The Stolzenfels Castle in Koblenz, Germany

Right after visiting the Maria Laach Abbey (last post), the weekend after America's Thanksgiving, we drove the 32 km back to Koblenz to visit the Stolfenfels Castle on the left bank of the Rhine.

From our Wyndham Hotel on the other side of the river, we could see it almost directly

 across from us over the valley.  Once at the castle, we looked back to see our hotel.

And since we were looking back, we also saw other castles and churches.

That's the thing about Germany:  more castles than you can shake a stick at.

But this day, it was the Stolzenfels Castle ("Proud Cliff") we chose to see.

It was built in 1259 but was destroyed in 1689 by the French during the Nine Years' War.

Koblenz gave the ruin to the Prussian Crownprince in 1823, who rebuilt it as a palace.

Today it's a UNESCO World Heritage site.

From the base of the hill, near the Rhine river, we started our climb to the castle/palace.

We could have stopped at the arched roadway and gone no further for how beautiful it was.

But on we climbed and climbed and climbed till we reached the entrance,

all the while looking back and across the Rhine for the views.

As castles or palaces go, it did not disappoint... 

from one castle to another (bottom-right above)!

I bet you and I could both live there, yes??!  

The price of our ticket gave us the option of a tour to the upper floors,

but because it had been a long day, we opted to see only the ground floor views.

Besides, we had already seen the Marksburg Castle nearby across the river 

while on our Viking River Cruise back in 2013.  We didn't need to see more of the same...

...especially after seeing the inside chapel.  

What could have possibly topped that!

 We left the castle the back way through the gate house, following the service road...

...down, down, down the hill to the St. Menas parish church from 1833, near the arched roadway.

By now it was already late afternoon, with the sun lower in the sky.

The church wasn't open but we walked around and saw what we could,

looking back to a fine view of the castle.

St Sebastian, with arrows piercing his body, a former Roman soldier and martyr, 

now a venerated saint by the Roman Catholics, was displayed near the church entrance,

while Jesus hung on a cross nearby.

And because tomorrow many of us celebrate Christmas, I'm reminded that as a young girl

I often heard that Jesus was "Born to Die."

But he was also born to LIVE a life of love and mercy and peace to all.

In that spirit of the season, I wish us all a 

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

The Koblenz, Germany, Weekend

If I'm not careful, things are really gonna pile up on me any day now, all because we've just finished two wee get-away trips two weeks apart.  What a nice predicament, right?!

First, we took the Friday-to-Sunday weekend after Thanksgiving to go far enough away (300 km, 3 hours by car) to forget I wasn't home with my family for the holiday.  It's still the hardest time for me to be away...but taking a trip seems to help.

Our home base while gone was in Koblenz, Germany, where we spent the day on Friday seeing as much as possible, before venturing out on Saturday and Sunday.

We knew we'd end up at the Christmas Market in city center, so we started first near the Rhine River.

This 10-meter history column at the Gorres Place greeted us outside our parking spot.

A short walk to the Rhine River offered a delightful restaurant stop to begin our (main meal) midday. 

Inside we actually overlooked the river...and other goodies.

These were our views looking across the river right outside the restaurant after eating.

If the sky lift had been open that day, we would have taken the ride to see the view from it.

But it didn't matter, of course, because we can't always see/do everything.

In fact, right there at the sky lift we could see the Basilica of St. Castor, which was next on our list.

How can you not be awed by such architecture!

By now you already know that I first take pics of the nave,

first towards the altar and then behind to the organ in the back.

Then I go for the pulpit and the font....

...followed by the usually amazing ceilings....

...and then the closer-ups....

...and other details.

There's always enough to find.  Something for everyone.

Just outside the church, we headed to the statue of Emperor William I at the Deutsches Eck .

The Deutsches Eck is the "German Corner" where the rivers Mosel and Rhine converge.

This is the point we were dropped off at while on our Viking River Cruise in 2013,

before being bused to the Marksburg castle nearby.

So if the statue looks familiar, that's why!

It's HUGE, 14 meters high....

...and tall enough to climb up and inside, seeing the views from a different perspective.

Back down on the ground, we walked along the Mosel River towards city center,

just as the sun was setting by late afternoon.

