We chose to add Düsseldorf to our list of destinations for our October 2018 trip to Europe because we wanted to see part of Germany that was different than the Bavarian region that most people initially think of.  The first day consisted of a four hour drive from Strasbourg, France past dozens of vineyards and the Black Forest.  Upon our arrival to the city, we checked into a HUGE extended stay hotel called House Hyatt and went somewhere nearby for lunch.  I was excited to finally try a currywurst which is essentially a sausage with a curried ketchup on top.  After lunch we walked the riverfront and attempted to get tickets to a Burlesque show but they were sold out.  As a back up we got some gelato and hit the gym at our hotel.

On the second day of our time in Dusseldorf we discovered a really cool open air market with stunning florals and delicacies.  We enjoyed some gelato by the river, did a ton of shopping and ended the day bar hopping.  Drinks began at the riverfront with a gorgeous sunset, moved on to dinner at a Thai restaurant, included some breweries and ended at a hookah bar.

Every time we visit a larger city that we’re not familiar with, we try to take a Hop-On-Hop-Off Red Bus Tour.  They’re super fun, informative and convenient because they provide your transportation for the day, as well.  The next morning we took our red bus tour to get to know Düsseldorf, visited the Aquazoo and the Japanese Gardens, and Erica and I ended the day with a yoga class at Shivasloft.   The yoga class was very different from what I’m used to in the U.S.; the teacher started by handing out a paper with a chant written on it and accompanied the chanting with a tiny little piano.  There was also a lot more breath work than I’m used to, but it was a really fun experience and I still use some of his posture ideas in my classes today.

The next day was one of the most hilarious days I’ve had while traveling.  We began with another trip to the market, visiting a cafe and shopping.  Then we went to Capella Breidenbacher Hof for High Tea.  The hotel made for a stunning setting for an elegant and delicious afternoon tea with champagne.

One of the attractions in Düsseldorf is their Tonhalle venue, and we really wanted to experience a show during our stay in the city.  We were able to find a Symphoniker show on one of the nights we were going to be in town.  However, when we tried to buy tickets through our hotel concierge they said that the Tonhalle wasn’t having any events that week.  We ended up calling the venue directly and purchasing tickets.  We should have listened to our hotel staff because when we arrived, all dressed up, for the “symphony”, we found ourselves at some kind of community recital.  We had a glass of wine at a Lions Club event that I’m pretty sure we weren’t supposed to be at, and another in the lobby surrounded by senior citizens, and tried to sit through a terrible show that ended up putting us into fits of laughter that couldn’t be controlled.  When the show ended, we rushed out of there and found a bar playing Raggaeton music where we got Pisco Sours and danced by ourselves for the rest of the night.

The next morning I woke up incredibly sick.  We assume it was from the egg white foam on our Pisco sours from the night before.  I spent the entire day in bed while Erica and Scott did laundry, worked out and went out for lunch.  Eventually I kept down some chicken nuggets from a German McDonald’s at the very end of the day.  The following morning we left Düsseldorf for our final destination on our trip: Amsterdam!

We had a great time in Düsseldorf getting to know the more urban side of Germany as opposed to Bavaria.  We had some great laughs, amazing food, and unforgettable experiences.