Germany

FAVOURITE PHOTO -

Lake Titisee

WE HAD ARRIVED IN ZURICH ON OUR FIRST BIG OVERSEAS TRIP.

AFTER HAVING SPENT A FEW DAYS IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF CLOCKS,
WE WERE NOW PREPARED FOR OUR BIG DRIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE ROAD THROUGH GERMANY, BELGIUM AND INTO AMSTERDAM.

TODAY'S DESTINATION - ETTLINGEN GERMANY. I FOUND ETTLINGEN
THROUGH VIRTUALTOURIST.COM. UNFORTUNATELY THAT SITE IS NO
MORE DUE TO IT'S GREEDY PARENT COMPANY TRIPADVISOR.

MORE ABOUT THE LOVELY ETTLINGEN LATER.

LAKE CONSTANCE

UGERLINGEN GERMANY

I HADN'T PLANNED ON DRIVING THROUGH UBERLINGEN WHICH IS
LOCATED AT THE NORTHERN END OF LAKE CONSTANCE.

WE HAD QUITE A LONG TRIP AS IT WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE
BLACK FORREST VIA LAKE TITISEE TO ETTLINGEN.

BUT OUR FRIEND BIRGIT (bijo69) FROM VIRTUALTOURIST HAD
FLOWN DOWN TO ZURICH FROM BERLIN TO JOIN US FOR THE
DRIVE AND SHE SUGGESTED THAT WE CHECK OUT UBERLINGEN.
SLIGHT DETOUR...... BUT I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT IT WAS WELL
WORTH IT.

UBERLINGEN IS RIGHT ON LAKE CONSTANCE WITH NICE VIEWS.
THE TOWN IS A PLEASURE TO WALK AROUND. I LIKED THE VINES
GROWING ON THE BUILDINGS.

WE HAD A LOVELY LUNCH AT THIS NICE RESTAURANT. UNFORTUNATELY I
DO NOT KNOW THE NAME. SO IF YOU RECOGNISE IT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
THIS WAS WHERE I TASTED MY FIRST GERMAN BEER. IT WAS A WHITE BEER
CALLED ZOLLER-HOF. I MUST SAY IT WAS ONE OF THE BETTER BEERS I HAVE
TASTED ON THIS TRIP!

WE ENJOYED SITTING OUTSIDE UNDER THE SHADE WITH LOTS OF SURROUNDING
GREENERY AND FLOWERS. PERFECT FOR DISCUSSING OUR TRIP SO FAR AND
PEOPLE WATCHING.

UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO DRAG OURSELVES AWAY. TIME TO HIT THE ROAD.
WE STILL HAD SOME MILEAGE TO COVER TO ARRIVE IN ETTLINGEN.

THE BLACK FORREST.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR THAT THERE IS A PLACE CALLED
"THE BLACK FORREST" ? VISIONS OF MISTY BLACK WOODS WHERE IT IS
UNSAFE TO WALK?.... THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT HAHA

THE BLACK FORREST IS BASICALLY A THICK FORREST OF PINES ON A
MOUNTAIN RANGE. IT HAS LOTS OF WINDING ROADS AND WE JUST
HAPPENED TO ENTER JUST ON PEAK AFTERNOON TRAFFIC. .......
SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT EXTRA ZOLLER-HOF......

LAKE TITISEE

I HAD PLANNED TO SPEND MORE TIME HERE BUT OUR PLANS HAD
CHANGED DURING OUR JOURNEY TO DETOUR VIA UBERLINGEN.
WE HAD AN AGENDA TO GET TO ETTLINGEN FOR A VIRTUALTOURIST
MEET WITH A FRIEND I HAD BEEN REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
MEETING, KATHRIN (Kathrin_E) AND CHRISTINE (tini58de).

HUBBY WAS GOING TO BY-PASS LAKE TITISEE. NOOOO!!
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

I AM GLAD THAT WE DID DROP IN TO LAKE TITISEE. IT IS SO
PRETTY! I HAD PLANNED TO WANDER AROUND MORE OF THE TOWN,
HAVE LUNCH OVERLOOKING THE LAKE AND MAYBE BUY A COOKOO
CLOCK. BET HUBBY IS GLAD THAT I DIDN'T. ONE GRAND FATHER
CLOCK IS ENOUGH SAYS HUBBY LOL

HOW NICE WOULD THIS PLACE BE IN WINTER!!

