Last week, Martijn and I went to Brussels Belgium for a day tour and last tuesday, we had the opportunity to visit another country just close to the border of Holland - Germany. I thought, it was impossible to do so but it was. I've written in my previous post that I've grown fond of GoEuro.com and had been checking out fares just around the neighboring town so we could travel on a budget. But going through the ordeal of purchasing our bus tickets to Düsseldorf took days inside of minutes. The german bus company just offered the route a few weeks ago and I think they were still adjusting their site to accommodate travelers which led to our credit/debit cards rejected, which made me slightly lost hope until Martijn's mother suggested that we check the site on the earliest morning we can be online and I did just that and puff! we were all set.
Martijn had been into most neighboring towns around Holland but it's my first and so the thrill of it was just overwhelming. Beforehand though, my boyfriend had already told me not to expect old architectural sights in Düsseldorf cos during the war, most of their buildings were bombed but nonetheless, I was excited to experience some german hospitality.
Here are a few photos of the sights we went to. These places were based on suggested tour sights by trip advisory and by some travelers.
I forgot to take a photo of our bus stop for reference but if you walk around Düsseldorf, it's just like walking around Eindhoven Holland. The people are laid back and not so much in a rush (except the central train station which is always packed with travelers) with different nationalities living.
Our first stop was a local Asian Market - Hanaro Asian Markt, it is close to the bus stop with a little less than 5 minutes walk and the central train station. Walking into the Asian store was like walking into my favourite thrift store. I was so happy to see familiar packed goods that I buy at home from noodles to frozen seafoods and Filipino necessities for cooking. And we did buy vinegar, soy sauce, noodles and rice noodles for when I feel like cooking a Filipino noodle dish.
Second stop was Königsallee, is a luxury shopping boulevard in Düsseldorf which is a 9 minutes walk from the Asian Markt. It somehow resembles Amsterdam with its wide canal lined with trees. if you look at all sides of the canal, you will see all luxury brands from all over the world with cars parked in the roads in brands like Mercedes Benz, Volvo, Audi, Porsche and Ferrari.
If you can spot Rolex then you'll know how luxurious it was to stroll around this road. It's a pretty sight. I love the wide canal which makes it look cozy.
Third stop is Hofgarten, is the central park of Düsseldorf and is a 7 minutes walk from Königsallee. Along the way, you will be greeted with an Ice Skating Rink in the middle of the road with Christmas Markets. Just like most European countries, Germany is also fond of feeding birds and bird watching.
Hofgarten is beautiful place to take a luxrious walk or run. The colours of autumn is so wonderful. And I love the idea of an Ice Skating Rink in the middle of the road.
Fourth stop, Rheinuferpromenade, it is 9 minutes walk from Hofgarten. The Rheinuferpromenade, offers the view of the Rhein River. It is one of the most important landmark in Düsseldorf if you visit. Within the area, you will see old restaurants and the museum of light house. It's a wonderful place to watch the tower and bridges from the steps. For now, they have the Christmas stalls for drinks and snacks along with the ferries wheel to give you a better view of the city.
The Rheinuferpromenade has a peaceful vibe upon it. I think watching the sunset by the steps on sunny days is an awesome idea.
Fifth Stop, Altes Rathus Düsseldorf, a minute walk from Rheinuferpromenade is part of the city center where the annual Christmas Market is settled. It also holds the Renaissance remains of Rathus buildings.
The place was jam packed with tourist and locals when we came. I find it really refreshing to see all the stalls which sells snacks such as pretzels and roasted nuts and mushrooms as well as winter drinks being sold. Also sold in the market are personalized wood carvings, leather goods and sterling silvers.
Our next stop is Alstadt, is just 5 minutes walk from Altes Rathus. It is the city center and homes lined restaurants which specializes from good german dishes as well as international taste. It's the busiest alley of all Düsseldorf.
For this day tour we got to cover 6 travel sights in Düsseldorf which included a little shopping and of course we will not forget eating. The night before our tour, we googled on what's the best thing to eat in Düsseldorf and I remembered seeing on tv and in posts of some Philippine actors of a pork knuckle which is known in Germany and which happens to be a specialty also back home and so we ended up dining in one of the oldest restaurants just a few meters from Altes Rathus - IM GOLDENEN RING which offers the German Platter of sausages, meats, potatoes, vegetables and the famous pork knuckle.
From the right side of the Altes Rathus, you can easily spot the restaurant. It has been suggested via trip advisory.
Don't fret! This platter is good for 2 people and more. If you're a group of 3 or 4 then this is a good deal. It's 24++ euro per person without drink.
View outside of the restaurant which is I think is really nice during summer.
Overall, it was a wonderful day tour. I didn't expect a German city/ town to be a mixture of modern and old with people never hesitating to give you a smile or to help you out when you're lost. It was fun way for me and Martijn to bond and know each other more in terms of dealing with getting lost, navigating google map and getting annoyed when we're hungry. It was tiring but it was a wonderful experience.
A very modern office building in the middle of the shopping district.
My handsome travel buddy.
The people of Düsseldorf and the traveling tourists, loves to shop which kind of reminded me of home. It was fun to see all the people going in and out of different shops.
Christmas Markets are all over the place, so don't just shop on the first stall you see in the street.
For this day tour, we spent almost the same for our day tour to Brussels. Sharing the breakdown of our expenses. I've excluded the little shopping we made (Martijn bought me new winter jacket and we bought some stuff from the Asian Store). We purchased our tickets on the same site - www.GoEuro.com And just like our first travel together, we did brought we us some bottled water and crackers in case we get hungry while walking. If you want to do a little shopping in Düsseldorf then just make your budget a little bigger. Our aim for doing a budget tour is to see and experience more about a town/city than buy unnecessary things.
Here's our travel itinerary. If you decide to do this while you're in Europe during winter, it's best to wear something comfortable for walking and a thicker jacket since the wind could be very unpredictable in Europe. If you're a shopping enthusiast, I would really suggest Düseeldorf Germany to be part of your trip. I got lucky that it's too close to Holland's border. It was only 1 hour and 30 minutes bus ride. If by car then may just an hour. 'Til the next trip. Luxemborg I hope :D :D :D
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