Weekend in Koblenz

On October 31, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany13 Comments

Trying to go to different places every weekend has definitely been exhausting and we haven’t had the time to fully describe all of the things that we have seen during our first month here in Germany. This weekend was no exception as we decided to spend two days in Koblenz. It was a relatively short train ride, about an hour and a half, but also one of the most beautiful rides that we’ve ever been on. Following the Rhine river as it winds through the mountains, trees in full Autumn color, and castles every 10 minutes, it was truly spectacular and Koblenz was equally wonderful.

There was definitely plenty to see and Koblenz is definitely worth a full weekend to truly enjoy all that it has to offer. Both days started with fog and clouds, but by mid-day the sun was dominant in the sky, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. We will go into greater detail when we have more time to fully describe the places that we’ve seen, but we wanted to at least provide a flavor of what Koblenz has to offer. Walking along the Rhine river is an amazing experience and every direction that you looked there were stunning views.

Of course there are castles, we started to laugh at how common the sight of castles has become even in this short time in Germany. Walking is something else that we have become quite accustomed to, but our legs are tired from all of the stairs that we climbed in order to see the main attractions in Koblenz. There are also a couple of fortresses that are fascinating and a cable car across the Rhine provides spectacular views. The old town, Altstadt in German, was one of the largest that we have seen so far and provided plenty of opportunities for food and drink, which we took full opportunity of.

We are missing Halloween here as apparently they don’t really celebrate it and obviously we will miss Thanksgiving as well. It seems odd to us to be going straight into the Christmas season, but since that is what is surrounding us, we will just have to embrace it. We are certainly looking forward to the Christmas markets as we keep hearing about how magical they are here in Germany. We haven’t made plans for the upcoming weekend, but with any luck, it will be as wonderful as the time that we spent in Koblenz.

Heidelberg Castle

On October 28, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany7 Comments

Earlier this week, we decided to make a quick trip from Frankfurt to Heidelberg. It is only a fifty-minute train ride to reach Heidelberg and it is definitely a trip that is worth the while. Clearly it is a popular tourist destination and top among the sites to visit is the castle that looms large over the old town. No matter where you are, the castle is clearly visible on the hillside above the city that lies on the Neckar River.

View of Some of the Most Preserved Parts of the Castle

We decided to take the guided tour since we often like to hear about the history and see sights that are sometimes only available by tour, but we were disappointed with this particular tour. Partially due to two young children who misbehaved and disrupted every aspect of the tour, however, even if that hadn’t been the case, it would not have been worth the small price that we paid. The castle has been in a state of constant flux since its original construction in the thirteenth century. What is left today is a ruin of a castle, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth seeing, because it definitely is.

It is hard to imagine how beautiful it must have been during the height or its glory, but it must have truly been grand. It helps that it was a gorgeous day when we visited, which is somewhat of rarity these days. The castle grounds are no longer filled with lavish gardens, but it is still a beautiful place to visit. Today, the castle is rented out for weddings and special events, so one of the reasons that we didn’t like the tour was the subliminal selling message that we heard throughout the tour. Although the castle is clearly in decay, it is still very much worth visiting if you get the chance to visit Heidelberg.

Walking with Locks of Love

On October 20, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Photo Challenge4 Comments

We haven’t been consistent with sharing for Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge, but we thought we would try to participate more often. For this week, we decided to use a photo from here in Frankfurt. This is the pedestrian bridge that takes you from Altenstadt (Old Town) Frankfurt into the suburb of Sachsenhausen. Sachsenhausen is home to some of the best local restaurants in town as well as a lot of lively pubs, at least from what we understand. The love locks on fences, like these on the bridge, are always intriguing wherever they are found and we definitely enjoyed seeing these. We have wondered over this bridge several times now and will enjoy crossing it to share a meal, perhaps even with one of the locals that we have met.