Day Two - Cochem and Burg Eltz

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Burg Eltz



Day two we afforded ourselves the luxury of sleeping in until about 9:00 but then off for a great breakfast and a 20 minute train ride to Moselkern to see what Rick Steve’s calls “one of his favorite castles in Germany”. After leaving the train at the Moselkern station,we followed the signs through the village to the edge of the woods. I had read that one is not able to see the castle from down below as it’s nestled on a hill deep in the woods. The next hour or so we spent hiking the muddy, gradual uphill path anticipating the castle view with each step. The woods are beautiful. Fresh and clean and quiet so despitethe rain sprinkles, we enjoyed the trek tremendously. Finally an hour or so later, we came around a curve in the path and there was the hugest, most majestic castle I have ever seen nestled up on the hill.. We would later learn that it was actually built as three separate family homes with a large shared courtyard in the center. This castle, unlike many others, was never destroyed and that fact along makes this a medevial dream come true. Walking through the stone halls, it wasn’t hard to understand why people call this part of Germany “the romantic region”. We had a great tour in English and saw about 20 of the ninety rooms in this castle and got a good taste of what it would have been like to live here centuries ago. After our relaxing hike back down through the woods, we got a great recommendation for a loval restaurant where I enjoyed Hunter’s Schnitzel and Ralf had Suelze, the oddest combination of meat and gelatin. Regretfully I did not get a picture of this but maybe there will be another opportunity on this trip as it’s one of his favorites….go figure!

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Photos

Cutest little restuarant on the edge of the woods
Enjoy regional specialty of Federweiser and Zwiebelkuchen (onion cake).

Cutest little restuarant on the edge of the woods
Enjoy regional specialty of Federweiser and Zwiebelkuchen (onion cake).