Cochem, Germany July 27, 2012

 

Old Town Cochem

Another good breakfast of cold cuts, bread and jam, and we tried the hard boiled egg they gave us. It was still warm but very good. The yolks here are more of orange color so either they use less preservatives or additives in their chicken food or a whole lot more. Took lunches to go again, and proceeded to the train station for the ride to Cochem, changing trains in Koblenz. Cochem is a small city on the Mosel River which feeds into the Rhine. We have bought wine from the Mosel River valley before so we are looking forward to trying some local wine. The weather has been hot the last few days and today seems to be the same. I think it has been in the upper 80’s or low 90’s but the humidity is very high. Not used to that we just plain sweat a lot. On days like today with our full packs, it doesn’t take long to get the waterworks going. The train change goes fairly smooth. Fairly, because no one asked to see a ticket on our Bacharach to Koblenz leg. We were going to use our rail pass because the tickets would be about 40 Euros total. But since no one came around, we did not put the date down and the leg from Koblenz to Cochem was only 20 Euros. Because of this we decided to buy a ticket and save the pass for a slightly more expensive day(hich would have been less expensive if today was 40 Euros as advertised).However, the ticket machine was confusing as to the type of ticket available, and running out of time for our connection, we just got on the train. I had asked a train lady if I could buy a ticket on the train and she said no. We were not sure if we would get fined but figured worse case we would use the pass as intended. Turns out, it was no problem, they could sell us tickets on the train, same price as station, so we will save a few Euros on another day. Train jail averted, we arrive in Cochem around 11:00 and head towards the old town. Our plan is to visit their Castle ( called Reichsburg) and then walk from there to our lodging which was 1.5 miles from the station in the general direction of the castle. We see a TI and get a map and directions to the castle. Good thing she told us this way was less steep as it was still a good haul through old streets to the castle. We are totally and I do mean totally drenched by the time we get there. We buy our tour tickets and are happy to find out that they have a room where we can leave our packs for the tour. We do so and it still took most of the tour for us to stop sweating and slightly dry off. Reichsburg Castle was blown up by the French ( they did that a lot around here) in 1689. It sat in ruins for about 200 years when a rich Berliner named Louis Ravene bought it and restored it for his private use. His relatives were forced to sell it to the Nazis in 1942 and now it is owned by the town. The castle had some interesting rooms, some secret passages, a really cool tile heating stove, and a wooden mermaid chandelier. You rub the mermaids belly, make a wish and it comes true. I am sure my million dollars is in the mail.

Reichsburg Castle

Tour over, we stop at a nice bench just outside the castle and have our sandwich lunch. We were going to take a path through the castle vineyard back down to the Mosel and on to our hotel. While eating and looking at the map they gave us, I see another road that looks like it joins a road, which leads to our place in a more direct manner. We decide to try it and soon turn o not what we think is the road, gravel and looking like a jeep track going past a small cemetery. We are now walking by what appear to be peoples gardens with a commanding view of the castle.

Chapel in the Woods

A little further and we are in the woods and the road becomes more trail-like. The sweat factory starts again and every so often we see so me small statues along the path that we think are the stations of the cross. We then come across a really cool old chapel in the woods with a large crucifix out in front of it. This just made this detour worthwhile no matter if it is the right or wrong way. We get back on the path and come to a small lookout with a table. We can see the Mosel and standing on the table, I can see a church, I think is near our apartment. Problem is, I do not see any roads, and can’t tell where the trail we are on is going. Carol is not worried, saying “we just need to go down to the river”, so of course that worries me even more. We continue on high above everything and then after winding around a gully, the trail turns more in the right direction. It then starts to descend, and hits a road which is right where we thought we were going on the map. Down we go and then a left on the first street we hit and walk right up to or apartment. They have a neat system where we push a button and it dialed them. We talked to them and they remotely buzzed open the door where keys were labeled for us to get into our apartment out back. It is a really cool place, small but with a little kitchenette and table and a small garden with a table and umbrella. We shower to cool off and rest a little. We have decided that we will make our own food tonight and head to a little grocery store 2 minutes away. After turning that into 10 minutes, we turn around and find it right up the street in the other direction. Having two different ideas on what to eat, I tell Carol she can pick today and I will pick tomorrow. We agree to start with two bottles of Mosel Riesling wine, one for today, one for tomorrow. From there we look at what is available. Small kitchenette here means no microwave and no oven. Two stovetop burners is all we have and that limits some options. Salad, check, tortellini and ravioli, check, sauce, check, small bottle of dressing, check, bruschetta spread instead of butter for bread, check, and a nice baguette, check. We also buy some salami, cheese, and rolls for lunch tomorrow and 2 pretzel sticks (German bakery pretzels) for breakfast. Throw in a .39E bottle of market brand diet cola and we are set. The total bill for all this 20 Euros. I discover and I think it is a good idea that all their taxes are built in to the food prices. The receipt has some items at 19% and some at 9.8% denoted by a letter next to the item but the price you see on the labels is the price you pay. The tax is in there. We should do this in the U.S. you do not have to guess from city to city, you always know the cost.

Blogging Away

We walk back with our booty and while Carol prepares dinner, I prepare blogs. I sit in the garden and it is really quite nice. I like the way that you have some newer looking buildings and then right next to it is one centuries old made of stone. We eat a great dinner outside followed by an item I forgot, ice cream for dessert. As Carol has been working hard doing the laundry on the trip, I surprise her and wash the dishes so she can relax in the garden. Score bonus points for Charlie! Tomorrow, the weather is not supposed to be great so we will try and get an early start. Good Night. CNC

Expenses                                                                                                                                               20.80E- Train to Cochem                                                                                                                        10E- Reichsburg Castle Tour                                                                                                                       50E- Haus Von Hoegen Apartment                                                                                                           20E- Dinner, wine, dessert and tomorrow breakfast and lunch                                                             2 Gallons- sweat that was on my clothes.                                                                                                 P.S. Forgot to mention that the monks got to drink 5 liters of wine a day but the nuns only got 3 liters. Most knights and nobility also had daily limits and their own steins which was the amount they were allotted. They drank wine ( which was watered down compared to today) because the drinking water was often contaminated and the alcohol process killed the bugs. Or so they told their kids!!!