QUICK WANDER OVER TO THE LADIES LOO WITH A VIEW.....
BEFORE VENTURING ON.

DRUNKS NOT ALLOWED! -

ETTLINGEN

WE FINALLY ARRIVED IN ETTLINGEN!

KATHRIN HAD ARRANGED FOR THE PAPARAZZI TO GREET US!
NO, IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THERE WAS A FESTIVAL GOING ON IN
TOWN WHEN WE ARRIVED. NOT ONLY THAT BUT WHEN WE WALKED
IN THE DOOR OF THE HOTEL.... THERE WAS KATHERINE AND CHRISTINE
WAITING FOR US! HOW NICE IS THAT!!

WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS TIME WE HAD! MEETING FRIENDS
THAT YOU HAVE NEVER MET BEFORE BUT KNOW SO WELL FROM
YEARS OF INTERACTION ON OUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL SITE IS SPECIAL!!

LOVE YOU KATHRIN! AND NICE TO MEET YOU TOO CHRISTINE.
RUSSEL WOMBAT AND AUSSIE BARNEY VT MASCOT ALSO JOINED IN ON THE FUN
A FUN NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!!

HOTEL ERBPRINZ
www.erbprinz.de/en/home

5 STAR LUXURY! BED WAS VERY COMFORTABLE. JUST WHAT HUBBY NEEDED AFTER A
LONG DAY DRIVING. LOCATION IS PERFECT AS WELL.

ALB RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH ETTLINGEN.

THIS LITTLE OFF THE BEATEN PATH TOWN WAS A DELIGHT TO STAY IN.

NEXT DESTINATION - ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER.

FAVOURITE PHOTO -

BAD WIMPFEN

QUAINT TIMBER HOUSES & A BLUE TOWER.

WHEN RESEARCHING FOR THIS TRIP I DISCOVERED THIS DELIGHTFUL
OFF THE BEATEN PATH TOWN WHILST READING MY GOOD FRIEND
LORI'S (LoriPori) TIPS ON VIRTUALTOURIST.

THERE ARE A LOT OF 'BAD' TOWNS IN GERMANY THAT ARE NOT
REALLY BAD AT ALL 'BAD' MEANS SPA.

BAD WIMPFEN IS A SPA TOWN, OR A TOWN WITH A NATURAL SPRING.
IT IS A VERY OLD MEDIEVAL TOWN THAT WAS OCCUPIED BY THE
ROMANS. AS SUCH, IT HAS A TOWER, OLD FORTRESS AND CHAPEL
THAT WERE COMMON AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

THE BLUE TOWER THAT OVERLOOKS THE TOWN AND NECKAR VALLEY
BELOW WAS REALLY UNIQUE AND LOVELY. TUDOR HOUSES AND CUTE
COBBLED STONE STREETS HAD A WOW FACTOR TOO
THIS WAS OUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH TUDOR HOUSES. I JUST LOVED THEM!!

MORE STREET SCENES. JUST LOVED THIS QUAINT VILLAGE!

I WAS QUITE TAKEN BACK WITH THE LOVELY COLOURFUL AND
ORNATE DOORS HERE AS WELL.

BAD WIMPFEN HAD A WHOLE LOT OF WOWs FOR US!
AN AMAZING LITTLE VILLAGE!!

ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER

AHHH..... ROMANTIC ROTHENBURG

THIS LITTLE MEDIEVAL WALLED VILLAGE WAS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE
TO VISIT. THANKS AGAIN TO LORI WE STAYED FOR 1 DAY/2 NIGHTS.

ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER IS VERY TOURISTY BECAUSE OF THIS
VERY POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHIC STREET SCENE.

BUT AT NIGHT WHEN THE BUS LOADS OF TOURISTS HAVE GONE,
THE VILLAGE IS NICE AND QUIET.

WE STAYED RIGHT INSIDE THE WALLED CITY. IT WAS INTERESTING TO
NAVIGATE THROUGH THE TINY ARCH TOWERS THAT ARE THE ONLY
ENTRANCE/EXIT TO THE CITY.

HOTEL GASTHOF BREITELE
www.bensbauernhof.com/gasthauszumbreiterlerothenburgodt.html

ENJOYED OUR STAY. OWNED BY MIKE AND HIS WIFE FROM AUSTRALIA.
THEY MADE US FEEL AT HOME. PARKING IS RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD.
AND THEY WERE RIGHT THERE WAITING FOR OUR ARRIVAL.
THE HOTEL IS LOCATED NEXT TO A SMALL ARCH CITY ENTRANCE AND
JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE CENTRE SQUARE.
BREAKFAST BUFFET WAS NICE.

