A little Swiss serenity: Time to go home! part six

Monday, January 20th was a day I’d been dreading. Not only did it mean our holiday was over, it also meant inauguration day. And since that awful event took place on Monday, I can see why I was dreading it so much. But then, one of the reasons we went to Basel in the first place is because I worry that we might not be able to enjoy such trips in the future. Trump seems to be wanting to turn the United States into his own private fiefdom.

In any case, I predicted it was going to be a difficult day, and it was. We got up early, and I made a video from our hotel room…

It wasn’t a happy day…

I took some photos of the sunrise…

Then we went back to the Bachmann Confisserie for another quick breakfast. Unfortunately, the fresh squeezed orange juice was a little too acidic for me. I ended up losing breakfast. But at least it tasted good going down. We also bought some whiskey truffles for home. I wish we’d bought another box, especially given what’s happened this week.

Soon enough, it was time to check out of our luxury hotel, Les Trois Rois. We brought our bags down to the lobby, where a bellman was quick to order us a cab. Bill checked out of the hotel and was presented a jar of tropical fruit jam. It looked a bit like the jam we had in the restaurant when we had our sumptuous lunch there. They also gave us some sparkling water for the train ride.

A friendly cabbie took us to the SBB rail station. He had to stop the car and help Bill put on his seatbelt, because the female end was recessed into the seat. It was kind of funny. Usually, Bill has to help me!

We were a bit early, so we lugged our bags to a bakery for some hot drinks and a second breakfast for me. I liked the music in there so much that I decided to make a new playlist called “Gay Vegan Bakery”. It has upbeat pop songs on it. Everything they sold in the bakery was vegan, and for the most part, I enjoyed the hot chocolate and chocolate chip roll I had. I also liked their house rules…

Then it was time to board the train. This was where things went awry. Bill had booked the same seats in the same car that we had going down to Basel. But he led us to the wrong end of the train. I kept saying I thought we were going the wrong way, but he didn’t listen. So we were on the last car, instead of the first car. The train had fourteen cars. He had booked us in first class, and we were sitting in second class, in the wrong seats.

So we started the long walk to the other end. Meanwhile, there were police on the train talking to some people, clogging the aisle. At one point, Bill got off at a stop and covered more ground that way. By the time we got to our seats at the front of the train, there was a woman sitting there. But she smiled and willingly moved, because we had reserved the seats. There was also a very tall German guy who didn’t seem all that friendly.

Our trip to Mannheim, where we had to switch trains, went relatively smoothly. But then, when we got off our train, we had to haul ass to the next train that would take us to the Frankfurt Airport stop. Our seats on that train, likewise, were in the first car. We had to move quickly to get on it at the right spot. And once we got there… again… someone was in our seats. But this time, it was a young mother with a small child and a baby. She had her stuff spread all over the table and seemed to think we should move to another seat. Obviously, she hadn’t reserved the seats, and was hoping we’d let her have ours, even though we paid extra to reserve them.

After she reluctantly moved, I looked at Bill’s face, and he appeared to be about ready to cry. Bill is a very kind, sensitive man, and making the mom move had made him feel like shit. I was more annoyed than feeling guilty. I mean, yes, it makes one feel shitty to displace a mother of two little kids when it’s obvious they need the room more than we do. And if we’d had a chance to collect ourselves, we probably would have just let her have the seats, since we were only on the train for one stop. But obviously, the mom had spent the money to get first class tickets. She also clearly had money, based on all the baby and kid gear she had, complete with an expensive looking metal water bottle. Why didn’t she pay a little more to reserve the space she clearly needed? Why put people who follow the rules in the awkward position of having to ask her to move? It’s manipulative behavior, and that pisses me off. It shouldn’t be tolerated.

But… again, it all happened so fast. In retrospect, if we’d had a moment more to think about it, we might have just taken unreserved seats, even though Bill did pay to reserve the ones the mom was occupying. There are signs on the seats showing if the seats are reserved. I imagine if she moved back into the seats, she was probably asked to move again by the next people who had properly reserved them.

Anyway… we got back to Frankfurt slightly delayed, but had no problem finding a cab back to Breckenheim. And unless you live under a rock, you already know why the rest of the day sucked. We went from sunny Basel in neutral Switzerland to cold, cloudy Germany, where far right wing politicians are wanting to copy what is happening in the United States. It’s very unsettling.

We had a good time in Switzerland, though… and later, Bill went to get Noyzi and Charlie, and they were happy to be home. Tomorrow, Bill has to go on a business trip. I will be here alone all week, watching part of our backyard fence being repaired. Right now, there’s a temporary metal fence erected that isn’t very secure. There’s a tall gate and a shorter panel that fences off a “hole” in the corner. The rest of the “fence” is thick bushes. Noyzi can’t penetrate them, but Charlie probably could.

At first, I thought the half done fence was permanent, since the workers had told me they would finish it yesterday. It was the kind of job our previous landlady had done– put up a fence that was basically useless for security purposes. Our landlord later told Bill that they would be putting up a much more secure fence later that will restore our privacy. Fortunately, our dogs don’t seem interested in escaping. They prefer the coddled pet life to their old street dog life.

I guess I’ll just try to keep the faith that everything is going to work out somehow. Unfortunately, all we can do is try to get through these uncertain, troubling times. But at least we have beautiful memories of Basel, and all its splendor…. from Michelin three star food to red light districts to sublime sunrises on the Rhine/Rhein River.

I truly hope we can do it again sometime.

Stay tuned for my ten things I learned post. I’ll probably put it up tomorrow.

Hessen, Rhein, Rheinland-Pfalz

We visited Rüsselsheim and Oppenheim over the weekend…

Since I run a food and wine group on Facebook, I try to keep an eye on relevant food and wine events going on nearby. Not that people really care if I go to these events, mind you… My Facebook group is actually pretty dead these days. But running it does give me a reason to get out and see things, instead of giving in to the temptation to stay home and sit on my ass.

I noticed an ad for a wine tasting event in Rüsselsheim, which was going on Saturday and Sunday. The event required tickets, which could be bought for 10 euros ahead of time, or 12 euros at the door. I found out about it from a Facebook ad, and since Rüsselsheim is so close to where we live, we decided to check it out. It was our first time in Rüsselsheim, although one of Bill’s colleagues lives there.

