Bingen

Gate to Burg Klopp

We are fast running out of warm weekends to go and explore the towns around us.  I had remember Bingen as a town that I passed on my way to Mainz from Koblenz and decided I wanted to know a little more about it.  The first thing I relearned is that traveling with 2 kids and only 1 adult, not really advisable. Although Clark and MJ are older now, they still will get into mischief and make a lot of noise.  Noise in the US is not nearly as much of a problem as it is here in Europe.  It is not that children should be seen and not heard, it is more of everyone should be seen and not heard.  There is something about everyone living in small, close towns (I mean the houses are really close together here) that inculcates whispering.  Something that really requires 2 parents reminding 2 kids to keep their voices down. 

Burg Klopp

Any rate, the trip, we decided to take the train even though it was 2 hours on the slow moving train, it was beautiful.  I love looking at the towns along the way and seeing the modern houses mixed with the old sometimes in the same building.  Our arrival in Bingen was a little more confusing than I had expected … forgot the paper that gave me our itinerary (tour) and came into the wrong train station – on the opposite side of town.  So, the restaurant I had picked out was no longer 2 blocks away.  Needless to say we found a different spot to eat and did a more spotty tour.

Saw – Burg Klopp, the Roman ruins, Basilica, Mäuseturm,ruins of Ehrenfels castle and the convergence of the Rhine with the Nahe river (linked to photo album with larger photos).

Missed  -  Drususbrücke – one of oldest stone bridges in Germany ( wooden in Roman times, stone 11^th C. (middle ages) rebuilt 1955) in the right bridge pile there is the bridge chapel, in which travelers for centuries prayed for a safe journey. Der Alte Kran, the old crane which was used for loading boats in the 15^th century.  We also didn’t make it to the museums with exhibitions on instruments of a Roman physician and Hildegard von Bingen. She was one of the most important women in the Middle Ages. 

Basilica St. Martin's

The items we missed were actually more historical than those we saw, with the exception of the Basilica.  It was first mentioned in 793 as an abbey.  In 883 the Roman construction was destroyed and newly dedicated in 1220. When fire broke out on 14 August 1403, the church was almost completely destroyed. Three decades later a new Gothic-style St Martin’s church was finished.  It was expanded in 1505.   After the bombing in 1944 the vaulted roof of the main nave and a part of the high altar collapsed.  Today you can see some of the art and treasure from over the years and the original crypt.  It is really amazing to witness these things.  From everything I can figure out it is not possible to tour the Mäuseturm, or ruins of Ehrenfels castle.  Fortunately, it was a wonderful day to play in the park and tour the town. 

 ruins of Ehrenfels castle

Mäuseturm

I have to give kudos to Clark for picking the best meal on the menu today.  We are always trying new dishes.  While many of the restaurants have the same or similar menus, today we came upon a restaurant that had a very creative and diverse menu.  In other words, we had NO idea what we were ordering.  I did figure out that MJ had order a sandwich with smoked salmon (lach); she took the salmon off the bread and ate it on her salad – the dressing on the bread was not a 7 year olds favorite flavors.  I had an amazing fresh baby spinach salad that had a smoked ham on it (most likely from the Black Forest).  But Clark, he had this awesome pork dish with fall vegetables in au jus with a side of, to die for, roasted potatoes.  Oh, I was so glad when he couldn’t finish that meal and passed it my way!!!  Thank you Clark!

We wrapped up our day spending the evening with Dad in Ramstein village at their Oktober fest.  Festivals are outdoor shopping and eating.  We bought MJ a hat that has built in earmuffs and then we got some organic soap that smelled wonderful (MJ went for the lily of the valley).  Instead of fudge it was almond nugget and I think we might go back tomorrow to buy a sheepskin.