Oh, don't get me wrong! It's absolutely gorgeous here, but all our pictures look the same. Me with black coat, blue cap looking cold in front of some church; Joe with black coat, black cap looking cold in front of some church. It's hard to smile when your cheeks are frozen or your whole face is covered up with your muffler. Just take my word for it: the buildings are ancient and stunning; the churches are soaring and beautiful.
Today was Wurzberg and Rotenberg day. Wurzberg has a small city center with a church that was completely destroyed during the war, but rebuilt and re-opened in 1967. There's a bridge that connects the two parts of the city over the Main (pronounced mine) River, and it looks very similar to the Charles Bridge in Prague...old, restricted to foot traffic only and littered with the statues of saints...including St. Killian (yep, the beer guy). High above the city overlooking the red top roofs and cathedral spires is the city's fortress (now a museum and administrative offices). Joe made me do the tough climb up steep ramps and wicked worn stairs, across the covered bridged that used to be over the moat, and into the fortress gardens. I give him creds, though: the view from there was spectacular. And we were the only ones standing there in the crow's nest to see it (no kids, no lines, no annoying tourists...just us). Amazing.
Now, if that wasn't enough (and by golly don't you think it ought to be), we then left for a tour of Rotenberg...Germany's best preserved medieval city. Rotenberg still has most of its city walls, including ramparts, which Joe and I walked on for a bit. There's even a mask (looks sort of like the sad/tragedy mask you see at theatres) overlooking the castle gate through which the city's residents would pour hot or burning tar on their enemies dwon below. The city is also home to one of the most incredible Christmas Village stores in the world. Yeah, I shopped...you bet I did! Horse drawn carriages clatter through the streets and every window, lampost and doorway is festooned with Christmas decorations. It was like a postcard. (I'm really going to try to get some pictures up.)
This evening our dinner back on the ship is themed "Wine-growers" dinner. I'm thinking we'll do a bit of wine tasting, considering that every hillside around here is covered with vineyards (sure, they're all bare right now).
Gotta go...I hear hear the whistle blowin'.
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3 comments:
Chad & I LOVED Rotenberg. I hope you were able to partake in the night watchman's tour at dusk. Keep the stories coming, and drink some yummy mosel wine for us. :)
- Ginger
Are you going to the Anne Frank Museum when you get to Amsterdam? Bring stuff if you do!
Of course you drank too much :) Been there, done that!! Take the pictures, even if it is cold. Once or twice, remove your warm head gear to take a better picture. Then of course, curse my name and throw that warm shit back on.
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