Before I left for Germany, I knew that a visit to the Rhine valley was mandatory. The Rhine valley is the romantic, 70 kilometre stretch along the Rhine river, that blends together medieval towns, fortresses and historical castles among fields of vineyards. This was certainly a site worth seeing. When a friend showed me a picture of the castle ‘Burg Eltz’, not quite far from the Rhine, and added that I could trek to the castle, I decided to try and combine a trip that would encapsulate multiple interests.
I managed to take a couple of pictures on the train, hoping to pocket some of the beauty as it passed me by. A lot of people say that if you're spending your time taking photographs, you’re losing out on the experience. Although I don't wholly disagree with that, I always like to ‘take a shot’ at salvaging an experience that would otherwise be quickly forgotten. Hopefully, years from now, photographs and travel notes will aid in reliving days worth remembering.
I got off at the empty station, and made my way through the narrow streets of Moselkern. It seemed to be a well traversed route; at frequent intervals, informative signboards (some of them provided the distance left, and the approximate time that it would take to reach the castle) guided me in the right direction. Before long, the route broke off tarred road, and I made my way through a muddy and gravelly path.
For me, a large portion of reaching a destination has to do with the journey. Much like achieving orgasm. Sorry kids, but allow me to attempt cheap humour on the birds and the bees while your parents send across virtual glares. No matter how much you want to arrive at your destination, it’s the anticipation and excitement building up to it that make it worthwhile. This was exactly how I felt as I headed towards the castle. The setting quickly grew more wild, and I crossed little rivulets as the narrow, winding path got steeper.
I reached the city of Koblenz late one night, and spent a couple of hours getting to know my couchsurfing hosts. Koblenz is a touristic city (a description of which I shall save for a future post) where the Rhine meets its tributary, the Moselle river, and is a good place to base yourselves when touring the region. Early the next morning, I caught a train from Koblenz to Moselkern, a little town on the banks of the Moselle, the starting point for the 5 kilometre trek to Eltz. The short train journey to Moselkern follows the Moselle river, and the scenic little houses on the opposite bank, with a backdrop of rich, enticing vineyards, made for a very pretty picture.
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| View from the train |
I got off at the empty station, and made my way through the narrow streets of Moselkern. It seemed to be a well traversed route; at frequent intervals, informative signboards (some of them provided the distance left, and the approximate time that it would take to reach the castle) guided me in the right direction. Before long, the route broke off tarred road, and I made my way through a muddy and gravelly path.
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| On my way to Eltz |
I was soon greeted by the castle’s brown façade that merged well with its dark green surroundings. As I got closer, I was taken aback by its size. It was gigantic! The white towers and oriels stand out in stark contrast to the rest of its mild, yet alluring appearance. The entrance ticket came with a guided tour of the castle, which proved to be very informative and interesting. I learned that it was still in fantastic shape, even with an eventful history of war across the centuries, because of the political power of the Eltz family. The armoury and treasure chambers were certainly worth a visit. Extensive cabinets displayed the vast wealth of the owners.
At the end of the guided tour, I was approached by another solo traveller who had come to Eltz with his car. Initially, my fuzzy plans involved trying to make my way to the Rhine valley after the Eltz visit. Since his plans were similar to mine, we agreed to continue our journey in his car. A final, panoramic view of Eltz awaited me at the parking lot.
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| Burg Eltz |
At the end of the guided tour, I was approached by another solo traveller who had come to Eltz with his car. Initially, my fuzzy plans involved trying to make my way to the Rhine valley after the Eltz visit. Since his plans were similar to mine, we agreed to continue our journey in his car. A final, panoramic view of Eltz awaited me at the parking lot.
We decided to cut across from the Moselle to the little town of Bacharach that lay on the banks of the Rhine. We’d then make our way back to Koblenz, about 50 kilometres away, all the while driving along the Rhine. Only with an automobile would it have been possible to pass through such a large portion of the Rhine valley in a couple of hours. This was turning out to be my lucky day!
Bacharach turned out to be a charming little town, with a population of just over 2000. On either side of narrow, cobbled streets, lay timber-framed houses interspersed occasionally with the tall steeples of churches. Richly coloured flowers sprouted from much adorned balconies and flowerpots on the streets, lending the entire city a very decorated look. The town’s castle, which has been renovated into a hostel, stands atop a tall hill. After failing to climb the steep route to the castle, we decided to stop at a platform midway, to get a view of the Rhine below. With that, we headed back to roam around the little town.
