Cruise the Rhine With Me

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This week, come along on a tour of the most beautiful part of Germany I’ve seen: the Rhine River with all its castles.

In Friends and Enemies, Heidi travels along the Rhine on her way from her home in Hagen to her ancestral home in Bickenbach.

Later, Paul also travels the Rhine, through the air and on the ground.

Marksburg Castle is the only hill castle on the Rhine that has never been destroyed.
Lived in for over 700 years, it has changed considerably over the centuries.

Marksburg's ancient kitchen

View of the Rhine from Marksburg.

Rheinfels Castle in Sankt Goar, a town familiar to Heidi.

Looking north from Rheinfels, we see Burg Maus (Mouse Castle)

To the south is Burg Katz (Cat Castle)

Here I am at Rheinfels. Across the river is Sankt Goarshausen.

Less than fifteen miles west from Rheinfels is my (and Heidi's) ancestral hometown, Bickenbach.

Who hasn't heard of Lorelei, the siren who lured sailors to their deaths? Here's Lorelei Rock.

A castle façade disguises a train tunnel. To prevent the Allies from bombing it during WWII?

The Rhine flows south from Switzerland to the North Sea. These castles are upriver from Sankt Goar.

Have you ever been to the Rhine? To Germany? Besides the Rhine cruise, I’ve also visited Berlin twice. Germany is special to me. Three quarters of my ancestors hailed from Germany and many Wangards are still there.