Castles and rivers

Today started out early. We made it to Burg Eltz just as it was opening, which was perfect considering the crowds that were forming when we left. We hiked the 800m straight downhill for the first 3 pictures. After that we took the guided tour (no pictures allowed), did the treasury and then got brats and bread for breakfast/lunch. We opted for the shuttle back to the car considering the downhill nature of the first walk. I love that castle. The location is so idyllic, it was definitely worth a second viewing from when I saw it in October. Spring was definitely in the air which made for a completely different experience.

After that, we left the Mosel and found the Rhine in Koblenz. We headed first to St Goar to see Rheinfelds castle ruins. Next 5 pictures show either the Rhine or parts of the ruins. I really enjoyed seeing the site - it was fun to hike through the old cellars and dungeons. It was essentially any little kids ultimate hide and seek place, which sounds irreverent, but it was fabulous for just exploring.

After that, I included some car pictures to give flavor to what we are doing. The first is at a parking lot where we successfully paid for a spot. It doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but it's huge. The second is after finding a free spot. Notice the relaxed look? The third is of me behind the wheel. I may look ok, but in reality, this driving thing is beyond stressful. It's mostly the parking thing that I just don't get. And the two way streets that are most certainly only big enough for 1. I'm trying to remember that I'm reinventing myself into a stress free person. It's not going great on this trip. Having a blast when not behind wheel, which is the last picture from last night - wine makes it all better!