The Current State of Mainberg Castle

A stateside reader, who plans on visiting Mainberg Castle this summer, inquired about its current state and whether the castle would be open to the public.

Based on various sources in the media, the castle is in urgent need of repair and restoration. The current owner, the real estate agent Ms. Renate Ludwig, bought the castle in 2005. She and her initial partners were in the process of running a restaurant there, until fire safety regulations deemed the castle not safe enough.

Now the castle is for sale on the internet, but there is no private investor to be found.

Price: € 3.850.000 €
Lot size: 15.646 m² (168.400 ft²)
Floor space: 4.716 m²  (50.700 ft²), 50 rooms

Interested? Then view: Mainberg Castle for Sale

 In November 2017, the State of Bavaria authorized public funds of euro 700.000 to provide immediate help as the castle has been classified to be in danger of collapse.

At first, a team of experts checked to see if the deterioration stemmed from the underground tunnel, which was built during the Sachs Family reign during WWII. Their results further stated, that the tunnel itself would  not be the main cause of a possible impending collapse. Wear and tear of a 700-year-old castle does run its course.

In 1915, the industrial tycoon Ernst Sachs bought the castle. Then from 1954 – 1960, the castle was owned by Wilhelm Heger, until it had to be auctioned off. The city of Schweinfurt bought it then and in 1982, it changed hands again. This time, the castle was owned Gerhard Eichhorn & heirs, until the current owner bought it in 2005.

Efforts are made to save the castle from its ruin. I wish the state funds would have been available sooner.

The current renovation is supposed to be finished by the summer 2018. Since we are in Germany, please add another two years for completion.

Where to Get Free Drinking Water in Paris

After the Franco-Prussian War in 1972, the English philanthropist, Sir Richard Wallace financed 50 cast-iron drinking fountains, known as Wallace fountains, to the City of Paris (and to Lisburn).

The fountains with their free drinking water were a welcome gift to the poor in Paris, and new ones kept getting installed until the beginning of World War I.

Paris has more than three hundred fifty fountains, with the oldest one dating back to the 16th century.

Wallace Fountain in Paris

Wallace Fountain in Paris near Notre Dame

water – a public service

L'eau de Paris

L’eau de Paris

The sign also comes with a list of the water’s components.

Drinking water content

Drinking water content

Look out for these free water supplies along the most popular tourist walks. Drinking plenty of water while touring the city is a must. Yes, you may add some wine to that list, too. 🙂

Notes From Cairo

Nobuko left Nepal a couple of days ago and is now in Cairo. This is what she has to say.

Hi! I arrived in Cairo today. Staying at the apartment of a couch-surfing host. What a place! It’s kind of quiet, surprisingly. But perhaps, other areas of the city are more crowded and noisy.
The airport was quiet and almost dead as well, with only my prime time flight coming in at 1 pm.

But the locals are fun loving and enjoy using a soft greediness, wrapped in humorous jokes that I could not help but to laugh and give in a little!! Women, on the back of motorcycles noticing me sitting in a taxi and cracking a big smile and waving with a loud “hello!!” Even women, fully clothed  in Muslim black attire complete with hijab headscarves walk into a local bar and …(gulp), not only drinking, but also smoking cigarettes! An unbelievable and unacceptable sight if this had taken place in India. I was  shocked. But in a ticklish, giddy, comradely way.

(Note: Before passing through Nepal to come to Egypt, Nobuko spent some time again in India)

What stands out here is the good and hearty sense of humor people possess, which is proudly and happily displayed with a big grin or a wink. It’s contagious. And its a good thing. Since I have turned into such a hardened and cold bitch, I welcome their easy and  fun loving attitude to melt me back into my natural outgoing, open self.

I like this shift  in my outlook. I feel that  I can finish my trip in a good way.
Tomorrow I’m viewing the pyramids!

All Gizah Pyramids

All Gizah Pyramids

(Photo credit: Wikipedia.file.All_Gizah_Pyramids)

I went ahead and got a preview of what Nobuko is going to see today.

Wonder what she has to say about Egyptian street vendors based on this excerpt:

“You can’t walk down here at all. It can’t be a short cut because you get stopped every few seconds.” [moves aside to let an elderly woman pass] “See? I bet she left the house when she was 10!”

— Karl Pilkington, travel host of “An Idiot Abroad”

Demonstrations around Frankfurt 16 May – 19 May 2012

Due to some planned demonstrations, the RMV is closing the S-bahn “Taunusanlage” and the U-bahn “Willy-Brandt-Platz” stations from 1pm tomorrow to 4am Sunday.

The tram lines 11 and 12 will not run past the Hbf and bus 64 will have its route curtailed.
More info here:

http://www.rmv.de/de/Verschiedenes/Informationen_zum_RMV/Der_RMV/RMV_aktuell/61048/Frankfurt_Grossdemonstration.html

Updated: 16 May

More information in English on: AllThingsGerman

 

 

 

Getting Around by Train during Hessentag

Graham Tappenden, from AllThingsGerman, has written a comprehensive post about getting around during the Hessentag week activities  10 – 19 June 2011.

For many residents around here in Oberursel, the Hessentagswoche seems to be the talk of the day.

I overheard customers at the super market check-out line worry about commuting on overcrowded trains. Older residents from the downtown area of Oberursel are actually leaving town during the time of the Hessentag fest.

If you are one of the brave ones and want to take partake in the festival activities, then read the following post by Graham –  How to get to the Hessentag: By train

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