Curious about Cologne, Germany

Cologne is a pretty city with architecture influenced by the Dutch as well

Restaurant area in Cologne

as the Italians and the French. But what I loved most about the city was the cathedral. It’s nearly over the top Gothic architecture is jaw-dropping. So I was stunned when one of our party absolutely refused to go inside – and was nasty about it. All I could think was ‘ugly American’. Our tour guide was gracious, recommending a nice place for a cup of coffee while this person and a companion waited for the tour to continue. Better manners would have been to inquire as to a café location and quietly state that they would wait for us there; it doesn’t cost anything to be polite.

Marking Time in Marksburg Castle

Working in the Vineyard

After seeing all of the castles and the near vertical vineyards from the river, it was fitting that we got to go exploring. The Marksburg Castle sits above the town of Braubach and is one of the principal sites of the Rhine Gorge UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although it was never used as a royal residence, it served as a fortress protecting this portion of the Rhine River. Its butter-churn shaped tower makes it stand out from all of the other castles along the river. It is also the only castle along the valley between Bingen am Rhein and Koblenz that was never destroyed.

The More than Middling Middle Rhine

Loreley

This was our second trip down this stretch of river and this time we were prepared for what we were going to see. In short there are an oodle of castles along this part of the river simply because it was a great place for trade and thus a great place to conquer. Of course our day was nippy, so the crew came around with hot chocolate that could be fortified with a liqueur from the region. It would have been rude to turn down their offer, so I didn’t…twice.

Rocking around Rudesheim am Rhein, Germany

Eagle Tower, a fortification

A bit further down the river from Heidelberg was our next stop. This is the gateway to the prettiest stretch of the Rhine River and the center of the winemaking area; the streets of the town are literally lined with taverns! There are also oodles of half-timbered houses along cobblestone streets. We opted to wander on our own rather than taking an organized tour. The weather was a bit warmer making strolling along window shopping a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.