Frankfurt; Friday, 23 July, 2004

German efficiency as ever got me to the hotel far quicker that it took me to get from Work to Gatwick, even if it was a similar distance. After checking in and unpacking I wandered in towards the centre of the town, with the intention of visiting the Main Tower which has a viewing platform from where you can get views over the whole of the city. Unfortunately, as I arrived they were in the process of closing as the top of the tower was about to disappear into a very, very dark clouds.

As I walked back to the tramstop a massive electric storm raged overhead. Within seconds of getting to the stop and under some shelter the skies opened with one of the most spectacular downpours I have ever seen. Think of one of those spectacular cloud bursts that last only about a minute before calming down, except this kept it up for almost 30 minutes!

After avoiding a drenching I left the tramstop (I wasn't intending on catching a tram, but I had seen on my way out that it had a large shelter!) and walked to the Römer, the rebuilt medieval market square (flattened by the Americans - Unlike Cologne which the Brits flattened!) and a look around the Roman remains and the outside of the Cathedral.

As I got back to the hotel the clouds decided again that they we feeling full!