My week: June 28 ed.

I had German lessons and a lot of stress in the beginning of the week. I had so many things to get done at home and realized the enormity of some of our upcoming projects at work. My brother and sister-in-law were visiting at the end of the week. I wasn't sure how I would get everything done until I had the liberating thought: instead of trying to work a couple hours before I picked them up in the afternoon, I would just take the whole day off. Duh. I stress myself out so much by trying to do all the things. As it was, I was up until midnight the night before working on things and then spent two hours the next day preparing. I was so glad that I didn't try to go into work!

-I picked up my family at Frankfurt Hahn, which is not really anywhere near the actual Frankfurt. However, the drive is pleasant; I take the 63 to the 61 to the 50. My GPS was bound and determined that I should take the 6 to the 62 and I told it absolutely not. The construction that way is just awful right now!

We headed to Bingen, where we sat under a tree near the ferry and enjoyed the delicious, vegan picnic I had packed for us (based on this meal that I made for friends) since SIL is vegan. Following lunch, we took the ferry across the Rhein River to Rüdesheim am Rhein and basically repeated the trip I took there in December, minus the Christmas market part. This gave my family the chance to see a twee German town with fachwerk buildings.

-We continued to Cologne, where we walked around, had dinner at Cafe Especial (which is some of the better Mexican food I've had in Germany), and viewed the Cathedral.

The next day, we wandered around Cologne some more, stopping to eat lunch at a vegan restaurant (which had delicious quiche and a "milk" shake with cookie dough that we shared). We also browsed a record store and Saturn, then had to get on our way back home.

Originally, I had planned to meet with my friend R in Kaiserslautern, but we got stuck in a nasty Stau on the 61 and would've been too late. Instead, we met in Mainz and ate at Im Herzen Afrikas, which is a delicious Ethiopian restaurant. I've been meaning to try the Frankfurt version for quite some time. Even though we didn't have a reservation, they were able to tuck us into a corner.

-On Saturday, we got a late start and headed to Heidelberg. Just after arriving, we were stuck in a fierce thunderstorm so we hung out at Red, a vegetarian restaurant where we had purchased lunch.

When the storm had abated, we continued to the Heidelberg castle, taking the Bergbahn (mountain rail) to get to the top. It's possible to hike up there, too, but it's steep, we didn't have time, and we had no interest in coating ourselves in any additional sweat. Unfortunately, we were too late for the English tour, but my family was content with wandering the castle grounds.

Afterward, we walked around Heidelberg and stopped by the Kulturbrauerei, a beer brewery and restaurant.  My brother had wanted to visit a beer hall but this region (and points west) is known for wine and beer halls aren't so common. C, who used to live in Heidelberg, came to the rescue with the name of the brewery. There wasn't any dancing on tables or any lederhosen, but they enjoyed the beer, nonetheless.

We grabbed a train home and ended up back in Kaiserslautern around 11 p.m. My family was hungry but it can be difficult to find a restaurant whose kitchen is still open that late, even on the weekends. We lucked out and convinced the staff at Spinnrädl to cook us something, even though most of the staff had gone.

Everyone was happy with the place; they were able to put together a beautiful vegan salad to my SIL's specifications; I ate some Kaesespaetzle, and my brother ordered some incredibly regional food, liver dumpling soup and Saumagen (a Pfalz specialty that former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl loved to foist upon visiting dignitaries). 

I'm not a huge fan of German food normally (it's too heavy and not always so vegetarian/vegan friendly) but I do like visiting Spinnrädl with guests upon occasion because of its ambiance (it's the oldest surviving fachwerk building in town); it serves traditional, regional dishes that are tasty (well, to the meat eaters); and while it's tourist-friendly, it's somewhere that the locals eat too and prices are in line with other restaurants.

-The next morning, we got up early so I could drop off my family at the airport again. I'm so glad that they visited and I was able to share my life here with them. I hadn't seen them for 2.5 years and won't see them again until next year when I visit the US.

-Following that, I had some work to do, went strawberry and cherry picking, ran to the store to pickup some household things, and even made strawberry jam using hot water bath canning. Phew! 

