Brezels und Bergparks (Frankfurt to Kassel)
June 5, 2024
TENET Germany Travelogue, Day 4
ELISA SUTHERLAND, MEZZO-SOPRANO
TENET’s second (!!!) full day in Germany was filled with Teutonic delights of the culinary, architectural, and sociological varieties. After the success of the previous nights’ concert, we all enjoyed a picturesque train ride to Kassel, as well as some time to ourselves to sight see and recuperate.
9:15am Brezel Crew Assemble!
Several intrepid TENET musicians set off early to the Frankfurt Hauptbanhof to sample Germany’s finest (or rather, most ubiquitous) bretzel: Ditsch’s (Brezelbäcker seit 1919) between Tracks 12 and 13. A knowledgeable local had recommended this kiosk as a reliable spot to get sustenance before a long train ride; we purchased a regular bretzel as well as a butterbretzel (a pretzel cut in half lengthwise, sandwiching a thin slice of cool butter), and chowed down.
Sure enough, the carby treats helped sustain us through delays, track changes, and other minor train-related misfortunes. Through it all, we kept our cool.
Kassel is a small city two hours north by train from Frankfurt with distinctly suburban vibes. We checked into our mystifyingly “sport”-themed hotel; all of the staff wears jerseys at all times, which gives the impression that they’re about to go off and kick a Fußball as soon as they’ve checked you in.
It is Spargelzeit in Germany (white asparagus season!), and on a walk about town, we came upon a farm stand that boasted several fine stalks. A group of us ate savory pancakes stuffed with spinach and feta, and we were all treated to a lovely rhubarb kuchen afterwards.
2:30pm Wasserspiele im Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe
At this point, I left the group to try and catch Kassel’s famous water features in action. Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is an enormous park situated on the slopes of a neighboring mountain; the park contains TWO castles and many waterfalls, lakes, and fountains, including some that only function at certain times of day. Today, it rained for the better part of the afternoon, adding to the aquatic allure of the environs.
I was unfortunately too late to see any of the “wasserspiele” that the park is known for, but I took a beautiful walk through the lush German forest and made some friends along the way.
To give you a scale of some of these monuments, here’s a photo of me and the “Aquaduct” feature… you might have to zoom in to see! (See first photo in gallery. Click to enlarge Ellie.)
5:00pm R und R
I returned to the hotel, put my feet up, and read my book. We had a buffet dinner at the hotel; everyone’s favorite part was the ice cream bar, complete with two kinds of sprinkles, three kinds of candied nuts, multiple sauces, and as many helpings as you could want.
I’m writing this now in my hotel room, after playing one of my favorite card games in the lobby with a group of musicians. The trick on tours like these is to find a balance between spending time in a group and spending time by yourself; luckily for me, every single person in this trip is either a close friend, or someone who feels like they could be. I’m grateful to be in this fascinating place with these fascinating people. Tomorrow, more music.