| Grand River Cruise with Budapest | |
| 4. Frankfurt am Main | |
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| Early Saturday morning and Serenade is alongside in Frankfurt. A lone runner jogs past the old crane, a feature of many riverside berths - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The River Rescue Centre is covered in graffiti which is endemic throughout Germany. The restored padlock encrusted Iron Bridge viewed from Sachsenhausen - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| From the Sachsenhausen side look back to get fine views of Frankfurt’s Business District - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Two of the original eight arches of Frankfurt's oldest bridge, die Alte Brücke, were deliberately destroyed in March 1945 by the German Army and have been replaced by a steel truss - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Unfortunately, as so often happens nowadays, the classic views of the Old Town are somewhat obstructed by the various stands being erected for an evening concert - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| A tram passing under Frankfurt’s own Bridge of Sighs (left). A giant Euro sign in nearby Willi Brandt Platz (right) bears testament to the square having been once home to the European Central Bank - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Frankfurt has a cheap and effective integrated transport system and many bus and tram stops have card reading machines enabling tickets to be purchased using a debit or credit card. All day tickets are available and are valid on the U-bahn. All EU senior citizens qualify for a concession - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Alte Oper, Frankfurt’s Old Opera House was bombed down to its foundations during the War but has been faithfully rebuilt and was inaugurated on 28th August 1981. A few stops from Alte Oper is Messe Frankfurt, the vast exhibition grounds located at the centre of Frankfurt’s financial and business district - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| There are several of Jonathan Borofsky’s Hammering Man sculptures across North America and Europe and the largest is in Frankfurt financial and business district - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| From the nearby Ludwig Erhart Anlage stop it is a short tram ride back to the combined tram and U-Bahn station at Messe where two 12-meter-high glass cones give access via a lift to the platforms below - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Like in Berlin, the ground water in Frankfurt is not far below the surface and colourful overhead drainage pipes have been installed to drain water away from building sites where necessary excavations would cause flooding - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Apartments overlooking the river are much sought after and much upmarket redevelopment is taking place around the Westhafen power station where the coal imported from South America is vacuumed out of the lighters and conveyed to the power station on an enclosed conveyor belt - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| A composite office and apartment block has been constructed over and around the enclosed conveyor belt which now passes through the building - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Whitsun is a public holiday and with church bells ringing and the crowds lining both banks we leave Frankfurt in early evening - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| We pass the towering glass European Central Bank headquarters on our left the 88 metre high red brick Main Plaza on our right - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Soon after leaving Frankfurt Serenade enters the lock at the nearby city of Offenbach on the left bank of the Main. Work started on the lock in 1949 and it was completed in 1953. Since leaving Amsterdam which is 2 metres below sea level, the various locks have raised Serenade One to 98m or 322 feet above sea level - VIDEO CAPTURES Malcolm McCrow | |