I was nervous yet pumped when I’d decided to rent a share bike in Frankfurt because it’s the first time that I’d ever ridden a bike in the European continent
After some trial and error, I finally managed to rent a share bike at the Niederrand station, the railway station nearest to the hotel I stayed. Hurray!
As against taking public transports, I could move more freely by bike and view and feel Frankfurt from a different angle, at a different speed, it is a completely brand new experience to me.
I am just so grateful to everybody who has helped make share bikes happen. You guys are my hero!
It’s literally a once-in-a-lifetime experience cycling along the southern bank of the River Main
Apparently the photos shown below can hardly tell exactly what I experienced. But I still remember going literally ecstatic as I was cycling along the Main River cause lots of favorable factors happened at the same time, including :
- the extremely nice weather, at around 22/23 degrees with light breeze
- the plenty of sunlight
- the freedom from riding a bike
- the unrivalled view of the River Main
- the greenery along the promenade
- the carefree vibes from the people jogging along the promenade or laying on the lawn
It’s one of the transcendent moments in my entire life. I was so touched as if I was crying in my heart. And I was so blessed that I could experience all these.
Holbeinsteg Bridge – the bridge spanning River Main for the exclusive use of pedestrians and cyclists
Northern Bank of the River Main
After crossing the Holbeinsteg Bridge, I rode on the roads along the northern bank of the Main River.
I am so thankful that Frankfurt is a cyclist-friendly city. Bike lanes were found in most of the main roads. Even there’s no bike lane, the pavements could accommodate the pedestrians along with the cyclists including me.
The Seat of the European Central Bank was gigantic
Standing to the east of central Frankfurt on the northern bank of the Main River, the Seat of the European Central Bank which was encircled by unreasonably vast area of open space and lawn (for security reason?), looked stunningly gigantic and imposing.
Housing the headquarters of the European Central Bank and opening in 2015, it enjoys special legal protection like it’s illegal to enter the premises to enforce a court order or execute a search warrant.
Hafenpark is new and clean
Hafenpark is a public park built to the east of the Seat of the European Central Bank. The skateboard arena was impressive and I saw some bare-chested guys jogging and working out using the facilitates in the park.
Memorial at the Frankfurt Grossmarkthall
On the eastern side of the European Central Bank, there’re words engraved on the concrete pavement.
It was written, ‘In 1942, I was deported, I was one of the last Jews leaving my city. We were first gathered in a big hall and then put on trains and then sent to Berlin, where another 1,000 Jews were added to our transport, all in all 1,250 Jews. Ultimately I am one of final 25 survivors of this transport. After four days with hardly any food, we arrived in Estonia.’ Ilse Kahane, ohne Datum.
Later I realized that it’s the Memorial at the Frankfurt Grossmarkthall which commemorates the deportation of Jews from Frankfurt in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.
Discrimination, cruelty, brutality, torture, homicide, genocide,… How can I do this to anyone else when I remind myself of how terrible I felt by just being discriminated against or treated badly, let alone torture or other kind of inhuman treatment?
I’m really grateful that I’ve had all the opportunities to visit this kind of monuments and museums because all of them have helped me remember whom I really want to be and who I really am.
Wall Park (Wallanlagen) was actually a green belt
Leaving the Seat of the European Central Bank, I headed to the Wall Park.
It looked like a green belt encircling the CBD on the Google Map. While I was actually riding through the park, it was made up of a number of humble community parks which were separated by roads so that I had to cross the roads when moving from one park to another.
According to Wikipedia, Wall Park is a 5-km long green belt around the city centre. The parklands run along the course of the former city walls which were built in 14th century.
When I ended my bike journey, I returned my share bike in the bike parking area near Taunusanlarge S-Bahn Station.
Dear bike, so many thanks for giving me such great pleasure!
My Travel Journal ONE 