Rothenburg/Ipsheim

 We love this hotel even more, not just because of the location to comfort but also the fabulous breakfast bar. It was one of the best European breakfast we’ve had on this trip and it had a lovely view of the valley and the city covered in fog. In fact I had gotten up earlier to walk around the city and take photos and was pleasantly surprised by the fog surrounding the wall. After breakfast we decided to walk some more and we had a magical walk as a beautiful white and black cat followed us for quite a while along the wall path. We drove To Belvin sign and when we got there we remarked on the many changes we saw, but it didn’t negate our excitement at being there. we have course walked up to the Towne Square and saw St. Joe hunts church where we got married 33 years ago. The inside looked as if it had been freshened up and it was beautiful. They were practicing the organ so we even Heard a bit of music. We then drove over to Ipsheim and met with our previous landlady Gerda, her daughter Simone, and her husband Klaus. Of the three class speaks the most English and our German is definitely rusty, but it was a wonderful reunion. We saw that the renovations they had made to the apartment. The most noticeable was that Houses and apartments were being built directly behind Gerda’s house partially blocking the view of the castle. Simone now lives upstairs in the apartment where are used to live and her two boys have the attic apartment. It is not uncommon for a German family to build a big house and have different generations live on the different floors. I’m Not sure if this is still as common as the new houses being built are quite expensive and hard for families to buy. Within walked up the hill to the castle which again is another steep climb. We walked around the castle which is being renovated and in my opinion was harder to see because so much of the brush and the trees had grown up. We sit down at a table outside among the many other people up on the hill. We had federweisser wine which is the new wine made from the newly harvested grapes and is only available in September or October. It also tends to have a higher alcoholic content and because of the sweetness you have to be careful drinking it. To me it almost taste like a sweet grapefruit juice, it’s very good. Scotty had a black forest cake and I had a cherry almond torte, both were delicious. The five of us then walked down a different path which passed by the vineyards in the little chapel on the hill and gave us a really good view of Ipsheim and the surrounding villages.