Mosel River & Eltz Castle, Germany- July 3, 2011

Well, no one's alarm goes off this morning. We are supposed to leave at 9:00 a.m. but I get up at 10:15 and everyone else is still sleeping. Oh well, at least there was not a train to catch. We were going to try and catch the boat line along the Mosel river and ride it to all the little towns. I decide we likely don't have time for that and we should head straight to castle Eltz. So many people have told me it is their favorite castle in Germany so I am excited because it will be the girls' first castle!


The gps is an amazing tool....I have programed it to miles versus kilometers. I just type in Burg (castle) Eltz and it tells me how to get there and how long it will take. It is only about an hour away but every road here seems to go through these quaint little cobblestone street towns with window boxes and flowers and ancient buildings made of stone and wood. It is quite interesting and stops you from being in a hurry. We get to the Castle and have to walk about 3/4 of a mile......you turn the corner and there it is in this green valley with a river....



Castle courtyard.....



We manage to catch a tour in English and it is very informative. This is one of the few castles that has never been destroyed by war or military. The Eltz family goes back to the 1100's and still sometimes lives in the castle. The tour is unlike other castle tours because it has the original furnishings...it is like stepping back in time as we climb narrow spiral staircases between floors....






We have lunch at the castle restaurant. Traditional foods such as pretzels, apfel strudel, bratwurst and bier.....



As well as iced coffee with a view of the river.



No time for a boat ride on the Mosel, but I program into the gps a little town of Cochem I saw on the map and it takes us along the Mosel river. Darling little towns, each with a towering church steeple with vineyards along the river.








I kind of want to stop and enjoy one of the little biergartens along the river but I don't want to get home too late. We have plans to do the Rhine River tomorrow. With our Eurail pass we can ride the Kd line for free which allows you to jump on and off the boat at the little towns along the Rhine.

We make Spagetti back at our cabin and enjoy two women's world cup games. Brazil beats Norway(3-0)- Marta looks amazing! Brazil may have a chance at the world cup! Australia beats Equatorial New Guinea 3-2. New Guinea was supposed to be the super underdogs I think...they looked good. All the women players are amazing. I have never seen my girls so interested in watching soccer on tv. We see on tv the fans in the stadium with costumes and face paint and weird hats and my girls want to paint their faces too! Before the trip, the girls refused to pack any fan paraphernalia ...but I brought flags, red white and blue hats, bandanas, pins, glasses, shirts enough for all! GO USA!!!!!!!


-Mom, Coach and Tour Guide

Location:Along the Mosel, Germany