Hi. I'm having 3 days between trips in Frankfurt. Not the most interesting of places. I 'd bought a hop-on, hop-off bus ticket. Probably the worst city in the world to use one- very little to hop off for!! Oh well, one learns!!

I do have have some info to share tho.
Frankfurt is the transport hub for Germany, the 2 nd busiest airport in Europe for people and no 1 for freight.
The airport employs 60,000 people. 300 airlines use it.
I've seen Mercedes and a PORSCHE taxi ! Today I saw BMW police cars.
Frankfurt has the highest number of skyscrapers in the smallest area in Europe. Mostly banks. It is the 2 nd biggest financial centre in Europe after London.

There was a demonstration , very small with many police in attendance and a museum I went to nearby was locked and opening the door for each entry. Very cautious.

There's quite a high police presence I think compared to where I've been. A few beggars and homeless about. I'm staying near the main station ( in a dive after the lovely 4 star hotels on my tours) and it's got a Middle eastern population, re shops, cafes and men hanging about. Otherwise I didn't notice a high foreign amount of people.

I was going to sit about for the 3 days, but after 2 days I gave in and bought a ticket to a nearby town Mainz as suggested by a friend. Hopefully there's lots to see. It's cooling off too which is sad. I may be seriously cold by the time I come home and wearing the same 2 sets of warmer clothes day after day on my French tour. I'm watching Brisbane's 22oC with envy.

27/9.
I had a great day in Mainz, seeing historic Churches ( St Stephens with famous Chigall blue windows), uninspiring Cathedral, fabulous Gutenberg Museum, commemorating the printing press invention. Their were 2 of the remaining 45 original Bibles from 1452-55 there!!! Also saw remains of 1500-1600 yr old ships found in the river.

Today I got a FAST train to Paris. I thought we were going fairly fast once we left Germany and had a 2 hr stretch with no stops. I thought maybe 150kmhr. Then saw on the screen our speed. Over 300! We briefly hit 319!!!! It didn't seem like 3 times the freeway speed.
And I had to go to the loo ! Wouldn't have liked to hit a bump!!
I had no problems with the metro to the hotel which is right at the end on the west.
It's the first time I've been in a residential area of Paris with no tourists. I had a lovely walk about. The river is lined on one side with permanent houseboats. Big ones with all mod cons.
Letter boxes on the rd, rubbish bins, car parks etc.
I start a 2 week tour of France.
Only 29 on the tour - yippee! Smallest group so far with this company.
I have not identified another Aussie yet which would be very unusual. I'm sure there must be !! Mainly Yanks.
I'm sharing with a lady from KL, travelling with her 2 friends.
Today was the warmest it's been for weeks thank goodness.
Ok, I'll stop now.
Carol.