This week we traveled by train from Turin to Zermatt, Switzerland in the hopes of enjoying the weather and the clean air. There is plenty of clean air, but the weather has remained extremely variable, with it almost always raining in the afternoons.
Zermatt train station – Zermatt, Switzerland
After we got off the EuroCity train in Visp we had to take the local train from there to Zermatt. These trains are run by the canton and are especially equipped to ascend to the 5200ft elevation we needed to ascend in order to get to our destination.
Unfortunately, our first attempt failed and the train that we were on broke down at its first stop. We had to wait approximately a half an hour before another arrived to complete our journey.
Zermatt
Zermatt is considered a town by the local government and with a constant population of around five thousands, that would seem to be about correct. However, the bulk of the people that you find here are tourists. And as one would expect, the tourist population swells during the weekends as local Swiss and others from neighboring regions come to enjoy the alpine air.
Pfarrerkirche and Zermatterhof – Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatterhof – Zermatt, Switzerland
Looking toward the Matterhorn – Zermatt, Switzerland
Looking down the Mattertal – Zermatt, Switzerland
Bahnhofstrasse, the main street – Zermatt, Switzerland
Matterhorn shrouded in clouds – Zermatt, Switzerland
The town is divided by a river with is fed by the many glaciers that surround the town. However, the flow of this river is controlled by a dam and there are signs that warn those who want to sun themselves on the rocks along its banks, that water can be unexpectedly released and you can be swept down river. We actually witnessed the water level rise once due to the rain we had been receiving.
Gomerabach – Zermatt, Switzerland
Uferweg – Zermatt, Switzerland
Uferweg – Zermatt, Switzerland
Area above Zermatt along the river – Zermatt, Switzerland
Old Zermatt
There are examples in the upper parts of Zermatt, of the original buildings that were used by the early residents. Some are still in use today. However, with the increased land prices, most have sold out and moved up valley to get away from the tourism gentrification.
Triftbachtal – Zermatt, Switzerland
Triftbachtal – Zermatt, Switzerland
Scenery on one of our walks – Zermatt, Switzerland
Scenery on one of our walks – Zermatt, Switzerland
Original buildings of Zermatt – Zermatt, Switzerland
Older original buildings of Zermatt – Zermatt, Switzerland
The Tradition Julen
Our hotel is the four star The Tradition Julen hotel. It is one of the more pricier hotels in the area but the rooms are very cozy and comfortable. In fact, it is one of the few four star hotels that I have not had the displeasure of asking for something that should be already included in the room! The service is first rate and so far we are having a great stay. It is also close to the center of town, but kind of out of the way too, so you won’t get a lot of tourist walking by the hotel, which makes for a quieter stay.
Our room – Hotel Tradition Julen – Zermatt, Switzerland
Our room – Hotel Tradition Julen – Zermatt, Switzerland
Restaurants
During our week long stay here, we ate at an assortment of restaurants. The area does have its traditional food and our hotel actually houses a traditional Valais Stube which serves food like this, mainly raclette, beef fondues and other curiosities.
Stadel Restaurant
The first restaurant we stopped at that had just opened for the summer months. The service and food were good, but I have to knock them a bit for not having any sauerkraut – it is on the menu. It would have paired well with the Water Buffalo Bratwurst I had ordered and enjoyed.
Water Buffalo Gulash – Stadel Restaurant – Zermatt, Switzerland
Water Buffalo Bratwurst with potatoes – Stadel Restaurant – Zermatt, Switzerland
Hotel Julen Restaurant
Our hotel has its own restaurant that serves cosmopolitan cuisine. Due to weather complications, we were forced to stay in and enjoy what it had to offer one evening and were not disappointed. We thought the food was very good and the prices fair.
