It
might sound daft but, despite the fact I have an InterRail pass, I
buy a ticket from Chemnitz to Leipzig. With my pass, I can travel on
10 days within a three week window. But I didn't want to use up one
of the days for just a €14.50 fare. Of course, if I end up not
using all of the days, it's a false economy.
Leipzig
Station is amazing, it is said to be one of the biggest termini in
Europe, reflecting the city's past prominence in trade fairs. It's
the sort of place where one is happy to linger, especially as there
are some 1940's German locomotives on display. So I do.
My
hotel for my first night is directly across from the station. But,
while the location is excellent, I can't recommend it. The Seaside
Park is, to my mind, pretty soulless, just another Euro-standard
hotel. Staff do their jobs but I didn't find anyone going out of
their way to be especially friendly or helpful. However, my view may
be coloured by their late check out policy, which levies a €10 per
hour charge; their parsimonious one hour free internet (slow
connection) for guests, after which you have to pay extortionate
rates as well as one staff member who decided to close the railway
carriage section of the restaurant 45 minutes before the end of
breakfast service.
They
could take a leaf out of the book of the staff at the Balance Hotel,
Alta Messe. Without exception, everyone was bright, cheerful, helpful
and willing to please. It's fifteen minutes out of the centre by
tram, but they give you a free transport pass for the duration of
your stay. Set in a really nice residential district, there are
plenty of places to eat and drink at substantially lower cost than
the city centre. As an example of their willingness to please, they
arranged for housekeeping to clean my room while I was at breakfast,
so I could work immediately afterwards and brought an iron and board
to my room at exactly the time it had been requested. Gold star,
especially for staff attitude and training. But it is also worth
mentioning that the breakfasts were excellent,in a nice bright room,
the room was really spacious and there is unlimited free internet.
If
you are a classical music buff, Leipzig will of especially of
interest. Bach, Wagner, Greig, Mendelssohn and a whole host of others
have lived and worked here and there are museums, concerts and a huge
variety of other attractions related to those with a musical
interest.
My
own view is that they push that aspect of the city a bit too hard,
because there is much else of interest.
With
no frills carriers such as Ryanair offering direct flights to
Leipzig, it's no wonder that this former East German City is seeing
its tourism numbers increase dramatically.
Apart
from anything, Saxony is one of the cheaper parts of Germany to stay,
eat and drink. Prices will no doubt increase but, at the moment, it's
good value.
It
takes only moments to discover that Leipzig has some really
impressive architecture and, since reunification, there has been much
done to spruce it up., Much, though remains to be done and
construction work is ongoing everywhere. But it doesn't take long to
discover that there are many abandoned buildings awaiting their fate.
Much
as I am a fan of promoting tourism, whoever agreed to place
advertising banners on this clock tower? Surely an extraordinarily
insensitive decision?
The
Nikolai Church is beautiful inside. You are not supposed to take
photographs (for what reason, I really have no idea, but officials
constantly wave cards at you reminding you of the ruling). So here
are a couple of shots I smuggled out.
There
is no such petty nonsense in Thomas Kirche, so I could take a
photograph of a choir from Biggleswade without incurring the wrath of
officialdom. But the church is pretty plain by comparison with the
grandeur and gilt of Nikolai.
Public
transport in Leipzig is a joy. Trams and buses criss cross the entire
area, most running every 10 or 15 minutes during the day. At €34
for 3 days, a Leipzig Card gives you unlimited use of the network
plus discounts to many attractions. But as my hotel had already given
me a pass for the transport, I am not convinced of the value of the
Leipzig Card, especially as it is more about discounted entry than
free. It is also worth mentioning that a day pass for the central
transport zone is just €5.
In
any case, museums such as the 'Runde Ecke', set in the former State
Security regional HQ, are free of charge. It is fascinating to see
just what lengths the STASI went to in order to control the locals.
The secret cameras, the card indexes, the bugging devices. One very
poignant exhibit is an essay from a 14 year old schoolboy who, in
1989, openly criticised the regime. The document was sent to the
STASI, who started trying to exert influence on the boy's family.
Luckily, before too much could happen, the Berlin Wall came down and
the regime was at an end.
Also
on show is a machine used to pulp documentation which people-power
brought to an end long before all the evidence of the STASI's
activities could be destroyed.
Leipzig
Zoo is not far from the city centre and is well worth a visit.
Especially since its tropical dome was opened in 2011. I have never
seen anything quite like it in a zoo; it's like having a jungle
inside a CenterParcs sports complex . You can either take a boat trip
for €1.50, or walk around the hot and steamy jungle setting looking
for a whole host of animals.
The
zoo itself is world-renowned, with animals such as lions, tigers,
apes, giraffe and elephants all housed in spacious enclosures,
designed to offer maximum access to visitors.
