My Germany Travelogue - Fourth Trip to Germany - Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands June 2015 <Part 1>

I snagged a discounted airfare last November, destination Frankfurt. Entering customs, picking up luggage, getting the car—though not entirely smooth, it was still a close call.

As soon as my mom arrived in Frankfurt, she was very excited, pushing the luggage cart and playing all the way (literally playing!), while I was like a mother nagging on the side, 'Stop playing, be careful you don't fall... Slow down!'

At customs, the female officer carefully inquired about my itinerary. When I tossed her a stack of meticulously prepared travel plans and cleared my throat ready to explain, she finally showed a helpless smile.

After getting the car—a chocolate-brown BMW station wagon I didn't really like, huge! Driving it felt like moving a box on the road.

Since it was still early, I decided to go to Lorsch, a town famous for its monastery ruins listed as a World Heritage site. It was early morning, and aside from the bakery being open, the whole town was still asleep. After walking around the monastery, which was under renovation, and buying some bread for breakfast, I set off for the next destination: the Philosopher's Walk in Heidelberg.

Probably because I hadn't fully recovered, I got exhausted after just a few steps. Rest, climb, rest again... The phrase 'Five Lakes Wastrel' suddenly popped into my mind. Sitting on a bench, looking at the old town and castle of Heidelberg on the opposite bank—too low, only visible through gaps in the trees. Due to the cloudy weather, the hilltop across was shrouded in thin mist, not very clear.

After parking the car and settling the luggage, I took the cable car up to Heidelberg Castle. The mist had cleared, the sun was warm on my skin—time to absorb some vitamin D! But then I remembered I forgot to put sunscreen on my face. Big mistake!

Descending the hill, I saw it was still early, so I started shopping. It was the June sales season, and there was quite a lot to buy. After a happy shopping spree, I proudly showed off my haul on social media.

After a short rest, I continued the itinerary, heading for the Old Bridge of Heidelberg. The calm Neckar River flowed slowly under the Karl-Theodor Bridge. I don't know much about this Elector of the Palatinate, only vaguely remembering he was a remarkable figure who held two elector titles simultaneously. But the Palatinate of that era was not on the same level as Prussia. The light was in my favor, a stark contrast to the misty morning scene—absolutely stunning, like a postcard!

Dinner was at a popular restaurant. I ate too much and had to take a stroll on the street to digest.

(Looking out from the hotel room window)

I woke up early the next morning, sunlight streaming through the curtains—another beautiful morning!

Leaving Heidelberg, I headed to Speyer, a town also famous for its World Heritage cathedral. It is said that four German emperors and four German kings are buried in this cathedral. A magnificent church. Passing through exquisitely carved doorways and pushing open the heavy bronze doors, the solemn altar appeared before me. As usual, I lit a candle, sat on a bench, and prayed, thanking the heavens for the beautiful sunny day... but then I suddenly saw a group of choir children lined up in front of me. Realizing the time, I groaned inwardly: Sunday service... Was heaven punishing me for often skipping Sunday service by arranging this unexpected one here? Silently begging for forgiveness, I slipped out of the church. On a journey, I hadn't planned an extra two hours for a service, especially in German! I hope heaven understands.

The second stop of the day was Strasbourg, a beautiful French city. My mom asked if French was a problem. I was speechless... I didn't know a single character, couldn't even count properly. That added to my mom's worries, so I had to pat my chest and reassure her: Alsace-Lorraine is the most German-like French town outside of Germany. It was German territory hundreds of years ago, until Louis XV forced the then Duke of Lorraine to give up his hereditary lands (the duke who was forced to give up his territory later became the Holy Roman Emperor, husband of the great Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, and father of the beautiful French Queen Marie Antoinette). So German is commonly used here, no problem.

Staying in the old town of Strasbourg, I first visited the Gothic cathedral, similar to St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, with stunningly beautiful stained glass inside. Lost in these wonderful sights, I forgot one thing: France is still France, even though it's so similar to Germany... How could the uniquely French pickpockets be overlooked? My mom's bag was unzipped in layers, and her wallet fell out, but luckily nothing was lost.

Strolling through La Petite France, with beautiful medieval architecture along the way. Surrounded by flowers, I found a nice restaurant: watching passersby, bridges over flowing water, and drinking my favorite tonic, paired with a local specialty of braised pork—another wonderful day!

On the third day, I asked the front desk about the weather. They said: 'NOT VERY GOOD.' My heart sank. The rainy day forecast finally arrived, two days late.

Today's two destinations: Colmar, one of Europe's ten most beautiful towns, and Eguisheim, known as France's most beautiful flower town.

I drove 80 kilometers to Colmar in the rain, passing green vineyards along the way, with the Vosges Mountains appearing faintly in the mist. As soon as I arrived, I got beautifully lost, circling the square several times without finding the old town. Finally, I parked in the underground garage at the central square and walked, asking for directions, before finding the old town center known as 'Little Venice.' Though it was drizzling, flowers clustered everywhere, and the colorful buildings like stacked blocks reflected in the water—very beautiful. I sat on a bench by the road, resting, watching the crowds of tourists and white flowers in full bloom. Sunlight broke through the gaps in the clouds, making everything so delightful.

Leaving Colmar, the sky cleared up—though not blue with white clouds, it was the greatest gift from heaven in response to my sincere prayers.

Eguisheim is only 7 kilometers from Colmar. Passing through vineyards, I parked outside the town. Walking slowly along the mossy cobblestone path, circling the town took only about half an hour, but every corner was worth photographing. The town is one of the important stops on the Alsace Wine Route, so wine was a must-buy. Though I don't know much about it, buying some can't be wrong. I bought a bottle, but then suddenly remembered I couldn't check it in luggage. So I had to drink it during the trip with some frustration, and 16 days later I carried the empty bottle back as a souvenir.