The Wine Messe, as it was called, was held in, the Festung Keller, which is a rather cool venue. It was hosted by an outfit called Wine-Crew. On Saturday, the event ran from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Sunday, it went from 12:00 PM until 6:00 PM. We got there at about 3:00 PM on Saturday, managing to find parking at a garage a couple of blocks away from the venue. I was actually pleasantly surprised that there was plenty of parking at the garage. We were going to take a cab so Bill could enjoy the event more, but none would accept the fare.

The 600 year old Festung is right next to an art museum, which appeared to be closed on Saturday. The museum has a parking lot, but it was full, and probably not intended for winos. I think I would like to attend more events at that venue. It’s really nice, and because the walls in the cellar are so thick, one can’t spend all their time on their phones.

We met some very pleasant people, including a young couple who ran a winery near the French border and operate a holiday apartment. They were so nice that I might consider visiting them for a weekend and having a tasting. They brought their young son with them, which was kind of nice to see. He had on the winery’s polo shirt. Another representative cracked us up with his energy and enthusiasm, especially for a certain Feinherb wine that he described as “sexy”. Another vintner was curious about us, as Americans, living in Germany. I recognized still another vintner as one who provided a truck for our village while the winestand kiosk was being rebuilt last year. We bought some of their wines.

Below are some photos from the Wine Messe. We came home with about 15 bottles of wine, none of which were particularly expensive. Bill had to ferry the wines over a couple of trips back to the car. It was good for him to do that, because it prevented him from drinking too much wine.

Then yesterday, we ventured to the very fetching town of Oppenheim, which is right on the Rhein River and is home to a lot of Weinguts. They were having a spring city fest. The fest featured crafts, wines, street food, and live music. Or, so that was what was advertised. The event took place over a “mile”, which consisted of stations around the town.

We never did find the wine or street food, but I will confess we didn’t look for that long. We both got hungry, and decided to have lunch at Royal Maharaja, an Indian restaurant by the Zentrum. I don’t usually go for Indian food, so this was a real treat for Bill, who loves it. Actually, I really enjoyed our lunch. I probably ought to be braver about eating Indian food.

I really enjoyed visiting the churches in town. The Catholic church was pretty plain, but the Evangelical church (St. Katharinen) was beautiful and very historic. I loved the beautiful windows, as you can see from my photos.

Below are some photos from Oppenheim, which I thought was a very charming place. I’d like to go back and see more of it, and the surrounding villages. It looked like there were quite a few wineries and interesting buildings, plus it’s right by the river. In fact, I noticed yet another Viking cruiselines gangway in the town of Nierstein. We do live in an area where people vacation, after all!

*A guy carried his adorable pooch in the carrier on the back of his bike.*

As we were leaving Oppenheim, I heard live music. A man and woman were playing guitar and covering songs by Norah Jones and Carole King. I thought they were very good. Of course, the singer was no “knotty”… 😀 (kidding, of course. She had a lovely voice.)

A very short video catching the vibe. I was looking for the source of the music.

Now that we no longer have pandemic restrictions and the bridge is being rebuilt out of Wiesbaden, maybe it’s time we spent more time visiting the charming Rhein towns that are so close to us. Oppenheim is about 30 minutes from where we live, and yet it has a totally different vibe. It might help me develop more affection for Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz. I think people here are friendlier, but I do really miss the beauty of Baden-Württemberg. The extraordinary beauty of BW helps ease the pain of some of the awkward interactions I’ve had with a few of the locals. 😉

Anyway, that about does it for our second weekend of April 2024. It was great to go out and see some of the area where we’re so privileged to live. It’s time to get back in the groove of enjoying Europe again.

Baden-Württemberg, Schwarzwald

Ten things I learned in the Freiburg region…

If you’re a regular reader of my travel blog, you know that I like to wrap up our trips with a ten things I learned post. It kind of helps me sum things up succinctly, as is hand for those who don’t want to read the blow by blow journal. So, I now humbly present to you ten things I learned while we visited the Freiburg region of Germany!

*One of the excellent local wines we had in the Freiburg/Kaiserstuhl region.*

10. Freiburg has a thriving wine culture. We noticed a number of wineries as we headed down to Horben. If we’d had another day or two, maybe we would have visited a few wineries and tried more of the local wines and brought some home. One of the sommeliers in training reminded us that the region is very close to France’s Burgundy region, so there are some good wines to be had from Freiburg. There are also, naturally, some excellent beers, and some places are embracing the alcohol free cocktail trend, too.

*Schauinsland is a must see on a clear day…*

9. The Schauinsland cable car takes about twenty minutes, but you get a gorgeous view of the countryside. The Schauinsland rises 1284 meters as it takes riders up the mountainside, where they can enjoy hiking, biking, dog walking, and the miner’s museum. It’s also a great place for lunch or even breakfast at Die Bergstation. Be sure to make a reservation if you want to try breakfast, though.

8. If you get bored with Freiburg, you can easily visit France and/or Switzerland. Both borders are very close to Freiburg. I was thinking we might venture into Switzerland at some point during our visit, but Freiburg had so much to offer that we never had the opportunity.

7. If you want to visit Freiburg, you might want to walk, take the bus, or ride a bike… Freiburg is a “green” city. It’s not very car friendly at all, as we found out when we tried to find a parking garage and ended up in a Walkplatz, where people were quick to give us dirty looks and gestures. I would like to visit Freiburg proper, but not when we have to worry about driving.

*On the way into Freiburg from Horben… They issued a few hand gestures.*

6. Freiburg is heaven for bikers. We saw so many people riding bikes in and around Freiburg, and lots of them were riding them up very steep mountains. My days of doing that kind of bike riding are long over, but I was impressed by the stamina and bravery of the many bikers in Freiburg. For a moment, I thought we were actually in The Netherlands!

*St. Stephan’s Church rising high over Breisach.*

5. Breisach is well worth a visit. We decided to visit Breisach kind of on a whim, because I noticed it was a stop on many Rhein River cruises. I wanted to give myself a reason not to ever book one, because I live about twenty minutes from the Rhein and have been to most of the stops on the majority of the available Rhein River cruises. Breisach was one place I hadn’t been. I’m glad we went there, as it is a very cute little town right on the French border. I’d like to see more.