As I walked through streets in different towns in Germany, one thing that struck me as common, was the mysterious chalk markings at the entrance to certain houses. 20 + C + M + B + 13. I came across this message in several places, and each time, I wondered what it stood for. I later read that it was a blessing to the homes that donated to charity events during the Catholic holiday of Epiphany (January 6th, every year). While the letters C, M and B stand for the three wise men, the numbers on either side represent the year that the house would stay blessed. Interesting trivia!
It had already been a long day, and fatigue, always undesired at such times, was inevitably creeping up on me. After spending an hour or so in Bacharach, we decided to head back to Koblenz, while pausing at towns or castles that caught our fancy.
The whole while, I felt like I wanted more time. More time to just absorb it all, knowing only too well that I would never be able to. We were driving through the best part of the Rhine, through a cultural wealth so rich, it was bursting at its seams. Undoubtedly the most picturesque landscape in the region, the stretch justified its status as a world heritage site. We made a final stop at Rhens, a pretty town very close to Koblenz, but didn’t spend too long there. As we arrived at Koblenz, at the end of a wonderful day, I felt like I had been on a magical trip. An experience that I couldn’t seem to hold on to, that seemed more dream-like and unreal with every passing minute.
Bacharach turned out to be a charming little town, with a population of just over 2000. On either side of narrow, cobbled streets, lay timber-framed houses interspersed occasionally with the tall steeples of churches. Richly coloured flowers sprouted from much adorned balconies and flowerpots on the streets, lending the entire city a very decorated look. The town’s castle, which has been renovated into a hostel, stands atop a tall hill. After failing to climb the steep route to the castle, we decided to stop at a platform midway, to get a view of the Rhine below. With that, we headed back to roam around the little town.
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| Bacharach |
As I walked through streets in different towns in Germany, one thing that struck me as common, was the mysterious chalk markings at the entrance to certain houses. 20 + C + M + B + 13. I came across this message in several places, and each time, I wondered what it stood for. I later read that it was a blessing to the homes that donated to charity events during the Catholic holiday of Epiphany (January 6th, every year). While the letters C, M and B stand for the three wise men, the numbers on either side represent the year that the house would stay blessed. Interesting trivia!
It had already been a long day, and fatigue, always undesired at such times, was inevitably creeping up on me. After spending an hour or so in Bacharach, we decided to head back to Koblenz, while pausing at towns or castles that caught our fancy.
This was the best part of my day, and the hardest to describe. As we drove through winding roads that struggled to keep up with the meandering river, we were presented with one picturesque panorama after another. On our right, the Rhine seemed to flow headlong through seemingly untouched regions that fell prey to its powerful currents, only to create lush, beautiful valleys that thrived in its presence. As we swept past medieval villages on our left, hilltop fortresses and castles that adorned rustic cliffs loomed on a horizon much above us. I loved how the verticality of discontinuous vineyards on untamed, green hills created the backdrop of every panorama. You’re saying that for the sixth time this hour, he said. Only then I realized that, immersed in a trance-like state, I was caught muttering - So beautiful. Although I didn't want to pause, I wished that the continuously altering landscape, constantly emerging afresh, would go on forever.
The whole while, I felt like I wanted more time. More time to just absorb it all, knowing only too well that I would never be able to. We were driving through the best part of the Rhine, through a cultural wealth so rich, it was bursting at its seams. Undoubtedly the most picturesque landscape in the region, the stretch justified its status as a world heritage site. We made a final stop at Rhens, a pretty town very close to Koblenz, but didn’t spend too long there. As we arrived at Koblenz, at the end of a wonderful day, I felt like I had been on a magical trip. An experience that I couldn’t seem to hold on to, that seemed more dream-like and unreal with every passing minute.
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| View from Rhens |
I was fortunate to spend the day as I did. Now I am left with photographs that do no justice to the beauty of the Rhine valley. To everyone reading this, I’d urge that someday, you try and pay it a visit. Whether it is with a bike, or on a river cruise, or on a walking tour, tourists can choose from several options to discover and enjoy it on their own terms. I can assure you it will be well worth your time, and most likely, like me, you’ll be left longing for more.
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