Just
a couple of thoughts, the inside of the dome is very hot and humid,
so dress appropriately. And the zoo covers a big area, so wear good
shoes for walking and be prepared to spend a whole day there.
Another
day trip from Leipzig is to Colditz Castle, the famous prison camp
for Allied officers during World War 2. I say that, but it's not at
all well known to Germans! I enquired at Leipzig Tourist Information
Office about getting there, to be told that 'it was difficult, with
only one bus a day'. That may have been the case in the past, but it
is, these days, pretty easy to reach Colditz by public transport. Bus
690 leaves the east side of Leipzig main station almost hourly during
the day; the service returns from Colditz just as regularly. It is
also easy to get to the castle by taking the train from Leipzig to
several stations including Bad Lausick and Grimma, from where regular
buses link to Colditz. German Railways information counters will
provide both bus and train times and connections.
It
cost me just €5 for the 85 minute trip, although travelling on an
unmade road in a bus was one of the more interesting moments of the
trip!
The
first sight of the castle is from the attractive market place in
Colditz. I had done my homework, so knew that the Saxony Government
have painted the once grey and forbidding castle white, but the Welsh
couple who'd travelled on the bus with me needed some convincing they
had come to the right place.
The
outer courtyard, former accommodation to the Camp Commandant and
Officers, has been refurbished into a youth hostel, with a lot more
work underway.
The
inner courtyard, which housed the British, French, Dutch and Polish
prisoners, is largely untouched.
You
can take a short tour, but I heartily recommend the two hour trips
led by Steffi Schubert, who comes from the nearby town of Grimma. For
€15, Steffi, armed with a huge bunch of keys. will take you on a
real insider's trip, show you the cellar from where Major Pat Reid
escaped, the route taken by the first escapee Airey Neave, the
chapel, theatre, tunnel entrances and exits, the park and a whole lot
more.
As
a very special treat, she managed to persuade the caretaker to allow
her to take me to the attic room, where prisoners built a glider just
before the end of the war. Channel 4 have recently rebuilt a
full-sized replica of the aircraft and actually flew it from the roof
to prove whether it would have flown. The programme is due to be
aired on the channel in summer 2012.
The
castle authorities are hoping to put the glider back together again
after its crash landing (in which the dummy pilot was decapitated)
and to make the room accessible to tour groups in the future.
As
a boy brought up with Pat Reid's 'The Colditz Story' and the BBC
series 'Colditz', a visit to the Castle was truly memorable. A lot of
it, especially the chapel, is in a dreadful state, but the regional
Government is doing what it can to bring it back to life. There have
been worries that their enthusiasm for refurbishing will destroy much
of WW2 significance, but I am told that they are now much more aware
of the need to conserve than they were.
Sadly, prisoners' graffiti
from the 1940's has all been painted over, but you can still see
photos of it in the excellent little museum, which includes amazing
exhibits such as a home made wooden sewing machine, used by prisoners
to make escape uniforms.
Colditz
as a town is a pretty little place, with a newly-opened tourist
information office. As with much of the former East Germany, it still
has a lot to learn about what tourists expect, but at least they
recognise the enormous potential that undoubtedly exists.
Back
in Leipzig, an interesting and unusual visit is to see the German
allotment museum which sits in the middle of one of the city's 211
such sites. The museum itself is interesting, but everything is in
German. Perhaps of more interest are the 156 allotments, for which
owners pay just 150 Euros for a plot of between 100 and 300 square
metres. One plot has been in the same family for 70 years.
All
of the allotments have huts which come in all shapes and sizes and
are complete with running water and electricity. Caterina Hildebrand,
who runs the museum, told me that people can stay overnight in their
huts, but they are not allowed to have their post delivered!
The
allotment movement is huge in Germany, with around one million people
having one. In Leipzig alone, there are over 200 sites involving some
33000 plots.
The
'Kleingartner Museum' is open from Tuesdays until Thursdays from 10
till 4.
There's
a really nice looking pub-restaurant in the same building as the
museum but, somewhat bizarrely, it only opens at 4pm midweek.
My
final port of call in Leipzig was to the Thomas Kirche, celebrating its 800th anniversary in 2012, where I had
been invited to the Bach Festival opening concert.
The place is
packed for the event, which includes the church's school choir, the city's university choir and Leipzig's famous Gewandhaus Orchestra.
Impressive
stuff in a city which has surprised and delighted me. Leipzig and
this part of Saxony has been great and, in four days in the city, I know I have just
scratched the surface.
With
all the construction work going on, the next time I am here, I know
it will be very different and prices will undoubtedly be a lot
higher. So my advice?
Come
as soon as you can.
Tomorrow
I get back on the tracks for the long rail journey, via Frankfurt, to the Black
Forest.
Here's a slide show of the trip photos:
