Germany 2013 - Sept 15 - A Burg and French Pastry

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September 15th 2013

Published: September 18th 2013

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Brian and Amy

Picture of the Burg

Eagle Eye view that we couldn't get

Today we set out to visit a “Burg” in Southern Germany. Britta and Osse took us to Burg Berwartstein. Berwartstein "Castle" belongs to a category of rock castles that were part of Palatinate defenses during the Middle Ages. Stairs, passages and rooms are carved out of rock to form a complete living system which was essential to defending the castle.

There’s a good story about one of the original owners, the Knight (Ritter) Hans Trapp. He was given Berwartstein as a fiefdom and became a robber baron. Kind of like Robin Hood but he kept the money, stealing from travelers and fighting with the monks in Wissembourg who felt he should not have the castle. His symbol was a raven, which is known for taking shiny things like rings. His legend grew with children in France as the frightening "Black Knight". He’s now thought of as St. Nick's helper who punishes bad boys and girls.

After exploring the Burg a bit, we ventured into Alsace, France to see Wissembourg, a charming town, and experience a French pastry shop there that Britt and Osse like. The desserts were like art-work. All were very good, rich, and decadent. After we got

Raven

The Raider Knight

back to Edigheim, we went back to our favorite Italian place. It’s starting to feel like home there. Brian got a Calzone as big as his head as you can see. More Espresso and Grappa to end the day.

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