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00:03I'm Angela Rippon. I've spent decades reporting on global stories and I'm as curious now as the
00:10day I began. In this series, come with me and discover extraordinary destinations from the
00:17rivers that flow through them. That's the thing with this river, there's always something to see.
00:22This time, we continue down the Danube to Salzburg, the birthplace of musical genius Mozart.
00:28He was like the Beatles of his day. Yeah, exactly. Embrace a centuries-old Bavarian folk dance,
00:34the Schuhplattler. Sail to the highest point on earth reached by commercial ships on the main
00:43Danube canal. There's a road, if you see on the other side, it's going underneath us so you can
00:50imagine the view from the cars when they're passing. Cross Germany's medieval masterpiece in
00:55Regensburg. It was built in the 12th century. It took him 11 years to make it. And dine out at
01:00the
01:01longest-running bratwurst kitchen in the world. Can I have one sausage? Okay, with mustard? Oh, yes.
01:07And sauerkraut? Everything. Everything. On another Great River cruise journey.
01:19We're gently sailing down Europe's second-longest river, the Danube, aboard our ship Scenic Amber.
01:27This leg begins in Upper Austria. We've just reached our transfer point,
01:31a quieter alternative to bustling city ports like nearby Linz.
01:40What a beautiful morning. The sun is shining. The mist is just floating on the top of the river.
01:47And here we are in the quaint Austrian village of Brandstadt. A reminder that this great river
01:54doesn't just pass through 10 countries and four capital cities when it comes to pretty little
02:00villages like this one in Austria. It's a leisurely two-hour coach journey southwest to our first
02:10destination. So I'll get to soak up the stunning views en route to Salzburg. Meet the ship across the
02:17border in Passau. Sail to the magical medieval city of Regensburg. Switch to the main Danube canal.
02:24Explore Nuremberg's varied history. And finally, Bamberg.
02:36First, I'm meeting my guide in the perfectly preserved UNESCO-listed city of Salzburg,
02:43famous for the backdrop to the movie The Sound of Music, and of course, the birthplace of one of
02:49the greatest composers of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
03:00Roman!
03:01Yes, Angela! Nice to meet you!
03:03Where else could I meet you in Salzburg but right here in front of Amadeus?
03:08Absolutely.
03:10I think it just represents his genius which he created here in Salzburg of himself.
03:15Well, you can tell me all about his wonderful career.
03:18Absolutely.
03:18Because it was long and wonderful, wasn't it?
03:21Let's go.
03:23For 25 years, this was Mozart's professional training ground, especially the cathedral and
03:30the Prince Archbishop's Palace.
03:33What was the relationship between Mozart's family and this building?
03:37Well, Leopold Mozart, the father, he was employed as the second in charge of the music in the cathedral,
03:42and he made sure that his son has a job too, and obviously he realized he's good at it.
03:47The Prince Bishop obviously had an eye for his talent as well and wanted to show him off,
03:53did he, here in his palace?
03:55Absolutely, yeah.
03:55But how old was he and what was he doing?
03:57Well, he was composing and actually playing.
04:00And how old, though, was he?
04:01Seven, when he started.
04:03Seven?
04:04Seven years old.
04:05Do you think that the young Mozart was a willing participant in all of this?
04:10I mean, for a little boy to be constantly being asked to play piano, compose, give concerts,
04:18that was no childhood, was it?
04:20Different than we would expect a childhood today, but music was all his life.
04:24And whenever there was an opportunity, he would actually love to perform.
04:28He wrote music for piano, he wrote music for orchestras, he wrote operas for singers.
04:35Are we just sort of turning him into a myth, or was he actually a genius?
04:40Well, I think all scientists agree that he was a genius.
04:43His music was always ahead, it was like modern.
04:46I don't know how to compare.
04:48He was like the Beatles of his day, wasn't he?
04:49Yeah, exactly.
04:50Yeah.
04:55Arguably, his final work was his most famous, the Requiem Mass, still performed 250 years
05:02later in the cathedral, where he was once called organist.
05:09This is a mighty space, isn't it?
05:12The acoustic in here must be magnificent.
05:27How many organs are there?
05:28Seven.
05:29Seven in this one building?
05:30Yes, but he played only one.
05:32Which was?
05:33The one in the front right.
05:34Over there?
05:35Yeah.
05:36Why did he only play that one?
