Frankfurt, Germany

Our carefully planned trip to Rome had included a few days in Dubai, to visit our Dubai family. But this itinerary was derailed by the deranged Trump war in the Middle East. So we're travelling (the longer and more expensive way) via Singapore and Frankfurt instead – the route less likely to be interrupted by missiles. Flying across peaceful Afghanistan and Georgia ... !

Our flight to Frankfurt was with Lufthansa, whose primary hub is Frankfurt Airport. Frankfurt Airport is the busiest airport in Germany, one of the busiest in the world and the airport with the most direct routes in the world. The airport is Frankfurt's biggest employer: 80,000 people work there. It's Lufthansa's 100th year* of operation this year, which is quite impressive. What's not so impressive is that Lufthansa pilots went on strike this week. We missed the worst of it but I did have to change one connecting flight to ITA Air.

We made lemonade from the lemon situation. We've loved our two days in Frankfurt.

Frankfurt is on the Main River, the longest tributary of the Rhine. Hence its full name, Frankfurt am Main. The river is a lovely feature of the city, with grassy areas and walking/ cycling paths along its banks. We did lots of walking, we took the tourist (hop on hop off) bus and we did a cycle tour.

Frankfurt is the home for many European insurance firms and banks, including the European Central Bank. Hence the city's nicknames Bankfurt and Mainhattan. It's the largest financial hub in continental Europe and has the feeling of a banking / commercial / corporate city. It's also the largest data centre and internet node in the EU. Despite all this corporate stuff, more than 50% of the city is green with lovely parks and gardens. Being spring, that means flowering bulbs and cherry blossoms, and baby goslings. Lots of baby goslings with mom and dad geese honking along the river.

It seems to be progressive and pretty green in its approach to building. For example, city regs require all workplaces to have daylight – so the width of skyscrapers is restricted to ensure they don't cast shade on the neighbouring buildings. Some buildings have been redesigned so that their windows open. Look for the (rather strange sight of a) skyscraper with open windows below! This saves up to 80% of air conditioning energy and costs.

Frankfurt was a major industrial centre during World War 2, which meant the Allied forces bombed the city. Air raids in March 1944 wiped out the historical centre (and 5000 Frankfurt residents, which seems more important). At the time, Frankfurt had one of the largest half-timbered historical centres in Germany. This market square, which was rebuilt in the same style, is called Römerberg. It is a very popular place for locals and tourists. It's also, our bike tour guide Martin told us, where books were burned in the early 1940s by the Nazis. The dark history is there, if you're interested in seeking it out. Isn't that true of all cities?

Just round the corner from Römerberg is the Neue Altstadt, the New Old Town. Also rebuilt after the war, this is modelled on a number of genuine old buildings. The cream building in the left corner is a replica of the house of Struwwelpeter's author. Remember that terrible child?

Around 40% of Frankfurt's buildings still date from before WW2. All those that were built from wood burned in the bombings. This is the view from our hotel room balcony – these houses feel typical of the Frankfurt style.

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The best part about this trip to Frankfurt was the opportunity to catch up with an old work colleague, now friend, who lives in Germany. She joined us on our bike tour. It's been 20 years since we last worked together, but we've kept in touch regularly.

Our guide on the bike tour, Martin, is demonstrating how to grab the bull by the balls. Apparently it's better luck than grabbing it by the horns. Old Frankfurt Stock Exchange, if you wondered.

Some significant places below: the old European Central Bank building, the Old Opera House, the Cathedral and St Paul's Church. The first democratically elected parliament for all of Germany met in St Paul's Church (St Paulskirche) in the 1840s, so this building is a national symbol. It was blown up in 1944 but it was the first 'symbolic' building to be rebuilt after the war.

Frankfurt was named after the Franks, the northern Germanic tribe that 'created' France. If that immediately makes you (like me) think of Asterix, no, the Franks came later than the Goths and the Gauls and the Romans. Speaking of the Romans, though, recent excavations have uncovered walls from an old Roman settlement around 150 CE. Frankfurt has always been a major trading centre situated as it is in the centre of Europe. Traces still remain of the town's development over the next centuries, despite the destruction of the 1940s. The medieval city walls around Frankfurt have disappeared, but this original watch tower is a reminder of local history.

There were a few Frankfurt dishes that we wanted to try. Yes, frankfurters, but also some other local delicacies that my friend recommended. Green sauce (Grüne Soße) was nummer eins. To make this sauce, you need seven herbs: borage, chervil, garden cress, parsley, salad burnet, sorrel and chives. Each herb cannot constitute more than 30% of the whole, and 70% of the herbs must have been grown in Frankfurt. Frankfurter Grüne Soße has a protected geographical status in Germany and an application has been made at the EU for European protection. I discovered that there is even a Grüne Soße monument, seven green houses, one for each herb.

To make the sauce, the herbs are blended with yoghurt or sour cream and hard-boiled eggs. Frankfurter green sauce is typically served with potatoes and boiled eggs, or with beef or fish. After all this, how does it taste? It's, um, mild and pleasant, but I was expecting something a bit punchier. Perhaps I ve been influenced by other green sauces, like Argentinian chimichurri and Indian mint chutney.

Of course Ken tried the local frankfurters, and I was looking forward to having a Flammkuchen again after many years. White asparagus was in season, so I made sure to have that too. My Swiss father made sure we appreciated this very German vegetable! Fresh, not tinned!

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany's Leonardo da Vinci, a man of poetry and philosophy and science, was born in Frankfurt in this house. It's a feather in the city's cap. However, as an adult he felt that Frankfurt was too money focused, too conventional, and he left the city for somewhere more bohemian. But still. He's a son of Frankfurt.

There's a famous story that Goethe's mother invented green sauce. But since the first recipe was published 30 years after his death, it's unlikely.

I wonder whether you've noticed these trees? They are a very distinctive botanic element across the city. They're platanus, pollarded London plane trees. It's very early spring, and they're not putting out any growth yet but they're beautiful in their starkness.

I'll end off now with this photo looking bck at the city, along the river, with the new European Central Bank building on the right. Apparently Ursula von der Leyen has an office here, so think of Frankfurt when you next see her on TV.

Next: Rome

*How flying has changed. I have this Lufthansa souvenir of my father flying somewhere around 1960 ... apparently in those days passengers received a souvenir photo – mounted! – when they flew. It all looks very civilised, with comfy seats and real tableware, so maybe it was business class.

This really looks better on a bigger screen. www.julie-anne.online