Paris to Trier, Germany 28 Dec -1 Jan 2016

We had an invitation to visit a distant family relative in Trier, Germany for the few days leading up to end of the year. We accepted. Trier is close to the Luxembourg border and was founded by the Celts in the 4th Century BC and may be the oldest city in Germany.

We took a train from Paris to Trier. The train travelled at 300km/hr, took just under 3.5 hrs to reach Trier and cost approximately $50 each.  If you factor in Drew's fuck up when she booked the train journey for the 28th December 2016 instead of 2015, we paid quite a bit more. I never did work out how to get that money back. We always purchase the cheapest fares which have conditions attached so you can't get your money back.

Trier was a rather shocking climate change adjustment. The freezing air hit us as soon as we got off the train at Saarbrücken, the only train change on our way to Trier. I had my trusted dressing gown (a really ugly coat I bought in Barcelona that I felt obliged to keep wearing), and Drew had her warm and stylish coat which she had chosen very carefully. Still we were pathetic. I just keep saying over and over "How cold is it Drew?" "Jesus, I'm FREEZING." and "How do people live in these temperatures?" Trier's temperature ranged from 0-6 degrees celsius while we were there. The locals seem to take it in their stride. No-one else seemed to be whinging.

Trier has a population of just over 100,000 but has just experienced a huge increase in population with an influx of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afganistan. At one stage 500 refugees per day were making their way into the city.

On the way to Trier in the train. That's fog, not rain.

We make a brief stop off at the supermarket on the way home from the train. Surprised by the fog. This photo was taken at about 1pm.

View from the relatives kitchen window in the morning. Our relatives lived in small town 10 mins away from Trier called Gusterath.

Heading into town day 2. The photos don't give an idea of how pretty the town was

The Porta Nigra (city gates)

Main street

Entrance to an old Jewish Quarter

Just like that...

      The walls were all skewiff in the old buildings. You can kind of make that out in this photo

The door on the right half way up the house was once the front door. A ladder had to be dropped down to get in. Helped when the town was under siege. The shop underneath was obviously once not there, and neither were the doors at ground level. 

Not a huge bike culture here even though the land is pretty flat once you are in town

The Trier Cathedral - said to house the robe Jesus was buried in. Dates back to Roman times 

   Constantine Basilica, now used as a protestant church. The walls were once heated with massive        furnaces situated all around the base of the building.

The stones of one of the old furnaces surrounding the Constantine Basilica

Remains of Roman baths. 

Moselle grape vines - the region is famous for it

Trier from above