We left Australia on the 26 th June 9:00 at night and flew with Scoot to Singapore then after a 8 hour wait in transit flew with Singapore airlines to Frankfurt. Germany, a small amount of France and Austria for our three month adventure.
Frankfurt is the financial capital of Germany and was just another city but had a small altstadt ( old city area ) , the Romerplatz , which was nice.
It had some lovely gabled roofs and facades and the Rathaus , (townhall) front was interesting.
Our hotel the Moxy was very centrally located making the walk down to the platz and river Main easy.
We did a river cruise which wasn’t very interesting,had a beer in a cafe and back to the hotel as John had developed a gastro bug and the next two days were a write off.
I wandered around the area and shops near the hotel visited the Cathredral and not much else was experienced.
The fourth day we picked up the van after a long drive in a taxi to the pick up point. ( 100 euro)
So after our orientation on the van we left the outskirts of Frankfurt and headed to the Rhine and onto Bingen. Unfortunately all the camping places were taken so after a brief shop we drove onto a pretty lousy camping ground at Trechtingshausen on the Rhine River. Its one good point a small kiosk so I didn’t have to cook dinner and a castle in the background made the spot more interesting.
The trip down the Rhine was very scenic and we enjoyed the drive enormously despite a little rain. The drive from Bingen to Sankt Goar and through Loreley was the prettiest with vineyards up the cliffs and castles everywhere.
Koblenz was our next destination a large town where the Rhine meets the Moselle river and we managed to get a spot in the Shelplatz right on the Moselle river and looking directly across to town and the Deutsche Eck, a 37 m high equestrian monument that marks the headland where the two rivers meet.
The after noon in Koblenz was an exhausting 11 kms of walking thru the town, including the 20 min walk from the campground.
A great lunch (a flamm) in town we visited the Deutsche Eck, then took the cable car to the Ehrenbreitstein fortress.
The fortress was huge but most info was in German so its history is vague but the view down to the rivers and town amazing.
We walked back thru Koblenz past the historic column. Onto the bank in the new town area then back to camp via the supermarket. Exhausted!!
Cochem
We followed the Moselle river to Cochem a very scenic route
Our camp spot was on the river, how delightful !
After lunch we walked into town and the market square
Then climbed the hill to the Reichsburg castle dated from 1100 and did the English speaking tour inside this lovely castle.
Then homeward to the camp via a beer stop in the market square. Only a 5.4 km walk today but the climb up to the castle was very steep.
We brought a naughty treat for dinner which we didn’t eat as after the left over schnitzel and salad we were full. Tomorrow night for the treat.
Day 2 Cochem
An amazing day with the boat cruise to Beilstein , where we climbed the hill to Burg Metternich restaurant and the castle ruins. This hill topped castle was from the 12 th century and was destroyed by the French in 1689. Now a restaurant with amazing views over the Moselle and we tried a lunch of sausages and bread with beer and a wine cocktail.
We climb the tower for even a better view, spoke to an English couple then down through the main town area and sat over looking the Moselle and watch the ferry crossing the river here while enjoying a beer. Then it was back to our van via the boat to Cochem.
Moselle river to Trier.
We followed the Moselle nearly all the way to Trier, a few hiccups with certain roads closed but still managed the drive. Germany often has road closures but no signs as to where to detour.
The scenery spectacular.
Trier
Germanys oldest city with Roman influences dating back 1600 years.
Our camp was a hotel car park only 500 metres from the city centre. We were allowed to use the Hotels toilets and power was available.
We walked to the main square, the hauptmarkt, then onto the Porta Nigra , the best preserved Roman city gate AD 170 in the world.
Then took a photo of Karl Marx statue who was born here. Then into St Peter’s cathedral the oldest church in Germany which has stunning market altars and the liebfraufrauen bascilika.
We bought some decent pillows here as the vans square one are lumpy and to big
Next we pasted
Konstantin Basilika and viewed the palace from outside and the gardens
On past the Lardes museum to the Kaiserthermen, an old Roman bathing complex now ruins and tunnels . Then with a sore toe time to head back to the van and rest.
The quiche bought for dinner was lovely
But the lemon pie had melted but still tasty.
A early walk the next morning to the stony Roman bridge at the end of the street where we were staying.
And visited the Barbara thermal ruins, from late in the 2nd century.
Now it is off to Dijon. France.