05:38Well, during Mass, he was asked to play the other organ in the front, but because someone
05:42died on that organ on a Sunday, the organist died playing it on a Sunday morning, Mozart
05:48was superstitious, he would not play that one.
05:50So that's why he had to pick and choose another one.
05:52So he chose the one he wanted to play.
05:54Yes, and he could choose because he was the genius.
06:00Mozart composed 17 Epistle Sonatas specifically for the cathedral's unique organs, a masterpiece
06:09of 17th century baroque design.
06:14So now this is the baptizing basin where Wolfie was baptized.
06:19It's so beautiful.
06:22And you see the beautiful pictures on here telling us stories from the Bible.
06:25And Mozart was christened here.
06:27Now listen to this.
06:28Yeah.
06:29January 28th, 1756, to the name of Johannes Chrysostomos Theophilos Wolfgangus Amati Mozart.
06:36What a name.
06:37That was his full name.
06:38Yes.
06:39I think they knew already that he's going to become a genius eventually.
06:43Thank goodness we only call him Amadeus.
06:45Oh, I call him Wolfie.
06:47You call him Wolfie.
06:48I call him Wolfie.
06:50Like he's my friend.
06:52While I'd always recognize his music, I feel there's an even deeper connection here, where
06:59the foundations of his musical identity were laid.
07:02So, Roman, we are at the birthplace of a genius.
07:08That's right.
07:09So out of the now more than 700 pieces of music, yes, maybe a third was written in Salzburg.
07:15And the thing is that Mozart is not only brilliant for music, where Salzburg is concerned.
07:20Mozart is responsible for most of these visitors, do you think?
07:24Absolutely, because Salzburg, on the scale of places to go to, being a small town, it's
07:30amazing, with more than two million visitors every year.
07:33Two million come just from Mozart.
07:36Yeah, Mozart, and I have to be honest, maybe the little bit of the sound of music too.
07:40LAUGHTER
07:43The Geberthaus is now one of the top must-see museums in the world.
07:48Quite the legacy for the musician who lived to just 35.
07:54There's a wonderful chocolate shop just over there, isn't there?
07:57Which is also important in the Mozart story as well.
08:00Oh, yeah, because of the Mozart chocolate.
08:02We've got a half a dozen of handmade ones in Salzburg.
08:05These are the ones.
08:06And, of course, they sell them everywhere else in the supermarkets.
08:09But these ones here in Salzburg, you must try.
08:11They were invented here?
08:13Yes.
08:13Can I tempt you?
08:15Oh.
08:16Don't hold me back.
08:17Then let's go.
08:21The Mozart Kugel, invented in 1890, is made from sweet pistachio marzipan, creamy hazelnut nougat,
08:30and dipped in smooth, dark chocolate.
08:33Mozart balls.
08:36Little balls of chocolate heaven.
08:47One is never enough.
08:51Romans inside, buying more.
08:53See you later.
09:00Coming up, a centuries-old Bavarian courtship dance will leave you breathless.
09:05Have you all got wives?
09:07Yes.
09:08Yes.
09:09So it works.
09:11And come with me as we step back in time on a nostalgic shopping experience.
09:17Look at that.
09:18A bit cheeky.
09:19A bit cheeky.
09:20Yeah.
09:20A bit cheeky.
09:33I'm still savoring the delights of the fairytale setting of Salzburg in the foothills of the Alps.
09:42Here in the lovely Mirabel Gardens, which are right in the centre of Salzburg, I'm pretty sure I'm going to
09:48be able to see some traditional Austrian folk dancing.
09:52Ah, actually, I can hear them.
09:59The shoe plattler, or shoe beater, is a key part of Bavarian heritage.
10:08I'm meeting accordionist Robert and a plattler dance group from the Galva Band, the city's Folk Culture Association, to see
10:16if I can have a go.
10:18That was fantastic, gentlemen.
10:21Hi.
10:22Hello.
10:23Oh, guys, that was terrific.
10:25I could hear you before I could see you because the noise is so distinctive, isn't it?
10:30What's the history of it?
10:32I mean, where did it come from?
10:33Where did it start?
10:34In the history, it was a kind of dance for young boys to impress the women to find a girlfriend.
10:42So the nicer you dance, the easier it is to become married.
10:46Have you all got wives?
10:48Yes.
10:48Yes.
10:49So it works.
10:52We went a little away from the tradition.
10:54Which one would you choose?
10:56Which one would I choose?
10:57Yeah.
10:58It's like being back at school.
11:00Who is the one?
