Category: Travel

Böser Osterhase Osterfest

Timothy Price23 Comments

We went to Sankt Wendel for the Bad Easter Bunny Easter Fesival this morning. The streets were full of people acting like bumper cars in a demolition derby. I’ve been in much denser crowds in Mardrid, Paris and Rome, and people did not bump into each other like they were at the Böser Osterhase Osterfest today. You would think Früling would bring out the best in people.

Atlas: “Oh nein! Nicht ein böser Osterhase!”

Sunrise

Common Chiffchaff

I saw Squirrel Nutkin on our walk this morning.

Eurasian Blue Tit

Carion! My wayward Crow. Where hast you been, and where dost you go?

Red kite

The sign claims the St. Wendeler Easter Festival is the most beautiful spring festival. It brings out a bumber crop of people.

A Red Kite was looking to make a meal of the Böser Osterhase.

Carion the wayward Crow fallowed us to Sankt Wendel.

Carion Crow clocking in.

Plank roasted salmon seems to be a staple at festivals

The Basilica of St. Wendelin

I missed the mice in at the alter of the church, but, fortunately, Tristan got them.

She also noticed a fishy doorknob.

WWI memorial

Stations of the Cross

The City Council building seems appropriately named.

It’s safe to look now, Atlas!

Fungus Amongus!

Timothy Price42 Comments

Freyja and I went on a long walk in the forest this morning.

There was lots of fungus among us. I believe these are called polypores.

There are so many trails, it can drive you nuts!

I could hear birds chirping, woodpeckers pecking, and what sounded like an owl, but I couldn’t find a single bird in the forest full of trees.

Our walk

Freyja was worn out

Atlas was putting on the cute, again

We went to an Irish pub own by a fellow from Romania for St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

Speaking of fungus amongus, the band played “Proud Mary” and “La Bamba” as part of their moldy oldies repertoire.

Paddy on bass. Herr Elton John on drums. Herr Traditionell spielen, singen und auf der Gretsch richtig Gas geben.

What was funny about the band is that it brought back memories of when I played in garage bands in the mid to late 70s. Way back then, we had to know three songs to play in clubs, for weddings, and special events: “Proud Mary”, “Brown-Eyed Girl”, and “La Bamba”. We didn’t stick around long enough to see if they played “Brown-Eyed Girl”.

The menu included Irish stew

Roast in wine sauce and mashed potatoes or

Shepherd’s Pie or Lamb Shank

and Apple Pie

Bis morgen! Tschüss!

Cathedral @ Trier & More

Timothy Price39 Comments

The snowpack on the Rocky Mountains is sparse.

If it weren’t for the clouds, I might have seen Dundee, Scotland. The map on the plane said Dundee was below us at that point.

The mainland. I believe we were starting to fly over the Netherlands.

Restaurant at the castle in Landstuhl

The neighbor’s chickens

Atlas

A tat of a cat named Atlas

Gimmeldingen Mandelblütenfest

Timothy Price34 Comments

Pink was the theme at the Gimmeldingen Mandelblütenfest

Despite Freyja blocking the way, we rode the train to the Gimmeldingen Mandelblütenfest (Almond Blossom Festival).

Atlas thought it looked like fun

On second thought…

Graffiti along the way

Vineyards, almond trees and towns around Gimmeldingen

There were a lot of people, kids, and dogs celebrating the Almond Blossoms.

Roasting salmon on planks

There were all kinds of food and drink available as we strolled along the roads

Mandelblütenfest Chicken

This is an interesting building. It seems like a place for pilgrims to stay.

Castle at Frankenstein through the train car window.

Wheelchair or Rolser access?

The Cutest Chapel

Timothy Price38 Comments

Tristan Pointed out this really cute chapel…

…looking over Landstuhl from the Schlossruine Nanstein Castle

Landstuhl

Atlas thinks the chapel is cool, also!

Knight in the pavers

Fountain with a Camino de Santiago symbol

The oldest houses in Landstuhl are from around the 16th century.

Atlas wants to hire the maid on the van.

On to Ehemalige Festung Homburg

Homburg

With castle ruins comes more tunnels and stairs

A scratching of the 250-million-year-old ichthyosaur remains they found in the limestone in 1968.

The sign says it’s dangerous. I had to check it out. When I stepped on the floor and started to sink in the much, I decide the sign was not kidding.

Another danger sign

Where I would have come out if I have ventured past the muck

Atlas eared me that I was a wimp for not going through the dangerous tunnel.

I came across a wheelbarrow on a landing looking for the restroom at an Asian restaurant. I got confused. It could have been from jet lag, the Dragon Fruit drink, or the pole dancing. It’s hard to say.

Atlas giving me an ear up for getting lost trying to find the restroom at an Asian restaurant.

Hotel Giles

Timothy Price51 Comments

Hotel Giles at night

At this time last week, we were staying at the Hotel Giles in Comfort, TX (https://www.hotelgiles.com/). We had driven 687 miles to Comfort to experience the total eclipse of the sun. Comfort, TX, was in the direct path of the eclipse, so we got around 4 minutes and 20 seconds of totality. Hotel Giles is a wonderful hotel that was perfect for viewing the eclipse with its large open space behind the hotel. The owners and staff were friendly and went out of their way to make our stay pleasant and memorable. They kept us informed on what was happening in Comfort, arranged for lunch, and made the guests dinner for a reasonable price on Monday since most restaurants were closed on Monday. A delicious home-cooked breakfast was included in the price of the room, and the coffee was excellent. If you are in the area, I highly recommend staying at the Hotel Giles.

The Hotel Giles was originally Hotal Faust, designed and built by architect Alfred Giles for Paul Ingenhuett in 1880. Alfred Giles was an English architect who moved to San Antonio, TX, in 1875 for health reasons and became a well-known and influential architect in San Antonio, southwestern Texas, and northern Mexico. He was also involved in ranching near Comfort. You can read more about Alfred Giles at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Giles_(architect).

The room we stayed in.

Interior stairway and the Parlor where guests gather. They have jam sessions on Friday nights.

This guy had been waiting for years for the eclipse.

The courtyard and gazebo at night.

The Cottage, a covered deck, and the Cabin.

The barn and a Tesla charging station out front.

Santa Fe Riot 2009

Timothy Price32 Comments

Farm and Ranch Graffiti on a beached box car. In 1980, a riot broke out at the New Mexico State Penitentiary in Santa Fe, NM. It turned into the most deadly prison riot in U.S. history. The graffiti on the box car is a rather bold reminder for us folks who remember the Penitentiary riot.