Today the weather was finally a lot better and we could even get the roof down on our rental car - something we had obviously been hoping we'd be able to do in more dramatic scenery. But it was still a nice experience in the Taunus, the mountain range just north of Frankfurt.

The first place we visited was Butzbach, a small town that is considered the "pearl of the Wetterau". It has a nice little historic centre of half-timbered houses around the market square and some side streets, with a few restaurants, shops and boutiques. We only had a quick look around but stumbled across a short stretch of the old city wall as well. On the whole it was a nice, if short, start to our day trips from Frankfurt.

For more and higher quality pics, have a look at Matt's blog

Butzbach is small town north of Frankfurt. Once we had parked (parking is relatively easy to find and cheap) we headed straight for the town square. The closer you get to the square, the more you have to look above shop level to take in the wonderful C17th buildings. The square itself is quite large and when we arrived there was a small market taking place. There are several restaurants around the square, including a Korean, as well as the more usual fare. We wondered around for a while, but the further you walk from the town square the less interesting the town is from a tourists point of view. Saying that, there is one exception - the small remnants of the old town wall and the church just beside it. Overall, Butzbach is an ideal place to stop off for an hour or so before continuing with your journey.

The greatest thing about travel is that one is constantly absorbing things about indigent culture.  Whether it is learning of local politics through conversations, or hearing the hottest topics of debate on the tele, or simply learning about the importance of certain staples in local diet • travel is a constant learning process.

I arrived in Germany on Labor day.  My 30 minute drive from Frankfurt airport to my hometown of Woelfersheim, had me passing through a couple villages.  On a fruitless search for a bouquet of flowers for my grandmother, I eventually found one at a roadside gas station • the only business open on Labor Day.  During my drive I was listening to a local radio station, trying to catch up on the last year’s happenings.  The topic of the day was the unemployment rate in Germany.  According to the reporter, the numbers had seen improvement at under 4 million.  Staggering figure considering the entire country is the size of Montana.

Butzbach, "the pearl of the wetterau," is a favorite destination for locals in the Hessen area.  It is a medieval town that has not lost its charm.  The central market square, with its old "fachwerk" houses and fountain, are surrounded by cafes and boutiques.  My friends and I come here on almost every visit to Germany, to shop the little boutiques and eat the delicious varieties of Gelatto that one can find at nearly every corner.