THEY ALSO HAD PRINTED LOO PAPER. THAT SCORED AN EXTRA TICK FROM ME

aussirose and owner Mike

WALLS OF ROTHENBURG

IT WAS INTERESTING WALKING AROUND THE WALLS, READING ABOUT
THE HISTORY AND CHECKING OUT SOME OF THE PLACARDS.
RESTORATION OF THE CITY IS AN ONGOING PROCESS, ALL FUNDED BY
DONATIONS. THOSE THAT DONATE, HAVE A PLACARD PLACED ON THE WALL.

OLD AND NEW

HOWIE DISCOVERED HIS OWN PLACARD. HAITI HUH?... MMM.

AND I SAW A KOALA IN THE STONE WORK.......?

TIME FOR A BEER

WALKING THE STREETS OF ROTHENBURG

I BOUGHT A SWEET LITTLE RED APPLE SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL NECKLACE
HERE AT UHRENHAUS JEWELRY AND WATCH STORE.
IT IS STILL ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PIECES. TIP - COST OF SWAROVSKI
IS VERY CHEAP IN GERMANY

DON'T FORGET TO LOOK UP. I LOVED THESE LOVELY ORNATE WROUGHT IRON
SIGNS THAT WERE EVERYWHERE. THIS WAS ANOTHER FIRST FOR US

RESTAURANT MICHELAGELO
www.michelangelo-rothenburg.de

RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO OUR ACCOMMODATION AND RECOMMENDED.
STAFF WERE PLEASANT AND THE SERVICE WAS EXCEPTIONAL.
A NICE EVENING TO END OUR STAY HERE IN ROTHENBURG

NEXT DESTINATION - MESPELBRUNN VIA KITZINGEN AND WURZBURG.

FAVOURITE PHOTO -

KITZINGEN

WHEN PLANNING OUR JOURNEY FROM ROTHENBURG TO MESPELBRUNN
I KNEW THAT IT WAS ONLY 2 1/2 HOURS SO.... WHAT TO SEE ALONG THE
WAY? I EQUIPPED MYSELF WITH GOOGLE MAPS AND IMAGES AND
CHECKED OUT ALL THE PLACES I COULD FIND ALONG THE WAY AND
CAME UP WITH THIS CUTE PLACE CALLED KITZINGEN.

WELL AS WE DROVE INTO TOWN, HOWIE AND BIRGIT THOUGHT IT LOOKED
LIKE A WASTE OF TIME..... BUT I WAS PERSISTANT. I KNEW THAT THIS PLACE
HAD SOME OF THE NICEST RIVER SCENERY I HAD SEEN WHILST PLANNING
THE TRIP.

SO WE FOUND A PARKING PLACE AND WENT FOR A WANDER.....
FINALLY COMING ACROSS THAT RIVER I HAD SEEN. WELL WE WERE ALL
NICELY SURPRISED THE FORESHORE WAS LINED WITH THESE LOVELY
FLOWERS. SAW A COUPLE OF BARGES AND SOME SWANS AND DUCKS.

OK, AUSSIROSE STORY TIME!..... OH COME ON! YOU KNOW YOU LOVE
MY STORIES ..... LOL )

TRUTH IS.... THINGS DID NOT GO AS SMOOTHLY AS I STATED AT THE
OUTSET.

WE SET THE TRUSTY TOM TOM GPS TO THE LOCAL COP STATION.
TURNS OUT THAT KITZINGEN POLICE STATION IS NOT IN THE HEART OF TOWN.
HAHA.

CONSEQUENTLY, THAT IS WHY HUBBY AND BIRGIT WERE WONDERING WHY I
HAD BROUGHT US HERE? STILL.... HUBBY AND I FOUND STUFF TO TAKE
PHOTOS OF ...... MEANWHILE, BIRGIT WAS STILL STRATCHING HER HEAD.
BIRGIT LIVES IN BERLIN SO THIS SCENERY IS 'EVERY DAY' STUFF FOR HER

NARROW COBBLESTONE STREETS AND CUTE ENTRY WAYS ARE
FASCINATING TO US. WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN AUSTRALIA.

