November 26
We thought about going to church this morning and had discussed that option yesterday evening after we got home from France. There were some English-speaking congregations around the Ramstein base. However, snow was the prediction for Monday, and that would be our last day to do or see anything else in Germany. Heather was not keen on driving for hours through the snow, either so we decided to play hooky from church and go on a day cruise up and down the Rhine River to see the castles.
The hour drive to the river was uneventful. However, upon arrival, we discovered that all the tour boats were closed on Sundays, at least in the wintertime. The boat ride would have been fun, but we could still cruise up and down the banks of the river in Heather’s car! There were highways on both sides of the river.
The Rhine River Valley was a beautiful place to cruise, be the means of travel, boat or car! The mountains lost altitude quickly in their descent towards the river. For the most part, the businesses and dwellings of the inhabitants were stretched out in single file like blocks on a rope. The valley did not afford wide level building plots, so businesses and houses were pinched between the steep slopes and the flowing river with only the highway and the bike path (Germans loved their bicycles), as a buffer between them.
Though the valley did not have much flat-bottomed land for raising crops, farmers still made a living there by planting grapes on the mountainside. I was amazed to see the long wire trellises running through the vineyards, and stretching up the steep grade to the tops of the mountains! Some went straight up, perpendicular with the road. It made me tired just imagining how they would harvest the bunches of grapes in the fall without tumbling down the mountain. To me, the terrain looked too steep to use a tractor to haul the grapes down the slope and to the winepress. The vines had been pruned before winter, so the wires were almost bare, but I knew spring would fill those trellises with beauty!
I did not realize so many castles had been built up and down the river. There were castles where people still lived, castles that had been turned into hotels for the tourist trade, and castles that were just history, ruins of walls and towers with no roofs with only a hint of their former glory. Some were perched on the mountain side with commanding views up and down the Rhine and across the landscape. Others were built close to the river on knolls that would afford good views of enemies coming by boat. We saw one that was built on a small island in the middle of the river. If nothing else, it would always have fresh water, even during a siege! The river was close to flood stage the day we were there, and the water was lapping at the stone sides of the castle. I could tell the water was high because so many trees, still with yellow fall foliage, were cooling their feet under the water.
We arrived at a crossing and for eight $Euros we could cross to the other side. Heather drove her car onto the ferry, and we were soon on our way to the far shore. If we could not cruise down the Rhine, at least we could cruise across the Rhine!
It was lunchtime so we started to look for a place to eat. The first place we tried had reserved all their tables for a big group yet to arrive, so we were turned away. The next one was closed. We soon decided to go back to the ferry and cross over to where we were earlier, the towns were bigger, and we hoped for better luck there. We found one that was open. It turned out to be an Italian restaurant, but we took it, even though it meant no sauerkraut for me during the whole time we were in Germany.
Our waiter, who I believed to be the owner, tried to be helpful, but could not speak English. When we had a question about a menu item, he called the cook to explain the dish’s ingredients. There were lots of pasta dishes listed. Heather ordered one of those. JJ and I got the Medallions of Beef, mine in pepper sauce and Jackie’s with butter and herbs. The meat looked like thick slices of tenderloin. The food was good!
The owner had an eight-month-old Husky-cross dog, the color of butterscotch. He was really cute!
November 27
It rained and snowed all day. The snow did not stick to the ground, but melted as soon as it hits the pavement or grass. I am glad we saw the Rhine River yesterday.
I tried to check in and get our boarding passes for our flight home tomorrow. JJ got hers, but they won’t do mine. Heather called Delta and was told I have to do mine at the airport. I’ve been singled out for closer inspection. Guess I look like a terrorist or something. Hope I get on the plane tomorrow!
FIN
More Over-The-Hill In Europe
- https://fillburns.com/2023/12/21/christmas-market-blues/
- https://fillburns.com/2023/12/15/temptations-galore-inside-the-door/
- https://fillburns.com/2023/12/12/a-castle-for-milady/
- https://fillburns.com/2023/12/09/over-the-hill-in-europe-2/
- https://fillburns.com/2023/12/07/over-the-hill-in-europe/
Something Different
- https://fillburns.com/2022/09/08/cowboy-up/
- https://fillburns.com/2022/08/23/two-graves-two-destinies/
- https://fillburns.com/2022/08/10/my-angel-smoked-a-cigarette/
Writings By Phil 
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