Rothenburg ob der Tauber is not doubt a miracle town amongst towns in Germany. Partially bombed during World War II, it took an American officer and the German commander of the city at the time to spare this town. The results of which, we are able to enjoy this middle-age town as it appears today, forty percent of which was nevertheless destroyed by allied bombing before it was stopped.
Panorama Tauber river valley – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
It is located in Bavaria and is about one and a half to two hours drive from the Frankfurt area on the A3 and A7, weather permitting of course. There are several parking areas to choose from for visitors, though we found street parking a block or so further out for free.
Plönlein with Kobolzeller Steige and Spitalgasse – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
If it weren’t for it’s strange history at the end of World War II, this town would be easily overlooked. Not necessarily by Germans, but definitely by international tourists always looking for some interesting sidebar or reason to visit. Luckily, even on a Saturday, we did not find it all that busy for a tourist destination. We only hope that it will stay that way.
Patti, Dana, Gabi and Ericka – Seelbrunnen – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Patti and Erick – Seelbrunnen – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Patti and Dana – Seelbrunnen – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Ericka and Dana – Seelbrunnen – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Patti and Ericka – Seelbrunnen – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Seelbrunnen – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Marktplatz
The center square hosts various shops and restaurants, as well as the Town Hall and Ratstrinkstube Clock Tower. Saint George’s fountain can also be found here toward the lower part of the square.
Business shields – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Italian Ice place – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Spitalgasse with Spitalturm in distance – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Marktplatz – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Rathausturm – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Apotheke shield – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
St. George fountain – Marktplatz – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Dana – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Towers
Rothenburg has many towers on all sides of the town, especially on the eastern side. The main entrance towers are of course grander, but the little ones are no less impressive.
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The City Wall
It is one of only three towns in Germany which is still encompassed by a fully intact town wall. The eastern part of the wall, the one which we were actually able to walk on, was mostly repaired after its destruction at the end of the war.
Burgtorturm – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Old unused staircase – Burgtorturm – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Front and entrance – Burgtorturm – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Front and entrance – Burgtorturm – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Several parts are boarded up or unreachable, but many people from around the world contributed funds in the effort to reconstruct it, making it possible to enjoy it today. There are several main entry points, Gallows Gate, Thomas Tower and one near Ruckesse Tower, to name a few.
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Restaurants
There are many restaurants to choose from in Rothenburg, many of which are located in or near the town square. Luckily, we failed on locating an Italian restaurant that was open, but it is August and the Italians are notorious for taking the entire month off for vacation. That forced to find the amazing place that we did below.
Reichsküchenmeister – Das Herz von Rothenburg
If you are able to obtain a seat in the garden, one of the go to places in Rothenburg for a weekend lunch or early dinner.
Reichskückenmeisterer – Herz von Rothenburg restaurant – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
The garden is just amazing, a totally relaxed atmosphere where we were fortunate enough to have a very responsive waiter. The menu is varied enough where one should be able to find something to fit their culinary needs.
Erbsensuppe – Reichskückenmeisterer – Herz von Rothenburg restaurant – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Mixed salad – Reichskückenmeisterer – Herz von Rothenburg restaurant – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Mixed salad with Feta – Reichskückenmeisterer – Herz von Rothenburg restaurant – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Caprese salad – Reichskückenmeisterer – Herz von Rothenburg restaurant – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Erick and Patti – Reichskückenmeisterer – Herz von Rothenburg restaurant – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Dana, Gabi and Ericka – Reichskückenmeisterer – Herz von Rothenburg restaurant – Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Not having an abundance of time, we decided to stay somewhat local a few times and visit Mainz and Frankfurt, both of which are but a stone’s throw away from Offenbach. Since we have been to both several times, we wanted to show other family members these two cities and will post mostly photographs without a lot of text.
Mainz
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Restaurants
While in Mainz, we stopped at one of our favorite restaurants, or in this case a Wine house (Weinhaus), that our friends Karl Heinz and Isolde Seegräber introduced us to in the course of one of our earlier visits.
With a cohort of eight, we found it impossible with only one car to make a day trip on the weekend of August the 17th, so we took the Regional Train direct from Offenbach Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). In 25 mintues with the RE51 you can be in Gelnhausen, or with the RB51 slightly longer; both operate often and at regular intervals.