11:02Um.
11:04Oh.
11:05Oh.
11:06Oh.
11:06Angie.
11:07Mikey and Angie.
11:08Mikey.
11:09Hi, Angie.
11:10Hi, I'm Mikey.
11:11Hi, Mikey.
11:12Hi, Mikey.
11:12Nice to meet you.
11:12Hang on, I'm going to take the coat off for you just a minute.
11:14Of course.
11:15No, don't leave the coat.
11:16I'll leave the coat coming off.
11:18Don't worry.
11:19Right.
11:22So what do we do?
11:23Yeah.
11:26Yes.
11:26You stand here.
11:28Yes.
11:28And you take the right hand.
11:30Yes.
11:31And you take a one.
11:33Where are you hitting?
11:34A one.
11:34Right.
11:35Right on there.
11:36A one.
11:36And the left is a two.
11:38Yeah.
11:38Right is a three.
11:40Three.
11:40Four.
11:41Four.
11:42And now.
11:43Five.
11:44Five.
11:45And six.
11:46Oh, hang on.
11:47Okay.
11:47So it's one, two, three, four, five, six.
11:50Right.
11:54One, two, three, four, five, six.
11:59One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:02One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:05One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:08One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:15One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:18One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:19One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:20One, two, three, four, five, six.
12:203, 4, 5, 6, 3, 5, 6, right, right thing.
12:33Yes! Beautiful, Angie!
12:40Yahoo!
12:44It's great, it's great, Angie. Congratulations.
12:47Now I know why you wear leather pants. It doesn't half hurt.
12:52It's no problem.
12:55Thank you, gentlemen. But you are the experts. Can we watch you again, please?
13:05In this beautiful park in the glorious Bavarian sunshine,
13:09it's hard not to fall in love with this dance and the dancers who perform it.
13:14Auf Wiedersehen, Austria!
13:18Our tranquil journey continues, affording my fellow guests and me the chance to watch exquisite scenes gently drift by.
13:29What glorious weather we're enjoying here on our grand tour of Europe via the Danube River.
13:36And in fact, this morning as we cross over from Austria into Germany, we've got another perfect autumnal sunny morning.
13:50It's quite the welcome to beautiful Regensburg.
13:54This UNESCO World Heritage Old Town survived World War II virtually unscathed.
14:02In the Middle Ages, this was a major commercial centre here in Germany.
14:08And what helped to make the traders who lived here so rich was the fact that they didn't just have
14:15the Danube.
14:16They had this bridge, which I'm just about to cross.
14:22The walkway has been restored, but the medieval bridge that holds it up still proudly spans the Danube, attracting more
14:31than a million visitors every year.
14:40This bridge was built in the 12th century. It took them 11 years to make it, but there's nothing fancy
14:45about it.
14:45It's a stone bridge. It's got, what, 15 arches, I think, and it's very plain.
14:52But, of course, it would have been in the Middle Ages, but it was functional.
14:57It really did open up this whole area and made it a major trading area for Germany.
15:04And we are, even though I can see three bits of water, all three of them are still the Danube,
15:10because the Danube splits here with this funny little island in the middle of it.
15:15It is an extraordinary river. It really is.
15:21There's a real charm to Regensburg, with its pastel-coloured buildings, soaring Gothic spires, and narrow cobblestone alleys.
15:31Something straight out of a storybook.
15:34I think the last time I was in this city was about ten years ago.
15:37I distinctly remember walking up this street and seeing, yes, there, on the right-hand side, a shop that immediately
15:47caught my eye.
15:49It says Der Hutmacher, which even my poor German tells me is the hat maker.
15:58I wonder if it's open. Shall we go and find out?
16:04In the blink of an eye, I'm propelled back to an era that would have been much more familiar to
16:09my grandfather.
16:10My name's Angela. Your name is?
16:12Melanie.
16:13Melanie, are you the milliner here?
16:14Yes, I make the ladies' hats.
16:16Oh my gosh, because this is just all men's hats here, isn't it?
16:19We go downstairs for the ladies' hats.
16:21For the ladies' hats.
16:21Oh, this is just so beautiful.
16:25My goodness.
16:27Melanie's husband, Andreas, is the master hatter.
16:31Since 1875, his family have stitched, shaped, and dressed everyone, from the everyday explorer to nobility.
16:38You've made some for films as well, haven't you?
16:41Yes, we make a hat for Alice in the Wonderland. We make for the hat maker.
