We had one more overnight before we would be back at our daughter-in-law’s lovely apartment in Brussels. We simply found an area that was about halfway to Brussels, on the Rhine and on the same side as we wanted to be, no bridges for us! We chose Bingen am Rhein since we knew that area rather well but had never been to this particular village. It was a good choice!
After an ample and lovely breakfast (lit candles on the table and fine china for breakfast at our Augsburg hotel) we hit the road at ten and headed towards Bingen, passing lots of cities and towns were I had taught for Boston University for ten years. We arrived later than planned due to lots of traffic and Staus (traffic jams) despite it being a Saturday. We arrived with the rain at about three and were quickly settled into our lovely room overlooking the Rhine, the Mauseturm and the vast vineyards across the river. We put on our raincoats and headed for the main part of town which was across the railroad tracks.
We were lucky and the rain let up enough for us to enjoy walking the pedestrian street, filled with shops touting Hildegard von Bingen materials, as well as little wine shops, gelato shops and bakeries, lots and lots of bakeries. We stopped by a little Stube for a glass of the local white and some marvelous soup for Cindy and small sandwiches for me, both of which hit the spot. Cindy was so enamored of soup - puréed yellow peppers with a dollop of fresh cheese - that we thought about coming back for dinner until the heavens opened up after our return to the hotel. It is really a lovely little town and we were grateful that we could enjoy it without the tourists which swamp the place every summer. It is a jumping-off spot for Rhine cruises, lunch/dinner cruises, wine cruises, well you get the point, it is a thriving place from late April to late October.
We had a well-deserved nap and took a short walk in the underground garage, which while being underground, still had open windows so we could breath clean, moist air and have periodic views of the river on one side and the train tracks on the other while avoiding the rain. While Cindy practiced her violin, I went to what I was told was the bar, but which turned out to be a room with a TV and five overstuffed chairs. A waiter came and took my order and then returned with my drink and that was that, not a lot of charm, but all was made right when we went in to dinner. We were given a lovely table for two overlooking the river and the illuminated castle, towers and monuments on both sides of the river, even with the rain, was magical.
Soup must be a big thing in Bingen since there were several on our menu, but only one that really intrigued me: Mustard Soup. It was, as best I can figure, a clear chicken stock thickened with Dijon mustard with bacon and croutons floating on top. It was fantastic! We left the wine choice to our waiter, who either was afraid to get it wrong or really well trained, and he brought us two samples of very dry, local Rieslings. Both were good but one was better and he was pleased with our choice. It was a lovely meal, a great setting and a nice way to end our short time in Germany.
After a morning run for Cindy along the river and a walk for me through town again and then to the river, we had our breakfast and hit the road at ten. It was pouring rain when we left and just seemed to rain harder and harder as we drove. It turned out to be a blessing since it limited our view of the rather nasty Ruhr Valley; that industrial wasteland that still is an eye sore.
By three we were on the outskirts of Brussels and Cindy and Sybil took over directing me hither, thither and yon. Finally, after a nerve racking thirty minutes, we arrived someplace that looked familiar and with my uncanny sense of direction, two missed turns and an overshoot, we were home! Meagan was patiently waiting for us in the garage - not minding our navigation delay - and her smiles and hugs were a grand welcome.
Best wishes, Cindy and Wm
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