Three countries in one day

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Geo: 49.7537, 6.64625

After repeating the best breakfast ever (croissants ARE better in France), we checked out of our hotel room at Riquewihr. G and I had one last walk up the Main Street, but 10am is truck delivery time, and it was packed!

An uneventful drive through France, up to Trier - light rain lots of the way, as we left France and entered Germany. But as we got to Trier for a late lunch at 2pm, the sky cleared to perfect sunshine. Trier claims to be the oldest town in Germany, having been settled by the Romans on the banks of the Moselle River in 18BC. We found the Porta Nigra, the old Roman gate to the city, and wandered into to the semi-pedestrianised centre of the town. After a quick sandwich to quiet some tummies, we walked down towards the Dom, or cathedral, and found...Christmas markets! What are the chances! This gave the kids a chance for a second lunch - Matt tried brotkuchen - bread cooked in the wood fired oven, halved and covered in cheese, onion and bacon, and the other two had hot chips. Then we had a quick exploration of the Dom - it was built on land donated by Helena, mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Constantine, in about 300AD, and Helena also donated a relic - a robe made of a single piece of cloth, believed to be the tunic of Christ.

We arrived at Miranda's mill, without problems. She and Jonathan have bought and renovated an old mill, in a valley just outside St Vith (Sankt Vith) - it is just beautiful! So wonderful to be able to spend this time with old, dear friends.

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