4. Ditto to Staufen… Staufen is a quaint, colorful, historic town I’d never heard of before we visited Freiburg. I want to thank my German connection, Susanne, for recommending it. I hope we can visit again and spend more time there.

*Todtnauer Wasserfall is well worth a look!*

3. The Freiburg region has a lot to offer. Not only do you get the Black Forest and stunning mountain views, but you’re also very close to the Rhein River. It’s kind of like a marriage between our two German lifestyles since we moved back here in 2014– Black Forest in the Stuttgart region, and Rhein River in the Wiesbaden region. Freiburg has them both! There are also waterfalls, a hanging bridge, and even a downhill scooter track.

2. Peacocks can make a visit to a small “zoo” worth the price of entry… We visited the small Schwarzwaldzoo in Waldkirch and were charmed by the animals. However, in my opinion, the preening peacock who was primed for peahen poontang was the star of the show. It was worth the 7,50 euros each to watch him strut, fanning out his beautiful tail, and showing off to everyone. What a personality!

*Such a beautiful, enchanting, inspirational place… I recommend that you visit, too.*

And finally, 1.– I am so glad we finally made it to Freiburg. Susanne has been after us to go there for ten years. She was right, Freiburg is well worth the trip. I’m glad we took the plunge. I hope we can take the plunge again and see even more!

One more waterfall crossed off the bucket list!

So far, this year, we’ve done two short Germany trips, plus an overnight in Stuttgart. Where will be going next? It’s anyone’s guess. It depends on when our new canine family member arrives. For now, I will keep my fond memories of beautiful Horben and Freiburg close to my heart and on my mind.

Rhein, Sundays

Sky sailing over vineyards on the Seilbahn…

We had great weather over the weekend, so I told Bill that, in no uncertain terms, I wanted to venture out and do something fun and unusual. Originally, I had given thought to visiting the Kubacher Kristallhöhle (Crystal Cave), here in Hessen. It’s about an hour’s drive from our home in Breckenheim. I love visiting caves, even though they can be hard work to explore. Touring the Kubacher Kristallhöhle is potentially a strenuous activity, as it requires going up and down a lot of stairs.

I don’t know if it’s as hard as the Laichinger Tiefenhöhle, a cave near Stuttgart that we visited in 2017, but I do know I’m six years older now, and not as fit. The Laichinger Tiefenhöhle legitimately kicked my ass. I got sick with a cold after our visit and spent the week in bed. Since Bill has to go away this week, I thought it might be better to do something potentially less taxing. Plus, again, we had beautiful weather. That’s when I decided we needed to visit the beautiful vintner town of Rüdesheim am Rhein.

We last visited Rüdesheim in early April 2019. I remember it was a chilly day, and there weren’t a lot of tourists there, although it was clearly a very touristy place. I wish I had read my earlier blog post about this town before we went there yesterday. I see that we, once again, missed seeing the torture museum. 😉 But Google tells me it’s closed now, anyway. Oh well. Interestingly enough, I see there’s a very primitive looking Web site for the museum that still lists prices in Deutsch Marks!

We arrived in Rüdesheim at about 1:00 PM or so, just in time for lunch. When Bill headed for the Seilbahn, the reason we visited, I said I thought it might be a good idea to eat first. Although I felt pretty sure there would be food on the hillside where the “skyride” ends, I figured there would be less choice. And I know from too many prior experiences that I need to eat before I try to do anything ambitious. 😀 I saw an inviting looking menu at the Wirtshaus Drosselmüller, a no frills place on the main drag.

We walked into the restaurant and had a seat on the rear balcony. A waitress in a Dirndl took our order– Hefeweizen and fried chicken with pommes for me, and a Helles and Bierbrat with beer sauce, potato dumplings, and cole slaw for Bill. After a leisurely lunch and potty break, we were ready to fly.

*My chicken was like a Schnitzel, but not so heavy and filling. It was good!*

Off we went to the Seilbahn. By the time we got there, it was about 2:40. The attraction closes at 7:00 PM, which meant that we probably didn’t have enough time to do the most expensive “tour”, which at 22 euros a person includes a round trip ticket on the skyrides, a visit to the castle, and a short Rhein River cruise. You can buy your tickets at the office, or at an automated machine. The cars only take two people at a time, but you can also bring your dog. I’m not sure Noyzi would fit too well in the Seilbahn, as big as he is! Bikes cannot be transported on the Seilbahn.

Next time, we’ll have to arrive earlier to do the “Romantic” tour that features the works, because after yesterday’s ride on the Seilbahn, I am sure to want to do it again. Yes, there was a line, but it moved fast and was such a fun and relaxing ride, soaring over the grape laden vineyards. I got lots of pictures. I also got a short video, which shows the magic of the Seilbahn and the beautiful views of the Rhein Valley.

When we got to the other side of the field– the Niederwald– sure enough, there was a snack bar and restaurant. There was also an overpriced toilet… one euro! What a rip off! 😉 Nevertheless, there’s a beautiful view of the Rhein River and Rüdesheim, as well as the majestic Niederwald Monument, which was built between 1871 and 1883 to commemorate the Unification of Germany. It’s a very impressive statue that overlooks Rüdesheim and makes for a great photo opportunity.

As we were strolling around the Niederwald, we passed a little souvenir stall where they were selling signs with names on them. Bill quipped that he doubted he’d see one for one of his three grandchildren. Just then, I opened up my phone, and noticed a “Happy Labor Day” greeting from Bill’s daughter. In the email there was a photo of her, smiling and pregnant. She’d been keeping the secret all summer that her fourth child is well on the way and will arrive in February! I told Bill, who immediately got emotional. Somehow, getting that news in such a lovely place made it all the more special. The funny thing is, we’d both had a hunch that she might be expecting again.

On the way back to the Seilbahn, we stopped for a celebratory glass of Riesling…

After about an hour of walking around the Niederwald, we decided to head back. We definitely could have spent more time there, though, had we planned better and arrived earlier. The forest offers plenty of opportunities to wander, and like any good German tourist activity, it’s very well appointed with clean (but overpriced) toilets and refreshments. I’m so glad we decided to visit yesterday and finally try the Seilbahn. Below is a video I made of our day… It includes the Seilbahn and a pass through the famous Drosselgasse, where there is a Glockenspiel.

