Regensburg is sometimes also known as Ratisbon or even Ratisbonna –  both were evidently among the early Celtic names given to this little township in around the 1^st Century A.D.

It was a big day for us. It it was probably going to be our very last day in Germany for many, many years. Later tonight we would sail across the German border into Austria.

But as you all probably know by now, I do so truly love the land of the Peridot green valleys and the Tiffany blue lakes (Austria that is).

Despite this, I  wanted to make the most of our last day and truly relish in this opportunity to explore yet another beautiful German city we’d never seen before.

Armed with my trusty D7000 and our knowledgeable, but young info-walk guide, I was determined to get the very best photos I could in this pretty city.

According to one famous British architect, Lord Norman Foster, Regensburg, Germany, (Population about 140,000) is actually one of the most beautiful, and historic cities in the world. Sitting right on the banks of the Danube and Regens Rivers; just a little west of the Black Forest in Germany, it is historically abundant. The city showcases many old buildings and “centuries old’ architectural styles. Some buildings even date back to the Stone Age (around 90 A.D.)

Unlike Nuremberg (which we visited yesterday), Regensburg was left relatively untouched by the World War 2 bombing raids. But it is of course another UNESCO World Heritage Listed City due to its many irreplaceable treasures. As such it provides significant windows into Germany’s architectural and historical richness…….a city that has survived many of Germany’s early conflicts.

All of the early architecture is still there, Romanesque, Roccoco, Gothic. There’s even a very early Roman wall and a reproduction temple built to honour of the Parthenon in Greece. The latter, called Walhalla is evidently some 15 kilometres to the east of Regensburg; it sits in a little place called Donaustuaf. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see it.  I think I would have loved to visit but maybe there is good reason why we didn’t.

I’ve been told, Regensburg lays claim to the oldest sausage kitchen in the world (some 900 years old in fact). Dating back to about the 12th Century A.D., people still throng to its rustic ambiance. They sit on basic wooden bench seats watching the Danube pass them by as they chat about the treasures cacooned within the area. And they enjoy sampling the deliciously spicy German fried sausages with caraway seed rolls, homemade sauerkraut and mustard. Yummm

But Viking were indeed keeping us very well fed during this wonderful river cruise. I have to say there were always delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners; smallish servings on the whole, but so many courses meant we were unable to squeeze in even a another morsel…not even a mouthful of sauerkraut, let alone a whole sausage meal, complimented by a caraway roll and other condiments to boot. Sadly our very sated tums meant we had to leave the sampling of such tasty age-old morsels to all of the other hungry visitors to Regensburg that day!

As we wandered along the banks of the Danube, we came to Regensburg’s old, arching stone bridge. It was evidently the very first stone Bridge to cross the banks of the Danube in Germany…..so old indeed, that it has seen the knights of the 2^nd and 3^rd Crusades trotting across its structure on their trusty steeds way back in about the 12^th Century A.D.

And I must say that the view from the bridge was really beautiful…..there were historical regional city views with Cathedral spires in one direction, busy river boat and water views in another and there were even some small wilderness areas on the other side.

We visited so many places that afternoon on our short 1- 2 hour info-walk.

I more than most it would seem!!!

Between all of the historic buildings, knowing it was our last day in Germany, and with my very deep-seated desire to take the best photos I possibly could……..  it  turned out to be a rather more eventful afternoon than we’d intended!!

Ah but that’s another German “tale” altogether!  Germany’s simply full of all sorts of German tales I believe. Must be something to do with a tradition of the fairy tales and the Grimm Brothers perhaps!

Can you believe it though?  The continuing story has something to do with some  Magic Gnomes having to return a rather lost Viking tourist to a very worried husband and  her tour group! But more of that intriguing little tale next time! Please don’t worry ….. all good fairy tales tend to have happy endings these days!