Cauliflower soup – Hotel Julen Restaurant – Zermatt, Switzerland
Traditional Wiener Schnitzel with french fried – Hotel Julen Restaurant – Zermatt, Switzerland
Our initial feel for the town is good, it has excellent services and plenty of restaurants and bars. Some of the food can be pricey, but if you stick to the traditional German fare, the prices seem more reasonable. The people are very friendly and speak multiple language, especially English, so getting around should not be an issue.
So we are still here and our next plans included hiking and using the amazing funicular, cog railway and gondola system. I will make additional entries for those once we have completed and recuperated from them a bit. Until then, stay tuned.
Diese Woche hatten wir die Gelegenheit unsere guten deutschen Freunde in Mainz zu treffen. Bevor wir unsere aktuelle Reise begannen, schickte ich meinem Freund Karl Heinz eine E-Mail, um alles zu planen. Und in den letzten Tagen haben wir uns gefreut, dass all unsere Planungen für uns geklappt haben.
Eine Kleine Reise Mit Dem Zug
Da wir eine Woche in Offenbach am Main waren, um unsere Töchter Ericka und ihren Mann Gabriel zu besuchen, mussten wir die DB S8 ab Offenbach Markplatz nehmen, die direkt zur Mainz Romisches Theater Haltestelle führt. Das bedeutete, dass wir von der Wohnung unserer Tochter in der Innenstadt laufen mussten, aber das kein Problem war, denn es dauert nur ungefahr fünfzehn Minuten.
Train Status S8
Nach fast zehn Minuten des Anfangs unserer Reise gab es eine Störung, einen Gegenstand leigt auf den Gleissen und das rotes Stopplicht angeschaltet war. Es dauert 43 Minuten bevor wir unsere Reise fortfahren könnten.
Restaurants
Für Mittagsessen wählten wir Hof Ehrenfels.
Hotel and Restaurant Hof Ehrenfels
Hof Ehrenfels
Dieser restaurant ist auch ein Drei-Stern-Hotel mit einem schönen Garten, den man draussen sitzen kann während man isst.
Perched above the small hamlet of Auerbach, located immediately north of Bensheim, Germany is the castle of Auerbach. The Auerbach Castle is privately owned, maintained and is free to visit. Hiking and walking around its grounds and castle is allowed and encourage by the many structures that have been put in place to reach the upper parts of the castle.
South panorama – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
Auerbach Castle
This is a perfect destination for a day trip, where one can go and enjoy the weather and the beautifully forested grounds of the castle. The castle itself is rather small and may be used to get an excellent view of the surrounding area and countryside beyond.
The way up from nearest parking lot – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
There are plenty of trails – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
Gabi and Ericka – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
We were lucky enough to stop on our way to Frankfurt, and on a day of exceptional weather, where we were able to easily make out the nuclear power plant ten miles away and the hills beyond that, at what must be close to fifty miles away.
North panorama – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
The castle was built sometime in the thirteenth century on what they called the old hill, or Urberg. It was probably partially maintained as a strategic fortification well into the seventeenth century, when it was no longer needed.
Over the next hundred years or so, it fell into disrepair and eventually the north tower collapsed. In the nineteenth century, it was repaired and partially rebuilt, the former bailey[1]A bailey is a protective walled courtyard, usually surrounded by a palisade or ditch outside. being converted into an Inn and eventually taking on its final form we see today. You can actually stay at the Inn even today.
Interior – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
An old window – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
A view of the outside wall – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
North tower gate – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
Old tree – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
The moat – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
The south tower – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
A view of the hills behind – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
The north tower with Zwingenberg – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
South tower and Bensheim below – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
South tower looking south – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
Looking north – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
Inside one the north tower – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
Castle well – Auerbach Castle – Auerbach, Germany
Restaurants
There is only one restaurant on the grounds and a cafe. The cafe is situated outside and you may even bring your own food and enjoy a nice picnic on the tables that have been provided, assuming I would guess, if you buy a drink. The restaurant is inside, has a marvelous outside terrace with overlook and is fully staffed. The restaurant and grounds are capable of actually holding weddings, with the appropriate arrangements, of course. They also occasionally hold dinner theaters and a Rittermahl[2]In the U.S., this would be similar to our Medieval Times, where you get a knight fight and a dinner, while cheering your team on., complete with medieval games.
