Catching Up

I drove up The Romantic Highway, stopping in Dinkelsbühl and Rothenburg, both of which are old walled cities with ongoing preservation efforts. Each deserves a day at least, but I only spent a few hours in each. I found a coffee house in the first with a one-eyed man, a lady who never quit talking, and a little dog that walked in with a half-pound rock and dropped it in his food dish. 

Also visited beautiful churches in each town. There was a craft fair going on in the first, with food on offer. I had a grilled brot on a bun while the little merry-go-round played oompah music. Nice. 

At the entrance to the first town, outside the walls, were these little gardens. I've seen them everywhere, a little place where city dwellers can grow food, and they all seem to have a little hut as well. Of course, I've also seen them with TV and Internet dishes. Don't have a picture. 

The Lutheran church in the second town had a relic, a drop of Christ's blood. Or I think that's what they said. It's on the center of the cross in the top center of this picture, if you can make it out. I may have missed it with this camera. 

During the day's driving, I learned the German word for detour. I've forgotten it now, but will always recognize it. It was everywhere, but I eked out a way, and arrived at Bad Morgantheim, and spent the night at a family hotel. 

To be more precise, a hotel designed for families. It was a fantastic place for kids and teenagers, and pretty good for parents and grand parents too. View from the room, across the valley to a castle ruin. 

The next day took me across the Fulda Gap, a geographic feature of which I had read during the Cold War. It reminded me of Kansas. Gentle hills, plowed and planted fields, very open landscape. It is the reason the US developed the Apach attack helicopter and the A-10 Warthog. 

I found a room at Zur Crone in the old town of Eschwege. The room was old fashioned, clean, with HOT water, and wi-fi, all for 29 euros including breakfast. 

How sweet is that? My room was the two windows to the right of the green umbrella, one floor up. 

While walking around the town, I came across this little swing, set in an arch beneath a porch on the river bank. Lucky kid. 

It is a nice little town. 

Today I drove through the Hartz or Harz Mountains. Had several detours again, what with closed tunnels and roads closed for repair. Lots of stops and turnarounds, but I was able to see what I wanted. And it took me to Goslar, a town which is a thousand years old. You need a good map and compass to get around. My iPhone really didn't help that much. 

So you are all caught up. Or just about. . .