After lunch (including the colorful ‘fairy salad’ as Roni called it) we headed over to Ramstein to board a USO tour bus to Rudesheim. This was a treat from Roni who arranged and paid for the whole thing! Thank You Roni!

Rudesheim is a ‘wine town’ and one of the most visited tourist destinations in Germany. We had something like an hour to visit the town before we needed to head for the Rhine River and our boat “Vater Rhine” (father Rhine).

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This scene greeted us as we stepped off the bus. Even in jet-lagged condition the hillsides of grape vines coming right down to the town was cool.

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White wine grapes: probably Riesling. Riesling is the most important grape on the Rhine (and throughout Germany). “Riesling owes its taste to a soil of heat-storing and mineral rich slate”. The Rhine and Danube formed roughly the northern border of the Roman Empire from 50 BC to 300 AD. The Romans realized wine from this area was particularly light and delicate so cultivated it widely. Until 1803, when Napoleon conquered the left (west) bank of the Rhine, virtually all vineyards were owned by the church. With privatization came pride in quality and exporting of German wines. (from tourist map I picked up)

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Narrow streets run ‘up the hill’ and were used to roll the wine barrels down to the boats on the river. Today they are used for happy soccer fans making merry…

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German ice cream shops have beautiful displays. Makes american ‘Baskin-Robbins’ style buckets of ice cream seem primative

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Roni, our friend and generous german unofficial tour guide

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Rüdesheim Coffee. This is a local treat that starts with special coffee mugs (surprise, you can buy them), 3 sugar cubes, Asbach Uralt brandy, and a match. lite it and stir for a minute, then add coffee and a huge dollap of whipped cream. Sprinkle chocolate on top. Awesome. The Asbach brandy has a local Rüdesheim history beginning in 1892 when Hugo Asbach began distilling.

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Deanne and her Nut Cracker friend in front of the Kathe Wohlfahrt store. Right before we were both told to leave because she was eating ice creme and I was taking pictures…

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Wonderfully landscaped and manicured narrow streets packed with tourists, restaurants, and every overpriced thing for sale…

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