16:46And who was wearing the hat?
16:48Johnny Depp.
16:49Is that Johnny Depp's hat?
16:51Yes.
16:54Incidentally, the expression, mad as a hatter, predates Lewis Carroll's masterpiece,
16:58when felt-making still used mercury, a poison that literally drove milliners to madness.
17:05What if someone says to you, oh, I never wear a hat, they don't suit me?
17:09I think every face needs a different hat.
17:12Yeah, so it's a small face and a small brim, or a big woman, I need a big brim. It's
17:19so different.
17:20But as far as you're concerned, there's a hat for everybody.
17:23Yes, we have one.
17:25You have one for everyone?
17:26Yes, I'll show you.
17:27You show me? Oh, right.
17:29With 15,000 hats on display here, it'll be hard to narrow it down. Prices range from around 100 to
17:37upwards of 600 euros.
17:39The best hat is this one.
17:42Uh-huh. A sort of fedora?
17:44Yes.
17:46Classic shape, isn't it?
17:47Very classic, sportive, but also elegant.
17:51Can I try it on?
17:52Yes, please.
17:56Very nice.
17:57There we go.
17:59I have a very narrow head, so finding a hat that fits is also...
18:03Yes, you have a small hat.
18:04What about some of the others?
18:05Yes, I think a colour is also good for you.
18:07A colour?
18:08Yes, a colour.
18:09I think colour is also good.
18:10Oh, that's pretty. Isn't that a pretty colour?
18:12Yes.
18:13Now, that's slightly different because the brim is at an angle.
18:17Yes, it's so different. Look.
18:19Look at that.
18:20A bit cheeky.
18:21A bit cheeky?
18:22Yes.
18:25They are absolutely beautiful.
18:27Melanie, it has been so kind of you to let me come in today
18:31and have the shop to myself even better.
18:34Only for you.
18:35Only for me.
18:36It's been an absolute joy to look at it.
18:38Thank you so much.
18:42A whole day of exploring can build quite the appetite,
18:46and I know just the place.
18:49Now, Regensburg has what is thought to be
18:52the oldest restaurant in the world.
18:56And that's it behind me there.
18:59Now, back in the 12th century, when they were building a cathedral and the bridge,
19:02the building that was there was the sort of the works office.
19:05And because they had so many stonemasons and craftsmen and all people working on the building site,
19:12they had to feed them.
19:13So they started to provide them with what they described as boiled meat.
19:18Well, as you can imagine, the word soon got out that there was food to be had here.
19:21So the men who were working on the bridge started to come,
19:24and so did the sailors who were coming down the Danube.
19:27They all started to eat here.
19:28And that went on for quite a few hundred years until 1806,
19:34when a whole new family bought this site and they started to make a very special German sausage.
19:41At the Wurstkuckl, or sausage kitchen, the family used pure pork ham in their secret recipe,
19:48served with sauerkraut that's prepared in barrels in their own fermentation cellar.
19:53Can I have one sausage?
19:56Okay, with mustard?
19:57Oh, yes.
19:58And sauerkraut?
19:59Everything.
19:59Everything, okay.
20:00Perfect.
20:03Six thousand sausages a day they go through.
20:06You can understand why.
20:07I mean, look at the size of the queue of people that are here wanting them.
20:10Oh, there's my bun!
20:11Thank you so much.
20:13Thank you very much indeed.
20:15Cheers.
20:16Bye.
20:16Here we go.
20:18A fortifying meal fit for a sailor, stonemason or any discerning traveller.
20:24Like so much on the Danube, everything is interconnected.
20:28Because if it weren't for the river, you wouldn't need a bridge.
20:31If you weren't building a bridge, you wouldn't need somewhere to eat.
20:33And if there hadn't been somewhere to eat in the 12th century,
20:37I wouldn't be enjoying this rather lovely sausage now in the 21st century.
20:42Mmm.
20:44Mmm.
20:46Bavaria has served up so many sumptuous delights.
20:49But we need to get back to our ship as it anchors away.
20:54Bye-bye, Regensburg.
20:56And hats off to you.
21:00Coming up, witness jaw-dropping engineering at a lock with the highest lift in Germany.
21:06It literally is so narrow.
21:08It's just wide enough for one ship at a time.
21:12And walk with me through a stunningly restored Nuremberg.
21:17The oldest parts that are still original today are from the 1200s.
21:211200s.
