Today was scheduled to be a drive down the banks of the Mosel river, which joins the Rhine here at Koblenz. To drive along the Mosel weinstrasse is a tourist thing to do.
The Mosel has cut itself a canyon; the banks slope up steeply several hundred feet above the water. At one point, the Germans wanted to route a freeway across this deep canyon, and solved the problem very directly. Just outside of Koblenz an autobahn spans the river on a very impressive bridge.
Traffic on the river is mostly huge barges. Like the Rhine, the Mosel carries a massive amount of freight. However, not all the boats are commercial.
Visible beyond: a campground. There are several campgrounds along this road.
Any slope along the river that is less than vertical is terraced for vines.
A bike trail (radweg) is part of the highway on the west bank, and is heavily used.
Although many of the vineyards are named, e.g.
It says "Alkaner Burgberg" which is unknown to Google.
...we were surprised to find that none had picked up on the Napa Valley notion (also exploited in New Zealand) of a retail winery outlet with tastings. There's plenty of wine being drunk along the weinstrasse, but only at bars and restaurants. The wineries are not getting a cut.
Burg Eltz
First stop was at the castle of Burg Eltz, another castle that looks like a castle should.
This one wasn't remade during the 1800s when so many German castles were remodeled to fit the Romantic concept of an age of chivalry. It has been owned by the same family since it was built, and actually survived a two-year siege in the 1600s.
Crowds wait for a tour in the inner courtyard.
Stone cannonballs.
They are restoring 200 years of deferred maintenance, hence the anachronistic crane.
Chochem
On up the Mosel, watching the big barges.
We parked in the town of Cochem where we stumbled on a couple of amateur brass bands having a competition.
Our destination in Cochem was a chairlift to a high ridge for views of this bend of the river.
"Oh yes, please don't," says Marian.
Once on top we had a great view from the Pinnerkreuze, an illuminated cross on a high rock.
Also on the list was an option to drive another 50Km to Trier, but it was already 3pm; we wouldn't have got there before 5. So we headed back.
Tomorrow: we cruise the Rhine.
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