Looking inland we saw the basilica again, followed by other architecture and many impressions,

before then turning into the Christmas markets...all 7 of them flowing together.

We LOVE the German Christmas markets.

So many goodies to eat.

So many things to admire and/or buy.

And because the market is at the main square, there was another church to see:

the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) Roman Catholic church.

The back-n-forth pics of the nave...

...followed by quick impressions.

As we went back outside, there was St. Nicholas waiting to welcome us.

In the Netherlands he's called Sinterklaas.

And that was it.  Not so short and sweet...but with lots of short-of-eyes impressions,

both coming and going.

That was just the first day...HA!
See what I mean about things piling up?!

Viking's Grand European River Cruise: Koblenz & Middle Rhine, Germany

Viking River Cruise, Day 4:  Koblenz & Middle Rhine, Germany (Facebook collage)

(click any collage to enlarge)

SOOOOOOO, Ladies and gentlemen!  By this time in our cruise, that became a familiar refrain as Alex, our Program Director, kept us apprised of each day's comings and goings.

This day, Day 4, was  a full day of castles and lots of goodies in between as we continued the long stretch across Germany from Cologne the previous day.

Prior to arriving in Koblenz for our morning excursion, I "collected" architecture from the sun deck.

As you know by now, I eat this stuff up.

To be honest, I'm surprised we didn't see more of this industrialization.

It was few and far between.

We docked in Koblenz at 8:30 a.m. in front of Kaiser Wilhelm I on his mighty steed,

and left the ship by 9:30 for our excursion to the Marksburg Castle.

We walked in Koblenz all of about 15 minutes!  What you see is what you get.

We hopped on buses immediately, climbing the hill to the best-preserved castle on the Rhine.

In its 800 years, it was never attacked during countless wars because of its strategic location.

 Before starting our tour, we had time to get the lay of the land.

What a vantage point for anyone needing protection from marauders!

 Now....follow the leader....

 We even have cannons like this in Gorinchem, NL, where we live.  (sigh)

 Fine dining, anyone?

 How about fine frescoes!

I know someone who would give an arm and a leg for this weaving apparatus!

 Yes, they even had an inside toilet (that hung outside the wall with appropriate pipes).

Music, game and spinning alcoves, plus separate bedrooms...

what more could you possibly need on top of a fortress!

Unless it was armor...or a chastity belt?

Our tour guide carried the key to the castle with her the entire tour...

and then locked us out once we were done.

Mercedes, top right, was our Viking guide on the bus back down to the boat.

We fell in love with her...so adorable.

Instead of going back to Koblenz, from whence we had started,

we drove to Braubach, 10 km southeast, at the foot of the castle's hill, 

where we got our best view looking back up...

and to where our ship had sailed while we were gone.

Again, what you see is what you get.

By now it was time for lunch, with a Taste of Germany specialties....

When in Germany, eat and drink as the Germans do.

We even enjoyed the "Sound of the Rhineland" musicians.

With tummies full, and time to go brush our teeth, it was now time to hit the top deck to see the stretch of castles on the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, declared a UNESCO site in 2002.  This was one of the most-anticipated moments of the entire cruise for me.

Even before getting to the castles, I was awed by so many of the houses!

And churches!  You know me and spires.

All seen from the river, of course.

And as a bit of trivia...we found out that Hitler purposely made train-tunnel entrances look like castles

so no one would bomb them.  It was a gentleman's agreement to NOT bomb castles during war.

BTW, we were listening to the running commentary from Alex, our Program Director,

while trying to stay warm and not goof off too much.  Lucky for us, it was sunny!

Another BTW, this is also wine country with vineyards dotting the hills everywhere.

And yes, that's the Lorelei maiden (middle-left) who tried to woo us to our doom.

SOOOOO, Ladies and gentlemen.  Saving the best to the last...

here are some of the finest examples of castles, palaces and fortresses along the Middle Rhine!

(We even have a booklet with all their names!)

My favorite of them all?  The Pfalzgrafenstein toll castle on the Falkenau island!

It so happened a bunch of school kids were there while we passed by.

We all waved hello and good-bye....

...as I do now to Day 4 of our river cruise!  Moving right along....