Sunday, December 2, 2012

Bamberg to Biedenkopf and a Day at Wezlar and Marburg


Bamberg to Biedenkopf, Friday, November 30, 2012

Last night we stayed in a Best Western Hotel – very nice but it was almost too western!  We really do like the older more quaint German hotels, even though they are not as modern.   However when we came into the center (centrum) of downtown Bamberg it was raining and we did not want to search for a hotel.  We want to stay in the downtown so we can walk to the Christmas Markets instead of finding a place to park, especially when the weather is nasty.   
Snow in Gremany


By this morning the rain had stopped so after a great breakfast we walked back to the Christmas Market, through the Old Town and to the Dom.  I did buy the scarf I saw last night – as if I needed another one!  It was about 10:30 when we left Bamberg to drive northwest to Biedenkopf.    We used the Autobahn highways extensively today since we had a longer distance to travel.  Hopefully we don’t have to do this very often as we enjoy the back roads and small villages.   At one location there was road construction so we exited the autobahn and really did enjoy the slower drive.   At times we drove through areas that had enough snow to track a rabbit, whereas other places just had a dusting. 

We arrived at our friends in Biedenkopf around 4:00.  It was so good to see them again.  We have been chatting all night!  Tomorrow we will be out exploring Germany with them.

Wetzlar and Marburg: Saturday, December 1, 2012

This morning our friends awoke us at 8:45!  We were still sleeping hard!  Blame it on Jet lag, plus we visited too late last night!

After a great German breakfast we were off to the town of Wetzlar, which was approximately an hour drive from Biedenkopf.  It was a cold morning – everything was frosty, the trees were beautiful with the frost.  Unbeknownst to us, a guide was scheduled to meet us to give us a two hour tour in English of the old town of Wetzlar.  She was very good, which helped us forget the cold, however she was mindful of the weather and we would go inside whenever possible.   Wetzlar has a very interesting history and her stories brought the history to life.


Photos from Wexlar

Santa Claus in Wexlar

After the tour we visited a museum that held a collection of old furniture from Europe.  The collector was a Doctor who bought beautiful antique furniture – some were massive pieces – she would rather spend money on furniture than on food.  By the time we left the museum it was dark enough that the Christmas lights were nice in the Christmas market.  Wetzlar’s market was small, so we decided to stop in Marburg on the way home and go to their Christmas Market. Marburg is a University town, so lots of students were out in the streets and at the market tonight.  We tried more gluhwine!  It is cold tonight, but in Marburg they had outdoor heaters which you could be near while you drank your gluhwine.  
Marburg Christmas Market, Brats!!

Wexlar Street at Night

Potato Pancake in Marburg

Gluhwein!!

Gluhwein with Friends

We asked why some German towns end in ‘burg’ and others in ‘berg’.  When the name ends in ‘burg’ it means there is a castle in the town, whereas ‘berg’ means the town is on a mountain.  Also ‘furt’ as in Frankfurt means there is a crossing over the river, as a bridge.

After we returned to the house it began snowing.  By the time I am writing this the deck is covered!  We’ll see how much accumulates by morning.      

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