(White stork bringing happiness)

Back in Strasbourg, I was thinking about dinner and shopping. I scored three pairs of shoes and two clothing items. During the sales season, the prices were very reasonable—no way to get this brand at this price back home.

Dinner was at a restaurant next to the cathedral. I ordered the Alsatian specialty of thin crust pizza (tarte flambée) and cheese cake (it's said that the Holy Roman Emperor from Lorraine died from eating too much of this cake), along with Strasbourg's signature braised pork. The table was full of dishes—I've been eating too much since coming to Europe!

Leaving Strasbourg early in the morning, I aimed for Rüdesheim am Rhein, another beautiful wine town. Funny enough, I know next to nothing about wine, but this trip happened to cover three famous European wine routes: the Alsace-Lorraine French wine region, the Rhine wine route, and Germany's most famous Moselle wine route. These itineraries would make any wine lover's mouth water, but for a layman like me, I was just tagging along.

As soon as I entered the hotel in Rüdesheim, the enthusiastic host immediately served three glasses of champagne—delicious!

I took the cable car to the top of the hill to see the Germania statue, then hiked down. Passing rows of vines and vineyards, with the winding Rhine River in the distance and the tall Germania statue behind me, life felt so good.

June is the season for German white asparagus, so I ordered it for dinner. The subtle asparagus fragrance and the special cream sauce melted in my mouth—absolutely delicious, though a bit pricey!

The hotel I stayed at was the liveliest wine estate in town, with an open-air garden restaurant and bar downstairs. Cheerful singing and music accompanied the whole evening. When I heard something happy, I couldn't help spinning around in my room. Only then did I realize that the dance I learned as a child had never been forgotten—just buried deep in my heart from lack of practice.

After checking in, I kept seeing tourists taking photos in my direction from the window. Foreigners make such a fuss—haven't they seen a pretty girl? When I went downstairs, I realized: by a stroke of luck, my room was in the clock tower of the castle hotel, and every hour on the hour there was a puppet show. So it was my own misunderstanding.

June 17, Wednesday, Weather: Sunny

Today's itinerary: along the Rhine via Lorelei to Koblenz, then up the Moselle River to Cochem, ending in Trier.

The Middle Rhine Valley, a World Heritage site, is lined with castles and boasts beautiful scenery.

But the scenery that truly captivated me was the Moselle River. It flows gently, with dense forests and vineyards on both sides. Neither as turbulent as the Danube nor as lively as the Rhine, it's like a beautiful maiden kept hidden, quietly beautiful and splendid.

I took a short break in Cochem. The town's liveliness surprised me. The streets were filled with the rich aroma of wine, delicious cakes tempted me from the windows, and the shops were full of goods. If I hadn't already booked a hotel in Trier, I would have stayed here for a day.

Arriving in Trier in the evening, it has many famous World Heritage sites: the cathedral, the Porta Nigra. But after experiencing the beauty of Cochem, even the countless discounts couldn't spark my mom's shopping interest. I couldn't help but feel that, having been to Germany four times, I should come more often—there are too many wonders and temptations here that I can't resist.

Today's plan: Luxembourg, not far from Trier, and a beautiful riverside town on the way back. Rain... Every time I leave Germany, heaven uses this kind of weather to greet me. Just as we arrived in Luxembourg, my mom scored a bag from a famous French brand, and I got a bag and a wallet each. Carrying a big shopping bag through the city was quite conspicuous—a walking advertisement! We strolled through the quiet lowland gorge of Luxembourg, full of negative oxygen ions, giving our lungs a good cleansing. Because of the rain, my impression of Luxembourg was just average.

A certain castle town, an unremarkable little place. The colorful houses on the bank and the majestic church and castle on the hill were reflected in the river. Walking into the town, small bridges adorned with flowers spanned the stream. Following the water downstream, there was an artificial waterfall. Climbing up to the castle, I could see the entire town below. Back in town, I ordered a whole fish feast for two at a riverside restaurant—delicious! They say people have two stomachs: one for desserts and one for meat. Lucky me, both were full today!

As for Trier, my mom's comment: 'Although things are cheap and it's the sale season, compared to the various beautiful riverside towns, it's really boring.'

Crossing through Belgium to Aachen, another city famous for its cathedral. The exterior of the cathedral is extremely ornate, and the interior is also splendid, but for some reason, it felt quite small. I guess I took the wrong door or missed some attractions.

Arriving in Cologne, before I could praise the grandeur of the Cologne Cathedral, a sudden downpour drove us into the church. Churches are always the last refuge for helpless humans.

German rain in June is fierce but passes quickly. By the time we left the church, it was sunny outside. For dinner, we accidentally entered a German tavern, where everyone was drinking and talking loudly—very lively.

The second day in Cologne, I went to the town of Brühl, home to two World Heritage palaces. Walking in the primeval forest was very pleasant. It was the weekend, and the town was bustling. I love the weekend market most—delicious food and local specialties to buy.

After browsing the town, seeing it was still early, I went to a town on the Rhine famous for the Nibelungenlied legend (the name was too long to remember). As the northernmost wine-growing region in Germany, it is known for its Drachenblut (dragon's blood) wine. I planned to hike up to the castle on the hill and passed a vineyard along the way—very nice, beautiful scenery and good wine. Before leaving, I bought another bottle of wine. This time, the luggage issue for the trip home really is a problem...

Back in Cologne, to take a signature photo of the city, I walked the long Hohenzollern Bridge. Today's walking time was way too long—I'm exhausted!