Exploring the Enchanting Rhine

Our eight day road trip began with two nights in the Rhine River Valley.  This area was part of the heartland of Germany during the Middle Ages.  The hills and mountains surrounding each side of the river are speckled with castles for miles!  We stayed in a small village called St. Goar, which is located on the Rhine River near Bernkastel shown on the map below, just below where the Moselle and Rhine river come together. 

We arrived to our hotel late Friday evening, around 9:00 p.m.  They were friendly and helpful in helping us settle quickly into our room. 

Saturday was our first full day in Germany and we began the day with touring the Rheinfels Castle.  Most of the castles along the Rhine were built between the 11th and 13th centuries.  Often they were used by "robber barons" who would use chains or other techniques to stop each ship that went by and demand a toll before they would allow the ship to continue.   This particular castle was built in 1245 and remained one of the mightiest fortresses on the Rhine until the French ransacked it in 1797 during the Revoluation.

We exolored the castle for well over an hour.  This castle was used a fortress in times of enemy attack.  During peaceful times, about 500 people lived here, but during an attack they would cram as many as 4,500 people in the castle! 

There were beautiful scenic overlooks throughout, although I felt like I could have used one of those baby leashes for Drew.  It was a bit nerve-racking!

This photo is at the back of the castle and shows the farmland in the valley.  This area is known for it's white wines made from reisling grapes. 

And this is the famous river that has been a major artery for transporting goods since Roman times and probably long before that.  It is still used for commercial purposes today and we constantly saw large barges loaded down with 20 and 40 foot storage containers.

These children have NO fear sometimes, and I had to keep reminding them not to try to climb or sit on the ledges. 

The kids caught sight of these super steep steps and we had to give them a try.  I think people were a lot shorter and thinner 800 years ago!

The hotel we stayed at had a small balcony just off our room.  It was perfect to entertain the children while Jason and I finished getting details together for the day.  There was always something to keep their attention.

After making a quick pit-stop at the hotel room to gather a picnic lunch, we headed out on a boat cruise down the Rhine headed to another village called Bacharach.  It was once a prosperous town dealing mostly in the wine trade, but now it has 1000 permanent residents who nearly all work in the service industry for all of the tourist who visit. 

When we arrived in Bacharach, we pulled out our Rick Steves guide book and followed his walking tour of the city. 

One of the first things we saw, were these centuries old half-timbered houses, which are now mostly cafes and hotels.  The Altes Haus, is the main building in the picture and was built in 1368!

After meandering through the narrow pedestrian streets for a few minutes, we climbed up several sets of ancient steps that led us to the old city wall.  Once on the wall, we made our way to this tower, which is part of the old wall and has been renovated to allow tourists a beautiful view of Bacharach and the Rhine.

This view was the reward for all the huffing and puffing up the hill and the stairs of the tower!

 

Jason and I tried to enjoy the view and contemplate the vast history that had taken place over the centuries in this very spot, but alas, the children were ready to move on pretty quickly!  So we headed back down the stairs and walked along the wall a little further. 

The area of Bacharach pictured below is one of my favorites that we saw in the Rhine.  It is a little enclave of homes with a small stream running through and moss covered stone foot bridges that have such special charm.  It was so peaceful and distant from the often senseless "busy-ness" and materialism that plagues our lives as Westerners.  We enjoyed a brief snack here and then headed back toward the dock to catch our return boat to St. Goar.

The boat that returned us to St. Goar was perfect for the children complete with slide and bouncey toys to occupy them for the 45 minute ride down the river. 

This is one of the villages we would like to explore if we are able to return to the Rhine.  The castle pictured on the hill in the top left of the photo is now converted to a hotel, and we met one family who stayed there and enjoyed it so much they've gone back twice!

Our last night in St. Goar, some time was spent relaxing on our cozy balcony.  We were so thankful to have a week together as a family, a break from the normal hectic schedule and the chance to explore this beautiful part of Europe that is rich in natural beauty, culture and history.