Yesterday’s excursion…

It was definitely a lot more crowded yesterday, during our visit, than it was when we last came to Rüdesheim in 2019. There were plenty of souvenir shops, restaurants, and tourist activities open. I also saw lots of hotels. I mused to Bill that it didn’t seem like the town should be able to support so many hotels, but I guess with so many cute hamlets, Vinoteks, and the Rhein River, people find plenty of stuff to do. I know cruise ships often pass through Rüdesheim. I think I saw a tour yesterday, which is kind of weird to me. It’s strange to live in an area where cruise ships frequent. Anyway, a lot of people were out and about and having a good time!

I don’t know when we’ll get to this town again, but it’s definitely worth a visit… even if the public toilets weren’t working, and even if the birds used our car as a toilet. Pro-tip, don’t park under the trees in the parking lot!

Bill has to leave for Bavaria today, so I will be hanging out alone this week. Hopefully, next weekend, we’ll have good weather and good health. I look forward to another exciting excursion in the Rheingau and its environs. It’s time we did some more exploring, before it’s too late.

Hessen, Rhein

Noyzi’s very first trip to a Biergarten…

Bill and I have been gradually breaking Noyzi in to going to our local wine stands, every other Friday night during the “nicer” months. Yesterday, since we got kind of a late start and were waylaid by chores, I suggested that maybe we should find a nice Biergarten to take him to. We’ve had such beautiful weather this weekend– no clouds to speak of, and temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bill found a Biergarten near Mainz-Kastel, which is kind of an industrial area. The Biergarten is called Biergarten am Bootshaus, and it is affiliated with a restaurant/boating club on the Rhein River. The restaurant is closed on weekends, but the Biergarten– a no frills affair by a campground– is open from noon until 10 PM. We loaded Noyzi into the Volvo and headed over there. Noyzi was delighted, because he loves going places, especially when going somewhere involves car rides.

We were surprised to find the Biergarten not very populated. Just a few people were there having Weizens and Helles beers with Bratwursts and Pommes. It wasn’t even that hard to park the car. The restaurant has a big parking lot and a clean restroom, which I really appreciated. I had started to wear shorts yesterday, but changed into pants because it seemed chilly outside. When we got to the Biergarten, I was kind of sorry I changed into pants. The weather was definitely shorts weather. Unfortunately, it’s also allergy season, and Bill and I were both suffering!

Noyzi was a bit spooked at the Biergarten, because we were sitting under a big umbrella and the wind was causing it to flap a bit. He doesn’t like loud or strange noises, and he doesn’t like sudden movements. Wind is not his friend. But after about an hour or so, he finally relaxed and laid down for a moment or two.

Meanwhile, we watched ships pass. Cargo ships were the norm, but we also caught a glimpse of the Viking Sigrun, a riverboat that gets pretty good reviews. I think Rhein cruises are probably really nice, but we already live very close to a number of the ports. And we’ve already visited Amsterdam, where a lot of those of those cruises start or end. We haven’t been to Basel, Switzerland, yet. I think it would be weird to stop in Mainz, though, because we live twenty minutes from there. We could get off the boat and take a cab home to pick up the mail, then come back to the boat later. Maybe we’ll do one someday when we’re no longer living in Wiesbaden.

After a couple of hours, we had enough beer and sun. A few more people had come to the Biergarten, including a young family who had arrived on bikes. I could tell the two boys with their parents wanted to pet Noyzi. He would have been alright with it, but they were smart and polite enough not to pet him without asking.

Bill went to return the beer glasses, but we didn’t finish the water we bought for Noyzi, so they kept the two euro Pfand (deposit) for that. As we were about to leave, one of the young guys behind the counter said that Noyzi was beautiful. Bill told him that he’s a street dog who comes from Kosovo. The guy said “Wow!” I think a lot of Germans are intrigued by Noyzi. He’s kind of unique, especially with his little nubby tail that wags all the time. I just wish people didn’t think he had it docked. He really was born with a bob tail. I have DNA proof.

I’m not sure what we’re going to do today… The weather is still beautiful, but our allergies are pretty bad. We’re both sneezing and sniffling. But maybe we’ll get out. Sigh… I really had meant for this to be more of a staycation weekend, but it’s been kind of a bust. At least Noyzi’s getting out some, though.

Below are some photos and videos from yesterday’s short outing. I made another short video for Bill’s daughter, to show her the Rhein and different types of Bratwurst. I had one made of beef, while Bill’s was made of wild boar. The pommes (fries) were very ordinary, but good. I’d go back. Lots of people were biking, walking their dogs, or just enjoying the sun.

*A sex shop in Mainz-Kastel, right next to a KFC…*

We should try to get out today, if only because the weather is so nice. We’ll see what happens. We ended up eating the cakes we bought on Thursday for dinner– Red Wine cake and “Bee Sting” cake. Delicious!

I wouldn’t mind finding a nice short day cruise or something… The river is so inviting, especially on a day like today or yesterday.

Rhein

2022 Sekt Fest on the Rhein in Eltville!

We had absolutely gorgeous weather yesterday, so Bill and I decided to take a short trip to Eltville, a charming town on the Rhein River. We decided to go there because there’s a “Sekt Fest” going on all weekend. We love Sekt, which is Germany’s version of “fizz”, and Eltville is an absolutely charming hamlet.

Yesterday’s visit was only our second time in Eltville. The first one occurred in the blissful days of June 2019, before COVID-19 shut down the world. Eltville is a SUPER cute town, and we only live twelve miles from there, but there’s another issue that kept us away from there, besides COVID-19. There was a bridge that runs through A66 (Autobahn) that, in 2021, was declared unsafe. The bridge was closed and demolished last fall, which means that going to certain towns on the Rhein requires taking detours. The bridge is now being rebuilt, and will hopefully reopen in 2023.

Because my Mini Cooper convertible is 13 years old and has less than 39,000 miles on it, we decided to drive it yesterday. We also took a short detour through the lovely, but congested, town of Biebrich, where some guy tried to parallel park in a street parking spot while we were in heavy traffic. He was trying to back up, but we weren’t able to move for him, because there were people behind us… and naturally, they all started honking. Before I knew it, I was yelling at the guy, and actually called him a dickhead! Technically, that would be “Beleidigung”, which is a personal insult and is illegal in Germany. But at least I didn’t flip him the bird, which is also illegal.