OK..... MUST BE BEER O'CLOCK

WE FOUND A LITTLE MALL DEVOID OF TOURISTS. HOW QUAINT!
IT WAS NICE TO EAT WITH THE LOCALS.

PRIMED WITH A COLDIE WE RE-ASSESSED OUR SITUATION.

KITZINGEN IS A NICE LITTLE OFF THE BEATEN PATH VILLAGE INDEED!
WE WERE ALL IMPRESSED
A DETOUR THROUGH KITZINGEN WAS MOST CERTAINLY WORTH OUR TIME

WURZBURG

A GRAND PALACE ON TOP OF A HILL WITH STUNNING CITY VIEWS!

I HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS FROM READING MICHAEL'S (globetrott) PAGES ON
VIRTUALTOURIST. MICHAEL'S SUGGESTIONS TO VISIT IN GERMANY PROVED
TO BE VERY HELPFUL.

BIRGIT AND HOWIE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I LOOKED AT ALL
THOSE STEPS LEADING UP..... AND IT WAS THE THOUGHT OF A COOL BEER
AT THE END OF THE ROAD THAT KEPT ME GOING LOL.

WELL THIS PALACE WAS IMPRESSIVE. IT WAS OUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH A
PALACE THERE WERE A LOT OF FIRST'S FOR US ON THIS TRIP

THE VIEW WAS MORE IMPRESSIVE.

AFTER A WANDER AROUND THE COURTYARDS AND A BIT OF A READ OF THE
PLACARDS WE HEADED TO THE NICE SHADY COURTYARD FOR A TASTY ALE.

MELPELBRUNN

STORY OF A CUTE CASTLE ON A POND.

WHEN PLANNING THE CAR TRIP THROUGH GERMANY, I HAD
ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER ON THE LIST AND THE NEXT THING
TO SEE WAS THE RHINE RIVER. SO ARMED WITH GOOGLE MAPS, IMAGES
AND VT PAGES, I WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY OVERNIGHT ALONG
THE WAY.

MESPELBRUNN CASTLE

I FOUND IT! MESPELBRUNN AND THIS CUTE CASTLE ON A POND IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE FOREST. THANKS AGAIN MICHAEL!

THIS WAS OUR FIRST CASTLE EXPERIENCE. ANOTHER FIRST FOR US

WE STAYED OVERNIGHT AT A HOTEL RECOMMENDED BY INGRID (Trekki).
THE PLACE THAT MICHAEL STAYED AT WAS NEAR THE CASTLE.... BUT A LITTLE
TOO EXPENSIVE FOR US.

Michael's Choice.

THE FOREST WAS LOVELY AND GREEN AND A PLEASURE TO WALK THROUGH.
THE FIRST SIGHTING OF THE CASTLE WAS EVERYTHING THAT I HAD IMAGINED!

NOT BEING A HISTORY BUFF, I FOUND MYSELF IMAGINING THE PURE
INGENIOUS IDEA OF BUILDING A CASTLE IN THE FOREST, HIDDEN FROM THE
ENEMY WITH THE ADDED ADVANTAGE OF A POND AND MOAT.
THE INHABITANTS WERE NO DOUBT A LOT SMARTER THAN SOME OF THE
OTHERS THAT BUILt THEIR CASTLES IN OPEN VIEW ON TOP OF A HILL

I WAS CAPTIVATED WITH THE LOVELY POND AND SHIMMERING REFLECTIONS
IN THE STILL WATER.

HOTEL ZUM ENGEL
www.mespelbrunn-hotel-engel.de

WE STAYED HERE AT THE HOTEL ZUM ENGEL ON THE SUGGESTION OF
LOCAL INGRID (Trekki) ON VT. THE OWNERS JUST LOVE AUSSIES

I AM GLAD THAT WE CHOSE THIS ONE. WE WERE CERTAINLY MADE TO
FEEL LIKE ROYALTY BY THE OWNERS AND OUR ROOM OVERLOOKED THE
FOREST WHICH WAS A PLEASANT VIEW AFTER OUR CAR TRIP.

I WOULD TOTALLY RECOMMEND TO STAY HERE. WE REALLY ENJOYED IT.
I WOULD DESCRIBE THIS HOTEL AS ELEGANT WITH PERSONALISED SERVICE.

aussirose and Hotel owner

]

NEXT STOP BRAUBACH ON THE RHINE RIVER VIA OESTRICH-WINKEL
AND THE AMAZING MOUSE CASTLE