No, just no

I saw this at Siegfried's Mechanisches Museum (I wrote more about the visit here).

No. Just NO.

Definitely not.

For the record: the rest of the museum is quite interesting and not creepy.

A covert Aussie mannequin in Rüdesheim am Rhein

While we were at the Christmas Market of the Nations in Rüdesheim am Rhein, I spotted this guy at the "Australian" themed booth (which is Australian, I assume, because there were Aussie hats). I thought it was a mighty fine mannequin head but had the awkward situation of the booth owner being right there so I couldn't just take a picture. Instead, I pretended that I was taking a picture of C...with my camera being held in a position that there was no way that I was actually taking a picture of her. The lengths that I undertake for my "art"...

I'm impressed, though, by the care in which whomever used the Sharpie to draw in his beard. Does it look natural? No, but someone certainly took his time and wasn't the typical scribbled in Sharpie deal.

Roadside candy machines: Rüdesheim am Rhein

Rüdesheim am Rhein was all made up for the holidays when we visited a week ago. I was thrilled to find a roadside candy machine and it too was decorated a bit for the holidays, with pine boughs.

It contained some weird toy fish things, jungle fruit sour gumballs, and some little rope things that may or may not have been jewelry (or a rope crucifix, as I had been disappointed to receive once when I thought I was getting jewelry).

The Seilbahn in Rüdesheim am Rhein

Seilbahn Rüdesheim
Oberstraße 37
65385 Rüdesheim am Rhein
Buy tickets and board the cable car at this address in the pedestrian area.

After enjoying the Christmas market and the mechanical instrument museum in Rüdesheim am Rhein, C and I continued our touristy fun with a ride on the Seilbahn.

To the Seilbahn!

The Seilbahn is a cable car that whisks visitors from the middle of town up to the Niederwald monument that overlooks the Rhein and town. For seven euros, we purchased round tickets and braved the blustery winter wind during the ride.

This guy zipped by. I wonder if he was on his way back to the Christmas market?

The ride affords a good view of the Rhein, the local vineyards, and the surrounding countryside.

Looking south, toward the Rhein

The ride ends at the Niederwald monument, which celebrates either the founding of Germany in 1871 and/or the French-German War of 1870-1. Both answers seem to be correct on that one. Germania is the fancy lady up top.

In addition to the monument, there is also the Niederwald temple (more like a big gazebo), a restaurant (closed for the winter), and bathrooms (which require 3 10 cent pieces or a kind prior patron leaving the door open to use).

Since it was cold and we had enjoyed enough fun at the top, we hopped back in. We enjoyed the chilly and touristy ride that gifted us with some great views.

Rüdesheim's getting funky with holiday decorations this time

Rüdesheim am Rhein really decks itself out for the holidays, which is no surprise given how large its Christmas market is compared to the size of the town. As C and I strolled along, we saw some interesting Christmas decorations.

They ranged from unusual and very clever, like this Christmas tree made from crates...

 ...to straight up unusual, like this leg-Christmas tree thingie in Siegfried's Musikkabinet.

Some things were a bit over the top, like this house...

...and some decorations tried to get in through the top, like these guys, whom I called 007 Santas.

(Seriously, Europeans, why do you like to decorate with Santas who are trying to break in by scaling the walls? Many houses have chimneys and front doors so those are possible entry points. Or, do the chimney sweeps have a monopoly on the chimneys?)

Last but not least, some decorations seem grumpy, like this Santa...

"Dang it! The chimney sweep monopolized the chimneys again!"

...or this guy.

Either way, Moo and I, who are not grumpy, want to wish you a very merry Christmas.

Review: Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett, Rüdesheim am Rhein

Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett
Oberstraße 29, 65385 Rüdesheim am Rhein

Best for: those who love gadgets, musical instruments, or curiosities

As part of our visit to Rüdesheim am Rhein for the Christmas market, we also wanted to visit some local attractions. The town isn't big so there aren't many, but one was odd enough that we had to visit: Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett.

It's a mechanical instrument museum located inside the Brömserhof, a former residence of the aristocracy. For 6,50 euros, we were taken on a tour that lasted about half an hour. It is only possible to see the collection by tour; the guide explains the collection and plays a selection of its pieces. Photography and video were allowed during our visit.