21:32On this spectacular river cruise journey through Central Europe, we've left Regensburg in Germany,
21:39and overnight our captain transferred from the Danube River to the main Danube Canal near the town of Kelheim, as
21:48we head north to Nuremberg.
21:50And even though the weather's turned, I'm leaving the comfort of the lounge to meet cruise director J.J. out
21:57on deck.
21:58J.J., there are scores of locks on the whole length of the Danube, but the one that we're approaching
22:04is rather special, isn't it?
22:05Tell me why.
22:06It is. It is, Angela. A very special lock because of one of the three highest locks on the Main
22:11Danube Canal.
22:12And we're reaching the Continental Divide.
22:15The Continental Divide is actually the highest point of a terrain, which is dividing the river or the water flow
22:20in two different sections.
22:22One is going to the north and the other one is going to the south in our moment now on
22:27the Main Danube Canal.
22:28And this is one of the aqueducts. And there is a road, if you see on the other side, it's
22:33going underneath us.
22:35So you can imagine the view from the cars when they're passing underneath looking at a big ship.
22:40Yes. So you're both going overhead?
22:41Yes, absolutely. It's going on the other side.
22:43But this must be quite a challenge for the captain, isn't it, going through this section of our journey?
22:48It is. As you can see, the canal, it's 50 meters. That's all the width of the canal.
22:55It's just quite narrow.
22:55Yes. And imagine when there is another ship coming the other direction and our ship is almost 12 meters wide.
23:01So there is a very small distance between the ship.
23:06JJ, you have been on this river as a guide for, what, 15 years?
23:10Do you ever lose the excitement that it gives you, not just the whole journey, but when you come to
23:16places like this?
23:17You can't lose it. This is the waterway of Europe, connecting cultures, connecting people, economy.
23:23So it's probably one of the most spectacular things to do, especially on a river cruise.
23:28For me, too. What a feat to have sailed along the highest point on Earth reached by commercial ships on
23:34the main Danube Canal.
23:36The canal was completed in 1992 and connects the North Sea to the Black Sea via the main and Danube
23:43rivers.
23:44We can see the green light, which means there's nobody coming out, so we can just go straight in.
23:49But that's just one of three locks. It's like a stepladder, isn't it?
23:53Yes. There are three basins next to the lock, and 60% of the water in the lock is going
23:58into those basins, and 40% is the actual canal.
24:01So there will be like a stepladder, like you said, so there will be three stages.
24:06First, the hatch will open, and the gravity will use the water going inside the first basin, then the second
24:11one, and the third.
24:12And once we reach the water level on the other side, the gate will open, and we continue sailing.
24:17The smile on your face tells me everything you feel about the job you do and the place you work.
24:24You have to love it. That's the only way.
24:28The dramatic 30-minute process is about to begin.
24:32Well, it may be pouring with rain, but as you can see, we're all dressed for the weather because no
24:38one wants to miss this experience, because it is going to be rather special.
24:43Now, ladies and gentlemen, we're finally all in the lock.
24:47It literally is so narrow. It's just wide enough for one ship at a time.
24:54The first basin is already filled with water, and now we've got to wait for a couple of seconds until
25:01the hatch of the second one is open and will continue going down.
25:06Next time, they should have a giant umbrella. Why not? If they could put the walls, they could put the
25:14umbrella.
25:14You mean this one isn't enough for you?
25:17Even without a roof, it's an engineering marvel.
25:22Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the bottom of the lock of the National Convention.
25:28And it's curtain up to reveal the pure drama of travelling along this canal.
25:34There he goes. It's just lifting. It's just beginning to lift. You can see the light underneath it. There he
25:41goes.
25:44We've got a welcoming committee from the ducks on the water.
25:49I was just looking at the height between the water on the canal and the bottom of that barrier thinking,
25:55that doesn't look very high. How are we going to get through there? Are we all going to have to
25:59duck when we go down?
26:02But the captain has just told us that, no, we all have to go below now, because it is actually
26:08quite low.
26:09Dear ladies and gentlemen, and folks are lovely.
26:15But we descend exhilarated, having watched gravity-defying pumps move Olympic-sized water volumes to take us over the ridge
26:24of hills to our next destination.
26:31And it's a history rich Bavarian settlement that's set within five kilometres of city walls,
26:38home to the oldest preserved globe in the world, the birthplace of the pocket watch,
26:43and bursting with picturesque half-timber houses.