Auerbach Castle Restaurant
We ate lunch at the restaurant on the terrace, which of course has a commanding view of the countryside below.
Gabi and Ericka – Auerbach Castle Restaurant – Auerbach, Germany
Erick and Patti – Auerbach Castle Restaurant – Auerbach, Germany
They have a very good selection of typical German dishes and the service is also very good and timely. However, I am not sure how much English they speak, since we only spoke German to them and they never attempted to speak English. So if you are an English only speaker and plan to visit, be prepared, you may have to use the point and grunt method of ordering.
We arrived by plane from Catania, Sicily in France’s EuroAirport, also known as the Basel-Mulhouse-Friebourg airport. You arrive via the air and exit in any one of three countries, Switzerland, Germany or France.
Three exits at airport, Germany, Switzerland and France – Basel -Mulhouse-Freibourg Airport, France
A word of caution though, exiting in France, you may find it difficult to get a taxi. We waited for a half an hour and ended up sharing a ride with a Frenchmen that explained to us that exiting via the France exit has the least amount of taxis. Of course, the airport has no information booth and you can’t of course change your mind once you are out.
French exit – Basel -Mulhouse-Freibourg Airport, France
The taxi drive was about five minutes and we were standing at the Saint-Louis la Chaussée train stop, having already purchased our tickets via phone. From there we went to Mulhouse and then on to Strasbourg, again using France’s regional train service, which you can essentially purchase any ticket in the future and still be able to use it for earlier trains.
Main train station – Strasbourg, France
Argantorati
Just barely in France on the border with Germany is the small quaint city of Straßburg, or Strasbourg to the French, and it actually goes by other names to some of the ethnic minorities. The name has German origins and meaning as ‘the town at the crossing of roads‘. It is also the place where the river Ill dumps into the mighty Rhine river.
Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
The original settlement here before the fifth century CE, was known as the fortified silver settlement, a compound of the Celtic arganto for silver and rati for fortification. It was later latinized into Argentium and Argentina, or city of silver, where it is known in numerous texts. What follows is a slideshow of some of the many amazing sites you will see as you walk the city.
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Notre Dame
The town has a huge and wonderfully prominent cathedral called Notre Dame de Strasbourg, also known as the Straßburger Münster in German.
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Its construction began in the late twelfth century and its impressive bell tower and spire were added more than 120 years after the start of construction, which I might add was never completed, since the addition of a second right tower and spire never came to fruition. The outside at night is spectacular, the interior and exterior lighting provide an excellent balance to show the real grandeur of this cathedral.
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Lit up at night – Notre Dame de Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
Of course, this is balanced well by the stained-glass windows illuminated by the sun in the early morning hours. The interior also houses an ecclesiastical astronomical clock which was built in the early 1570s.
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Get here early, usually before ten o’clock, otherwise the tour groups from the Viking cruises start to assemble and you will have little chance, the line often snakes all the way out the courtyard and around the block!
Palace Rohan
Across the river Ill from our hotel was the Rohan Palace, which houses several museums. We toured the Museum of Decorative Arts, just to get a view of the palace from inside.
Palace Rohan entrance – Strasbourg, France
Palace Rohan – Strasbourg, France
We all found the decorative arts inside the museum a bit avant-guarde for our tastes, but typically French. The interior of the palace for the most part met expectations.
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Pont du Faisan
Built in 1888 this is a working example of an old hydraulic swing bridge. Below is a short video showing it in operation. First the two ends are closed for traffic, then the operator swings the bridge to allow boats through the gate. We were able to see this as a pedestrian and on the Strasbourg sightseeing tour boat. It is a very interesting piece of engineering and on a small scale, perhaps better than raising a bridge.
