Cycling Life's Highway

 

 

August 7, 2014

 

We started our day by catching an 8:30 a.m. train to Rothenburg ob de Tauber(on the Tauber River). After an hour wait at our first stop in the town of Mainz and then train changes in two other towns we arrived in Rothenburg at 3 p.m. Rothenburg, located halfway between Frankfurt and Munich, is Germany’s best-preserved walled town with original buildings dating from the Middle ages.

We entered the city from the East through the Röder Tower Gate, which dates back to 1380. Standing inside the walled city, I felt like I had stepped back in time. Buildings decorated with flower-filled window boxes lined narrow cobblestone streets. Half-timbered old houses were topped with red tile roofs. I couldn’t wait to explore this medieval town but first we had to find our lodging for the night.

After dropping off our luggage at Kreuzerhof Hotel, we headed back into the center of town, and decided to take a walk atop the town wall. The massive stonewall and its forty-two towers were built during the 13th century. As the town grew, the wall had to be extended three times and is now about 1.5 miles long. We accessed the wall by climbing some stairs near one of the towers.

The walkway, protected by the cover of a wooden roof area erected over the wall, provided stunning panoramic views of the town. I looked down on red roofed buildings and spotted church steeples and towers in the distance. Along the fringe of the wall, I saw buildings and homes that were great examples of medieval architecture and got glimpses into backyards and beautiful gardens.

From the height of the thirty-foot wall, I was able to see the maze of lanes and alleyways that weaved between the buildings. Some parts of the wall were tight to fit through and the roof was so low in some places Rodge had to duck. The stonewall made of limestone, quarry, and sandstone rocks were full of arrow slots, used to defend the city within from attacking enemies.

Unfortunately, sections of the wall (mostly the eastern part) were destroyed by American bombs during World War II. The damaged walls were completely rebuilt in twenty years with worldwide donations. The entire length of the wall was covered in plaques that identified donors who supported rebuilding the wall.

After dinner, we went on one of the most popular tours in Rothenburg, the Night Watchman’s Tour. We arrived in Market Square at 8 p.m. and were greeted by the Night Watchman decked out in a black cape and tricorn hat. For forty minutes, we strolled through the town and listened to his informative stories full of history and dry humor. It was an entertaining way to learn about Medieval Rothenburg and its people.

Bis spater,

Kathy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 6, 2014

 

We all awoke to a gorgeous sunny day and were looking forward to our cruise down the Rhine. Before leaving our hotel, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast included in the stay. It was set up in a private dining room and included breads, meats, cheeses, fruit, eggs, cereals, spreads, juices, tea, and coffee.

At 10:30 a.m., we boarded our K-D line boat and headed to the top deck. We were ready to take in castle views and picturesque German towns along the waterfront. Most Rhine castles dated back to the Middle Ages. Some were built to protect settlements, and others were residences of kings. Many were “robber baron” castles built by rulers to levy tolls on passing river traffic.

When the boat pulled away from the dock, our first view was of Stahleck Castle, sitting stately on the hill above Bacharach. As we cruised down the fast moving river, the boat pulled into a different town every fifteen minutes to pick up or drop off passengers. Ships and huge barges loaded with cargo passed by.

The spires of medieval churches and historic castles appeared around every river bend. Steep vineyards climbed up lush, green hillsides. My camera was shooting nonstop to capture all of the magnificent views. It was a magical time sailing through the Rhine River Gorge.

 After a two-hour ride, we arrived at our destination, the quaint town of Braubach. Here we toured the Marksburg Castle, the only medieval castle on the Rhine, which had never been destroyed or conquered. The castle, located on a hill over-looking the town, required a twenty-minute uphill hike from the town center. When we reached the 800-year-old fortress, we joined a tour.  

The castle was built primarily for defense, rather than as a residence for a noble family. The interior was spartan, with Medieval Age décor. Most of the rooms were outfitted with period furniture and equipment much as they would have been when the castle was in use. The narrow hallways of the castle escorted us into the kitchen, dining hall, bed chambers, blacksmith’s workshop, cathedral, armory, wine cellar and torture chamber.

Outside we toured the gothic gardens full of herbs used for cooking, medicine and witchcraft. Before we left the castle and headed back to Braubach, we enjoyed spectacular panoramic views of the Rhine River. Back in the small town, we were on the lookout for a café. We strolled by lovely half-timbered houses dating back to the 1600’s. Window boxes planted with colorful flowers decorated the sides of buildings. The only food being served in town at 2 p.m. was dessert, so we forced ourselves to down some apple strudel and decadent cake before we caught an afternoon train back to Bacharach.

Bis spater,

Kathy
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 5, 2014

 

Dan, Kevin, Rodge and I arrived in Frankfurt, Germany at 8 a.m. CEST from Atlanta, Georgia. After a nine-hour flight filled with meals and movies, we were ready to start our European vacation. With our luggage in tow, we walked through the airport toward the train station. With the signs in both German and English, it was easy to find. When we arrived, we validated our Rail Passes, checked the train schedule and then jumped on the 10 a.m. train to Bacharach.

When we planned our trip, we made the decision to travel by train, so before we left the U.S. we purchased German Rail Passes. The pass covered all of our train travel in Germany, train travel to Salzburg, Austria, tickets for a cruise down the Rhine River and a discount on bus fare down Germany’s Romantic Road. The trains had easy to access schedules, were efficient, reliable, clean and a joy to ride.

We arrived in the small town of Bacharach at 11:30 a.m. As we walked along its narrow cobblestone streets, it was hard to believe we were in one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany. The town situated along the banks of the Rhine River greeted us with its towering hillsides lined with vineyards and streets filled with timber-framed houses. We couldn’t wait to explore the charming laid-back town but first we needed to recharge our batteries in Hotel zur Post, our lodging for the next two nights.

After a much-needed rest, we took a walk along Bacharach’s old town wall. The wall, erected to defend the small town was built between 1344 and 1400. It originally had sixteen guard towers and now only nine remained. We climbed a set of steep stairs and a rugged path along the wall remnants until we arrived at the top of a hill. The views of the town and the Rhine River were magnificent.

As we continued to climb higher, we discovered Stahleck Castle.The medieval towering fortress was constructed around 1135 and throughout its history parts of it were destroyed and rebuilt several times. The last major renovation took place during the early 20th century. In 1926, the castle was reopened as a youth hostel and to this day continues to host young travelers and their families passing through Europe.

We walked around the castle and through its central courtyard, taking in the sweeping views of the Rhine Valley. A path outside the castle led us down along lush vineyards full of Riesling grapes and by one of the towns original guard towers. From the northern viewpoint of the city, we could see several other top sights. We ended our day with dinner at the restaurant Altes Haus, located in Bacharach’s oldest building constructed in 1368.

Bis spater,

Kathy