


Rock Pipit


Great Tit



Common Sparrow




Common Buzzard




















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!

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


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?



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.