26:56The city of Nuremberg. Well, for people of my generation, those perhaps a bit older and certainly some of those
27:04who were younger,
27:05that name, Nuremberg, immediately has associations with the German Nazi Party.
27:14Back in the 1930s, Hitler came to this city and it was here that he held his notorious rallies as
27:23a prelude
27:23to invading huge chunks of Europe and Russia, of course, at the start of the Second World War.
27:30And then in 1945, 46, Hitler had committed suicide by then,
27:36but 22 of his political and ideological cohorts were brought here to Nuremberg for the Nuremberg Trials.
27:48A bleak and deeply chilling period we must never forget.
27:52But Nuremberg also has medieval history, which I'm keen to explore.
27:57So I've joined my ship companions for a walking guided tour.
28:03And it turns out that the moat, for example, was a huge obstacle, also for a modern army, because it's
28:09impossible to cross this moat.
28:10Fortunately, I have an earpiece in here, which means I can hear exactly what our guide is saying at every
28:17step of this tour.
28:21For a start, the city's name is thought to come from the prominent sandstone ridge that the castle is built
28:28upon.
28:28In Old High German, Nuremberg means rocky and Berg means mountain.
28:35When was the castle built?
28:38So the first buildings they know of these days are from somewhere from the 900s, which definitely didn't look like
28:45this.
28:45So maybe just some wooden foundations and so on.
28:48The oldest parts that are still original today are from the 1200s.
28:521200s.
28:55Nuremberg's significance has changed dramatically over the centuries.
28:59It was the medieval heart of the Holy Roman Empire, a 20th century symbol of Nazi ideology, and finally rebuilt
29:10as a post-war city of peace and human rights.
29:16So there were about 60 heavy air raids on Nuremberg.
29:18The most devastating one took place on January the 2nd, 1945.
29:22That was the one that completely destroyed what was left of the old town.
29:27More than 90% was destroyed.
29:29The city of Nuremberg decided to rebuild the city carefully, and they tried to keep this medieval touch.
29:35It's a highly accomplished restoration, reconstructing iconic medieval monuments and creating new functional buildings all within the original street layout.
29:47Ever since we left the castle, we've been walking on these, I don't think these are medieval cobbles, but they're
29:53cobbles.
29:54And certainly, I think because so much of the city is based on the original medieval city, if I had
30:00a map of the medieval city, I'd still be able to find my way around.
30:03There's a charming, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, so you can comfortably cover quite a lot of ground in just a couple
30:10of hours.
30:11I want to tell you something about the Nuremberg sausages. They're the best.
30:15Of course.
30:18Who would have thought?
30:20Are you enjoying this tour?
30:22I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
30:23Yeah.
30:24We've never done a river cruise before, and everybody's so friendly on it, and there's so few people.
30:30You know, 150-odd, and you get to know everybody, and you say hi to them all.
30:35Yeah.
30:36Everybody's just so friendly. Staff are wonderful.
30:39Would you come back?
30:40I think probably.
30:42Well, I'll do another river cruise.
30:43We'll have to study it when we get home and see where we go.
30:48What struck me most from this tour is Nuremberg's profound transformation, evolving from its dark history to become a top
30:57tourist destination.
30:59I think I'm rather fond of modern medieval Nuremberg.
31:05Coming up, join me and marvel at beautiful Bamberg's Town Hall, built on stilts in the middle of a river.
31:12We're talking about something they did 800 years ago, and there it stands still, on its own island, solid as
31:20a rock.
31:21And I sample a 600-year-old speciality brew to tantalize the taste buds.
31:27Gosh, look at that. The head is higher than the beer.
31:31Yeah.
31:31Okay.
31:42Having left Nuremberg, my fellow guests and I have been cruising through the heart of Europe, soaking up the spectacular
31:50panoramic views.
31:52Well, overnight, we've arrived in Bamberg, which is in Bavaria in Germany.
31:58It's the very last stop on my trip down the Danube.
32:03So, um, let's go and make the most of it.
32:10We've docked centrally, which makes exploring on foot easy.
32:14I've been spoiled with another of Europe's well-preserved UNESCO-listed cities, bursting with the most exquisite medieval and baroque
32:24architecture.
32:35This is the old court in Bamberg.
32:38This is where the emperor at the time and his entourage all lived in these absolutely beautiful buildings.
32:46Now, Bamberg, rather like Rome, is surrounded by seven hills and the city sort of nestles comfortably, snugly in the
32:55middle of those hills, which were not just a protection.