Soon enough, we had forgotten about the dickhead who almost caused a collision. Bill was parking at the local Rewe, which is also the site of a large “Parkhaus”. We walked into the old town, stopping for lunch at a place called the Eltviller Rosenstübchen. We decided to eat there, because they were offering continuous service, with no “pause” after 2pm. In retrospect, we could have just gone to the Sekt Fest and gotten food there, but we didn’t know how big the festival was going to be.

I’m glad we stopped at the Eltviller Rosenstübchen for lunch. The restaurant has kind of a cozy, old fashioned look to it. Service is very friendly; prices are reasonable; and we had a delicious lunch of smoked trout that probably came from the Rhein. I shared a laugh with one of the chefs, who was drinking a draft beer as he made lunch! I could see him from my high pub bench, which offered a view into the kitchen.

After lunch, we went down to the riverfront, where the fest was going on. Some people were selling their creations in booths, while there were also plenty of food vendors and wine stands. We stopped at a couple of wine stands and enjoy some Sekt while we watched ships pass. At one point, we even saw a Viking river cruise ship pass, although I didn’t get a chance to see which one it was. I’ve never sailed with Viking, but I’ve heard good things about their cruises. It’s interesting to live near a place where luxury cruise ships pass on a daily basis. I would probably never want to take a Rhein River cruise, since I can drive to most of the places where they stop! Maybe I would take one years from now, for old time’s sake… but then again, I probably wouldn’t. There are other places I want to see more.

At another point during our visit, we saw a couple on the river. It looked like they were just married, and we did see a fancy old car at the church that had flowers on the hood. That’s usually a dead giveaway that someone got married. But then my German friend shared a link about Eltville’s Sekt festival, and I’m wondering if maybe the couple wasn’t part of the fest. They waved at the crowd as they passed, and there was another canoe full of photographers. So were they a newly married couple, or were they part of the act? I don’t know… but I did get some interesting photos. The weather was just awesome. Wish more days were this gorgeous.

Bill got nervous about the dogs, so we headed back to Breckenheim. I wish we could have stayed longer. They were setting up for live music as we were leaving. We will definitely have to spend more time in Eltville. It really is a lovely town. And who doesn’t love drinking wine on the Rhein? Okay… maybe teetotalers wouldn’t. But we all know I’m not one of those. 😉

*Weeee! We need to drive the Mini more often!*

Rhein

A quick dash to St. Goar…

We had beautiful weather again today, with lots of sunshine and perfect temperatures. October is usually chilly in Germany and last week, we did have cold, rainy weather. But this long Columbus Day weekend has been splendid so far, making me sad that we didn’t take a trip somewhere. Instead of going to a new place, we decided to visit a couple of the holiday spots that are near us. Yesterday, it was Worms. Today, we went to St. Goar, which is a darling little town right on the Rhein River. It’s famous for being the site of Loreley, which is a legendary steep, slate rock on the right bank of the river that lured many a sailor to his death.

I first visited Saint Goar in 1997, when I finished my Peace Corps assignment and flew from Yerevan, Armenia to Frankfurt, Germany, and took a month long train trip on a Eurailpass. My first stop on that trip was to Bacharach, which is a 650 year old cute little town on the Rhein that was recommended by travel guru Rick Steves. Steves mentioned St. Goar, and since it was pretty close to Bacharach, I took a short train ride there and wandered around a bit.

In 2014, Bill and I took a farewell to the Army trip to Germany and France. Our last stop, before we went to Ramstein Air Force Base and flew back to Texas, was in Bacharach. I had told him about the town so many times during the early years of our marriage, so we finally went there so he could see it for himself. I remember that visit turned out to be special for a couple of reasons. First of all, we ran into some Germans who were celebrating Father’s Day with their sons. They were mostly drunk, but very convivial, and one of them told Bill about how the U.S. Army helped his family escape East Germany before it became an Eastern Bloc state. And secondly, I remember telling Bill as I sipped a one liter krug of housemade beer, that I felt sure that we would be moving back to Germany. Sure enough, weeks after we returned to the States, Bill had a job offer in Stuttgart and we were on our way back to Deutschland, where we’ve been ever since.

And then, a few months ago, we went back to Bacharach. I’d been wanting to visit again for awhile, especially since we now live within an hour’s drive from it. Because of the dogs, we never end up spending enough time when we take these little trips. Now that we just have Arran, it’s a little bit easier. Hell, we should probably just take him with us. I had originally given some thought to going to Heidelberg, but the weather was so perfect and, because it’s a Sunday, going to Heidelberg where one can do some shopping, would be kind of a waste. Maybe we’ll go there tomorrow.

Since we’ve been to Bacharach a couple of times, we went to St. Goar. It took a bit longer to get there today because of road work on the Autobahn that held us up. Then, once we got on the two lane road that runs alongside the river, we were behind a BMW convertible out for a Sunday drive. I couldn’t blame the Beamer’s driver, though. We were in my Mini with the top down, soaking up what may be the last rays before perma-gloom sets in for the winter.

Naturally, St. Goar was packed with people. Parking was scarce, so Bill ended up driving up the side of the mountain that flanks the Rhein on the left bank. We pulled into the Rheinfels Romantic Hotel, which doubles as a cheesy tourist trap. We had to, really, because Bill had to pee like a racehorse. It was also getting late in the afternoon and we needed lunch. You can stay at the hotel, tour the castle, and eat lunch on a terrace that overlooks the river. They have a bistro there that doesn’t shut down, but serves very simple food, drinks, and desserts.

I would have liked to have checked out the castle, but we were a bit pressed for time. So here are some photos from our trip today…

As I mentioned in the photos, the people who were at the table next to us left an empty beer glass. There was a sudden, swift gust of wind, and the glass was blown off the table. It landed near my feet and shattered into many pieces. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the awning at our previous house, which was also blown over by a sudden gust of wind. In both incidences, the wind struck too suddenly for anyone to react and prevent breakage. No one was upset about the broken beer glass, but our ex landlady immediately called me “negligent” when her old awning broke due to a sudden wind. That just goes to show that wind is a capricious thing. Too bad I never learned to predict or control the wind.

