Regensburg

Regensburg - or Ratisbon - is a famous but frustrating town

What a frustrating place Regensburg is!

The old part of town is lovely with beautiful buildings and tall towers on every hand; I can't recommend it strongly enough. Be aware, though, that as soon as you set your camera up on the tripod a delivery van will come and park right in front of the thing you want to photograph or film, while the driver goes off and has his breakfast. You wait patiently for it to move and as soon as it is gone some half-witted inhabitant comes and stands in front of your lens, chewing gum and peering curiously at his reflection. You finally lose patience and by word and gesture drive him (or her) away and instantly the town rubbish truck comes and parks in front of the camera. Grrrrr!

If it had happened once, it would, I suppose, have been funny, but when it happened in every one of the scenes in this film with the exception of the bridge - there we only had the half-wits to contend with - you begin to suspect a plot.

Oh, and don't bother going to the Tourist Information in the Rathaus. They speak reasonable English but appear to know absolutely nothing about the town.

P.S. Regensburg used to be known as Ratisbon. I don't know when or why they changed the name, but if you have any interest in history, it is by the latter name that you will know the place.