St. Goar, Germany - Days 10, 11 and 12
On our way from Lauterbrunnen toward our final destination, St. Goar. We leave Switzerland and head back into Germany.
We stop for lunch in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden, Germany.
And finally in Sankt Goar - St. Goar - a village on the Rhine.
The Rhine is clearly a transportation corrider.
Even the parking lots are Medieval - or at least they appear to be.
Gazing up a Sankt Goar Gasse.
Fachwerkhaus - half-timbered, but full height.
Cuckoo Clock Center, a cuckoo for everyone!
Yes, here is the world's largest free-hanging cuckoo clock.
Rheinfels Castle - the largest fortification on the Rhine. Now we fortify ourselves with an ice cream cone and make the trek up the hill.
Our good friends Claudia and Hans came from Leverkusen to meet us and lead us up to Rheinfels Castle.
High above the Rhine.
700 year old masonry.
A commanding view. Vineyards on both sides of the Rhine.
Sankt Gorhausen spreads out, across the Rhine.
Looking down into Sankt Goar.
All roads lead from Rheinfels Castle.
Sankt Goarhausen below Burg Katz.
Our river ride arrives.
This is the legendary lump called Loreley. Any siren songs were drowned out by The Loreley song on the boat's speakers and we passed safely by.
The terraces sometimes appear to be cascading into the villages.
The Rhine is one of Europe's busiest waterways. We give a wide berth to barge traffic.
Oberwesel fortification tower with 14th century Pfarrkirche St. Martin up behind.
Schönburg Castle on the hill.
Schönburg Castle is now a hotel.
Gutenfels Castle - since 1277. Also now a hotel. Above the town of Kaub.
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle. A toll station built in 1327.
The village of Kaub below its vineyards.
Greylag geese on the Rhine.
Jackdaws looking for their next meal.
A linear village, as the terrain requires. But no strip malls here!
All ages enjoy cruising down the Rhine.
Bacharach.
Fürstenberg Castle, built in 1219. Above Rheindiebach.
Niederheimbach with 12th century Stahleck Castle in the distance.
Sooneck Castle
Rheinstein Castle
Rheinstein Castle has a natural rock buttress.
Hotel Krone Assmannshausen - in business since 1541. Even Goethe was a guest.
Centuries of terracing.
Burg Ehrenfels rides on a wave of vineyards.
Mäuseturm Toll Tower.
Rüdesheim am Rhein
Lorchhausen along the Rhine.
Parish church St. Bonifatius and Clemens Kapelle at Lorchhausen.
Gutenfels Castle.
Pfalzgrafenstein.
Gutenfels Castle above Kaub.
Nearly back to Saint Goar, we pass Oberwesel again. Pfarrkirche Liebfrauen, the Catholic Parish Church of Our Lady, with Schönburg Castle above.
And here is our wonderful Rick Steves My Way travel group. It was a joy and a pleasure to travel with such amiable companions. We all went our separate ways during the day, but caught up at breakfast or dinner to share stories of our various adventures. What a great way to travel!
We especially appreciate our two excellent leaders: driver, Aneta, and host, Cynthia. We are so privileged to be able to take a trip like this, and these are the people that made it the best trip possible.