Part 2
SEPTEMBER 28
Today marks the middle point of our trip and we are leaving our very comfortable, friendly Hotel Uhland. We have
been treated very nicely by the entire staff, and the rooms were excellent. Our next point of interest is the Black
Forest. We drove into the town of Hüfingen and had lunch. Our home for that night was the small town of Behla,
just outside of Hufingen. We made it one of our relaxing days and played cards in the afternoon, took a long walk
around town, and came back for naps. That evening, we ate downstairs in their restaurant for dinner. Food was excellent.
Landgasthof Hotel
Kranz
Römerstraße
78183 Hüfingen-Behla, Germany
Rate: Euro 62.00 ($61.00) per couple per night
SEPTEMBER 29
On Sunday, we checked out after breakfast and started driving through Furtwangen, Triberg and Freiburg. We stopped
at Deutschland’s höchster Wasserfall. Everyone was glad that we stopped there. There were a lot of steps but
the waterfall was beautiful.
We didn’t do any shopping in the Black Forest but enjoyed the beauty of the drive. For lunch, we ended up at a
very unlikely spot – Mel’s Diner. We all had to laugh as it was putting a bit of the U.S.A. right in the middle
of the Black Forest. Drove on to Appenweir, which is very close to the French border. After checking in at our
hotel, we drove over to Strasbourg just to say we had been in France. Enjoyed pork medallions, noodles with gravy
and mushrooms, along with pancake soup in the hotel restaurant.
Hotel Hanauer
Hof
Ortenauerstrasse 50
77767 Appenweier, Germany
Rate: Euro 70.00 ($69.00) per couple per night
SEPTEMBER 30
The weather has cleared up and we are keeping our fingers crossed. We head to the Rhine area next. We have reservations
at a Winegut and we are quite anxious to get there. We headed up the small mountain road outside of Oberdiebach
and ran into a construction crew which had the road blocked. Not knowing short cuts, we had a few minutes of panic.
After speaking to the man in charge, he moved a piece of equipment and we were able to get around. In traveling
up the road, we could not imagine what we would find. We found a bit of heaven. We felt we were sitting on top
of the world, with a breath taking view, and the winegut being surrounded by hillsides of grapes.
Frau Weinert takes care of the guests and Herr Weinert takes care of the wine. They were in the process of bringing
the grapes from the hillsides and making wine in a building right next to the house.
After getting settled into our rooms, we went back down the mountain to Bacharach, which is one of our favorite
small towns. We ate and drank at the Wein
Haus Altes Haus which has sold wine for over four
centuries. Of course, we had to do some shopping after that. Went to a delightful little shop where woodworking
was being done. We bought some items that we had personalized by having names burnt into the wood in script. When
leaving Bacharach, we stopped at a local market and loaded up on sausages, cheeses, breads, and beer. The Sonnenhof
had a picnic table in the courtyard, which suited us perfectly. We bought some bottles of wine from Frau Weinert
and enjoyed the fruits of their labor.
Weingut
Sonnenhof
55413 Oberheimbach, Germany
Rate: Euro 42.00 ($41.00) per couple per night
OCTOBER 1 - 2
The weather is still very nice so we took advantage of that fact and went for a cruise on the Rhine the following
day. We boarded the boat at Bacharach and went as far as St. Goar. We had a great lunch and tried a new soup –
potato soup with sauerkraut and bacon. It was a hit. I guess it helps that my sisters and I are of German descent.
Went shopping again after lunch and made some wonderful purchases, which were sent home. We were able to get some
beautiful dolls, beer steins, and cuckoo clocks and each of us were happy with our finds. We returned on our boat
and went back to Sonnenhof for another picnic and more wine. Spent the evening playing cards and all headed to
bed.
Marlene is hit today with the germ that I’ve passed around, so she has chosen to stay in bed and rest. The rest
of us took a ferry to the town of Rüdesheim. Our first stop was for some hot chocolate and warm apple strudel
with ice cream. Oh, how reckless we are when on vacation!
Went down the famous Drosselgasse (wine alley) and enjoyed a glass of wine while sitting out in the nice warm sun. When we returned to Sonnenhof, we had our usual picnic lunch and found Marlene was feeling better. Frau Weinert informed me that Bavaria Ben’s friend, Larry, was scheduled to come for a few days. An hour or so later, I came across Frau Weinert in the hallway talking to this tall gentleman. She introduced us and it was Larry. We chatted for quite a while and we were both amazed that we would meet in such an out-of-the-way place. In fact, it was through Ben and Larry’s recommendation that we made the reservations at Sonnenhof. Larry was invited to join us for dinner and, after changing some plans that he had made, he said he would enjoy meeting the rest of our group. About 6:30 we all met in the parking lot and took the recommendation of Frau Weinert of a restaurant in the small town of Oberdiebach. We were the first people there and were the only ones who weren’t residents of the town. The food was excellent and conversation even better. Somewhere in the conversation, someone (nameless) was so busy talking that he ate the dinner my sister Nancy had ordered. All turned out well, as all meals were great but we had a good laugh about that. At some point in that evening, I agreed to write this report. It has taken me too long but I’m keeping my promise to Larry.
OCTOBER 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 - 7
Next morning, Larry joined us for breakfast. We purchased some wine from Frau Weinert to take with us, bid her
and Larry farewell, and left this great place. We do thank Ben and Larry for recommending Winehof Sonnenhof. We
certainly hope to return.
