Sunday, 4 April 2010
Sunday, 12 April 2009
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Watch Out On The Road!!
Also, on Friday, I took my driving theory test and passed thankfully. It was the most nerve-wracking thing I have done in ages. I didn't quite manage to get better than Vicky (it's quite hard to get better than full marks) and she said that she wouldn't rub it in (yeah right!). Next step, driving test and then you really will have to watch out!
Monday, 8 September 2008
Trip to Germany - Day 14
Today we decided to cross the Rhine on a ferry and go back upstream to Rudesheim, opposite Bingen that we visited yesterday. We really wish we hadn't, it was a shoddy town with hardly anything of interest (unless we missed it). So back in the car and we set off to Bad Ems, on the Lahn river. What a beautiful town. Swans on the river, fountains, flowers and beautiful buildings. Most notable of which is the Russian church. We were glad that this town was so delightful, as it is our last trip before setting off back to Calais tomorrow (boo hoo).
Trip to Germany - Day 13
Today we drove back up the Rhine to Bingen, which was a pretty little town but quite touristy. It is a major stop off point for Rhine cruise ships. We had our lunch here and then set off with no particular destination in mind. We set Tomtom up with our apartment as the destination, and deliberately tried to go differently to wherever it sent us. We found some lovely small lanes through glorious countryside.
Trip to Germany - Day 12
Today the weather forecast was none too good, so we decided that we'd be better in the car than walking around. So we decided to plan a route over to the Mosel valley, along it for a while and then back. The weather true to forecast was quite drizzly in the morning, we stopped at Cochem on the Mosel for lunch, and then drove on. In the afternoon the forecast was wrong, the light showers were absent. Instead it absolutely hissed it down! The scenery in the valley was breathtaking even in the rain, we can only imagine what it would be like in sunshine.
It wasn't only the valley that was beautiful though, when driving up through the forests, around the many hairpin bends, it really was beautiful.
Trip to Germany - Day 11
As hinted at we did indeed take a trip on the Rhine today. We set off from Bacharach at 10:15 and arrived at Koblenz at 1:10. The weather was good, the scenery beautiful and the ride very relaxing. We only just had time at Koblenz to get to a cafe for a quick lunch before boarding again for the 4.5 hour trip back up river to Bacharach. Perhaps in hindsight it may have been better not to have gone so far and had a longer stop. Then of course we wouldn't have seen as much of the Rhine.
Silly us though,sitting on the sundeck of the boat for seven and a half hours in good weather, we caught a little too much of the sun. Fantastic trip though.
Trip to Germany - Day 10
Well here we are at sunny Bacharach, it rained nearly all the way, and the roadworks near Wurzburg were horrendous. To cap it all off, the last 50km we decided to take the scenic route and ended up on the wrong side of the Rhine. Hey Ho, never mind we had a lovely ferry crossing for €4.50. Bacharach is a beautiful town, right on the Rhine (5 mins walk, even for me). Sorry, didn't take photos today in the rain, but it won't matter anyway as I won't be able to post this until later in the week, as we have no internet connection.
All being well, we are going on a long cruise up the Rhine to Koblenz tomorrow, so no driving at all for me.
Sunday, 31 August 2008
Trip to Germany - Day 9
Sadly, this is our last day in Bavaria, as we are moving on to Baccarach on the Rhine tomorrow. So today we decided that we didn't want to have too long a day and set off meandering along the Trubach valley. We had heard that at Gossweinstein could be found the most famous baroque basilica in all of Germany, and so we headed there. We're so glad that we didn't miss out on this opportunity.
On arriving at Gossweinstein, we first climbed to the berg on the hill, this was well worth it for the stunning views
We then ventured into the basilica, photos can't do it justice, to say it was stunning is somehow inadequate. You can judge for yourselves from the sample pictures shown, and the many we will inflict on everyone when we return.
Oh, and by the way, I bet you thought we'd forgotten the pictures of Konigstein where we're staying. We finally got round to taking them this afternoon, so here's a couple.
Saturday, 30 August 2008
Trip to Germany - Day 8
This morning our landlady, Frau Scarmacher, suggested we plan our tour via Parkstein for the wonderful views. We arrived and parked up, saw a small church on the cliff top, and thought should we or shouldn't we? Just then a bus trip of pensioners turned up and many set off up. That did it. Off we set. Idiots! 137 steps, and that was just to reach the steep hill that led through the ruined castle to the church at the top. What stunning views. Clear views for many, many miles over the pine forests.
On returning home we told Frau Scharmacher that we had eventually made it to the top, she replied that she hadn't intended us to go up, just admire the view from the bottom!
After getting our breath back, which took quite some time, we went on to Weiden, via Neustadt. The old town hall at Weiden looked magnificent, but unfortunately was closed so we couldn't go in to see the painted ceilings which were supposed to be incredible.
The church of St. Joseph here was also well worth the visit, the interior being quite magnificent, as indeed are a lot of the catholic churches in Bavaria.