Ponts Couverts de Strasbourg
This Ponts Couverts is a set of thirteen century covered bridges and towers on the southwest part of the island. Initially a battlement and constructed of wood, the roofs were later removed and eventually the bridges were rebuilt in stone.
The Pont Courverts – Strasbourg, France
At least one of them was made into a prison and it was later told, though falsely, that executions were also carried out there, though there is no evidence of this happening.
The Courvert Towers – Strasbourg, France
Hotel Cour Du Corbeau
A very good hotel that is strategically located close to the old city center in Krutenau is the Hotel Cour Du Corbeau. It is situated just across the river Ill and two blocks away from the cathedral. Parking for cars is only a block away and many restaurants and cafes are within ten minutes walking distance.
An old inn renovated – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
The courtyard and cafe – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
Old wooden framing – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
Renovated inside – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
Since we were arriving by train, we took the D Tram from the Central Station and got off at the Hospital stop. From there we were only a ten minute walk away.
Old spiral staircase – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
The hotel is a smartly renovated and modernized version of an old inn that was used by workmen that worked at the tanneries and other places throughout the city. It maintains many of the old beams and architectural elements of the old building. However, it includes air-conditioning and many other modern amenities.
The lobby – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
The lobby – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
Outside courtyard – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
Outside courtyard and bar – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
Although you may initially find their 27€ price for breakfast a bit steep, it is well worth it since they provide both hot and cold buffet items, as well as a wide selection of coffees.
Old spiral staircase – Hotel Cour Du Corbeau – Strasbourg, France
Restaurants
Being a very busy tourist spot, Strasbourg has a plethora of restaurants, anything from traditional Alsatian food, to Chinese and other cosmopolitan cuisines. So you shouldn’t go hungry, even without a reservation.
Maison Des Tanneurs
The House of the Tanners restaurant was the furthest of all the restaurants from our hotel and took a good fifteen minute walk to reach.
Restaurant – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Restaurant – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Restaurant – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Former names – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Located in the far southwest corner of the island and near the Ponts Couverts it commands a nice view of the river Ill. So, if you want window side seat, reserve your seat early, we arrived at our reservation time and the sign was already posted on the menu outside – totally booked this evening.
View from window – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Inside – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Our appetizers – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Gulash like soup – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
La Choucroute – Heap of sauerkraut and assorted meat – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Tenderloin with sauce Bearnaise and potato croquettes – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
Inside – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
The window view again – The House of Tanners – Strasbourg, France
La Piazza
We ate here on a first night and it is a decent restaurant with pretty good Italian food. We sat inside near the wood burning over, so the pizza they made for us was using the traditional method. The service was fine and our drinks met all of our expectations. However, the toilet left much to be desired, I suggest you become prepared to avoid a visit.
Patti and Ericka – La Piazza restaurant – Strasbourg, France
Gabi and Erick – La Piazza restaurant – Strasbourg, France
The menu – La Piazza restaurant – Strasbourg, France
A nice wine – a Sicilian Nero D’Avola – La Piazza restaurant – Strasbourg, France
Au Tire Bouchon
Another excellent Alsatian restaurant choice is the Au Tire Bouchon. Though it does not have the view the House of Tanners provides, the food is on par with that establishment.
Street entrance – Au Tire Bouchon – Strasbourg, France
Alley and back entrance – Au Tire Bouchon – Strasbourg, France
Entrance sign – Corkpuller – Au Tire Bouchon – Strasbourg, France
Entrance – Au Tire Bouchon – Strasbourg, France
The menu – Au Tire Bouchon – Strasbourg, France
Inside – Au Tire Bouchon – Strasbourg, France
Beef and mashed potatoes – Au Tire Bouchon – Strasbourg, France
In Vienna, as with many older cities in Europe, there are interesting things to see not only above ground, but below as well. Today was a rainy day and we had to deal with as best we could, that could have meant museums, but everyone else had that idea. In attempt to continue to avoid crowded place, whenever possible, we decided on the offbeat.