Overlook of the town – Gelnhausen, Germany
Gelnhausen
An unusual destination for non-Germans, Gelnhausen does not offer much but a change of scenery, a lazy stroll in the park and perhaps different opportunities to eat.
Kinzig River – Gelnhausen, Germany
Ziegelturm – Gelnhausen, Germany
Kinzig River – Gelnhausen, Germany
Ziegelturm – Gelnhausen, Germany
Schmidtgasse – Gelnhausen, Germany
Untermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
The town is separated into lower and upper market places, or Unter- and Obermarkt, both of which act as parking lots for locals and visitors alike. Since we took the train, the entry to the town was over the Kinzig river and through the Ziegelturm.
Houses of timber – Gelnhausen, Germany
Innenstadt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Untermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Obermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Untermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Hotel in the Obermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Walking the narrow streets of Gelnhausen the visitor will notice numerous timber houses with sayings on them. In many towns, this is an old practice which has been used probably for centuries, either to provide some humor or commentary on the events of the time.
More sayings – Gelnhausen, Germany
Pfarrgasse – Gelnhausen, Germany
Cute sayings on house – Gelnhausen, Germany
Very old house – Gelnhausen, Germany
More timber houses – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Altstadt Hotel – Gelnhausen, Germany
On the other end of town, after the Obermarkt you can wander through the Holzgasse Tower to find the old town wall. Here you will enjoy a very nice park with an overlook of the town and surrounding area.
No weather maintenance (snow) – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Town – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Town overlook from wall – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
Not far from the entrance is a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the town from the two world wars.
War Memorial – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
War Memorial – Stadtgarten Halbmond – Gelnhausen, Germany
The town also has a few other monuments or fountains worth visiting.
Schoeller memorial – Gelnhausen, Germany
Statue in the Obermarkt – Gelnhausen, Germany
Stadtplan – Gelnhausen, Germany
Old town fountain – Gelnhausen, Germany
Restaurants
There are many restaurants in this small town, though few were open. However, from what we could tell, there would be many cuisines to choose from had the other restaurants been open.
Malamatina’s Greek Restaurant
Off the beaten path and not far from the Obermarkt, is Malamatina’s Greek restaurant. Though the sign says, Greek and German food, we didn’t see much in the way of German food on the menu..
A thirty minute drive from Frankfurt on the A3 is the lazy, old town of Idstein, Germany. Frequently overlooked by tourists, this small little town, nestled on the other side of the Taunus mountains, is a favorite of cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts.
Erick & Patti – Marktplatz – Idstein, Germany
Marktplatz – Idstein, Germany
Innenstadt Altstadt – Idstein, Germany
We happened to visit on a lark, having visited many of the other towns in the area. It has a cute Innenstadt and Marktplatz that has several restaurants of various cuisines, all of which seem to be reasonably priced.
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The town also has a very large tower, called the “Hexenturm”, which may be ascended, if you are inclined to seeing a panorama of the town and neighboring countryside. It was fairly hot out and the tower is pretty tall, so we declined.
Kanzeleitor – Idstein, Germany
Hexenturm – Idstein, Germany
Ericka & Gabi – Hexenturm – Idstein, Germany
Kanzeleitor – Idstein, Germany
Hexenturm – Idstein, Germany
Pestalozzischule – Idstein, Germany
Other than that, the town is apparently noted for its schools or gymnasium. But for the tourist, it is just a nice place to spend a weekend afternoon strolling the streets and after a nice lunch, stopping for ice cream at the local ice cream parlor.
Restaurants
For a small town on a weekend, the town has a surprising amount of restaurants. All of which, appear to be very busy.
Deutsches Haus
Regardless of the name, which obviously must be a vestige of the prior establishment, the Deutsches Haus is a fine place to stop for a lunch. It serves Greek cuisine and has a variety of salads and cold plates to choose from on a hot day, or heavier fare, if you are more hungry. All I can say is the Greek salad with Feta is first rate. Our bill came to about 20€/person with drinks, which we felt was reasonable.
Deutsches Haus – Greek Restaurant – Idstein, Germany
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.
