Strasbourg Cathedral

The Cathedral at Strasbourg is a magnificent Gothic structure that looms large over the old town central part of the city.  We quickly learned that the Saturday of Easter weekend is not the time visit.  Crowds, crowds, and more crowds.  There was a huge line waiting to get in, and although we very much wanted to see the interior, this was the last day our trip here and we didn't want to spend it standing in lines.  So we'll just have to be satisfied admiring it from the exterior and save the interior for a return trip.

Route des Vin D'Alsace

Each day we've been in Alsace, we've driven through wine country.  Specifically, we've driven the Route des Vin D'Alsace -- Alsatian Wine Route.  This has taken us through many small towns, past vineyards and wineries too numerous to count, and allowed us to dine on wonderful Alsatian cuisine.

While we stopped multiple times in many of the towns, we spent the most time in Riquewihr and Kayserberg.  In some ways, both towns look like something straight out of a fairy tale with cobblestone streets and half-timbered architecture.  The height of wine season is August and September, when the grapes are harvested and all of the towns have their own wine festival.  Because we're here in April, the leaves are just beginning to sprout on the vines.  While the vineyards may not be as picturesque as when the grapes are ready to harvest, we've loved not having large crowds.  We've been able to move around with ease and have more specialized attention in the shops, restaurants, and wine rooms.

Kayserberg

Kayserberg appears to be the largest of the towns where we stopped.  It's also the home of Albert Schweitzer who would later receive the Nobel Peace Prize.  It's also where we were awed by the giant crucifix hanging in the local parish church.  Riquewihr has a clock tower at one end of its central core and like some of the other towns along the wine route, cars drive through the arch underneath.

Riquewihr

The wines here have been drier than those from the Mosel Valley.  After multiple tastings during our stay we've declared the Mosel wines to be our favorite.  The French wines are good, but the Mosel wines hit our taste buds better.  Given the charm and character of the Route des Vin D'Alsace, one could easily spend a week here just visiting each of the towns.

Riquewihr

Colmar

La Petite Venise neighborhood

After leaving Germany, we headed for the Alsace region of France where the city of Colmar would be our home for two nights.  Alsace is a unique blend of German and French influences as this part of the world kept changing hands between being part of France and being part of Germany as the result of wars and occupations through the centuries.  Now firmly a part of France, the German architectural style of half timbered houses is so prevalent in some small towns, you'd think you were in Germany except for seeing all of the signs in French.

Unterlinden Museum

Colmar is a lovely city and it's old town area of cobblestone streets and pedestrian only lanes evoke a typical European feel.  Between outdoor cafes, patisseries, and small shops, you can easily lose track of time wondering through the town.  Colmar has an Easter market spread across two different squares and it was in full swing this week.  It was smaller than the Easter Markets we experienced in Prague, but just as festive.  One difference here was several areas of live animals -- goats, rabbits, sheep, etc.

Bartholdi statue decorated for Easter

One of the must-dos while in Colmar is to visit the Unterlinden Museum which houses the Issenheim Altarpiece, which I covered in a previous post.  A smaller interesting museum is the Musee Bartholdi.  The sculptor Auguste Bartholdi was born in Colmar and his boyhood home has been converted into a museum celebrating his work, including models and castings.  Bartholdi's most famous work is the Statue of Liberty.  While there is significant space and focus on Lady Liberty, we also got to experience his complete body of work.  He donated several pieces to the City of Colmar which we saw during our stroll around town.  Some of these works were featured in fountains.  Bartholdi also has other sculptures in the United States including one of Washington and Lafayette in New York and one of Christopher Columbus in Providence, Rhode Island.

We also ate our way through town experiencing the wonder that is french bread and pastries.  Croissants, eclairs, mille-fueille, and tartelletes were just a few of the great things we ate along our strolls.  La Petite Venise --  Little Venice -- is another fun area of town with houses along a few canals and small boats traveling the canals a la Venice.

Obligatory Statue of Liberty Picture

As with Trier, we've discovered we would like to spend more time here.  That's one of the challenges of a week's vacation in this area -- too much you want to see and do.  We do know it's a place we want to return.