Vienna – Vermählungsbrunnen
Schweizertor – The Swiss Gate
The swiss gate is the oldest gate or door and part of the Hofburg, dating back to the 1300s. It is part of the original square castle that included four turrets on each corner. It’s not much to see, but is a remarkable color red.
Vienna – Schweizertur – Swiss Gate
Die Ankeruhr
The Anker Clock is located on Hoher Markt, next to the Judengasse.
Vienna – Die Ankeruhr
Vienna – Die Ankeruhr – Legend
It chimes and performs a small show every noon time, otherwise all you will witness is an hourly chime, as follows.
Kapuzinergruft – Kaisergruft – Habsburg Tomb
If you are at all interested in the Habsburgs, and perhaps where they might be buried, look no further than the Kapuzinergruft. Also called the Kaisergruft or Habsburg Tomb, it is located on Neuer Markt and next to the Kapuziner Kloster.
Vienna – Kapuzinergruft – Kaiser Gruft or Crypt – Tickets For Two
The gruft contains many of the families of the Habsburgs and Habsburg-Lothringen and includes a genealogy of the members who rest in this place. Some of the coffins also have amazing details, most of which have to do with wars[1]I sometime wonder when we are going to get over or need for that exercise in futility.
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Restaurants
Grand Hotel Wien – Breakfast Lounge
If you stay at the Grand Hotel Wien, you should look into any combination package that offers breakfast. Unless you are an extremely light eater in the morning, you will not do much better outside. They have a hot and cold menu (buffet), and the portion size is well managed, so you won’t have to worry about walking around with a lot of extra weight.
Vienna – Grand Hotel Wien – Breakfast
Café Central
One of the oldest cafes in Vienna, the Café Central is located in the old Palais Ferstel building on the corner of Herren- and Strauchgasse. Famous personages like Freud and Trotsky have visited this establishment, though today the conversations today, one could say, are less political or analytical.
Vienna – Cafe Central – Building and entrance
We made reservations for lunch and commend anyone do that same. The line waiting to get in can be long and when it rains out, as it did today, you do not want to find yourself getting wet before sitting down after a twenty or so minute wait.
Vienna – Cafe Central – Show case at entrance
Vienna – Cafe Central – Looking toward entrance
Vienna – Cafe Central – Patti enjoying lunch
Vienna – Cafe Central – Main Room
The food is good and traditional. I can commend a good red wine from Burgenland called Blaufränkish, which is served by the glass for around 5.50€. It is an excellent accompaniment for Wüstchens and Gulash soup. It is very busy, so service can be intermittent at times, so be patient.
Vienna – Cafe Central – Würstchen platter and Maygar Gulash
Vienna – Cafe Central – Apfelstrüdel – a local and personal favorite
This is actually a missing post from our travels in Germany while we were visiting our daughter and her fiancée in August. As we were driving back from our visit in Kronberg im Taunus, we stopped here to visit the wonderful park and spa.
Schloß Bad Homburg
Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, or Bad Homburg before the Taunus, was originally settled in 1180. Until recently in the late 1800s it became widely known as Kaiser Wilhelm II’s summer residence. Wilhelm later erected the spa and built the Erlöserkirche, or Church of the Redeemer for which the place is now recognized.
Erlöserkirche Schloßpark – Bad Homburg – 25th of August 2021
We divided our time between the Schloßpark and the Kurpark, which features numerous fountains where people collect and drink the local water.
Schloßpark And The White Tower
The Schloßpark, or Castle Gardens, contains many fine flower beds and examples of exotic flora. There is also a large lake that can be enjoyed while taking a leisurely walk around the grounds. The main attraction here is the castle with its white tower and overlook of the grounds and lake. At the time of our visit the tower was closed and we were not able to ascend to see any views of the surrounding town.
