Aachen & the notorious mug thief!

In a swarm of travel options and required research, it’s hard to catch everything. There will always be places where we wish we could spend more time, like Aachen! But before we discover Aachen’s charms… we must first overcome a few trials.

Today’s adventures begin at a wall-less Monschau bus stop, which does little to shelter us from pelting snow and icy winds. The conditions inspire me to create a makeshift umbrella barrier, which provides about 5% improvement. It’s not much, but we’ll take it! Snow is magical; however when we see our big red bus trundling through the white haze, we’re relieved. 

We huddle our aching legs against the bus’s feeble heating vent and reflect on the ground we’ve covered in the last two weeks. We realise how tired we are, and with eyelids drooping dangerously, we’re determined to faceplant a hotel bed ASAP! 

So, we find a shortcut, disembarking a couple of stops early. As we walk however, we start to take in our surroundings. Hang on a minute… this actually doesn’t feel safe we panic, noticing groups of disheveled people milling about an otherwise empty street… 

Usually, I am quite slow, especially if I’m tired (much to the frustration of my ever efficient and fast paced travel companion). Seeing us now though, you couldn’t picture it, as I almost outpace Jesse, with the longest most powerful strides, fuelled with reserve energy from who knows where. 

I tell this part so you know that there is more to travel than just the highlights. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes there are a few dodgy bits. But we make it through and we don’t let that stop us from exploring more of Aachen.

After a much needed midday kip, we head over to the more popular side of town. Based on our experiences earlier in the day our expectations are practically nonexistent, creating one hell of a pendulum mood swing as we set eyes on Aachen Cathedral, a UNESCO world heritage site. While we can’t get inside due to the time of year, the cathedral provides an absolutely stunning backdrop for more Christmas markets. Thus, necessitating the purchase of hot chocolates!

And now for a confession. I am a thief. I am a mug burglar. After you finish your hot chocolate, you’re supposed to return the mugs… however in the last couple of days, I’d already commanded my expert accomplice (Jesse) to smuggle out 3 mugs. However, this time, he was adamant I needed to support my own criminal habit! “I’m sick of being your mug mule” he pokes, as I sassily slip my latest spoils into my pocket. And, later that night, as I wrap all 5 mugs in Tshirts for backpack transport I consider that perhaps, the penance for stealing all these mugs, is that I now have to carry them.