It’s mid-October in
Germany and I’m surrounded by twentysomethings in a huge convention hall.
No…it’s not Oktoberfest, but instead, the Frankfurt Book Fair.
A group from my publishing postgrad course jet-setted to Deutschland for the weekend to experience some beer, bretzels, and a buchmesse at the biggest trade fair for books in the world.
We set off early Thursday morning via coach from the Brookes campus to Heathrow. Can’t say the five a.m. wake up call was pleasant, but excitement beat out sleepiness as I anticipated my first jaunt to Germa
ny. We had to put the exhilaration on hold for a few hours though, as our flight was delayed thanks to London fog.
Once British Airways got us safely to Frankfurt, we hopped on a train to the city centre. Group rates will get you a discounted price, so if you can gather five people together, you can roll into town for a few euros each.
The Frankfurt Hostel, merely steps away from the Hauptbahnhof (train station), was on the sleezier side of things. Stuck in the middle of what we deemed to be the red light district, the only thing the hostel had going for it was its convenient location. Beyond that, it was hard not to notice the stained sheets and equally stained carpet.
Bed rates range from 18 to 22 euros, with private rooms going for anything between 50 and 88 euros. Shoot for the private ensuite set up if you choose to stay there. Avoid their elevator of death.
A 15-minute walk landed us in the Römer square, a fantastic plaza dotted with shops and restaurants. All forty of us grabbed a drink and I had my first official German pint of apfelwein, an apple cider Frankfurt is known for. We then wandered over to the Paulaner Munchen restaurant for a traditional meal. From schnitzel to strudel, the brewery popped out a fantastic dinner. The service was unimpressive, but waiting on forty rambunctious students would prove challenging for even the best of servers, so this is me giving them slack. It seems to be a chain, so check it out if you come across it.
Friday was devoted entirely to the book fair, a massive collection of publishers from around the world. The exhibition hall itself was impressive, as it seemed bigger than most airports and ran like a city inside. We poured over the stands upon stands of publishers marketing their latest launches and their old faithfuls. We gained insight to the industry and got a taste of business networking, all under one massive roof.
We rocked the fair from 9 to 5, so a quick nap before hitting the German party scene was necessary. A few of us headed out around 7 for a quick bite at a small Italian restaurant and enjoyed some Weizen beers, because what’s Germany without a few pints? Meeting up with the rest of the group, we dominated a local pub off the main square and then headed to a club.
The prices seemed high in Frankfurt, as the club entrance fee was 10 euros, though it got negotiated down to six. Once inside, the drink prices were exorbitant—although as an American in Europe, the exchange rate makes every price exorbitant. Our group danced to electronica until 3 a.m., hopefully having worked off a few calories from the dense German food.
Saturday was spent in Mainz, a smaller city on the west bank of the Rhine. A train from Frankfurt will cost you about six euros return. Good luck navigating the electronic ticket stand, it was all in German.
We caught the tail-end of a lovely morning market in Mainz, full of fresh veg, fruit, and flowers. The Gutenberg Museum was the main goal of the day-trip, which only cost 3 euro as a student. The museum is home to a Gutenberg Bible and many printing presses, though the museum didn’t seem to cater to foreigners. It was hard to find any English translations to the plaques and the only information sheet cost money.
Lunch consisted of a bretzel and wine as a group of us sat in the main plaza watching the world go by. The sun was blaring and the city was bustling, couldn’t have asked for a better day. We made our way back to the airport after 4 p.m. and luckily didn’t have to suffer through another delay. Although Frankfurt was beyond great fun, Heathrow was a welcome sight…And so was my bed when I finally made it back to my dorm, my home sweet home away from home.
Pick up a few German words/phrases before you head to das land der dichter und denker (the land of thinkers and poets). Go HERE for some tips.
Friday was devoted entirely to the book fair, a massive collection of publishers from around the world. The exhibition hall itself was impressive, as it seemed bigger than most airports and ran like a city inside. We poured over the stands upon stands of publishers marketing their latest launches and their old faithfuls. We gained insight to the industry and got a taste of business networking, all under one massive roof.
Lunch consisted of a bretzel and wine as a group of us sat in the main plaza watching the world go by. The sun was blaring and the city was bustling, couldn’t have asked for a better day. We made our way back to the airport after 4 p.m. and luckily didn’t have to suffer through another delay. Although 