Schloß Gardens – Bad Homburg – 25th of August 2021
The White Tower – Bad Homburg – 25th of August 2021
The Kurpark
The water here is documented to contain a myriad of basic elements, minerals and other health regenerative ingredients that are ostensibly good for your health. I tasted a few, with my fingers crossed that I wouldn’t get sick (which I didn’t), and can say that the overwhelming tastes are of sulfur dioxide and metallic, most likely from manganese. Though drinking it often could cause issues, depending upon the mineral exposures, an occasional drink now and then probably has no negative impact to the body and may even help in some cases.
Kaiserbrunnen, Kurpark – Bad Homburg – 25th of August, 2021
The Kurpark, or Spa Park or Garden, has many cafes and paths that one may stroll and enjoy during fine weather. There is a Swan Pond and a stream that runs through the park along which one may find numerous benches were one can stop, sit and just enjoy nature.
On a bend of the Rhine River above Mainz sits the small town of Bacharach. Nestled among the varied and many castles of the west bank, its row of buildings and high walls demonstrate historically how important this part of the Rhine was in the Middle Ages.
Bacharach – Above Burg Stahleck – August 2021
The walls of the Rhine River valley provide an ample perch for the many castles and fortresses that were built to protect the towns along its banks. The Stahleck Castle sits above this small town and extends it length of walls, turrets and towers around the small community like a net from above. The curtain of walls is formidable in both height and width, being its strongest at river level, where perhaps most of the attacks (if any) would probably originate.
The Town
There is no real center of town, since it is more of a stretch of houses and building along the Rhine. Points of interest include the main street called Mainzerstraße, where all of the shops are located, Blücherstraße which starts at Saint Peter’s church and continues up through the Steeger Tor, a smaller street called the Langestraße which parallels the main street and the beautiful park along the banks of the Rhine.
Altes Haus – Bacharach
Altes Haus History – Bacharach
A main attraction here is the beautifully preserved Altes Haus. It is here where Robert Stolz wrote his operetta Wenn die kleinen Veilchen blühen, or “When the little violets bloom”, which was eventually performed in the Haag in 1932. Aside from that, it is an excellent example of Half-Timber, or Fachwerk framing.
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The hillsides in this area are dominated by vineyards, the area being a major wine producer for Germany. There are many Vintners here and many, if not all, sell directly to the public. Unfortunately after taking so long to eat, we were not predisposed to try and visit any of them.
Restaurants
There are several restaurants in town to choose from, all of which appear to serve a mixture of traditional German fare and some Mediterranean. It is probably preferable to find something on one of the side streets, since traffic is still allowed through the main thoroughfare.
Restaurant Burg Stahleck
We choose this restaurant based on its menu and amount of outside seating. Plus we were just lucky to get the last table with its advantage at being in a very strategic corner, in order to view the goings on in town.
Gulaschsuppe And Bread
Cream Cheese Torte With Strawberries And Espresso
Bacharach is indeed a great place to spend a day or afternoon. The combination of the town, the banks of the Rhine and Castle above it provide more than enough to do for anyone in the area looking for a day trip.
I considered a title in English, however none appeared fitting to me, or at least to my ear. The above essentially translates to Timbered Houses All or all of them. Most, if not all (I didn’t take a census) are built in this style, at least within confines of the ring wall.
Half-Timbered House – Dreieichenhain, Germany
The exemplary example shows all the features of a timbered or half-timbered house in this region of Germany. In fact, Dreieichenhain lays on a three thousand kilometer (appr. 1800 miles) long Deutschen Fachwerkstraße of timbered framed houses in Germany. This virtual road runs through Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Hessen, Thüringen, Bayern and Baden-Württemburg. This town lays on the portion from the Rhine to the Main and Odenwald.
As you walk along the Fahrgasse, the main street in Dreieichenhain, there are several signs explaining the history and method of this type of construction. In typical German fashion, each timber has its own name and in many cases they may have multiple names, depending on their actual purpose.
These include the Rähm or Rähmbalken for the top beams and Schwelle or Grundschwelle for the beams located on the bottom. Echpfosten, Eckstiel and Eckständer may all be used as names for the column posts used for the corners of the buildings.
