Duisburg

Duisburg, Germany is small compared to Frankfurt, however it has a long history as a center for trade dating back to the 9th century. It sits at the intersection of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers and archeologists have found ancient tools from thousands of years ago. Vikings raided the city in 862 and throughout it's history different kings have claimed the city as their own. Multiple sections of the city walls from 1566 are still standing, however they can be tough to find in between the buildings. As a major trading city Duisburg flourished with many craftsmen and artists throughout the centuries. Despite the World War II bombings the city still has some great historical buildings and many of the homes have been rebuilt to fit the historical design. Today the streets are lined with trees and there are some interesting new sculptures along it's central plaza which was bustling with shoppers even in the snowy weather. We visited on March 8th, International Woman's Day, and were able to enjoy some music and a small woman's march up the main plaza. I'm so happy I was able to see the beautiful city where O'Mama was born back in 1914.