We're eating well

One of the great things about traveling anywhere is sampling the local cuisine.  In the States, that might mean barbecue in Memphis, Po Boys in New Orleans, or crab cakes in Maryland.  On this trip we've enjoyed numerous traditional dishes and all have been superb.  Hopefully, we've done enough walking on this trip to counteract the calories.  If I only gained a pound or two, I'll count that as a win.

Goulasch and spätzle (Cochem)

Fleischkäse -- German Meatloaf (Trier)

Tarte Flambée -- Alsace (Kayserburg)

Baeckeoffe -- Alsace (Kayserburg)

Döner Kebab (actually Turkish) -- Trier

Good Friday

Church of our Lady -- Luxembourg City

Today is Good Friday and a number of places, especially shops, were closed today.  As someone of the Christian faith, it is a time to reflect upon the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

During our travels this week, we have visited numerous churches and cathedrals, admittedly in part due to the architecture and aesthetics of these grand houses of worship, but also for reflection.  We saw gorgeous stained glass, massive organ pipes, and candles lit in memory of loved ones departed.

St. Matthias Church -- Trier

In Trier, we visited St. Matthias Church, named for the apostle Matthias.   Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the 12 apostles after Judas betrayed Jesus (Acts 1:26).  As many as 50,000 pilgrims walk great lengths to pay homage to Matthias and pray for his intercession.  He was martyred and his relics were said to have been brought to Trier by St. Helena, Constantine the Great's mother.  We saw the tomb with a marble effigy that is in front of the altar as well as the sarcophagus in the crypt underneath that holds his relics.

Issenheim Altarpiece -- Colmar

Showing how the polyptych works

In Colmar, France, we saw the Issenheim Altarpiece, the master work of German artist Matthias Grünewald.  An altarpiece is a typically a work of art depicting some type of religious scene that is placed behind the altar in Christian churches.  This work is a polyptych -- a series of two-sided paintings on hinges that pivot like shutters.  As the church year progresses, priests can change the painting by opening or closing the various panels.  We've never seen such a work before, and to me, this is an ingenious way to have a single work portray so many different themes and emotions.  Grünewald completed his work circa 1515, so the altarpiece is over 500 years old.  For display purposes, the altarpiece has been disassembled to that all of the paintings may be seen at the same time; however, a model on the wall showed us how the polyptych works.

Parish Church -- Kayserberg

Finally, this afternoon we visited the village of Kayserburg along the Alsace Route du Vins.  There in local parish church is a massive crucifix that hangs from the pinnacle of the arch along the center aisle.  A stark reminder of the pain and suffering of Jesus who died for our sins.

Welcome to Rome.....I mean Trier

Porta Nigra

Trier was not a place we knew much about when we were researching places we wanted to visit in Germany.  The Mosel Valley and Burg Eltz were first on our list, but we were wide open after that. After learning about Trier, it's a wonder why we didn't know a lot more about it and have this as the number one spot on our list as it's steeped in history.

Porta Nigra and remains of Old Roman Road

Trier was an important city in the Holy Roman Empire and is the oldest city in Germany.  In some ways, it might be the most Roman city of any outside of Rome.  There are 7 UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites in Trier, all of them dating back to the Holy Roman Empire.  We spent most of our day touring these sites and it was quite the juxtaposition seeing 2000 year-old Roman structures amidst typical half-timbered German architecture that's over 1000 years younger.

Imperial Throne Room

We started our day touring the Porta Nigra or "Black Gate."  It's the largest surviving Roman city gate  in the world from about 180 A.D.  While its Roman name is unknown, it's been referred to as the Porta Nigra since at least the Middle Ages.  This gate has survived millennia even though it was built without the use of mortar.  Its massive sandstone blocks are held together with iron clamps embedded in lead.   In later years, the gate was converted into a church and it became a gate again in the early 1800s.  We toured the various floors of the Porta Nigra and were astounded at the carvings and craftsmanship still evident.  It provided great views of Trier and you could see the remains of the old Roman Road that people would have traveled when the gate was first constructed. 

