RHEIN TIME
Took a short trip up to the Rhein with family. Usual challenges in getting photos abound. Still, the people are friendly (for Germans) and the wine is lovely so it's hard to complain.
If you're going to be a farmer somewhere, this is a good place to do it.
These little trains ferry tourists up from the ship landings in Rüdesheim so they can get a look at the vineyards.
Every wine town along the way has stores that will let you taste a bunch of wine, then, when your inhibitions are lowered, sell you some. They even ship it to your house.
These may have been for skiing at one point but now they're entirely for wine gawking.
There are entire books on the castles of the Rhein. Books with words, books with photos, and books with both.
The charm is certainly old-world.
It's also a great place to camp, apparently.
Some of the old wineries are hotels or restaurants now. Some remain.
Many old people these days dream of taking Rhein cruises. If you want to ride on a boat with old, white Americans, this is your chance.
A little spring rain always gets the tourists legs moving.
The wineries pay money to keep their old barrels in good shape. The old barrels last hundreds of years.
Cargo and passenger trains both blast up and down both sides at all hours of the day.
We stayed in a hotel in Assmannshousen. It was lovely at all hours.
