Cochem

Jeff and I drove up to the Mosel last Saturday to visit Cochem. It’s a town of about 5,000 folks and sits on the Mosel River about half way between Bernkastle-Kues, to the south, and Koblenz, to the north. Cochem, as a village, has been around since at least 886 and certainly much earlier as a Roman settlement. The main reason for our hour and a half drive to Cochem was to see their beautiful castle.

We’ve just arrived on the Mosel River. Here’s me with the Cochem Castle in the background.

The Reichsburg Cochem (Imperial Castle of Cochem) was built on the peak of a hill that lies within the Mosel valley. So, although it sits well above the town of Cochem, the rim of the valley is well above the castle. Cochem Castle was first mentioned in ancient documents in 1130.

Cochem Castle with the towns riverfront below.

A closer view of the castle. Cochem Castle, like most castles in this area of Germany, was besieged by the French in 1688 and, for the most part, destroyed. It lay in ruins until 1868 when a private business man from Berlin purchased the castle and reconstructed it in its present form.

Cochem Castle from the towns riverfront. The town of Cochem has owned the castle since 1978.

Walking up to the castle. It was steep!

The town of Cochem viewed from the castle.

The castle keep.

Cochem Castel gate.

Back in the town, half timbered buildings in the Cochem town square.

Cathedral steeple in Cochem.

The walk up to the castle and back down left us needing sustenance. Jeff had a beer, Duh, I had a big ass cappuccino.

Jeff with Cochem Castle in the background. Still jacket weather over here.

Some guy drove up in this cute little car. It’s a Messerschmitt, same guys that built the Me-109 of WW II fame.

Cochem Castle and the town from the east bank of the Mosel.

Last view of the Cochem Castle as we drive south along the east bank of the Mosel River.

A castle ruin above the village of Beilstein.

We stopped in the town of Mesenich which was having a different kind of wine festival with its neighboring village of Senheim. This sign says Weinwanderweg (Wine Walk Way) and that’s exactly what their little festival was, a walk between the villages, through the local vineyards; about half way up the Mosel valley wall.

A sign that advertises the various grapes that are grown by the Mesenich vintners.

There were about 10-12 stops along the walk, this is above Mesenich at the north end of the walk; Senheim lays to the south. This is stop one, a Bitburger vendor. Jeff said this was a definite stop on our way back.

Here I am on one of the benchs overlooking the Mosel. What a wonderful place to just sit and look out over the valley.

The vineyards between Mesenich and Senheim had all sorts of images of well known local vintners and people of notoriety.  This a local, favorite friar of the past.

This little car was what one of the local vintners used to hold his sampling of wines.

Can’t have a German festival without a band. See how steep the vineyard terrain is.

At this second stop the lady there sold a peach schnapps. Here’s Jeff with his peach schnapps and the Mosel valley below.

The band caught up to us at the peach lady. Fun music, pretty setting.

The beautiful Mosel Valley.

Biking is a big deal in Germany and there's no better place to ride than along the Mosel River on a nice spring day.

At the end of our walk we were back to the Bitburger vendor and Jeff’s anticipated amber nectar. Say what?!?!? No beer, just wine?!?!?  Jeff looks quite bewildered.

Back in the car, we’re driving cross country from the Mosel to Kirchheimbolanden and their Maifest (May Festival). The yellow of the rapeseed fields was magnificent.

We’re in Kibo, just another little celebration of the arrival of spring. You can see what a nice day it is.

We saw this sign advertising a Bitburger-Stubbi. We had to find out what that might be.

Here it is, the Bitburger-Stubbi, their short stubby bottle. Lucky Jeff, he finally got his Bit.

Another great day in Germany! It’s finally warming up here so pretty sure there’s a lot more days like this one the way, both weather and festive.