Guten Tag!

Early mornings have ensued on our trip to Germany! Even though everyone would have been content to stay asleep (probably due to jet lag!) we begun early Thursday morning with about an hour train ride from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (the train station) towards Rudesheim in order to explore the city of Rudesheim am Rhein (a small winemaking town of roughly 10,000 inhabitants), and then visit Niederwalddenkmal statue and vineyard. The town itself was reminiscent of traditional Germany with few modern touches, and small alleyways contributed to the rural Germany impression.

Gondola Ride

Alleyway in the city 

Despite the cold (for a bunch of Texans!) weather, we braved the wind and boarded gondolas to ride up the hill to the Niederwald vineyard. As you can see below the view was stunning, giving us a exquisite view of the Rhine River with the vineyard below and the town in the backdrop. Upon our arrival we broke for a quick picnic lunch in front of the Niederwalddenkmal statue. The statue commemorates the victory of the Franco- Prussian War and the creation of the German Empire. We had a bit of fun in front of the statue!

       

As we ventured further we hiked through the hills of the Rhine River, catching glimpses of the vineyard as we trudged along the beaten paths. Trails led off to different sights, where we saw the old castles of the Duke, and the tollbooth that was used during the Medieval period for crossing the river. Booth stands on either side of the river, with a chain that could be raised and lowered in order to allow for payment and crossing. Nearing the end of our hike we ran across the “Magic Cave”, where we walked blindly through the dark, until we emerged upon the other side.

Before boarding the chairlift down to the river, we stopped for a quick moment to feed some deer, and then enjoyed the view as we made our way down the hill to our final destination, the boat ride on the Rhine.  As we cruised down the river back to the train station, it was agreed that today was quite the adventure!

--Karina Erickson, Jami Sampson, Tanner Chancey