A Travellerspoint blog

OESTRICH-WINKEL, RHINE RIVER, BRAUBACH GEMANY

2011 Big 6 Week Trip

FAVOURITE PHOTO -

37_Rhine_River.jpg

AHHH..... MAUSETRUM - THE CUTE MOUSE CASTLE! HAVE YOU EVER SEEN
A CASTLE MORE CUTE?!! :)

I WAS PLANNING OUR BIG EUROPE HOLIDAY WITH THE IDEA OF DRIVING
ALONG THE RHINE RIVER FOR PART OF THE WAY. I DIDN'T REALISE HOW
MANY CASTLES THERE WERE ALONG THE RIVER UNTIL I STARTED DOING
SOME INTENSIVE RESEARCH USING GOOGLE MAPS AND VT. THAT WAS
WHEN I DISCOVERED MAUSETURM OR THE MOUSE CASTLE AND JUST
KNEW INSTANTLY THAT I HAD TO SEE IT!

THE MOST OBVIOUS PLACE TO VIEW THS CUTE CASTLE IS IN BINGEN ON THE
LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE RIVER LOOKING UPSTREAM.... BUT THERE ISN'T
MUCH ELSE TO DO IN BINGEN SO I STARTED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE. THEN I
FOUND MICHAEL'S (globetrott) OESTRICH-WINKEL PAGE ON VIRTUALTOURIST
AND THE REST FELL INTO PLACE :)

MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.

OESTRICH-WINKEL

911333815941196-Rhine_River_..ich_Winkel.jpg

727881875941200-Old_transpor..ich_Winkel.jpg

OUR FIRST SIGHTING OF THE LOVELY RHINE RIVER :)

WHEN WE ARRIVED IN OESTRICH-WINKEL I RECOGNISED THE OLD CRANE
FROM PICTURES I HAD SEEN. THESE CRANES WERE USED TO HELP IN THE
TRANSPORT OF SUCH GOODS AS WINE BARRELS, SAND, GRAVEL, COAL AND
GRAIN. HERE WE WENT FOR A SHORT WALK ALONG THE RIVER BANK.

GRUNER BAUM RESTAURANT AND PUB

BEER TIME! WHILST TRIP PLANNING I HAD DISCOVERED THIS QUAINT
PLACE TO EAT AND ENJOY A COLDIE (BEER).

THE GRUNER BAUM WAS TUCKED AWAY IN A BACK STREET. I LIKED THE
QUIET SHADY DINING AREA THAT WAS ENCLOSED BY LOTS OF GREENERY.

787288215941226-Gruner_Baum_..ich_Winkel.jpg

436486435941222-Gruner_Baum_..ich_Winkel.jpg

865586425941230-Gruner_Baum_..ich_Winkel.jpg

MOUSE CASTLE IS LOCATED JUST PAST OESTRICH-WINKLE ON THE OPPOSITE
SIDE OF THE RIVER. YOU NEED TO KEEP A LOOK OUT BECAUSE IT QUICKLY
APPEARS AND THERE IS NOT MUCH ROOM TO PULL OFF THE ROAD FOR A
QUICK PHOTO SHOOT. LUCKY FOR US, I SPIED IT IN TIME AND THE TRAFFIC
WASN'T TOO BUSY WHICH ALLOWED US TO PULL OFF THE ROAD QUICKLY.

37_Rhine_River.jpg

THE MOUSE CASTLE IS SITUATED ON AN ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
RHINE RIVER NEAR BINGEN, I WAS FASCINATED TO HEAR THE STORY
BEHIND THE NAME.

APARENTLY THIS FELLA CALLED HATTO TOOK OVER THE ARCHBISHIP SEAT
IN MAINZ IN 968 AND REIGNED BINGEN. HE USED TO STAY IN THIS CASTLE
THINKING HE WAS SAFE. ONE DAY HE BECAME ILL AND APARENTLY WAS
OVERCOME BY THOUSANDS OF MICE AND DIED.

SHIVERS!! WE ONCE LIVED IN A PLACE CALLED EDITHBURGH SOUTH
AUSTRALIA. BEING IN THE WHEAT BELT.... THERE WERE MICE EVERYWHERE.
OUR RENTAL HOUSE WAS INFESTED! YOU MIGHT LIKE MICE..... BUT THEY
GIVE ME SHIVERS!!! EWWWE!! LOL.

RHINE RIVER AND CASTLES

WE WERE HEADED TOWARDS BRAUBACH AND A HOTEL RECOMMENDED
BY MY FRIEND GLOBETROTT (Michael) ON VIRTUALTOURIST.

DRIVING ALONG THE RHINE RIVER WAS A PLEASURE AND GREAT MEMORY.
CASTLES EVERWHERE WE LOOKED!! WE WERE GOBSMACKED!
THANK GOODNESS THERE WERE NO FLIES AROUND. HAHA :)

340102995941216-Pfalzgafenst..ich_Winkel.jpg

THIS ONE IS CALLED PFALZGAFENSTIEN CASTLE (PHEW..... THAT'S A BIG
WORD! LOL). I LATER FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS USED TO COLLECT
RIVER TOLLS. APARENTLY A CHAIN WAS PLACED ACROSS THE RIVER AND
FORCED SHIPS TO SUBMIT. TRADERS THAT DIDN'T WERE PLACED IN THE
DUNGEON UNTIL A RANSOM WAS DELIVERED.

AN INGENIOUS WAY TO MAKE MONEY. GOVERNMENTS TODAY ARN'T SO
SMART..... ;)

794166335941212-Castles_alon..ich_Winkel.jpg

442939955941214-Castles_alon..ich_Winkel.jpg

I SPIED THIS MASSIVE VINYARD WITH AN ELABOURITE MANNOR HOUSE.......
BUT WE COULD NOT STOP... :(
NEVER MIND..... I HAD PARIS TO LOOK FORWARD TO ..... MMMMM.

