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We said our morning goodbyes to Keegan, Mia and Adam until we return next weekend. Julie drove us into Mainz to catch our 11:02am Die Bahn train from the central station (Mainz Hbf). Grabbed two cheesy bread treats from the station for a snack: Jeff’s in pizza form, mine resembling a pig-in-a-blaket. Thirty minutes via regional train to Frankfurt Flughafen, where we had a rushed ten minutes to locate the long distance trains. At Gleis Fern 6, boarded a sleek high-speed ICE train to Amsterdam Centraal. In between, we stopped in Köln (with its famous cathedral), Düsseldorf, Arnhem (our first stop in the Netherlands) and Utrecht. Dry bacon and egg sandwiches on the train. The conductor in our car had spikey bleached blond hair tipped in cotton candy blue.

Spotted our first windmill as we crossed the border into the Netherlands. Freitag became Vrijdag. Buildings and billboards switched their Internet addresses from .DE to .NL in the blink of an eye…the modern border crossing.

Arrived into Amsterdam Centraal in late afternoon. Two taxi drivers staged a colorful battle of words over us. The victorious alpha cabbie zipped skilfully through the narrow streets…dodging bicycles, street cars, and throngs of rush-hour pedestrians.

Checked into Hotel Patou, a hip boutique hotel on trendy P.C. Hoofsraat. Sleek minimalist styling with two large windows overlooking old-world rooftops. The hotel just opened recently, with a few kinks to work out…Jeff fixed the bathroom window shade…maybe we’ll get a discount.

Before dinner, we took a short “orientation walk”…taking random turns down “oh, that looks nice” streets. Nearly run down by silent bicycles coming at you from every direction. The only warning is a deceptively innocent bell signaling imminent collision. Still, the Dutch dedication to bikes is clear and admirable…I had heard about the prevalence of bicycles, but I really had no idea. Forty percent of travel in central Amsterdam is by bike!

Dinner was at a random restaurant–named “the 5th“–that lured us in with its scrumptious dishes, modern-meets-old-world decor…and vodka menu. Jeff ordered a truffle, mushroom, and artichoke risotto. I had a perfectly cooked French-style steak with a rich Hollandaise sauce. Cappucinos substituted for desert.

We closed our long day with 2-for-1 Heinekens at SOHO…a happening bar with pulsing dance music in a pub setting. The walk home was serene…calm canals, the constant whir of bicycles, and the inevitable ‘ching ching‘ when what you thought was a quiet sidewalk turns out to be yet another bike lane.

Arose early today…our last full day in Germany. The skies were even more densely overcast, but no rain developed…just an occasional patch of fog in the passing valleys.

Our first stop…and castle du jour…was the enchanting Burg Eltz…tucked away in a hidden valley formed by a small tributary (the Eltz) of the Mosel River near the town of Moselkern. Burg Eltz is an iconic castle painted white and red, perched on a gray rocky formation in the center of the forested valley. The Eltz family began building on the site over 1000 years ago, and the family still owns and occupies the castle as they have for over 33 generations.

The castle was constructed beginning in 1157, and is actually three adjoining homes within the castle walls. The structures seem to climb on top of each other…one room connecting to another like a 3-D jigsaw puzzle. Another all-German tour, and lot of fellow tourists…so the interiors felt cramped. Still, the well-preserved features and several-hundred-year old furnishings make this is a gem…and worth the twisting, often confusing drive and the steep walk from the parking lot. (With a hungry Keegan and heavy Mia in tow…we elected to pay for a return shuttle.)

After all the walking, lunch was an urgent must, lest we have a Keegan meltdown on our hands. We headed for the quintessential medieval town of Cochem on the Mosel River, a central point for visitors to the Mosel Valley. We unknowingly entered enticing Zom Stueffje right at 2pm and had to rush to order before the kitchen shut down. Wonderful schnitzels for all.

After lunch, we wandered through the twisting streets and spotted swans along the Mosel. Keegan spotted a riverside playground to burn off a burst of excess lunchtime energy.

By 4pm, it was time to start the winding road home. We passed through several scenic towns, and stopped for a quick walk through the tiny gem of Beilstein, with ubiquitous grapevine-covered buildings and simple church perched with a sweeping view of the Valley.

The drive home was fairly uneventful with a few missed turns and a construction-caused stau. As pilot and navigator, Julie and Jeff ribbed each other in true sister-and-brother fashion with each bump or u-turn. At one point, Keegan trumped the comical banter with the deadpan “Momma, how about you just pay attention to driving.” Quite the sarcastic zinger from a five-year-old. 🙂

Brother-in-law Adam was finally able to join us for dinner tonight at one of their favorites…an Argentinian steakhouse (Maredo) in central Mainz. We walked off grilled meats and apfelstrudel with nighttime views of the huge cathedral…Dom su Mainz…and peeks into the dimly lit windows of the Guttenberg Museum.

Today we formally anointed Keegan as Günter von Keeganstein, and headed out down the Rhine Valley once again…this time on the opposite side as Monday’s drive. We exited the autobahn at Rüdensheim…just missing a nasty traffic jam ahead. (Julie tells us they are called ‘stau‘…likely preceded by a colorful explicative.)

In spite of heavy overcast skies today, the drive was lovely. A leisurely winding road dotted with postcard towns with their signature castles and/or churches. It was fun to spot our Tuesday stops from across the river.

Lunch was in beautiful Braubach…also the site of our afternoon castle. We stumbled upon a tiny hotel, tucked away in a picturesque courtyard of old buildings. The Hotel Schwanen with its charming Brasserie Brentano served up authentic German fare…a medium rare Rumpsteak for me, a rich Schweinenschnitzel Zigeuner topped with bright-red tomatoes and peppers for Jeff, and a meat-and-potatoes sampler Mühlenpfännchen for Julie. All exceptionally prepared in an intimate, old-world setting. Quite a lucky find.