The next part of our trip was the “special” part to all of us. We were going to the small town of Marktschorgast
to visit family. This is where our father was born and lived until he left for the U.S.A. when he was 18 years
old. Marlene and Jim will have their first experience of meeting all these wonderful people who still live there.
We have reservations at a bauernhof where we have stayed on every visit. Herr and Frau Schaller own this farm.
Their daughter has taken over with the care of guests but we saw very little of her while there. Frau Schaller
is not willing to retire and step aside. She is one of a kind and we mean that in a loving way. She doesn’t speak
any English, and with our almost total lack of speaking German, it always turned into a total burst of laughter.
Somehow, someway, we managed to get our point across and she did the same. If anyone is going to be in this area,
make it a point to check for rooms. They are delightful people. The Frühstück there was the best of anywhere
on our trip.
Schaller Farm
Gefreeser Str. 20
95509 Marktschorgast, Germany
Rate: Euro 36.00 ($35.00) per couple per night
The next five days are family days so we will not go into great detail. For us, they were wonderful. Each family
outdid themselves in showing their hospitality and was responsible for many extra pounds that we brought back home.
While staying there, we made several side trips: To Bad Sieben for tablecloths and various linens; to Bad Berneck
for a special Christmas shop and dinner; to Bayreuth to visit relatives; to Hermes to a favorite restaurant for
dinner; to Bamberg for a day of sightseeing.
Bamberg is a city with so much to see and the most wonderful restaurant. The Brauereiausschank Schlenkerla Restaurant is known for its Rauch (smoked) beer but the food is also excellent. Most of us ordered the
“Bamberger Onion” which is a huge onion opened and stuffed with a ground meat mixture surrounded by mashed potatoes.
So good!
One of the highlights of this trip was a gathering of family from Marktschorgast and also from Hof. There were
around 35 people there and it gives you a wonderful, warm feeling that they would all come to meet with us. I think
my sisters and their husbands feel the same way, but I know that Ken and I always leave a part of us behind when
we leave.
OCTOBER 8 – 9 - 10
On Tuesday, October 8th, we said our farewells. Frau Schaller had her usual huge breakfast ready for us along with
a special candle lit on our table to wish us a safe journey.
This is the hardest part of our trip – saying goodbye – but we are looking forward to our next stop, which will
be the walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We stayed at Hotel-Garni Hornburg. Ken and I stayed there with
our family two years ago. There were 15 of us, including children and grandchildren, and we were all treated so
well. This is a beautiful old place that has been completely renovated. Each room is different in decor and very
comfortable. Martin and Gabriele Wetzel manage the hotel beautifully.
Hotel (Garni) Hornburg
Hornburgweg 28
91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Rate: Euro 84.00 ($82.00) per couple per night
We all were shown to our rooms and had to go inspect each other’s rooms, as each was unique. We unpacked for a
three-day stay and relaxed for the afternoon. We went to the Kartoffelstube for dinner that evening. We were in
heaven with all the potato items on the menu. Had a delicious potato creme herb soup along with fried potatoes
and haxen. Oh, how we are going to miss this German food.
On Wednesday, we headed to Käthe
Wohlfahrt´s Christmas shop, which we had looked
forward to all through the trip. Jim joined us women for a while but then took off to meet Dan and Ken (our non-shoppers).
We were in the shop for almost three hours but were delighted with our purchases, which were sent back home. We
met the guys for lunch at a restaurant in the square and then each couple did their own thing for the afternoon.
Marlene and Jim went to the top of City Hall at my husband’s suggestion and, I’m sure, Marlene will never forgive
Ken because of the fright she experienced. Jim did get some good pictures from the top though. The afternoon was
special for me because Ken bought me a Hummel figurine, which has three girls (sisters). I will always look at
it and remember this trip with my sisters. We ended up staying in the hotel that night as no one felt like venturing
out.
Did some light shopping the next day with Ken. Purchased some Bavarian yard goods to make curtains, stopping for
some pastries and coffee, and ended up near the Kartoffelstube. Just had to have some more of that soup. Went back
to Hornburg and did some repacking. This is our last big stop. Had some wine in the sitting room at the hotel and
then we all went to the Silver Can Restaurant for dinner, an excellent recommendation by Martin Wetzel. Some of
us had Pork Schnitzel, which was wrapped around a ground meat mixture and dipped in egg. For dessert, we had ice
cream, raspberries, and whipped cream served in a very tall dish. So wonderful!
OCTOBER 11
This is our last full day in Germany. We left Rothenburg and stopped in Dinkelsbuhl, another walled city, that
is so delightful. We spent a few hours just walking around the downtown area, taking in the sights and making a
stop in the bakery. From Dinkelsbuhl, we drove to Hallbergmoos to check in at the Movenpick Hotel for our last
night. This was an ideal location for us as it is only minutes to the Munich Airport. We decided to go out of the
hotel for dinner and found a nice, homey Gasthaus down the road.
Movenpick
Hotel (Munich Airport)
Ludwigstrasse 43
85399 Hallbergmoos, Germany
Rate: Euro 66.00 ($65.00) per couple per night
OCTOBER 12 - AUF WIEDERSEHEN
The next morning we left for the airport in plenty of time to return our car and get through security. All went
well and we were on our way home. We were grateful for a safe and very enjoyable trip.
I would like to add that we would recommend all of the places where we stayed. Each was different and unique in
its own way. The owners or managers of each of these places went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. We
also found the food to be reasonable in price wherever we went in Germany and Austria. Italy and Switzerland were
a bit more expensive.
END OF TALE
