Westward Ho

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What a wonderful trip this has been. We’ve been deciding which town, villages, and cities to visit, based on our areas of particular interest, location of Guy’s relatives, DK book descriptions, Triposo App. on our IPad and available motorhome services at Stellplatz sites or ASCI campsites. We have found delightful towns, large and small, tucked away in isolation in valleys and farmlands.



Fulda was a wonderful surprise with a stellplatz near city center. We enjoyed an audio tour that made the town history and photographic sites come alive. We were able to tour the Dom, cathedral, churches, museums, abbeys and bakeries and finally to enjoy an unusual organ concert at a local school. This organ was originally built in 1879 and has been destructed, partially burned, and reconstructed several times. It has been gifted, ungifted, re gifted and ignored for many years. Finally, it has been rebuilt, once again, and is housed and played within a glass enclosure. The glass walls are constructed as baffles and can be opened and closed by the organist to increase the richness of sound and volume. We were able to speak to the organist following the concert to obtain the history and to enjoy his enthusiasm for the organ, as it is today.



As we headed west toward Dusseldorf, our next delightful stop was in Alsfeld. To enable tourists to visit their ancient and well preserved town, a MH camping area is immediately adjacent to the immense area of wandering lanes, and ½ timbered houses, with intricately carved corner posts. These are all currently an active part of the commerce of the town and surround market places and shops. The location of this area protected it from damage from WWII, but was severely impacted by the 30 years War and then the plague. Their very complete and extensive museum tells the story of this particular part of Germany from Roman settlements to the present.



Gridlock in Marburg helped us decide to move on to Kassel, where our focus was an hour climb to the Wilhelm Schloss and Castle grounds, where we were treated to amazing views and colorful fall foliage within the climbing paths.



As in many areas, we were able to park in a centrally located harbor stellplatz on the Rhine within close walking distance to central and historic Dusseldorf. And then on to Bruggen, as we head toward the Netherlands and our ferry from Hoek to Harwich, England.



Bruggen is a delightful site of a Castle and Burg as well as preserved buildings from antiquity. In a restaurant that is the site of an ancient mill, we enjoyed our final sauerbraten meal accompanied by a delightful beer and were able to stroll back to our stellplatz in very moderate temperatures. The clerk at the information office was a treasure of information regarding the history of Bruggen and how best to enter and travel through the Netherlands.



We are now home and have enjoyed Thanksgiving with family here in Falmouth and wish all of you a wonderful holiday season and a warm and healthy winter..

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