Interior of Imperial Throne Room

After the Porta Nigra, we toured the Roman Imperial Throne Room of Constantine the Great which dates to the 4th century.  This is the largest surviving single room from Antiquity -- 220 feet by 90 feet by 110 feet.  A significant portion of the walls are almost completely original to its construction in 310 A.D. The acoustics are such that echoes of 7 to 10 seconds during choral performances are not uncommon.

Portion of Walls of Imperial Baths

After touring the Imperial Baths, the Porta Nigra and Imperial Throne Room seem to be in almost pristine condition by comparison.  These ruins are still being excavated and restored today.  As with the Imperial Throne Room, we saw the Roman bricks which are a very distinctive size -- wider and skinnier than bricks you see today. The construction was exactly like what we saw in Rome at the Colosseum and other historic sites.

Roman Bridge

The city still uses the Roman bridge over the Mosel River. The first bridge to be built over the Mosel, the original bridge was built of wood in 18 B.C., which was the oldest datable Roman structure in Germany.  The basalt piers of the current bridge date back to 144 B.C.

Can you tell we like history? Trier is not all Roman history. The city is also the birthplace of Karl Marx whose home has been turned into a museum.  We didn't get the opportunity to tour, but we at

least made it to get a picture. 

Karl Marx House

We have had the best time here.  The historic center of the city where we're staying is full of great architecture, shops, and dining.  It's also very compact which makes it very walkable to all of the sites.  And the final bonus -- it's still part of the Mosel Valley which means lots of great wine.

Scenes from Luxembourg

Grand Ducal Palace

After visiting the Luxembourg American Cemetery, we drove into the capital Luxembourg City for a whirlwind tour. Because of the rainy weather and the lateness of the day, we did our own self-guided walking tour of the major sites around the old town.  Luxembourg is a wealthy nation and serves as one of the headquarters of the European Union.  While there is some old town charm in the center of Luxembourg City, it's really more of a modern city with lots of new construction taking place.  We would have liked better weather and a little more time, but all in all, we got a good flair for Luxembourg.

Bock Promontory & Casements -- original fortifications

Cercle Cite -- Administrative Building

Adolphe Bridge -- 1903

Remembrance

On our way to Trier, we took a quick side trip to Luxembourg.  Although they didn't actually stamp our passport, we can add another country to the list of places we've been.  Luxembourg is nestled in between Germany, France, and Belgium and was the site of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

This was Hitler's last major counteroffensive and the American victory was critical in hastening the end of the war on the Western Front.  British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill stated "This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory."

We paid our respects at the Luxembourg American Cemetery where 5,075 service members are buried.  It was fitting that we visited on a rainy, dreary afternoon considering the hardships our soldiers endured fighting to protect our freedoms and save the world from tyranny.  General George S. Patton, Jr., is buried here, his grave marked by the same simple white cross as all of the others.

Also buried here:

• Twenty-two pairs of brothers, buried side by side

• Two Medal of Honor recipients, Private William McGee of Indiana and Staff Sergeant Day Turner of Pennsylvania.

• Second Lieutenant Nancy Leo, an Army Nurse from Maryland, the only woman buried in this cemetery.

• The remains of 100 unknown soldiers.

• Five soldiers of the "Band of Brothers" -- Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment

Rest in peace dear ones.  We are eternally grateful for your service and your sacrifice.

Wine Country

Our first wine tasting in Alken

The Mosel Valley is one of Germany's wine regions.  Here riesling is king and the number of vineyards and small family wineries is astounding.  I'll admit up front that I've never been a wine drinker, mostly because I just don't care for the taste.  Red. white, blush -- it doesn't matter.  While not necessarily a connoisseur of wine, Mona knows what she likes which is usually white wine that tends to be on the sweeter side.  Moscato is her favorite.

