From the Main to the Rhine
I may have been lacking the wit or the energy to write this past week, but (as Andre will attest) I have upheld my reputation for being an excellent travel companion, soldiering on without a sniffle or a grumble (for the most part).
Since I last wrote, I’ve been doing a little bit of research into the German pharmaceutical industry. My knowledge of Germanic botany, in particular, is coming along nicely. So far, I’ve sampled (and know the German words for) elderflower, sage, honey, verbena, ivy leaves, gentian root and sorrel. In my research, I’ve discovered that herbal remedies are favoured by German pharmacists and are often offered instead of orthodox medicines. I am sorry to say that the above ingredients haven’t done much for my chest infection … but I digress …
We recently enjoyed a slow and sleepy week of convalescence in Schwarzenbach am Wald, where we treated ourselves to a few sleep-ins, caught up on washing and spent some quality time with family and friends. As the name would suggest, the black creek in the forest was black, cold and … snowy! We loved the snowy part, having just missed out on a white Christmas last time we were in town. When we weren’t sleeping (there were three germy Germans in the house), we took the car for a spin to the neighbouring towns of Bayreuth and Hof to get some fresh air.
With Luxembourg on our minds, we plot out a route along the river, dipping into Riesling country to sample a glass or two of liquid gold along the way. Our first stop is Würzburg, a small town known for its cobbled laneways, baroque architecture and that guy who accidentally discovered the X-ray. Of all accidental discoveries while playing with vacuum tubes, this one was pretty momentous. For accidentally X-raying his wife’s hand, Wilhelm Röntgen was awarded the first ever Nobel Prize for Physics. Since 1901, a total of 14 Nobel Laureates have researched and taught at Würzburg University so it’s not really the kind of thing they get excited about anymore.
Things the Würzburgers (I’m not sure if this is what they call themselves but it seems as good a name as any) do get excited about are wine, old bridges, churches, wine, art, old cranes, wine, architecture and cruise boats. And who can blame them. The town is just gorgeous. But it’s taken decades of reconstruction to return Würzburg to its former splendour. The UNESCO-recognised Würzburg Residence was almost completely destroyed by an air raid in the last days of World War Two, which left much of the town in smouldering ruins. The photos of the aftermath are just devastating. Napoleon, who favoured the residence and stayed there on multiple occasions, would be pleased to know that his room is back in order.
The near-vertical vineyards on either side of the River Main are so steep that the only way to pick the grapes is by hand. I'm astonished that the price of wine is so cheap, considering the manual labour required! We enjoy a long Sunday afternoon stroll through the vines, taking in the city views from the top and basking in the rare afternoon sun. The walk home is swift, with a generously-sized glass of Riesling coursing through our veins.
Our next stop en route to Luxembourg is the medieval hamlet of Bacharach. The cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses are truly something out of a 13th century pop-up storybook. Time stands still, save for a few mod cons and the invention of Riesling ice-cream, for which the town is deservedly famous. I never thought I'd find myself seeking nourishment from ice-cream on a rainy 10-degree day. Apparently, that's something that tourists do. We have the town to ourselves, as the season doesn't start until the 1st of April, and we are more than happy to treat the city as our own for a few hours.
We heed our AirBnB host's suggestion for a 'good wet weather activity' and take a cruise along the Middle Rhine from Bacharach to Koblenz, drinking in the picturesque towns, fairytale castles, vineyards and cargo ships as we go. Known as the Castle Trail, the UNESCO World Heritage Rhine Valley is home to over 40 hilltop castles and fortresses; some of these have even managed to stand the test of time and war, which is remarkable, given their age. The ride is 3 hours long but we could have stayed in that toasty rain-free cabin all day drinking tea, sucking on cough lollies and marvelling at the view.
