Around the World in 80 Dresses

My days in Frankfurt coincided with the Frankfurter Buchmesse, the largest international book fair worldwide. Thus, it seemed appropriate to spend my first morning at my favourite bookshop Weltenleser   indulging in literature from Georgia. This small country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia was the guest of honour at the book fair and had brought to Frankfurt a plethora of exhibitions and other events besides their beautiful pavillon at the fair grounds. Their intriguing scripture and their rich treasure of ancient gold took centre stage. No stay in Frankfurt is complete without spending Germany's greatest poet a visit. Goethe spent his childhood in his father's house in the old town centre. The large 18th century house of the wealthy and influential citizen is the greatest tourism hot spot in town. I duly renewed my love affair with Goethe and his poems (see my post of March 6, 2018) in his home town. I thought my outfit should blend in with the cheerful colour...

German’s national poet had a reputation as a womanizer in his time. His poems on beautiful females are legend. As a septuagenarian he was thinking of getting engaged to Ulrike von Levetzow at her tender age of seventeen years. A friend presented me with the Goethe puppet. I am still wondering what his intentions may have been. When Goethe is looking at me with his piercing brown eyes I try to be in form. A classic low cut black dress, black-and-white pearls and a light overcoat seem appropriate. Is he following me or am I following him from the University of his home town Frankfurt where he adorns the wall of the foyer to the Maltese-German Circle in Malta? Who knows. Ich bin bei dir, / du bist mir nah, / und seist auch noch so ferne!