Lunch was about 38 euros. To be honest, I wasn’t all that happy with the pasta. It was okay, but I can think of other things I’d rather eat. There wasn’t a lot of sauce on it, and what was on it wasn’t all that satisfying. But it kept me from getting hangry, and it was very nice to hang out on the terrace for awhile. St. Goar is a nice little town, and I like being able to visit the Rhein Gorge so easily. It makes me feel like I’m on vacation.

We decided to head back to Wiesbaden after we ate, since we knew Arran was wanting his dinner. The drive back was a bit more pleasant, although we hit another bottleneck in the area where the Autobahn is being repaired. I swear, there’s always a road project going on somewhere near where you live… but the good thing is that the roads are in very good shape here. I’m just happy we had a chance to visit– taking advantage of the marvelous temperatures and beautiful views. Germany is a very lovely place to live and we feel fortunate that we have the ability to visit so many interesting and pretty locations so close to where we live. And this area is different than Stuttgart is, which makes me feel even more fortunate… not everyone gets an opportunity to experience living in other countries, especially in two different parts of a foreign country. Living abroad seems to be my destiny.

Hessen, Rhein

Wine on the Rhein in Eltville…

When Bill and I were searching for housing, one town’s name that came up was Eltville. Eltville is a beautiful place, right on the Rhein River. I really wanted to find something there, or in someplace similar. Sadly, it just didn’t pan out for us. We only live about 19 kilometers away, as the crow flies; so today, we decided to pay a visit. I will admit, today’s trip was a bit rushed and unplanned… we got there kind of late in the afternoon– so late, that we ran into the pause issue at lunchtime. Still, I got a little taste of Eltville and decided we have to go back soon.

Initially, Bill was reluctant to go to Eltville, since he thought that was where Eltz Castle is. Eltz Castle is probably a two hour drive from our town. I do want to go there and plan to visit, but Eltville is nowhere near Eltz Castle.

To be honest, all I knew… and still know… about Eltville is that it’s on the Rhine and there’s a beautiful burg there known as the Electoral Castle. We got some nice views of it, but didn’t tour it today. Today was all about getting away from the house for a few hours and having a change of scenery.

Here are a few photos from today’s trip.

The first clue of how cute Eltville is…

And a nice looking cafe, although my mind was on lunch, not cakes.

Locks of love… but not nearly as many as in Cologne or Regensburg.

The Electoral Castle.

The lovely Rhine/Rhein, where many people were enjoying the nice weather today.

Another shot of the castle. Someday, we will explore it further… perhaps on a day when we don’t sleep in, as we did today.

They have day cruises, too, although I didn’t see any running today.

Pretty rose garden. It costs nothing to visit.

It was around this time that I was distracted by the need to pee. Unfortunately, it was just after 2:00pm, which is when a lot of restaurants take a “pause” before dinner. We did find a place for me to use the ladies room, but they were only offering beverages. So we had some wine by the Rhein.

We stopped by this eatery, which offers food, but not when we were there. I noticed they, and another local restaurant, had signs stating that their toilets aren’t public. At this restaurant, you could pay a euro to pee if you weren’t a guest. At the other, it read that there was a public toilet 40 meters away.

It offered a nice chance to take pictures of the Rhein.

Sebastian’s Tower… (in German, but Google Chrome works wonders)

I guess this is a real problem in such a pretty town.

Another sign… this one seemed to be for the city.

After a drink on the Rhein, we ended up at the Weinpump, which we noticed on the way into town. This restaurant takes pauses on every day except Sundays and holidays. We were grateful they were able to take care of us today.

The back entrance to the restaurant. We first saw the front entrance, which didn’t give away how nice the Bier/Wein garten is.

Don’t be fooled by how unassuming the front door is. They have a great garden!

Cute mural outside. Note the landmarks!

Bar area outside.

And the hours… very convenient for Sunday.

I liked how the reserved signs were all in English. In fact, our waiter spoke perfect English, even if his colleagues didn’t.

I had the trout with potatoes and a salad, as well as a glass of Riesling. I loved how they cleaned the fish. I found just two bones in the fish– they had removed everything. The fish was very fresh and tasty, served with perfectly cooked boiled potatoes and a green salad.

Bill had cold roast beef with green sauce and fried potatoes. I think I might have liked his dish better than mine, although mine was certainly great. He washed his lunch down with sparkling water.

An older couple sat near us and, it was clear, they came from money. They were very well dressed and groomed and I noticed them staring at us/giving us a bit of the stink eye. It might have been because we were Americans, although not obviously so. The waiter switched to English when he heard me ask for “Forelle” (trout). He apologized for not spotting us as Americans sooner, but Ikind of take that as a compliment.

The older couple did wish us Auf Wiedersehen when they left. We were probably weirder than most Americans, because we aren’t as loud. Years of living in Europe have taught us not to be so conspicuous.

One thing that did happen during our visit was that one of the toilets in the ladies room was backed up. I didn’t have a chance to tell the waiter when I first noticed it, but I noticed several other ladies visiting and not saying anything. So when our waiter came to collect our money– different guy, whose English wasn’t as good– I mentioned the toilet in the ladies room as Bill gave him a generous tip. The guy thanked me and immediately went back to check on it. Something tells me they’ve had problems with that toilet before.

Total damage for lunch was about 40 euros. I had a second glass of wine– a nice dry red. We will definitely have to visit Eltville again on a day when we haven’t slept in. It’s really a delightful town, and not far at all from where we live.

Rhein, Rheinland-Pfalz

A day in Bacharach…

After last week’s trip to Eppstein to see the castle, I thought maybe we might want to go to another castle this week. But Bill had other plans. Elton John is going to be playing a concert tonight in Wiesbaden and since we saw him in Stuttgart and have no desire to sit in Staus from Hell again, we decided to avoid the city. Remembering a lovely day we spent in the Rhein-side hamlet of Bacharach, back in 2014, Bill decided we should visit there again. I was game. Bacharach has the distinction of being the very first German town I ever laid eyes on, back in 1997. It’s an adorable place, even if there’s not a lot to it.

On the edge of town.

