The former capital of West Germany is modest and unassuming. Almost everything about the place - from its size to its village feel - proclaimed that it was a temporary capital.
The Bonner Münster lies in the center of the city on the Münsterplatz and Martinsplatz, just a short walk from the train station. During Sunday mass, the church doors were closed, and an enterprising man stood outside with his upturned hat, looking for a quick donation by opening the door for worshipers who wanted to join the congregation. After mass, a younger man took over, opening doors in anticipation of a tip. This was the first time that such enterprising activities were encountered outside churches in Germany.
The entrance to the Kunstmuseum Bonn or Bonn Museum of Modern Art, located at the Museum Mile, is a vast openness, almost like an unfinished facade. The interior is all light and space, and exceedingly quiet on a Sunday. The fee to visit all the exhibitions was €18.99 per person, making it probably one of the most expensive art museums to visit in Europe. A punter was complaining that he was not a banker, just a retired musician. As I listened to his complaint, I decided to give it a miss too. A few days later, I realized what I could have missed. A meeting room in the office is named after Joseph Beuys, one of the German artists featured in the museum.
In contrast to the super modern Kunst Museum, the historic Town Hall, situated in the market square, is adorned with a rococo facade. The use of a pastel-like pink colour, curves and gold, gives the front a jocular, florid and graceful appearance. On a hot Sunday afternoon when temperature rose to the high twenties, tourists watched the world go by in the pavement cafes on the market square, some eating ice cream big enough to feed a family of four.
