Blogs from Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe - page 2

Good morning, I had my first German breakfast it’s been a long time, brochen, meats, cheeses and a 4 min egg. Did I forget.... German coffee! For our first couple of nights, Kirsten and I decided to stay in the Mosel River valley. It has Bike trails on both sides of the river along with hiking trails. We have always wanted to bicycle along any of Germany’s rivers. So as we were flying across the Atlantic, Kirsten decided that we were going to do it. At breakfast, Kirsten found that the i located in Brauneberg. Americans know it as the Chamber of Commerce. Basically, it’s where you get all the info you want about the village, you’re staying in. Yes! we rented eBikes for the day and off we go toward Trier. We first came into ... read more

Today was a highlight: the Rhine Gorge. Forty miles of green hillsides and vineyards with over 40 castles. Some are ruins, some have been preserved; some are actively in use. It was a beautiful day and we were out of deck for most of it. Late in the afternoon, we arrived in Rudesheim where we went to the Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments. This is a collection of restored music machines (with drums, pipes, violins, etc) that self play with rolls of paper (like a giant multi-instrument player piano). Fun. We then took a cable car ride up to the Niederwald monument which overlooks the Gorge and the surrounding countryside. There is a massive statue of Germania (an armored woman warrior who represents the German nation). It was built in 1871 to commemorate the unification of ... read more

Ostin päivälipun, jolla pääsin matkustamaan Frankfurtissa ja Mainzissa. Ajelin ensin ratikalla Frankfurtissa. Aamulla oli sen verran viileää, että hanskat olivat tarpeen. Westendissä näin jonon koronarokotukseen. Ajoin etelään Niederradiin ja nousin sieltä lähijunaan S8, joka vei Mainziin. Juna lähti kymmenisen minuuttia myöhässä. Jari oli vastassa. Tehtiin muutaman kilometrin kävely: tuomiokirkko, toinen kirkko, Zitadelle, roomalaisen teatterin rauniot. Syötiin saksalaisessa ravintolassa. Lopuksi viiniä kävelykadulla. Ajoin ratikalla pari pysäkinväliä asemalle. Paluujuna lähti myös myöhässä. Aika hyvin totuin vahvemman maskin käyttöön. Kävin illalla tapaamassa yhden tutun ja ajelin metrolla. Hotelli oli rauhallinen ja hyvällä paikalla. Frankfurfista jäi mukava vaikutelma.... read more

Nach meinen jüngsten Aktivitäten in der Türkei und in München bin ich wieder zu meinem Projektort in Stuttgart zurück gekehrt. Von dort habe ich gestern einen Ausflug zum Hambacher Schloss gemacht. Auf dem Weg dorthin konnte ich sehen, dass die Baustellen bei Karlsruhe auf der A8 und bei der Rheinbrücke beendet waren. Auch habe ich zum ersten Mal den Sportmodus meines neuen Autos ausprobiert und es am Abend auch an einer Ladestation teilweise aufgeladen. Das Schloss selber ist auf einem Berg und ich musste leider ein Stück weit nach oben laufen. Dort angekommen habe ich ein Ticket gekauft und es besichtigt. Der Höhepunkt ist die Ausstellung auf der obersten Etage. Da ich mich ja sehr für Geschichte interessiere, habe ich aber wenig neues gesehen. Es gibt auch noch einen Veranstaltungssaal, der aber gerade leer war. Nach ... read more

We woke up early and headed down river following the lovely Moselle. Joined by hundreds of others who were on the river cruise boat. They were spending a holiday on a boat with many others , being fed and watered and being dropped off at any pretty town along the river. Their days spent sitting in their rooms looking out of their picture windows. The Moselle twists its way from Trier to Koblenz. A beautiful waterway which meanders along with many dams and locks along its way. Above the river are the terraced vineyards which cling precariously to the hillsides. Steep sided valleys that look impossible to grow anything. The grape vines run up the hillside and the small red tractors harvest the grapes. The creep slowly down the hillsides . Vertically - it looks impossible ... read more