WURZBURG GERMANY

Today we visited Wurzburg, Germany.  My great grandfather, Hank Smith,  was born 15 miles east of here, in the town of Rossbrunn, in 1836.  He came to America in 1850.  He first landed in Pennsylvania, but soon set out on foot for California, by himself, when he was 15 years old.  He fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy, fought Indians, in the Indian Wars and was the first settler in the south plains outside of Lubbock in what is now Crosby County.  He built his two story rock house in 1877 in Blanco Canyon, just north of Crosbyton, Texas. There is a copy of his rock house on the square in Crosbyton with a civic center and museum attached to it.  A few years ago we visited the house in Rossbrunn where he was born and one of my cousin's, Albert, still lives in the house.  My family has lived in this house since 1640.  So part of my family, that I know about, started right around Wurzburg.  Here are some pictures.

MY GREAT GRANDFATHERS BIRTH PLACE IN ROSSBRUNN AROUND 1900

ME IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE IN 2011

MY COUSIN ALBERT WHO STILL LIVES IN THE HOUSE

 PICTURE OF WURZBURG TODAY

ONE OF ABOUT MANY BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES IN TOWN

THE VIEW FROM LUNCH TABLE ON THE SHIP

THIS IS THE BISHOPS PALACE.  ONE OF THE MOST MAGNIFICENT INTERIORS WE HAVE EVER SEEN.  NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED INSIDE.

A MEMORIAL TO THE GERMAN 7TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION FROM WWII.

HEIDELBERG GERMANY

Today we visited Heidelberg, Germany.  It has a University that dates back to the 1300's with the obligatory castle on the hill above town.  Nonette shopped as long as she could and I took a few pics.  We had lunch with college students from the university and enjoyed talking to them about their education.  The girl at  our table was an Education major.  It takes 6 years to graduate but they all have a masters degree when they finish.  She speaks 4 languages.  They do a year and a half of student teaching for which they are paid 1600 Euros a month.  When they finish student teaching they make around 3600 Euros a month as a full time teacher.  Today we learned: A drivers license costs 2000 euros,  You have to have winter tires in the winter or your insurance drops you, most people don't have room to store the 4 tires so they have tire hotels where they rent a space to store their tires, gas is 6 euros a gallon and motor oil is 30 euros a liter,  if you have any alcohol in you while driving you lose the 2000 euro drivers license Here are some pics of the day.  There is a picture of the student with Nonette.

THE MAIN RIVER

CITY GATE

CHRISTMAS MARKET

THE OBLIGATORY CASTLE 

THE FUTURE TEACHER

COCHEM GERMANY

Today our cruise took us to Cochem, Germany, the center of the Mosel river wine trade.  It is a beautiful little Medieval village. Reichsburg castle is located on the hill above the town.  We toured the castle and the city this morning. In Cochem beer is not the most popular drink, like in most of Germany; wine is the most popular drink.  Riesling wine, a white wine, is very good here.  Every hill they can put a vineyard on, is growing white grapes.  In the afternoon were cruised down the Mosel to Koblenz.  Villages on both sides of the river give you plenty of beautiful sights.  We went through 2 of the 46 locks we will travel through on this cruise.  Here are a few pictures from our day.

Hand painted walls not wall paper.

Our ship the Viking Odin

TRIER GERMANY AND CRUISING THE MOSEL

Today we visited Trier, Germany the oldest city in Germany.  It was founded around 2050 BC.   The Romans came here in 30 BC.  There are 8 UNESCO       World Heritage Sites in Trier.  The Romans built a bridge that is still used today The Black Gate, in the pictures, dates to the 3rd Century as does the Palace.  Trier is also the place where Carl Marx was born.  The region is a big wine producing area.  Every hill by the Mosel is covered with vineyards.  In the pictures you will see some of them, and will wonder how they cleared the hills, and how in the world they get those grapes down from the hills.  The Mosel is a beautiful river to cruise because of the vineyards and all the little villages.  There are also some Deer Stands up on top of the hills.  We finished the day at the prettiest place we have been so far, Bernkastel.  This town if full of half timber buildings.  The oldest of these buildings is 650 years old.  Pretty good for a wooden structure.

3rd Century Roman Palace.  The walls are 12 feed thick. It is now a Church.  UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SIGHT

A MORE MODERN PALACE

TRIER CHRISTMAS MARKET

3rd Century gate that was one of 4 gates in the Roman Wall.  UNESCO SIGHT

A LARGE COUSIN EDDIE MOMENT

WHILE CRUISING DOWN THE MOSEL

TIGHT SQUEEZE

FROM THE SHIP

VINEYARD FROM THE SHIP

IT IS SUNDAY AFTERNOON

COAL SHIPMENT

  

BEAUTIFUL BERNKASTEL

HILLBILLIES ON HOLIDAY