32:58It also meant that most of the medieval buildings here in the centre have survived down the years, unlike, say,
33:08Nuremberg, where we were, where so many of their buildings were flattened in the Second World War and then had
33:13to be rebuilt in the same style.
33:16These, and just about every building, it seems, in the old city of Bamberg, these are the real thing. And
33:25aren't they beautiful?
33:38I tell you what, sensible shoes are the order of the day in these places. Don't even think about bringing
33:44heels or stilettos here.
33:47I'm making a beeline for the 15th century curiosity, the Alters Rathaus, or Old Town Hall, which has quite the
33:56backstory.
33:58The people of Bamberg, even today, are very proud of their independence. And if you want an indication of how
34:06they exercise their power to the people, there's the building that does it.
34:13Back in the 1400s, this whole area was owned by the Prince Bishops. But the people of Bamberg wanted their
34:19own civic hall.
34:21But the Prince Bishops wouldn't give them any land. But the very canny people of the city realised that while
34:30they might have owned the land, they had no right whatsoever over the river, the Red Knicks.
34:38So what did they do? They put wooden piles into the river, just here, to give them the foundation.
34:46And then on the foundation, they built that, the town hall in the 1400s.
34:54This unique Old Town Hall spans both sides of the bridge on its artificial island and is famed for its
35:02stunningly ornate murals that were added in the Baroque period.
35:09Those engineers must have been absolutely brilliant, because there it stands still, on its own island, right in the middle
35:19of the river and solid as a rock.
35:23With the town hall and Bamberg's former fishing district lining the Regnitz riverbank, in 1842, it earned the moniker Little
35:32Venice.
35:32Well, it might not be comparable in scale to the Italian city, but in its way, it is arguably just
35:39as beautiful.
35:46Now, I'm not a beer drinker, never have been, but if you are, you will know when you come to
35:52Germany.
35:52If you come to Bavaria in particular, you are going to find some pretty good beers.
35:57And in fact, back in the 1700s, this one street had 13 breweries in it.
36:04And that was because people really couldn't drink the water here, the water in the river was just not safe.
36:09So, they drank beer.
36:12And this brewery opened in, oh, there it says, 1405.
36:18So, if I'm going to get a taste for beer, this is as good a place as any to start.
36:28And in a city with an unrivalled brewing tradition, the historic Schlenkler Tavern is still serving the signature Bamberg brew.
36:39Rauk or smoked beer 600 years later.
36:44Hi, Angela.
36:45Hi.
36:48Stefan.
36:49Cool.
36:49I'm a speaking person.
36:50Lovely to see you.
36:51Now, I know you've been a guide here in Bamberg for a long time, haven't you?
36:56Absolutely.
36:56But you also happen to be something of an expert when it comes to beer.
37:00Is that right?
37:01Yes.
37:01Drinking it and telling a lot about it.
37:03Particularly drinking it.
37:05Now, somebody told me it's smoked beer here?
37:08Yes, it's the smoked beer.
37:09And the American GIs that were stationed here absolutely love that smoked beer.
37:13They called it even liquid salami.
37:15I just call it bacon beer because it's lovely.
37:18What does that mean exactly, smoked beer?
37:20Well, in the Middle Ages, all beers were smoked beers because you had to dry the malt somehow.
37:25And that was only possible over open beech wood or oak fire.
37:30And so they just got the smoky flavor got in.
37:33They roasted the malt.
37:34But in the Industrial Revolution, British men invented kilning.
37:38So the flavor vanished because they used fans and hot air drying.
37:41But here in Bamberg, still two breweries, they still do the traditional way by smoking malt.
37:48To better appreciate this passion for preserving original flavors, I'm meeting brewmaster Martin.
37:56You're the man who makes the beer magic, yes?
38:00Yes, okay.
38:00Okay.
38:00Well, I'm in your hands.
38:02Okay.
38:02So what are we going to start with?
38:04We are starting with a low-level alcohol beer.
38:07A smoked beer.
38:08A smoked beer, low-level alcohol.
38:10Mm-hmm.
38:12Right, okay.
38:13The alcohol content is low, 1.2%.
38:16Gosh, there's quite a hit on that, isn't there?
38:19Okay.
38:21So this is smoked.
38:22Yes, this is smoked, but it's light smoke.
38:25You can see it's thin beer, small beer.
38:28Oh, there's hardly any smell to it.
