42 hours in frankfurt: chasing light through the drizzle (and losing)
i'm in frankfurt and i think the sky is permanently the color of a wet sponge. it's been drizzling since i got off the train, and the humidity is 99%-i'm pretty sure my lens is crying. the weather app says it's 6.41°c right now, feels like 4.14, with a low of 5.97 and a high of 7.13. i just checked and it's... that kind of damp that seeps into your bones. someone told me the pressure is at 1005 hpa, but i'm just trying not to let my gear fog up.
i'm a freelance photographer, so i'm here chasing light that seems to have taken the day off. i arrived with a list of spots: the roemerberg, the eiserner bridge, the main tower. but this overcast sky is making everything look flat and dull. i heard from a local that the golden hour here is around 4pm this time of year, but the clouds are so thick that even that's a gamble. i'm starting to think the city's official greeting is a cold mist.
to get my bearings i pulled up a map-honestly, google maps is my only friend right now-and it shows i'm smack in the middle of the old town. below's the embed so you can see the layout too. (i've been staring at it for an hour, planning my routes.)
the roemerberg is supposed to be the postcard spot, but when i got there it was packed with tour groups brandishing selfie sticks. i managed to grab a few frames before a guy in a squirrel costume (don't ask) blocked the view. the square's medieval buildings are pretty, but they look better with some sun. someone i met at a cafe said if you get there before 8am, you'll have it almost empty. i tried that the next day-woke up at 6:30, trudged through puddles, and yeah, it was empty, but the light was still gray. still, i got some moody shots.
the eiserner bridge over the main river is a classic. the iron arches against the water-it should be gorgeous. i crossed it, and the river was a murky brown, but the sky gave it a certain drama. i took a bunch of photos; the concrete feels cold but the walkway is slick with rain. here's a pic from that stretch, though not my own (i'm stealing this unsplash one because my wet shots are still on the card).
speaking of the river, the skyline of frankfurt is a mix of old and new-the domed cathedral next to glass skyscrapers. i climbed the main tower for an overview, paid 7 euros, and the elevator was out of order so i ran up 600 steps in the rain (worth it? maybe). the view from the top was impressive, but the clouds were so low i could almost touch them. the city looks like a lego set from up there. someone told me that on a clear day you can see the taunus mountains. not today. here's an aerial-like shot from unsplash that captures the mix.
and the skyline from the river-those glass towers reflect what little light we have. i stood on the bridge again as dusk approached, hoping some color would appear, but the clouds refused to give up. still, i got a few keepers that i'm calling "rainbowless". 😉
now, i've got to eat. i'm on a tight budget (freelancer life), so i'm hunting for cheap eats that don't suck. i heard there's a great falafel place near zeil, but the yelp reviews say the line is around the block by noon. i'll probably still go. if you need recommendations, check out TripAdvisor's guide to Frankfurt's top attractions and Yelp's best coffee spots in Frankfurt -they're lifesavers. i've also been relying on the Frankfurt Tourism Official Site for free walking tour maps (they're actually good). for more offbeat spots, i read a blog that said the osthafen (east harbor) has industrial decay that photographs well. i went and it was… gritty, definitely damp, but i got some gritty shots.
oh, about those numbers-i got a weather update with city id 2925533. that's frankfurt, apparently. and my camera's file counter is at 1276054552 (okay, i might be joking, but the numbers are in my head). if you get bored, heidelberg is just a short train ride away, and i'm seriously considering it tomorrow. maybe the sun shines there. but then, i'd miss the chance to photograph frankfurt's famous "soggy but sincere" vibe.
all in all, i'm tired, my feet are wet, and i've deleted half my photos because the focus was off in the rain. but there's something about this city that grows on you-the stubborn people, the stubborn rain, and the way the lights flicker on the river after dark. if you come, bring a rain cover, an umbrella, and a sense of humor. and maybe check the forecast first; i just checked and it's...still drizzling, hope you like that kind of thing.
that's all for now. i need to dry my gear and catch some sleep. until next time.
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