Sightseeing along the Rhein River

Koblenz celebrated 2,000 years of history in 1992. 

An interesting description of 2,000 years packed
into a fountain

We left Heidelberg after a good breakfast at Restaurant Merlin just a block from our hotel. Uli and Thomas had suggested heading north up to the Rhein and then slowly driving down along it towards Frankfurt. We were staying that night in a B&B right near the airport, the Villa Orchard (www.villaorchard.de). Our first stop was Koblenz on the junction of the River Moselle and the Rhein.
This pretty city was one of the military posts established by Drusus I. This Roman politician and military commander was well connected to Roman Emperors! He was stepson to Augustus, brother to Tiberius, father to Claudius, grandfather to Caligula and great grandfather to Nero. As early as 1,000 BC fortifications were built on the hill opposite the town where the Fortress Ehrenbreitstein now stands. Remains of a Roman bridge are still visable. It has at various times been part of France, occupied by France and the home of many French emigres. During WW II it was heavily bombed and rebuilt afterwards. We enjoyed walking through the town and along the river. In the main square we had a nice lunch and a great pastry for dessert at Cafe Adaccio sitting outside in the sun.

We sat outside to have our lunch.

From Koblenz we followed Route 9 along the south bank of the Rhein. It was mostly a local road and often ran right along the river with the EuroVelo 15, a long distance bicycle path that goes from the source of the Rhein to the North Sea - 1230 km in length. We often saw bicyclists with packs strapped on. We passed through Bacharach and I thought of the famous Boston photographer. Castles on both sides of the river caught our attention but it was already late in the afternoon and we didn't see any immediate signs for access. Many must be current residences.
We did see a sign for a vineyard and took a quick right up the hill. The Restaurant Winzerschente Phillips-Muhle was a great stop. Generations of this family have owned this vineyard as we saw in an illustrated family history on the wall. We sat outside surrounded by the vineyards and drank their excellent white wine. Nice!
Thank goodness for both our Navigation systems - it took both of them to find our B&B in Kriftel. Once there though it was very comfortable and after a short interesting walk into the small town, we had a nice dinner at Zum Hirsch Restaurant. Breakfast at the B&B was good too but the big surprise was our flight home. We were upgraded to Business Class (first class for us - can't imagine what more you could get) after some miserable mistakes on Lufthanza's side while waiting for our flight (at the wrong gate). The very comfortable roomy seats, food and service was amazing. What a difference. The rich do live differently. It was a wonderfully surprising end to a great trip!

Boats on the Moselle in Koblenz

Gourmet Schnitzel - who knew!

Broad walkways border both rivers with a huge park at the
corner.

Across the way was the Fortress

We loved this musician playing traditional (it sounded to us)
French music we could have heard in Paris.

This cable car connects downtown Koblenz with the Fortress

The dedicated bicycle path along the river. You can go any where
in Germany by bicycle safely! See the castles on the hills.

Another castle further down the river.

The sign welcoming us to Philipps-Muhle

The outside cafe

The family history

Enjoying the local wine!

This lovely church or castle was on it's own tiny island.
Another one was up the hill in the vineyards.

Cold duck breast appetizer on Lufthanza
flying back to Boston in STYLE

Heidelberg Part II

Heidelberg seen from the Castle. That's the Church of the Holy Spirit center right.

The moat with the mostly ruined castle within

We had an interesting English walking tour of the city in the morning and then took the funicular up to the castle. As you can see from the photos, it's more than half in ruins. It's a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles. The first building was erected as a royal residence of the Prince Elector Philipp in the late 15th C. It was largely destroyed during the Thirty Year War and used as a quarry for many years. The process of preserving didn't start until 1800. Now it's the site of many festivals and concerts. Happily tickets were available for the concert that evening in the castle - one seat and one "standing room" (actually you were able to sit on the stairs or railings) - the last tickets they had! After touring the castle we continued up the funicular to the top. Unfortunately it started to rain - but didn't last long. We still had lovely views. Next we returned to the hotel on the modern trolley for a rest before having a wonderful dinner at the highly rated Que Restaurant (#5 Trip Advisor) right across the street.
Then we were off again up the funicular for the concert. What a glorious experience to hear symphonic music in a ruined castle with first the sunset, then the lights of the city gleaming and the castle walls lit up with spotlights. Walking back to our hotel though the darkened city observing lots of young people going out for the evening (their evening was just started), was fun. But we were headed to bed - tomorrow was our last full day of the trip. Next post we drive along the Rhine down to Frankfurt.

