Chapter 20

It is amazing how much power a church can accumulate over the centuries. I waited 'till the early afternoon on the second day of my trip into Rothenburg, before trying to do my time dive. I wanted to see the differences in architecture, and how the streets and buildings had changed over the years.

I was finally ready. I changed into my period clothing, and walked to the church. People smiled at me, and I smiled back and waved. I had no problems with them seeing me in my old time clothing. I wasn't the only one, as a matter of fact. There were groups of period actors always about.

I went into the church and started my time dive almost at once. I had all this power! I went deep into the past. I came to a stop and stayed in the 'between' and picked my time to come out when I would not be seen. It was easy, actually.

I stepped out into the past with no idea of what the actual date was, but I knew it was close to when I wanted to be. Now the reason for my seeing the city in the future should help out. I knew of an inn that had supposedly been in existence in one form or another, for three hundred years.

The first thing I noticed was that it was crowded and noisy. I had picked a time when I could come out and mix right in with a crowd, and I succeeded in that. Also, the people here stank, as well. I was going to have to get used to that, all over again.

I remembered where the merchants who dealt in gems were supposed to be located in this era, and recognized several buildings. I made my way to the place where I could exchange gold, silver, gems, even foreign currency, into the local stuff. Not bad really. I was pleased with my previous scouting of the area, even if it was in the future. It had stood me in good stead here, already!

A short time later I had exchanged some gold dust and two medium grade gems, for seven gold coins, three silver coins, and some copper coins. While this might not seem like a lot, I checked the prices as I wandered the city. I decided that if I was frugal, I had enough to last me almost a year!

I looked around, as any normal tourist would, and gawked at everything. I did keep an eye out for thieves, and was careful not to attract too much attention from the watch, which seemed to be out in force.

They always seemed to be either in pairs or threes, and they carried long pikes. They were all in uniform and were easily identified from the average citizen. They wore a sort of half cloak, helmets, baggy pants and puffed blouses or shirts.

The citizens were dressed in various assortments of pants, blouses, dresses, and everyone wore a hat of some sort. Most of the clothing was a dark color for some reason, or a gray. I am sure there was a reason for this, but I didn't know what.

I strolled along and found what I wanted; a sign with a bed and a flagon of some sort, hanging above a door. Ah ha! The inn I was looking for. It's front was very narrow, but it was long from front to back. This was due to the close proximity of the neighboring buildings. They had a tendency to put them as close together as possible.

If I had come out in the right time, there would be around six thousand people plus or minus however many visitors there might be. I went in and asked for a "halbe", which meant half. It referred to the size of a drink. I placed a couple coppers on the counter of the long bar and he took one of the two I had laid down. I nodded.

I listened and slowly started to translate what was being said around me. I missed a lot, so it was a piece-meal translation at best. They used words I had no clue as to the meaning.

"Haben sie eine zimmer frie?" I asked the guy behind the bar.

I was pleased when he nodded. I had just asked if he had a room free! My German was paying off already! We dickered a bit, and he asked where I was from, as my German made it obvious I was a foreigner.

I made up a story of being of English decent and he nodded again. I pulled out a silver piece and asked how long I could stay for this. He said a little over two weeks with meals and all I could drink as well. Perfect!

I spent the next couple of days wandering the city, and basking in the time. I would find a place, and just sit and watch people going about their business. I also went to the main gate, and watched as people with wagons or horses came in or went out.

They closed the gates at dusk every evening, and re-opened them at first light in the mornings. I supposed it gave them a feeling of safety, but I actually felt like a prisoner at first.

I also looked at the wall. There were steps going up or down. Which way did steps run anyway? I grinned to myself when I thought that question. At some points the guards were in the open, at other times they were in covered ways. I was going to find a way to tour the top of the wall. It might take a little money, but I was sure it would be possible.

The morning of my fourth day there, I got up early. I ate some left over venison and bread for breakfast, and went out dressed for travel. The walk to the gate was about ten minutes from where I was staying. I went out, waving at the guards as I went.

I turned to my right, and started walking parallel to the wall in the direction of the river. I came to an area that explained in detail what the projections from the wall were about. Shit. To put it bluntly, the guards had little shit houses up there. The wall was discolored with shit and pee, as well as the ground. It stank!

My stomach nearly heaved, and I made a wide detour getting into the long grass as I did so. Damn! Who'd of thought this? Well, obviously they did, but come on! I shook my head and continued walking, as my stomach settled. It took a while, but I made it down to the river. There were docks, and boats out on the river. People were fishing, or ferrying other people back and forth to the either side. There was also a smallish looking barge.

As I watched, it was being pulled up river by a team of horses on the opposite bank. It was definitely much smaller than the modern barges I was used to seeing. The deck was crowded with people and animals.

As I watched all this, guards were also walking the perimeter of the wall. It came very close to the river, but stopped several feet short of it. There was also a gate located down here. Of course, the river gate.

I whiled the day away, watching the river traffic and just taking it all in. There was a bunch of houses outside the walls of Rothenburg, but they were kept a set distance away from the walls of the city proper.

Barges came down the river, stopped and offloaded, or took on loads at the dock, and went on further down river. I could not remember what was down river from here. The barges that were going to go back upriver from here would have workers on the barge grab hold of a rope that was strung across the river. They pulled the barge to the opposite bank, for the upriver trip.

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