When we went, the tour was only in German but I was given a description in English to use to follow along. C said that what he was saying in German was exactly the same as what was written in English, so don't worry about missing out.

The guide played such interesting things as a Hupfeld-Phonoliszt-Violina, which is a combination of a player piano and automatic violins.

We also listened to a Weber-Maesto Orchestrion, which included even more instruments.

My favorite part of the collection was the group of music boxes with tiny birds that would pop up and sing via mechanical means. These were developed beginning in the 18th century. I was completely fascinated by their beauty and intricate details. The museum shop sells replicas created in the workshop of the museum's owners and I entertained the impulsive idea of buying one if they were several hundred euros. I found out that they cost several thousand euros, so I had to shelve that idea, but they are very lovely, nonetheless.

Our short jaunt through the museum was worth it, in our book. It was a bit touristy but I love strange and beautiful contraptions from bygone days. The museum offers just that, in a building that is interesting in its own right; within the former chapel, 16th century frescoes remain. It's worth a visit for those who love curiosities.

In the courtyard of the residence with Christmas attractions. Enter the museum through the door in the middle.

Rüdesheimer Weihnachtsmarkt der Nationen

This past Saturday, C. and I drove a bit more than an hour north to Rüdesheim am Rhein, a wine-growing city on the north bank of the Rhein. Our plan was to visit the Rüdesheimer Weihnachtsmarkt der Nationen, or the Christmas Market of the Nations.

Rüdesheimer Weihnachtsmarkt der Nationen Welcome Sign

Getting There

I had been talking to my dad about the plans for the weekend and he was excited about the trip; he had visited the city in the 70s. He mentioned that he had to take a ferry across the Rhein to get there. I doubted that a ferry would still be necessary; after all, it had been forty-ish years since he had been there and wouldn't a bridge have been built?

Well, I was wrong; indeed, a ferry is still necessary. Mr. GPS directed me to Bingen. We parked in a free lot and walked onto the ferry. During the winter, it doesn't run as often, but we didn't have to wait very long. Just be sure to check for the last boarding time! The trip is about 4 euros round trip, per person.

After the short ride across the river, we followed the crowd to the town of Rüdesheim, a short walk. I was glad that I had left my car across the river in the big lot because parking on the Rüdesheim side didn't seem to be super abundant and people were walking everywhere.

The Market

The international Christmas market lines Rheinstrasse, which faces the river, and continues north along the small side streets until it reaches Oberstasse. As an international market, it has more than 120 booths with specialties from 12 countries, according to the tourist information website.

Most of the offerings were German, which makes sense. There was plenty of wurst, Glühwein, potato pancakes (reibekuchen), lebkuchen, and other typical German things to eat and drink. The international portion of the market was much smaller; it included things such as African masks (perhaps slightly dubious in authenticity), Australian hats, a jaunty British bus with cocktails and snacks, and some others.

There was one booth quite unlike the others: the Hanf-Beckerey, or Hemp Bakery! It was an old-fashioned looking booth filled with cheery workers cooking up sandwiches with hemp seeds. On offer were chicken or vegetarian sandwiches, served on grilled bread. The workers were quite silly; if one ordered a vegetarian sandwich, he had to sing a song! The booth cracked me up because it all looked so traditional, including the cooks wear chef hats. However, the hemp stenciled on their hats and their flag broke that illusion.

Though some of the "international" offerings seemed a bit forced, we were enchanted by the Scandinavian (sub) market located in a courtyard in Drosselgasse, a small passage that's worth visiting on its own. We passed beautiful fachwerk buildings as well as the beautiful stained glass windows on the Rüdesheimer Schloss. Once in the market, we touched the soft elk skins and I very purposefully avoided touching the multitude of wool offerings as I'm allergic. Grilled elk and salmon were available from food vendors.

Entrance to the Drosselgasse; it's even prettier at night!

There is certainly enough within the market itself to make for a pleasant visit in its own right. In addition, the town has some other offerings of interest that make a visit definitely worth it. More information will follow, including details about our trip to the mechanical musical instrument museum and the ride on the cable car.