Half-Timber Building – Dreieichenhain
Half-Timber Buildings – Obertur With Clocks In Distance – Fahrgasse – Dreieichenhain
Here are some additional examples of this construction practice, which many tourist find to represent the idyllic German town. All of them have very restrictive auto and driving rules, many of which require you to park outside the town and walk in. Though we parked outside the town and walked in, the walk was rather short, even though there were two small traffic circles that we had to walk through. While doing so we discovered the town also has its own parking area a few hundred meters from one of the town gates.
The Untertor Gate – Dreieichenhain
Aside from the interesting houses the town is surrounded by the typical Roman wall. This wall has only three gates, through which anyone approaching or leaving the town must pass. The rest of the wall is sparsely populated by lookout towers. The wall is also supplemented and takes advantages of some the buildings in the town to supply part of its construction. For example the church and several stone buildings that were incorporated and included in the wall in order to remain part of the town proper.
The Ruins
Near the Untertur entrance are the ruins of the Burg, or castle, which was rather small, but probably adequate for a town of this size.
The Castle Ruins – Church In The Background – Dreieichenhain
The castle has had a lot of work on it to stabilize its structure and to make it safe for tourists to enter. There is not much to see, but you can enter the ruins and discover the old main hall chimney and other construction items of interest.
Ericka And Patti – Dreieichenhain Castle – Dreieichenhain, Germany – August 2021
Below is another view from outside the ruins and one of the main hall with chimney.
Dreieichenhain Castle – Dreieichenhain, Germany
Gabi And Ericka – Dreieichenhain Castle Chimney – Dreieichenhain, Germany
Restaurants
La Table
Though actually a restaurant, it appears as a rather quaint little boutique coffee shop that sells amazing cakes and desserts. We stopped at La Table for some refreshment, after we had completely discovered what this little town had to offer, and what the local weather kind of forced us into sitting under some kind of cover. Our attempt to sit outside under the coffee shop’s awning was dashed, when what started out as a shower turned into a full blown thunderstorm. We persisted in our belief, along with another cute little old lady from town, that we would be able to sit it out under the awning. But soon enough it rained harder and harder and then the wind picked up and drove us all inside.
Gabi And Ericka – La Table – Dreieichenhain, Germany – August 2021
Luckily, most of the other guest had been driven home by the inclement weather so there was plenty of seating for the rest of us inside, including the little old lady who turned out to be quite the chatterbox. So we ordered up some glasses of Martini Rosso, Prosecco, and hot chocolates along with some cake and had a nice little Kaffeepauseout of the rain and eventually hail.
The Burgweiher – Dreieichenhain, Germany
Above a parting shot of the castle’s water source from the nice little town of Dreieichenhain on the Deutschen Fachwerkstraße.
Continuing our adventure in Bolzano, we found it has a number of good museums and many castles to visit, actually one of the denser areas for castles in Europe. We were lucky enough to have time to see two great museums and one of the better castles. If you are ever in Bozen/Bolzano, these are all great places to visit.
Museums
Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum
The South Tyrolean Museum of Archeology is the present home of Ötzi, the five thousand and three hundred year old man that was found frozen in an alpine mountain pass.
Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum
Visitors will learn who made the discovery and how, as well as many keen facts on the later removal and care for the iceman. It is amazing how many artifacts were found along with the body, all of which can be seen in the exhibits. Ötzi himself is viewable from a portal of glass, though which you can see most of the details of his frozen form. The room keeps him at the conditions in which he was found on the mountain-top.
Ötzi
Naturmuseum Südtirol
The South Tyrolean Museum of Nature is a rather small museum that provides a good educational foundation for the natural areas surrounding Bolzano. You can learn about all of the habitats and ecology of the forests and fields of the neighboring countryside, as well as its geology and climate.