We didn’t really do a lot in Bacharach other than wander around, take pictures, eat lunch, and have beer at a Biergarten. We were blessed with wonderful weather– much better than what we had when we visited in 2014. I don’t have much to write… but I do have lots of pictures. Feast your eyes on this cute little historic town, located about an hour away from Wiesbaden. It’s nice to be so close!

If castles are your thing, you could do worse than visiting Bacharach or any of the other cute little towns near it, like St. Goar. There are many castles around the area. I caught these photos on the ways in and out of town.

Lots of pretty vineyards, too. Bacharach’s Schloss is now a youth hostel that sits majestically on a hillside overlooking the town.

You can see the hostel in the background. I stayed in a lot of hostels during my 1997 epic train trip through Europe, but I didn’t stay at Bacharach’s. I think I was intimidated by the climb up the hill. Bacharach’s hostel is in the historic Burg Stahleck Castle, which dates back to the 12th century.

When I stayed in Bacharach, I stayed at the Hans Dettmar B&B. I was excited because the room came with a shower and a WC. My standards have changed a lot since 1997, but so has my budget.

Our first order of business was to find something to eat. Bacharach was busy with tourists today, most of whom were sitting outside. We didn’t necessarily want to eat outside, although on a warmer day, it’s nice to be in the open air. I have to balance wanting to be cool and wanting to stay out of the sun. We ended up having lunch at a garlicky smelling place called Pizzeria Pippo (or Pippo Bistro, depending on what sign you’re reading). Based on the decorations on the walls, I would guess it’s owned by Sicilians.

Cheers!

They had lasagne on the menu that looked tempting, but they weren’t offering it today. I had spaghetti with “Lachs”– salmon and onions. It was okay, though I have had better.

Bill went with the daily special, housemade tagliatelle with tomatoes, herbs, and cream sauce. He seemed to enjoy his dish more than I liked mine.

While we were sitting there, an English speaking group of 7 showed up. They were making special requests. Kudos to the waitress for handling it so well. I think if we go there again, I’ll try a pizza. They have a stone oven and the sizes looked manageable. As it was, I managed about half of my dish, while Bill finished his. We spent 37 euros.

After lunch, we wandered around… toured a church, strolled by the river, and wished we had more time to take a cruise. The breeze coming off of the Rhein was lovely.

Check out those pipes!

This is different. I probably would have kept going to church if we’d had one of these where I used to attend.

Literature lovers will enjoy this…

Another shot of the hostel/castle.

Boat schedule. We’ll have to make a point of coming up and spending more than a couple of hours.

The town itself is super cute. And if you want to buy some wine, you can easily accomplish that.

I would actually love to find a little vacation apartment and come up for a long weekend with the dogs. Bacharach is not that far from Wiesbaden, but it feels like a world away… this is the kind of place we love to visit on weekends. The Black Forest area is chock full of them, but we’re still trying to make discoveries up here in Rheinland.

We stopped at a Biergarten– the Kleines Brauhaus at the Rhein Theater— where we had a memorable afternoon in 2014. We happened to visit on German Father’s Day, and there were many fathers and sons at this Biergarten, getting loaded and singing songs… It was such a special memory for us that we decided to go back.

They had a full house. We had to wait for someone to vacate a table under the carousel canopy. One young lady– looked about seventeen or so– was bravely handling all of the orders. She was remarkably chilled out.

I had a Bacchusweizen Krug. When it arrived, the Germans at the next table looked at me with bemusement. Maybe it’s not very ladylike to order a liter of beer. Maybe it’s not smart, either, since it will get warm if you don’t drink it fast enough. Believe me, I’m up to the task. This beer was a little bitter. I liked Bill’s 1489 Dunkelweizen better.

In the foyer of the theater. I took this same photo in 2014, which you can see on the post I linked at the beginning of this post. I see they’ve added a safety vest.

Someone started up this calliope. Pretty cool!

I do like the Rhein Terrasse. We didn’t make any new friends here this time, like we did in 2014, but it was still a pleasant place to kill an hour or so, before we decided to go home and feed the dogs.

We’re supposed to have similarly beautiful weather tomorrow. Maybe we’ll visit that castle I was thinking about. Or maybe we’ll do something else entirely. I’m just glad we aren’t sitting in traffic.

On the way out…

Uncategorized

Music is the international language in Rüdesheim am Rhein…

Bill and I finally had the whole weekend to do something fun. Since we moved to Wiesbaden, I’ve been stacking up places I want to visit, and the list grows ever longer. But Bill has had to work at least part of every weekend since the first weekend in March. When we finally saw the sun today, we decided to go to Rüdesheim am Rhein, a town in the Rhein Valley known for its winemaking.

I had read up a little on Rüdesheim, so I knew it would be touristy. We live about 45 minutes away, so I figured if we liked it, we could come back and do some of the touristy things. Today, we just wanted to get a feel for the place and maybe have lunch and pick up a couple of bottles of wine.

We parked at P2, a large lot at the top of a hill (3 euros for three hours). We walked down the hill toward the Rhein River, but then noticed that people were bearing right to an area that looked like it might be the main square. It turned out it wasn’t really the main drag, but it did take us past a pretty church and some interesting looking shops and restaurants.

You can always count on finding a church in any German town.

Prost!

And a torture museum. We didn’t visit this place, but I will be sure to check it out the next time we come to Rüdesheim. I am sure there will be a next time, even if it is teeming with tourists.

The wine museum is near, as well as the “skyride” that will take you up the gentle mountaintop and around the area. We’d need at least three hours to do that right and we got a late start today… We will have to come back in the fall or maybe later in April and try it. I think in a few weeks, this town will be full to the gills with tourists.

Come on in! And if you want, you can stop by the Irish pub.

I bet this is really obnoxious in the summer.

We walked around a bit, searching for an interesting restaurant. Alas, a lot of the places were very touristy, with menus translated into half a dozen languages. Don’t get me wrong. The translations do make it a lot easier for tourists, but it also makes a place a little less charming, if you know what I mean. I was a little unimpressed by Rüdesheim, at first. We stopped at a hotel restaurant for lunch. I chose it because they had something other than schnitzel and sausages, or pizza and pasta.

