OESTRICH-WINKEL, RHINE RIVER, BRAUBACH GEMANY

FAVOURITE PHOTO -

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

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.

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.

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

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.....

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

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

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.

AND ACROSS THE ROAD WAS THE LOVELY RHINE RIVER.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

NEXT DESTINATION LIER VIA TONGEREN.