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There are many hands-on exhibits for children, most of which are still accessible with the proper attention to hygiene, in this time of pandemic.
Castles
Schloss Runkelstein
Schloss Runkelstein
If you walk from Bozen/Bolzano to the castle, you will note that it is not just a thirty minute walk, but rather more like forty-five minutes.
You will pass the old Electric Dam
The parking lot across the street from entrance
The entrance and trail up
Probably one of the larger castles in the area, with a location right next to the Talferbach, one of the many rivers (what we would call a stream in the States).
Gate in surrounding wall
The fortress wall
Entrance to Castle
Coat of Arms
Display and Marker
After 45 minute walk in the sun, Weizenbier
Schloss Runkelstein was built in 1237 near the road that north of Bozen up to the Ritten plateau, or Ober-Bozen. This was to avoid the Eisack river gorge. However, the road eventually passes through this very gorge and on through to the Brenner pass, making it a valuable piece of real estate for trade. It was actually built as a fortress to protect the local population. Not until the 14th and 15th centuries was it then converted by aristocracy into a castle.
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The castle contains great stories about Tristram and knights of the round table. There are several very good frescoes to enjoy and some very interesting period architecture. With any good castle, this one will take about forty-five minutes to hour to thoroughly discovery all it has to offer, including the views.
Our next blog will detail out hiking trip to Ober-Bozen and the Earth Pyramids.
The city of Bolzano, or Bozen, is a very modern city, fully equipped with everything that a modern person would want, trendy shopping, restaurants, very good transportation facilities and some very good hotels with all the creature comforts. It is more or less in the heart of South Tyrol.
Piazza Walther
The Tickets
Bozen/Bolzano offers a very good ticket package for travel and entry into many museum, castles and other venues in the surrounding area. The tickets are also good for the cable car and many trains, including the train that runs to Meran/Merano. The three day pass cost €30 at the time of this writing, but you will find that after a few cable car rides and museums, it has already paid for itself.
Südtirol AltoAdige MuseoMobile – Tickets For Two
The City
A mixture of the modern and the past, they have cleverly sculpted modern buildings, museums and stores into the fabric of past buildings. Of course, keeping in mind the past at all times, even the old hotels protect frescoes and other art when renovating, this is even evident outside.
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The Laurin Hotel
Our hotel stay was at the Laurin, a beautiful four star hotel near the center of the city. It has all of the comforts of home and more.
The Hotel Laurin
The rooms are spacious and full of amenities, including slippers and spa robes. So if you are looking for a place in Bolzano to pamper you, this hotel should be on your list.
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The Franciscan Monastery
The monastery is in very good condition with a portico that has a painted ceiling and several frescoes that depict the establishment of the Franciscan church.
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The Franciscan Story
The following frescoes can be found in the church and offer a pedagogical study of the monastery and its teachings.
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Bolzano Cathedral
This cathedral is known for its colorful roof and it does have one with a very distinctive pattern.
The Large Bronze Doors
Tower up close
The Roof from the Piazza
The Beautiful Altar
Restaurants
La Torcia
Very good Italian pizza and food for a very good price. They have the traditional wood fired pizza oven and very good wine from the tap.
Ristorante La Torcia
As you can see below the pizza looks amazing and it was delicious as well. The desserts, like most desserts in Tyrol, are amazing.
Pizza Prosciutto
Pizza Melanzane
Profiterole
Gelato and Lava Cake
Der Weisser Rössl
A Tyrolean restaurant offering all of the local special. It is actually rather large inside and probably can handle hundreds of locals and tourists at a time. However, while we were here they hardly filled the back garden area and a few tables inside, a sad sign of the times.
Weisser Roessl
The food however is actually quite good. I particularly enjoyed the Hungarian Gulash soup.
Onion Soup
Hungarian Gulash
Risotto
Wurst Teller
The Franziskaner Stuben
We ate at this restaurant for lunch and enjoyed it thoroughly. Try the Gnocchi plate or any pasta dish, they are great.
