A Good Day for Worms

The day dawned sunny and bright, and I thought I could go further afield.  To Worms in fact.

When I was in junior high--the old version of Middle School--and we had history, there were references to something called the Diet of Worms.  It sounded disgusting, and it also made no sense whatsoever.  The text books did not bother, and the teachers probably couldn't explain that Worms (let's pronounce if auf Deutsch as vourms) was a town and "diet" in this case meant parliament. Martin Luther taking a stand there would have suddenly snapped into place.
I left early and stopped to buy some stamps.  The service desk at the post office is always packed, but there is a machine, the only problem being that one needs exact change.  The machine does give change--in stamps not coins.  Oh well.  This time I had exact change.
I got my ticket, and I knew what time the train left, but I also thought I'd have to change trains, and the Deutsche Bahn website was no help about that at all.  Neither was the ticket machine although it did helpfully print out a return schedule.  Fortunately the nice man at the information desk, not only explained it to me, but gave me a print out about my outward journey.  Next time I'll ask about the return journey as well.
I hate changing trains.  I come all over anxious even though I have done it many times before and always successfully.  Still I experience the fear that I will miss my connection or somehow get on the wrong train.  I shared my carriage with a big group of elderly Germans clearly on a an excursion. When the conductor came around he assumed I was with the group and was not going to check my ticket, but I held it out anyway.  He took it and shook his head and said something incomprehensible. What now?  The guy at the Deutsche Bahn information desk thought my ticket was all right and told me to take this very train.  I began to explain I was a tourist, etc, when my kindly seatmates, seeing my expression said, "Er macht Ihr spass."  Oh.  A joke.  I smiled and nodded.  Only if one does not speak the language, it's hard getting the joke--whatever it was.
One of the women tried to engage me in conversation.  She was awfully nice, too, but it must have been like speaking to an unusually inarticulate toddler.  Also we had to make a connection but our train was late.  My anxiety blossomed even more.  As it happened they held the other train for us and a few minutes later we pulled into Worms.
Worms is a charming town.  I found a pedestrian street and took a leisurely stroll around passing the Luther Memorial before finding the Tourist Information Office.  The town is well sign posted, and rarely had recourse to my map.
My first stop could not have been missed at any rate.  Many cities in Southern Germany boast a Kaiser Dom or Imperial Cathedral.  The one at Worms is dedicated to St. Peter and is huge and glorious Romanesque pile.  I wandered down the aisles and nave simply transfixed by the building and the wonderful deep relief carvings in the aisles and chapels.
I strolled around some more seeking out the city museum.  The collection includes some Neolithic Celtic pottery, but I was astounded at the exhibit of Roman and Medieval glassware.  It was produced locally, and I have never seen a better collection.  I also enjoyed the Germanic jewelry.  Truth to tell I share the barbarian taste.
Eventually I made my way back to the train station.  I knew--or so I thought--when my train would come, but I could find no mention of the transfer point on the displays or posted schedules.  I once again resorted to the information desk, and once again received solid information and a print out.  I found and boarded the train that would take me to a point--a different one this time--where I could catch the S Bahn home.
Except the train was late!  And those of us counting on a connection missed it.  Fine.  We had to wait half an hour, but hanging around on train platforms has never been my favorite thing.  One of the stranded passengers was a Deutsche Bahn guy, who got out his cell phone immediately and had a heated discussion with someone on the other end.
By that time I was worn out, but even when our S Bahn came, we still faced delays.  Several times we had to stop in the middle of no where to let more important trains go by.  When we got held up just outside Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof for no discernible reason, it just got to be funny.
Anyway I am home and fed now and a good thing, too.  The sky has turned dark gray, and it looks like it's coming on again to rain.