We had lunch at the Drosselhof… on the Drosselgasse. Ordinarily, I would avoid such a place, since it’s right on the tourist row, but none of the other eateries were inviting and this place had duck on the menu. I ended up having salmon, anyway.

A kindly waiter invited us to sit down. Although it was almost 1:00pm, the place was empty. Our waiter spoke English, but seemed a bit shy about it.

Look at all the languages!

We ordered glasses of Riesling and sparkling water. Bill went with the trout and I had a salmon filet.

Bill’s trout was fried, served with parsleyed potatoes, and a really nice horseradish sauce. I think I liked his dish better than mine.

My salmon filet, cooked medium rare with a mustard dill sauce, croquettes, and a salad…

This had a great creamy dressing and was just enough to share.

As we were eating, the Drosselhof filled up somewhat. The inside of the restaurant is very charming, although it doesn’t get the best ratings on TripAdvisor, Facebook, or Yelp. I could see why. The food was fine, but not that special, and it seemed to be primed for tourists. But for us, it fit the bill fine.

We finished up by sharing this delightful dessert– crepes filled with hot blueberry sauce and served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. It was so good! Total bill was 66 euros, but it was kind of a nice place to be. The waiter kindly turned on the heater for us, although we didn’t really need it. And I got to watch some guy brazenly feeling his woman’s behind while they perused the menu at the Weingarten across the alley. For once, I didn’t sneak a photo.

If you need to pee, you can use the Drosselhof’s toilet, but it will cost you 50 cents. They don’t charge people who are guests.

You can also pick up some smokes if you need to.

This… is the source of a lot of noise! And big crowds, too.

Next to the Drosselhof is a wine and art bar, where they serve these delicious pastries, strawberry wine, and play music. It appeared to be part of the hotel. Next door to that was one of many wine shops. Again, everything was translated into five or six languages. We noticed many Asians there. Rüdesheim will definitely go on my list of European towns where you’ll find many Asian tourists… not that it’s a bad thing. I’m just making an observation.

This is your town if you like wine. It reminded me a little of Riquewihr, France, but perhaps with less charm.

This is where you catch the skyride that will take you all around the area. We will do this on another day.

Reasonable rates and an extensive network that can even include a ferry cruise if you like.

Chances are, they have your language, too.

Very tourist friendly. They even say so on the sign.

All in all, I was feeling somewhat unimpressed by Rüdesheim. We were about to find a wine shop to pick up a few bottles to take home, when we were invited to sit down and try wine by a super charming elderly couple who spoke almost no English.

We did buy some wine… I think we arranged for 18 bottles, which will come to our house in Wiesbaden… What can I say? This turned out to be a very magical experience… one of those bonding times one has with a host country. I really needed it.

We went into this little hole in the wall place and the wife, who spoke no English at all, started bringing out wines for us to try. I would not be surprised if she’d had a little herself before we dropped in. She kept pouring wines for us to try. Bill eventually told her not to give him any, since he was driving. She claimed she had alcohol free wine, but after she poured it, Bill looked at the bottle and it indicated 13.5% ABV! Good thing he was paying attention!

I was surprised that I understood a fair amount of what she said, and was even able to answer a little bit. Bill speaks more German than I do, but sometimes I understand things faster than he does. After we’d tried four or five wines, he got up to speak to her husband about making a purchase.

The wife apologized for not speaking English, then explained that people her age learned French. I totally understand that. I learned some Spanish for the same reason. Little did I know when I was in high school that I would spend six years living in Germany and only one year in Texas, where Spanish is very handy. The one language I am conversant in– or was at one time– is Eastern Armenian. Few people outside of Armenia, Fresno, and Boston speak that. But anyway, I was able to get the gist of a lot of what was said… although I did miss a few things. And I was even brave enough to try speaking German. The wine helped.

Then, the lady asked me what I do with my time. I told her I write… and I also sort of hesitantly told her that I’m a singer. And I am also a Hausfrau, although apparently not a very good one, according to our ex landlady.

By that point, a couple of pretty young women came in. They spoke some English and were happy to translate when the lady asked me to sing a few bars for her. So, although I was a little tipsy, I sang the first line of a very operatic German art song I learned in college. No, I don’t speak much German, but I can sing in German… a little, anyway. A couple of people were startled by the sound and stopped in their tracks, peering into the wine shop. I probably could have done something more mainstream, but whenever this happens to me, I’m usually at a loss of what to do other than songs like “Summertime”, which is totally burned on the brain… I have sung “Summertime” so many times, I kind of don’t want to do it again.

Bill sealing the deal while I talked to the guy’s wife in my crappy German.

As luck would have it, this morning someone on SingSnap commented on one of my recordings of the old song, “What’ll I Do.” The first time I heard this song was on an episode of The Golden Girls, when the late actress Bea Arthur sang it at a bar. I liked it so much that I decided to record it. This was the result.

http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/e/b99a990bf

I recorded this in June of 2018, but someone happened to comment on it today. I got an email alert, which made it very convenient for sharing. This was probably nicer than my slightly drunken operatic line in German. The German lady’s eyes lit up and she touched her heart… then she brought me a bottle of lovely Spanish wine as a gift. For all I know, she would have done that anyway, although I kind of doubt it. On the other hand, she was quite free with the wine tasting.

I really needed today. Lately, I’ve been a bit down on Germany and kind of wanting to go home… if not for good, then maybe for an extended visit. I know this happens a lot. People who live in countries that are foreign to them can experience cultural highs, culture shock, and finally, culture fatigue. I think I may be experiencing a bit of culture fatigue after the stress of the past nine months or so. But today was a reminder that sometimes, you can connect with the people… and you don’t necessarily have to speak the language to do it.

When I lived in Armenia, singing was often the only way I could get my youngest students to sit down and shut up for our English lessons. I have found that in Germany, it’s also a way to break the ice and meet people. Meeting people adds to the pleasure of being here.

Anyway, I feel sure we’ll be back to Rüdesheim. I’ll bet that woman will remember me, too… if not for the song, then for the fact that we ordered 18 bottles of wine. She even gave me a big hug as we left! Sometimes fate or God lead you just where you need to be for a second wind… and maybe a second wine.

The mighty Rhein, which we will soon be exploring a lot more.

Goodbye new friend, Rüdesheim.

Until we meet again, Rüdesheim!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: Rhein River