Next up was Hameln, also known as Hamlyn. This is a lovely old German town, famous for the pied piper and its plague of rats. The streets are awash with little brass rat plaques that are inlaid into the cobbles and everywhere you look there is reference to Der Rattenfänger. We stayed at the Hameln town stellplatz, near the river Weser and not far from the old town. It cost 8 euros a night, with an extra 1 euro for water and around 1-2 euros a day for electricity, depending on your usage. Bargain! We arrived early from Quendorfer See, slightly concerned that it would be busy, but there were spaces available throughout our three night stay. The temperatures were still in the high twenties when we arrived, so we were very relieved to have electricity to run our fans and fridge. The other people staying there were also very friendly and, despite language barriers, we all seemed to get on very well and swop travel stories. That evening, after looking around the streets of the old town, we had some dinner outside and chatted to some fellow Scots about the upcoming VW event at nearby Hessisch Oldendorf, which was one of the reasons why we were staying in Hameln. It was lovely and relaxed, until the heavens opened and we were treated to an amazing thunderstorm. Slightly damp but much cooler, we returned to Hans for a peaceful night. Next day we visited the Hameln museum, which had some fantastic information in the legend of the piper as well as loads of info on the other histories of the town, from medieval times up to the World War II. There was also a fasinating, yet slightly bizarre exhibition on the Brothers Grim, with interactive displays showcasing their stories, dressing up opportunities and, strangest of all, vegetable portraits of the most popular tales! Very odd but highly entertaining and we spent ages in there pouring over the pictures and engaging with the displays. The afternoon was filled by exploring more of the town - crossing the river several times, seeing what was on the islands in the middle, listening to the glockenspiel clock at the town hall and generally soaking up the atmosphere. Hameln was a great stop for us, loads to see and very handy for our next adventure... Read more about our travels in Germany.
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