I SPOTTED A CAMPING AREA RIGHT ON THE RIVER. SO NICE TO SEE THAT
THE LOCALS CAN HANG OUT HERE IN HOLIDAY SEASON WITH THEIR FAMILIES!
THAT IS NICE :)

385805065941220-Vinyards_alo..ich_Winkel.jpg

62930465941217-Castles_alon..ich_Winkel.jpg

BRAUBACH

WHEN PLANNING OUR CAR TRIP THROUGH EUROPE I CHOSE
BRAUBACH TO STAY OVERNIGHT BECAUSE OF THIS MAJESTIC
CASTLE ON THE HILL AND CUTE LITTLE TRAM TO TAKE YOU THERE.
THANKS AGAIN MICHAEL FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS!!

MARKSBURGH CASTLE

5941451-Braubach_Marksberg_Castle_Braubach.jpg

412202055941464-Marksburg_Ca..e_Braubach.jpg

THIS CASTLE SO FAR WAS BY FAR THE MOST MAJESTIC ONE WE'D SEEN
ON OUR TRIP! THE OTHER CASTLES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT HAD
INTERESTING FEATURES LIKE THE ONE IN MESPELBRUNN WHERE WE
HAD JUST COME FROM AND THE CUTE LITTLE MOUSE CASTLE NEAR
OESTRICH-WINKLE.

YOU COULD NOT MISS THIS CASTLE, PURCHED ON TO OF THE HILL
SIDE. WE ARRIVED LATE IN THE AFTERNOON SO COULD NOT TAKE THE
CUTE TRAIN UP TO CHECK OUT THE CASTLE THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING.
PLUS WE HAD A LONG DAY OF DRIVING IN THE MORNING...... SO ALL
WE COULD DO WAS ADMIRE MARKSBURG CASTLE FROM DOWN TOWN.

399084815941462-Braubach_Tra..e_Braubach.jpg

AND ACROSS THE ROAD WAS THE LOVELY RHINE RIVER.

5941463-Braubach_on_the_Rhine_River_Braubach.jpg

FUNNY AUSSIROSE STORY

HEY!..... WANNA HEAR A FUNNY AUSSIROSE STORY?!....

HEY!..... STOP GROANING AND LISTEN!!.....

GUESS WHAT?.... THE HOTEL WAS FULL!!.... EVEN THOUGH WE BOOKED
AHEAD. SO THEY SHOVED US IN THE BARN ACROSS THE ROAD.....
TRUE!!!

THE OUT HOUSE ACROSS THE ROAD...... THE WHITE BUILDING OVER THERE,
WAS TO BE OUR ACCOMMODATION FOR THE NIGHT.

745014155941472-Shed_Accommo..e_Braubach.jpg

POOR BIRGIT'S BED WAS NO BIGGER THAN A BABY COT!.... SO HOWIE
TOOK THE LOUNGE TO SLEEP ON AND BIRGIT AND I SHARED THE
QUEEN SIZEED BED LOL.

OH WELL..... WITHOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING..... I WOULD NOT
HAVE A STORY TO TELL NOW WOULD I ;)

ALL WAS NOT LOST HOWEVER..... WE HAD PRETTY GOOD VIEWS OF
MARKSBURG CASTLE FROM THE OUTBACK SHED.... HAHA.

524481435941467-Marksburg_Ca..e_Braubach.jpg

AND IN THE MORNING THE MIST GAVE THE CASTLE A SPOOKY LOOK.

412319735941468-Marksburg_Ca..e_Braubach.jpg

THE HOTEL WAS QUITE INTERESTING. THERE WERE 2 BUILDINGS
(3 IF YOU INDLUDE THE SHED ACROSS THE ROAD LOL).
2ND BUILDING WAS WHERE BREAKFAST WAS PREPARED AND I MUST SAY
IN THE HOTEL'S DEFENCE.... THAT BREAKKY WAS REALLY GOOD!
I HAD MY FIRST AUTHENTIC GERMAN BREAKFEST HERE COMPLETE WITH
ALL SORTS OF BREAD, CHEESE AND MEAT. I WAS IN HEAVEN !!!! :)

HOTEL LANDGASTHOF ZUM WIESSEN
http://www.zum-weissen-schwanen.de/home

307972035941478-Landgasthof_..n_Braubach.jpg

THE STREET WAS REALLY NARROW HERE.
I RECKON THAT CAR COULD ALMOST FIT THROUGH THERE...
WHAT DO YOU THINK? ....

36171775941470-Narrow_stree..e_Braubach.jpg

WE HAD A GOOD LAUGH AT THIS SIGN HAHA.....
PFFT!! TANKS GET TO DRIVE AT 100'K'S IN BRAUBACH!! :)

862467365941471-Tanks_can_sp..e_Braubach.jpg

NEXT DESTINATION LIER VIA TONGEREN.

Posted by aussirose 01:26

Email this entryFacebookStumbleUpon

Table of contents

Comments

Nice piece of travel writing.

I think that the yellow tank sign is a relic of the old West Germany - the Cold War days

by ADAMYAMEY

You wrote,"HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A CASTLE MORE CUTE?!! :)"

I was looking to see if Rapunzle's hair would drop from the tower! LOL!

Nice Blog!

by lmkluque

Ah yes Adam. I think you are right. Thanks for dropping by mate. Gradually getting through my 2011 big trip blog :)

Well that's the perfect Castle for Rapunzle! haha :)
Thanks Linda! xx

by aussirose

Comments on this blog entry are now closed to non-Travellerspoint members. You can still leave a comment if you are a member of Travellerspoint.

Login