The Romantic Road, Germany

Thursday, 8th October, 1981              San's European birthday         fine and cold

Up leisurely, prepared to leave the bank of the Rhine and head for the Romantic Road.  

We had to leave the banks of the Rhine and take the main road to Mainz, we stayed in Mainz for lunch and on the road again as everything closes for three hours.  Before we left Bingen we took the washing to the laundromat, where we met the old German who told us about President Sadat.  He helped me read the headlines of their paper.  He was a funny old fellow - only washes once every three months.  Kept saying "this is women's work" his trousers hung down to his knees and he kept singing "hang out my washing on the Siegfried line" info here and he didn't like the Queen, Princess Margaret or Diana.  He could speak good English.  Sad goodbye to the Rhine countryside - the road leaves the riverbank and goes inland and back again at Mainz to cross the Rhine, many bridges must have been blown up during the war, as there are only two from Bonn.  We stopped at Mainz but the town closes down for three hours as everywhere in Germany does.  We lunched and on to the autobahn where it is a fight for life, we had polite truckies and impatient ones - it was not as busy as the M1, but the drivers are more ferocious.  On to Wursburg where we found a caravan park on the river Main.  Here we celebrated San's birthday again with a smorgasbord high tea.  Cheese, salami, black bread and wine very nice.  All to bed after a hot, long shower included in price of 21 deutsche marks. 

Wurzburg, Germany

Wursburg is predominantly Catholic - we visited the Dom - lovely baroque architecture, all plain unadorned walls, and nuns made up 50% of the population the day we were there.

We parked in the square along, with dozens of others, but were then told we were illegally parked and as they carry you away in most European countries for that offence, we drove around and around for half an hour.  Came back to square and found another 500 cars parked so there we stayed.

Friday, 9th October, 1981                      fine and cold

Woke rested, a little heady from the white wine and headed for the Romantic Road.  Along the road are Stations of the Cross in the fields.  In every village religious scenes are built on the sides of streets, in the market square, on signs of houses.  We saw a real live shepherd with his crook and flock, women harvesting - driving tractors and stripping grapevines and fruit trees - another side of German life.  The road cuts through a beautiful valley with the villagers of Tauberberlischaishein, Bad Murgenshien, Markelshien and many more snuggled into valleys.

Some are very old.  Sugar beet is grown in acres and acres - only other source of sugar.  Every now and then, in side of embankment in roadside, is brick storage for the beets.

Pulled into Detwang - one of the oldest villages in Germany.  The caravan park is on the Tauber, a lovely clean park.  We gave the washing to the "chef" and he had it washed and dried himself for five deutsche marks - cheaper than the laundromats.  It was a half-hour walk into town, up this lovely steep walkway.  Detwang has the oldest consecrated church - St Peter and Paul - it was consecrated in 968 - it is now Lutheran.  

Rothenberg ob de Tauber, Germany

Rothenberg ob de Tauber is a walled city - it is mostly a tourist city now - boasts a lovely old market place with the Rathaus the main beautiful building. The Ratherntrinkatube.  The city councillors Tavern, where on the hour in the baroque gabled end there are two clocks.  At 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. the two main characters of the Meistertrunk, the giant gauge appear in windows on the right and left of the clock.  One is Gen Lilly who in 1631 took the town and the other is Mayor Nusch drinking the 3 1/4 litres of heavy Franconian wine in one chug a lug and consequently saved the town.  There is so much to see in Rothenberg.

Saturday, 10th October, 1981                   cold and fine

Left Rothenberg after lunch and drove further along the Romantic Road through Bahnhof Untershien and other small villages in the valleys into Dinkelsbuhl, another interesting town on the road.  

Last night, after strolling around Rothenberg, we decided to eat in a completely German cafe and order only with the aid of our phrase book and dictionary.  We took ages to order but had fun.  Sandra and Rae had Vienna schnitzel, John ravioli, Sean spaghetti bolognaise and me a filet of fish with beautiful German salads.  We finished about 9:15 p.m. then had to face the long walk home.  Thank God it was all downhill.  We found the gateway in the pitch dark and stumbled and giggled our terrified way the kilometres home.  Had a hot hot shower and into bed and then it rained and rained, but was fine and cold this a.m. We arrived at Dinklesbuhl about 2:30 p.m.- another walled town with baroque cathedral.  We hope to go to Mass in the a.m.

Dinklesbuhl, Germany

Dinklesbuhl Boys Band

At 3 p.m. we were lucky enough to hear the famous Dinklesbuhl boys band - we then walked around part of the town, had a coffee in the Deutsches Haus, one of five gabled houses -  it has small religious scenes in windows.  Window gardens are blooming with geraniums.  So much to see, so brought a book to read more.

 Further diary entries for Saturday 10th of Octobe r- seems to be a copy of part of the above

We left Rothenberg and headed for Dinklesbuhl after lunch.  Bought some German bread - too heavy for me.  The weather continues to please us.  This a.m. it was windy and cold but by p.m. was sunny and reasonable.  We arrived at Dinklesbuhl - a walled village from 928 AD - about 2:30 p.m.  It boasts a beautiful Catholic Church - the Dom - Gothic style built in 1448.  Since 1806 the town has belonged to Bavaria.  We walked around the town and arrived at the museum to hear the Dinklesbuhl boy’s band after which we had a coffee, beer and hot chocolate in the Deutsches Haus opposite the Dom in the wine market.

We found the camping area out of town - best one we have been in, as much hot water without cutting out, it was on the Tauber, clean and refreshing.  We were going into town to hear the night watchman but were too tired at 9 p.m.

I loved St Georges Dom - beautiful Gothic building.  We went to bed to rain and wind.

At Rothenberg the night before we dined at a German restaurant, ordered in German took so long but the waitress was nice.

 Sunday, 11th October, 1981                      windy and raining

Worst morning yet - raining and blowing a gale - not conducive to sightseeing.  We all showered, ate and drove the 2 km into Dinklesbuhl where we went to Mass in the cathedral.  One can follow but can't understand a word, apology to our bishops but Latin is by far the universal language format.  The singing was beautiful.  

After Mass we headed for Nordlingen sister city to Wagga Wagga.  I think it greeted us with midwinter Wagga weather.  Blowing and raining.  We went for a walk to find someone interested in Wagga Wagga but it is a sleepy town on a Sunday.  Up and on the road again-poor John had great difficulty with the wind.  We stopped in the small town of Aalen for lunch and a break, then through meadows and leas and made our way to Stuttgart.  We always have fun?  finding camping areas in a big city but this one was easy.  Followed the crowd to a big festival just near the camp area.  One policeman on duty was telling off a motorist just in front of us at one intersection - he was only young-gun and all.

We settled then went over to the fair - a huge area covered with all types of amusement.  We just walked and stared - the kids were fascinated with the size of the Ferris wheel.  We entered 2 big beer halls, huge areas with wooden tables and everyone drinking 1 L glasses of beer.  The band struck up the chicken dance and everybody started to sing and dance.  One girl was on the table and 10 people were on their chairs.  Incredible!  The hall was all decorated with red and white, the band also were dressed in red and white.  Further up another big hall - this time in yellow and bone - band and all.  Later Sandra, John, Sean and Rae went back and had a great time in the Dinkel Akker Brauhaus.  The boys stayed later having teamed up with two Aussie boys and an American boy and came in giggling over 3 x L tankards they souvenired?  A good night was had by all.