38:30I was expecting to smell the wood or something.
38:32Cheers.
38:38It's got a very strongly smoked taste to it, though.
38:42Really?
38:42Well, to my palate it is, yes.
38:45Okay.
38:45But not much alcohol.
38:46Not much alcohol.
38:48So I'm not going to get completely whizzy on this, right?
38:52Okay.
38:53What else have you got?
38:54The original.
38:55Yes?
38:56Yeah.
38:56So when you say the original, what makes it so much different to the others, then?
39:00It's strong, it's tough, and you can smell it.
39:03The scent is, like, really smoky and just put your nose in it.
39:07It's absolutely amazing.
39:09Really?
39:09Okay.
39:14Gosh, look at that.
39:15The head is higher than the beer.
39:17Yeah.
39:25Do you know, it's amazing, right?
39:26It hasn't got as strong a taste to my palate as that one did.
39:31Yeah, yeah.
39:31Really?
39:31It's not as strong.
39:32Oh, wow.
39:33So you like it?
39:34So you like it?
39:34Yeah, so you've got to be of the other encoding.
39:37Shows how much I know.
39:38It's actually 5.1% proof, which is a typical beer.
39:43So on to number three.
39:45Before I test it, then, tell me what I should expect on my palate.
39:49It's roasted over sour cherry wood, but it has got, like, fruity flavours, like berries.
39:55And so, just close your eyes, try it.
39:58It's amazing.
39:59Mmm.
40:01Mmm.
40:03Mmm.
40:03Mmm.
40:04It is a different taste.
40:05Absolutely.
40:06There's a sharpness to it.
40:07I know.
40:08Is it?
40:09Really?
40:09I think it's kind of tender.
40:11Is it?
40:12Yeah.
40:12Well, you see, this is the first time this palate has tried any of this.
40:18Yes.
40:18We come to this absolutely fresh.
40:20So maybe what I'm tasting is not quite what you taste all the time.
40:24Yeah.
40:24It's different.
40:25It is.
40:26I absolutely love it, and the taste is completely different.
40:29I think my final cheers should be to Bamberg, to Bavaria, to Martin, the brewmaster, the magician, and to a
40:41wonderful trip that I've had down the Danube.
40:44My goodness, new experiences at every turn.
40:47You're so welcome.
40:49Come back.
40:51Cheers.
40:56But before I head home, I'm in search of a memento from one of Bamberg's charming mix of unique, independent
41:04shops.
41:05Stefan suggested a brew that's perhaps more to my taste in a medieval apothecary turned tea house.
41:13Oh, my goodness.
41:15Oh, now I can see why Stefan wanted me to come and see this.
41:20All of these wonderful drawers in this cabinet have survived.
41:25Clearly, at one time, filled with all sorts of herbs and magical powders that the local doctor had wanted mixed
41:33into something for his or for his patients.
41:37But now, it's a tea store.
41:40What a wonderful use of this building.
41:43It first appeared in a Bamberg document in 1444, nearly 600 years ago, and it's witnessed almost every stage of
41:52the town's history.
41:54It ceased trading as a pharmacy less than 50 years ago, and now it's a delightful treasure trove.
42:01Apparently, Bamberg is very famous for its licorice, and they've got licorice tea.
42:07I think this is what I'm going to take home to remind me of the trip that I've just had,
42:11because I feel that this shop, in many ways, it sort of is an example of what we've been seeing
42:19throughout the journey.
42:20So many of the communities are so historic, and yet that history manages to rub along very comfortably alongside the
42:29needs of 21st century communities.
42:33And they've managed to do that in this little tea shop.
42:37And the Danube has seen it all.
42:49Next time, we're exploring the mighty Mekong in Cambodia.
42:55Hello!
42:57Where I'll marvel at majestic ancient temples.
43:00Tell me what it means to see this place.
43:03Proud to be Cambodian.
43:04Indulge in local delicacies.
43:06Close your eyes.
43:07No!
43:08It's got too many rings.
43:09Don't think about it. Just go for it.
43:10And wonder at exceptional skill.
43:13This woman is a real craftswoman.
43:19Yes, join Angela on and around the Mekong next Saturday at 8.
43:23From massive mutts that won't move to tiny tearaways, Graham is back with dogs behaving very badly new tomorrow at
43:308, or stream first on 5.
43:32Next, the story of a royal peacemaker told by those who've been there through the good and bad times.
43:38Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, new after the break.
43:45Visit the
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