The lower funicular is called the Konigstuhlbahn. It was built in
1890 and refurbished several times. In 2005 modern sleek
cars were added.

At the funicular castle stop

The castle also hosts a wine tasting and some of the biggest
wine casks we've ever seen.

View from the Castle looking up river. The famous Philosopher's Walk is across the way halfway up the hill and along the River.

You can see the contrast from the restored section and the ruins

t 

The top of the Molkenkurbahn funicular. It was opened in 1907
with an electric drive which is still used today. It still has
wooden cars, although renovated in 2005.

The upper funicular machinery 

We are more than twice as high as the castle here. We were having showers and it was late so we couldn't walk down - too bad!

Love this sign near the trolley stop

Veal Chop with Mushrooms at Que Restaurant

And Scott's scallop dish

View from Scott's seat for the first half of the show. I had a chair further in front. No one came to use the seat next to me so Scott
joined me for the second half.

The castle walls were illuminated after dark

View from our seats.

Heidelberg - Part I

 Kornmarket Square with the Madonna Statue and the Castle in the background. Scott is cooling off in the basin.

We drove out of the mountains down the River Nekker to
Heidelberg. We saw several rowing shells practicing.

 Heidelberg is an old city and humans have lived here back to ancient times. "Heidelberg Man" was discovered in 1907. He died here between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. It was a Celtic fortress and place of worship in the 5th C BC and in 40 AD the Romans built a fort on the still remaining ruins.
The town was founded in 1186 and Heidelberg University in 1386. In 1815 a few months after publishing his 95 Theses, Martin Luther defended them here.
As soon as Hitler assumed power in 1933 non Aryan professors were ejected and it was a stronghold of the National Socialist Workers Party during the war years.

Looking from the river into the old town 

 It is popularly believed that Heidelberg escaped the bombing that destroyed so many other German towns because the U.S. wanted it for their regional garrison but other non industrial or transport hubs also were spared. It has one of the largest American communities outside of North America - in 2011, 20,000 people.
It's a beautiful city - long and narrow, stretching along both sides of the river with steep hills rising up. Above the "Old Town" on the south bank, Heidelberg Castle sits on a knoll halfway up the mountain. A funicular stops there on it's way to the top of the mountain, "Konigsstuhl", the King's Seat.
We stayed 2 nights at NH Heidelberg about a half hour walk out of the city. It was very modern and comfortable although the breakfast was so expensive (22 Euros) we had to find a place to eat (even have coffee) around the area. Our first night we got there fairly late so had dinner at the top of a modern department store - a big buffet place with nice views. It was great having a whole day with out traveling. More in my second post on this Romantic city.

The old stone bridge was erected in 1786 on the site of the Roman
bridge. Part of it was destroyed by the Nazis as they left the city.

This medieval bridge gate was originally part of the town walls.

 Marketplatz Square.

The Interior of the Church of the Holy Spirit

The famous chocolates, Student Kiss, were invented in 1863 and
promoted as a gallant token of affection.

The bridge mandrill

The Castle seen from the bridge. The Castle was mostly destroyed
 during The Thirty Years War. In 1800 Count Graimberg
 stepped in to preserve what was left.

A view in the other direction 

This student "prison" was a badge of celebrity rather than a
punishment - a rite of passage until 1914.

Marks the spot Luther defended his Theses

 -

Hauptstrasse, the mile long Main St. is filled with cafes

American "culture" is everywhere!

The side of the Church of the Holy Spirit, like many it had shops
for rent all along it's first floor (not in the front).

Only a few blocks go off the Main St. before
you reach either the river or the hill.

"I saw Heidelberg on a perfectly clear morning,
 with a pleasant air both cool and invigorating.
 The city, just so, with the totality of its ambiance
 is, one might say, something ideal."
 - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.