradients, for few minutes.

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Neuschwanstein Castle, Fussen

Near the town of Fussen in Bravaria, Germany, in the district of Hohenschwangau, is an extremely beautiful castle called the Neuschwanstein castle, famously known as Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle for Disney is said to have gotten its inspiration from this structure.

The view of the Castle, from a vantage point, that can be reached by a trek into the Alps, is breathtaking. The castle, glimmering in sunshine, with the background landscape surreally draped in snow, just can’t be described in words.

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The view of the Hohenschwangau Castle built by the King Ludwig II’s father, is also quite beautiful.

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A short hike from the castle, at the foot of the alps, is the quite aptly named lake – Alpsee. Its serenity makes the entire place seem like it was a scene out of a dream.

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None of this would have been possible, if I hadn’t ignored many of the warning signs along the route. Infact I made it a point to use them as waypoints to reach spots which usually others wouldn’t.

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Spending time alone, peacefully lost, drowned in the most amazing of sights, in the mountains covered in snow, with no people around – was definitely one of the most amazing of experiences.

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