After lunch, we drove up the hill to the Marksburg Castle…lived in continuously for over 700 years. The castle is built into a rocky hill, with buildings and courtyards interconnected by rough stone walkways. Waiting for the guided tour to begin, we were entertained by a pair of curious mountain goats. Our tour was in German, so we hung to the back with our English leaflet…nodding in agreement and wonder whenever the guide spoke in our direction. The castle’s claim to fame is that it is “the only hill castle on the Rhine that has never been destroyed”…so it is chock full of authentic detail. Keegan lit up when the tourguide placed a real knight’s helmet over his head…visibly heavy on his tiny frame. (Earlier, Keegan had confused the tourguide by asking for “the ratholes“…the comical name Jeff and Keegan had given to dark castle tunnels.) Before leaving, we couldn’t resist buying a children’s knight helmet and matching shield. Keegan was extremely pleased with his gift and modeled for several pictures.

We continued down the Rhine, through a few more towns, and then crossed to the western side of the river near Koblenz for our return drive south. Stopped in the town of Boppard for a quiet stroll along the river…snapping a whimsical photo of Hotel Gunther…and along a few shop-lined streets. Germans don’t seem to enjoy knick-knack shops like the French or Italians…or the Americans, but Jeff was able to find a nice print shop where he picked up an 1840 print of St. Goar and the castles above. Just before 6pm, a trumpeter played from a balcony in the town square, followed by the adjoining church bells.

We drove on to St. Goar for dinner. We found the Hotel am Makt, where I tried my first German sausage and sauerkraut (Pfälzer Saumagen)…Jeff kept up our string of schnitzels. Illuminated castles seemed to hover in the dark sky as we left the restaurant and drove home along the Rhine.

Once home, Keegan and Jeff channelled memories of the day to build a castle from Legos…they named it Castle Keegenstein.

[Note: The observant reader might wonder where young Mia is during all of these adventures. Well, rest assured, she is in nearly every scene…in a car seat, stroller, or pouch. Normally a quiet participant…her role is not the most blog-worthy. At any given moment, simply picture her sleeping, staring, eating, or pooping…but rarely crying.]

Another relatively early start on another mostly sunny day. We headed west towards the Mosel Valley. Along the way, rolling hills covered with hardwood trees in full autumn regalia. Most every open field or narrow valley had at least one giant, three-blade windmill, slowly and silently turning in the cool wind. These white sculptures stood out dramatically…and beautifully…against the sky.

We made it to the picturesque town of Idar-Oberstein by lunch time. Lunch at the Cafe Ratsstübchen…more schnitzel please 🙂 Afterwards, a brisk walk to catch a glance at the town’s main landmark…a steepled church built into the hillside (sideways!) high above the town.

More colorful vistas on the way to our destination…Trier on the Mosel River with its extensive Roman structures. At over 2000 years old, Trier is Germany’s oldest city. First stop, the Porta Nigra (the Black Gate)…an imposing gate from the Roman city’s wall dating from the 2nd century. Next, on to two brilliant adjoining structures…the enormous Romanesque Cathedral (11th century) and the smaller French Gothic Church of our Lady (13th century). Next on the list, the Basillica built by Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus in the 2nd century to house the Roman throne. The Basillica was greatly damaged by WWII bombings…and the restored interior is purposefully stark and thoughtful. Adjacent to the Basilica–and in dramatic contrast–is the Baroque Electors Palace (17th century), done up in pink with brilliant white carvings. Finally, we circled the iconic arches and ruins of the expansive Roman Imperial Baths (3rd century).

After a long, dark drive back to Dexheim, we had a late dinner in nearby Mainz-Kastel. The traditional Brauhaus Castel is a local favorite that serves home brews and perfect schnitzel champignon…our favorite schnitzel yet. Don’t forget your warm Apfelstrudel mit Vanilleeis.

We awoke to blue skies and trees in brilliant yellow and orange. The warm, low sun created deep, long shadows all day, typical of the short autumn days in Northern Europe.

Today was a scenic drive along the Rhine. First stop was for pastries in Bingen at a tiny bäckerei. Keegan had a berliner.

Our first castle of the day: Burg Rheinstein, high above the river. Parts of this magnificently restored castle date back to 900 when it was a customs house for river transport.

We stopped for lunch at the Guesthaus Weisses Ross in the small town of Trechtingshaus. Tried our first schnitzels…tender pork cutlets with wonderful rich flavors. Jeff’s schnitzel had ham and cheese. Mine had a creamy mushroom sauce.

Second castle of the day: the expansive ruins of the enormous Burg Rheinfels in St. Goar. The castle was begun 1245 and grew into one of the largest fortifications on the Rhine. Keegan was fascinated by the myriad of dark tunnels, twisting staircases, and level-upon-level of walkways.

Stopped briefly in St. Goar for some local wines…and met super-friendly shopkeeper Stefan, who won us over with free tastings for us and free chocolates in colorful wrappers for Keegan. Bought a couple of bottles of Eiswine…the local specialty…”the queen of German wine”…made from grapes harvested frozen on the vine. We also bought some blackberry- and peach-flavored brandys.

We stopped for a short stroll in tiny Oberwesel, and then dinner in picturesque Bacharach. We ate at Weinhaus Altes Haus (the Old House) built in 1568. Tall Weissbiers, steaming soups, saucy meat dishes, and warm apple strudel stoked our fires for the mid-30s evening temps outdoors.

Keegan and Mia slept on the way home along the Autobahn.