HK Independent Traveller Blog

  Almost Two Millenniums Old Seligenstadt! Seligenstadt is over 1,900 years of history and charmingly situated on the Main River. It is a traditional and picturesque town: richly decorated timber-framed houses in the Main-Franconian style. Ancient buildings dated from 9 th , 11 th century remain and stand as witnesses of history. They are the former Benedictine abbey with its uniquely beautiful monastery garden, Einhard Basilica , the ruins of Emperor Barbarossa's imperial palace , the Romanesque House , the Einhard House and the Neoclassical town hall. Gorgeous Monastery and Garden Jane (Duong) and Matthias picked me up from Sabrina’s place. In the car they figured out to have breakfast at the Kloster (Monastery) of Seligenstadt . The former Benedictine Abbey of Seligenstadt was founded in 828 by Einhard (advisor to Charlemagne). Within the abbey walls and with the provision of water, mill and garden, the monks could provide themselves with everything that was necessary to live...

  Frankfurt - Wiedersehen My first visit to Frankfurt dated 1991. My friends and I had a 6-week tour in various European cities. Frankfurt was a two-day visit. Programmes for both days: museum. I went to  Heidelberg  on the second day. So, my impression and memories of Frankfurt were very shallow. Throughout the years, I came again for work and visiting friends in between but had no chance for sightseeing.  Unexpected Tour of the Key Sightseeing Spots - Marvelous! In mid-April 2026, I returned to Frankfurt to visit ex-colleagues and friends. My ex-colleagues, Jörg and Sabrina, prepared a nice surprise for me. They took me around to see the r evived old town of Frankfurt . Many Fachwerkhäuser ( half-timber houses ) were damaged / destroyed during the Second World War. Römer remained but many others disappeared. The old town centre was filled with the tasteless Technical Town Hall and used as a car park. A renewal project   between 2012 and 2018 was undertak...

  Locals Know it Best I undertook a quick research for what to see in Frankfurt. The big spots are Römer , New Old Town , Cathedral , River Main , Museumsurfer , Sachsenhausen , etc. Bingo! My ex-colleagues, Jörg and Sabrina, brought me to all the popular spots (without prior discussion) and perhaps only locals know it best – Kleinmarkthalle .   Less is More Located in the heart of the city, Kleinmarkthalle offers over 1,500 square meters of space with more than 60 stalls selling fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, baked goods, and international gourmet foods.   I don't understand how the part of name 'klein' (small) comes from. It is big indeed! From Local to International Cuisine Vibrance, colours, fantastic smell, crowds, top-tier gastronomy, tradition and modern are my impressions of the Kleinmarkthalle . It has been opened since 1954. Yes, over 70 years. And, it doesn’t stay in the past but evolves and diversifies, from traditional market food stalls to regional...