{"id":3798,"date":"2012-07-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-31T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/1_1343692800"},"modified":"2020-06-22T18:19:51","modified_gmt":"2020-06-22T18:19:51","slug":"walking-the-walls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cncadventures.com\/?p=3798","title":{"rendered":"Walking the Walls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany July 31, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things”- Henry Miller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, we got to start with breakfast. We had a choice of hard boiled egg, cereal, toast, and a selection of bologna(2 types), Swiss cheese, and rolls. Coffee and juice were also available. Not being a big bologna fan, I had cheese, a roll, slice of toast, and the hard boiled egg. Everything was good and we took a couple of rolls, cheese, and some cheese spreads we are not sure of, for lunch. We went back to the room, freshened up, and took off for our walking adventure.<\/p>\n

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Racing Carol<\/p><\/div>\n

We plan on walking down to the valley to the famous mayors home, Toppler castle, and then walking along the river to the small town of Detwang. It is older than Rothenburg founded around 970. I forgot to mention that we found out yesterday that Rothenburg means Red ( rothen) Castle( burg). We walked outside the castle garden walls and started a steep walk down to the valley. After a very short while,Carol lets out a small yell. Stopping to see what is wrong, she shows me a land snail that she almost stepped on. It seemed to be moving faster than Carol so I quickly snapped a few photos. (lol) Crossing a wooden bridge over the Tauber River ( hence the town name,Rothenburg ob der Tauber( odt)), we turned left towards Toppler Castle. Walking around a curve, we see an old mill, and then walk some more.<\/p>\n

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Toppler Castle<\/p><\/div>\n

Looking back, I see the castle which we have passed by. It wasn\u2019t hard to do as it is back off the roads partially hidden by trees. It is not really a castle but a house built on a castle like foundation. We continue past it heading now to the town of Detwang. We walk along the river and cross a main road before rejoining a footpath to the town. Entering the small town there is a stone bridge over the river where some Germans are feeding geese and ducks, down below. We stop to watch the entertainment of waterfowl fighting for bread. We notice there are also some pretty big trout in the river. We move on to see the old church in town and sit on a bench there just enjoying the medieval ambience. Walking around the rest of town doesn\u2019t yield much in the way of sights and we head back to Rothenburg.<\/p>\n

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St Wolfgangs Church<\/p><\/div>\n

We take a different way up and even though it is cool, I start to sweat again. We make it back up without stopping and stop at another bench to cool back off. The next part of our walking adventure starts outside the city wall and goes to the Klingentor tower. Rothenburgs wall has five main towers which were gates into the city. They are the Rodertor, Spitaltor, Kobozeller, Castle Gate, Klingentor, and Galgentor. A copper tank in the Klingentor Tower used to hold clean spring water for the privileged of the town. St Wofgangs Church is attached to the wall here but was not open.<\/p>\n

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The Wall<\/p><\/div>\n

We ascend some stairs and climb onto the wall for a walk along it. The whole walk along the wall is covered, with stairs going down into the city usually at the various gates. It is really amazing walking along with old stone slits and windows looking outside of town and sweeping views of the town rooftops, streets, churches, and the town hall tower changing with every step. We walk until Galgentor Tower where we descend and walk two short blocks to our room where we eat lunch. After lunch, our walk continues, but instead of on the wall, we exit the town at the Rodertor Gate and walk just outside the wall along what used to be a moat.<\/p>\n

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Boom<\/p><\/div>\n

When we come to the Spitaltor Gate, we walk up some steps into the Spitalbastel which was the most impressive of all the towns fortifications. The 17th century bastion had two inner courtyards, seven gates, and an upper walkway. We see doors with roads coming in that could handle wagons and artillery, some old cannons pointing at the enemy, and the walkway. Exiting the ramparts, we come to a wooden bridge, perfect for pictures. We climb down more steps, go under the bridge and walk along the outside of the wall again. We do this because we don\u2019t see a way to walk on the wall here. In a short time, there are steps leading back up onto the wall.<\/p>\n

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Vineyard View<\/p><\/div>\n

We walk along it to the Kobozeller Gate, where we decide to walk down through some vineyards, into the valley below to a double stone wall bridge. The walk through the vineyard is nice and the path to the bridge is a pretty mellow downhill. We pass St Michaels Church which is not open and then walk under the double bridge. We see a bench on a small hillside across the road and climb up to it. We sit and relax here enjoying a sweeping view of Rothenburg with the vineyards below it. Back up to town, we decide it is time to end our days walk.<\/p>\n

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Practicing to be a Bum<\/p><\/div>\n

We stop at a bakery and pick up some Apfel strudelkuchen and go to a small market and pick up two beers, one dunkel( dark) and one helle ( light). Then we go to the Market square and sit on the town hall steps eating and drinking. Carol is trying to make me a real bum in my retirement. I was just missing the paper bag to hold my beer in! (in Germany, you can sit anywhere and drink the local spirits) We spend over an hour here watching people and the world go by. Japanese tour group leaves, English\/American tour group leaves, and we stay. We notice that even the European dogs are more laid back. The breed here are weird and obviously mixed. There seem to be a lot of elongated small dogs, wiener dog like yet not of wiener dog breed. One lady comes back with three ice cream cones, one for husband, one for her, and one for the dog.<\/p>\n

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Rothenburg Architecture<\/p><\/div>\n

Leaving the square, we look for a WC ( they are all free here)to recycle the beer and then sit on a bench in the castle gardens, waiting for the Burgerkellar to open for dinner. We go back to the Burgerkellar and Harry gives us the same table we had last night. Another great meal and when he comes at the end and asks if everything was good, I say as I give him my empty plate, \u201d it was terrible, you have to take this back\u201d. This gives him a good laugh and gets the German guy at the next table to jump in saying what do you expect from a vegetarian. He said this because I ordered a vegetarian schnitzel, a schitzel made with cheese. We start talking and I ask if he is from here and he is not German, but from Belgium. We have some interesting conversation and I mention that my Grandparents were Italian and German, and Carols heritage is German and Irish and he says that is what makes Americans different. He can trace his family back to the 1400\u2019s and he lives in the same town all his ancestors did. Then he adds so there is probably quite a bit of inbreeding in his town. I tell him that we call this Arkansas. He laughs and says isn\u2019t that where Clinton was from. Great conversation. They have to leave for a tour and we order an apple strudel with ice cream and whipped cream for dessert. It is delicious and when Harry brings the check, he says the apple strudel is on me since your meal was so terrible. Good sense of humor, and we end up just talking with him for at least a half hour more. I ask him for a recommendation for tomorrow night since he is closed, so we now have another place to try. Thank you Harry for two great meals and conversation. We get home around 9:15 after another great day. Tomorrow should even be more relaxing as we only have one or two things we want to see. CNC<\/p>\n

Expenses                                                                                                                                                         4.10E- 2 beers and Apfel strudelkuchen                                                                                                      0E- Drinking like bums in the Market Square- Priceless                                                                          27.70E- 2 dinners, 2 beers, and free dessert                                                                                        52E-Pension                                                                                                                                                  Miles Walked \u2013 8.7 Miles. 15,266 steps
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