Escape to myself

Well after a late night last night I woke late so a quick cup of coffee and off to the station for my trip to Speyer. 45 minutes on the train and I arrived in this genteel and rather bourgeois town. It’s small but full of beautiful little back streets and shops me interesting churches but the Cathedral was the highlight

It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site for its seminal influence on Western European Romanesque architecture. Grand and with a feeling of immensity it has great dignity with its massive columns and barrel vault. The crypt with its tombs of early Holy Roman emperors was the first to be constructed and completed in 1041. It is a solemn and beautiful space with a groin vault and vistas along colonnades of massive piers. While I was in the Cathedral the organist played sonorous music which suited the majestic setting. It was wonderful to sit and contemplate for a while to his accompaniment.

The city is spotless and the streets full of traditional houses. a great way to spend the day, have coffee and a good lunch. Germany is expensive though.