I'm heading off to Frankfurt tomorrow AM. I'll be hanging around MESSE the entire time (Frankfurt Main). I'll have next Sunday off.

Any idears?

cool!

frankfurt is UGLY! it's a very industrial city.

i don't know what kind of stuff you're into, they have some nice museums and such. if you have a day off, get a rental car and start driving north along the river Rhein towards Koblenz. that's a very scenic drive, you'll get to see quite a few real (read: OLD) castles.

i grew up in the Koblenz area.

TIP: if you drive on the autobahn, ONLY use the left lane to pass people IF you're going faster than 80mph or so, otherwise stay RIGHT or you'll be dead when you come back.
also, onramps and offramps are always to the right and parallel to the freeway for at least 1000 feet so you can get up to speed with the traffic. USE your gas pedal to get on. if you get off, don't slow down while still on the highway, merge onto the offramp (which will be straight for another 1000 feet) and then brake.

Andy

Check out the Sachsenhausen area for some good restaurants and night life activity.

Thanks Guys...

Sachsenhausen is one of my favorite areas but the Meuschelhaus is gone... The owner passed away last year (was quite old) and the family didn' continue. Bombay Gate is great though. Eating there tonight.

Thanks for the tips Andy. I might just rent a car on Sunday and take your advice. If I can convince my friend then I'll take some pics for you and post them here.

I've been on the autobahn a few times here which is why I drive my wife crazy back in the states yelling at every asshole occupying the left lane oblivious to the WORLD! (not that there's too many people who do that back there in Utah!! Arrrrrrrrrrrgh!!)

Anywhooo... I made it safe and sound today so it's all about trying to stay up for a few more hours.

E.

Good news... the Meuschelhaus is back. New owner and phone number.

Andy, we're going to Koblenz on Sunday. Peter Wolf (from Paul Reed Smith Guitars) is also from there. He gave me some detailed instructions. We're heading out on B42 toward Braubach and going to Marksburg castle.

Should be fun.

Thanks for the tip.

E.

cool!

my all time favorite ex-girlfriend lives in Braubach.
they live in what used to be the library of the old "Schloss" (palace near the water, under the castle, which is on top of the hill).
her father is a goldsmith and has his shop there. his name is Joachim Dott.
swing by his shop and say hello!

and if you see a really beautiful redhead (and i mean REAL redhead) in her late 20ties, say hello from me

Andy

Just got back... missed the note about the shop otherwise I would have stopped by.

We picked up a nice E220 Diesel with a Nav System we named Louise. She had a polite British accent and was constantly telling me what to do. I would have been lost without her. Thanks to the awesome car and the awesome Nav System we were driving some of the most beautiful backroads in the Rhein valley. We found some amazing places along the way. Here's a look at the homeland:

Burg Lahneck

Marksburg. The tower is being restored.

Braubach... sorry, no real redheads in this shot

Burg Eltz. Stashed away in the woods in the Mosel valley.

The fantastic day ended with a Pils along the Mosel...

Andy, many thanks for the tour guide tips. We had a blast!

Almost forgot...240k on the A3 in a brand spank'n new Benz

gawd, i'm getting homesick

i used to hang out in braubach a lot ...

240 km/h = 150 mph !

glad you liked it,
Andy

europe is so much nicer than the US, I wish I could move there..