We knew coming over that German rieslings would be drier and not as sweet as what we tend to have at home.  What we didn't expect is the sheer number and varieties of riesling.  Most of the wine produced here is hyper-local, meaning it's not exported and you may only find it in the town where the vineyard is located.  As we stopped in various towns and villages along our Mosel drive, we found a weinstube (wine room) where you can have tastings -- sometimes free if you plan to buy a bottle or two.

Calmont vineyard -- steepest in Europe

They say that the soil type and environment have as much effect on wine as the actual grape itself.  The Mosel cuts through the hills of western Germany and the terrain is very steep.  So steep, that many of the vineyards are terraced with stone walls.  And the soil?  It's actually a very rocky shale and not necessarily a rich, fertile soil.  One of the vineyards we stopped at was Calmont in the village of Bremm, which is the steepest vineyard in Europe at close to 60% grade.

Mona on the "wine train" used to traverse the steep slopes

The verdict?  Both of us have thoroughly enjoyed the wines here.  For me, that's saying a lot as I've never been a wine drinker.  For the first time, Mona and I can share a bottle over a meal which has never happened before.  We've both tended to enjoy a riesling feinherb, or "off dry."  Has it converted me to become a wine drinker?  Doubtful.  Given the choice, I'll still probably order something else, but for the remainder of the trip, I'll probably be sharing a bottle. 

Dinner at Weinstube Kesselstatt in Trier

Koblenz and the Deutsches Eck

Because of our flight delays getting here, we weren't able to do any sightseeing on the day we arrived.  That meant we ditched visiting Mainz Cathedral and the Gutenberg Museum as well as Koblenz because we were planning to visit on the way to Cochem and our first hotel stay.  We still wanted to see the Deutsches Eck -- "German Corner" - where the Mosel and Rhine rivers join together at Koblenz so we made a quick detour after our Burg Eltz visit.  A large statue of Kaiser Wilhelm was erected here in 1897 as a memorial to honor him for unification of Germany after several years of war.  The statue was destroyed

by bombing in World War II and a reconstruction of the memorial was completed in 1993.  After a quick stop to see St. Castor's Basilica, it was back to the car and continuing our drive exploring the Mosel valley.

Burg Eltz Castle

Our first full day was spent driving along the Mosel River and exploring the towns along the way. The main objective for the day was to visit Burg Eltz, likely the best preserved medieval castle in Germany.  Our plan was to arrive as soon as they opened at 9:30am in order to beat the crowds and take pictures.  We were not disappointed.

Our hike through the Eltz Forest

Burg Eltz is still privately owned, and has been in a branch of the same family since the 12th century -- 33 generations and counting -- and is one of the few castles to have never been destroyed.  Once you leave the car park, it's about a 15 minute walk down the footpath through the Eltz forest.  We were about the fourth or fifth car in the lot and had a lovely walk through the forest, listening to birds and the sounds of nature and bubbling water of the Elzbach River, a tributary of the Mosel that flows around the castle.  You can't see the castle at all until you round the final bend in the trail and then -- BAM! -- you see the castle in all its glory.

The castle complex is a combination of interlinked homes of the three branches of the Eltz family.  Unfortunately, we could not take photos in the interior of the castle, but our guide Michelle gave a wonderfully insightful tour about the castle and the family.  As much as I enjoyed Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria (see and read about it here), I believe I enjoyed Burg Eltz more.  The tour and what you're able to see inside was certainly better, it's equally as picturesque, and it's more adventurous to get there.

And We're Off..........Germany & France, Here We Come!

Thanks to today's unstable weather in Texas, one of our flights was canceled.  Fortunately, they canceled early enough so I could get us rerouted.  Instead of the direct USA to Frankfurt itinerary, we are now flying to Heathrow and switching over to British Airways for the flight to Frankfurt.  Echoes of having to do the same thing when we went to Paris a few years ago -- an unexpected stopover in London.  Back then, we landed on the day of Kate and Will's royal wedding and everyone was glued to their tv's watching the ceremony.  This time, we stop over with an impending royal birth for Meghan and Harry.  I wonder if we'll find souvenirs celebrating the occasion........?

Question answered.