Red Lips and Wine (and Travel, Food & Fun)

Meandering up the Mosel

The Rhine and the Mosel meet up near or at Koblenz. We wanted to give equal time to this river and its lovely vineyards as well. It was a spectacularly beautiful sunny day to drive the course of a river and take in the beauty of earth, light and water. The vineyards are hugging the hills at what to me looks like an almost 90 degree angle and Jeff and I marvel at how people can work these fields. Thankfully they have been for ages and know what they are doing.

We stopped first in Bernkastel-Kues and then Cochem for some tastings and sightseeing. We went to two different wine shops:

Weinhaus Schnitzius and one that belongs to Weingut Walter J. Oster. Both quite good and we had to buy the Reislings we tasted--Jeff likes them on the sweet side but I don't. That will not stop me from helping him drink his of course.

Wine tasting:

 The wines here, Rieslings mostly, that I tasted were light, crisp with the promise of open ended fun in a glass. Wine shops keep bottles for tasting at all times and you can request to taste anything in deciding if and what to buy. It was about 11 in the morning but hey when in a wine shop....

 

              
 

Pics from Bernkastel-Kues and Cochem:

           


          

Feeling really goooooooooooooood.........

 

 

Lorelei.... and new friends

 

First,  a little about 'Red Lips and Wine(and Travel, Food & Fun)".

It was long winter filled with too much cold and snow in the northeast and losses of different kinds and work, work, work. Now, it's Spring and time to shake off heartaches caused by callousness and embrace something new-- lots and lots of new--most of all-- a new attitude. Red lipstick to remind myself of life's many passions and delving into celebrations with food, wine, family and friends. 

This is to throw off the sad rags of winter and embrace the glad rags of all the coming seasons! 

Germany is the first leg of my tri-country romp. Its great to be here again with my brother, Jeff (real name Ewan) and to be able to roll around Europe as we always do and to 'live' again.

On a mountain top in Loreley, Jeff and I walked into an open air bar and met two new friends- Simon and Kath, from the Isle of Wight who also love Germany.

  

Simon and Kath have been together 40 years. She is a cancer survivor and he does hand crafted wood burn art. They have come through thick and thin and to celebrate that, Simon has chronicled their lives and her survival in tattoos all over his body--he showed them to me--a story told in vibrant colors and intricate artistry--splendid.

Other people's lives can really just floor you sometimes huh? I can take a tattoo or leave it --to each his/ her own I always say. But to see the story of love  that is documented on this very personal canvas is one of the greatest expressions of love I have ever seen. They are both raucously funny, lovely and sweet.

Check out his work on Facebook at ' Burnt Fingers with Simon Levrier'.

After a perfect spring evening spent in their wonderful company, drinking cool crisp glasses of wine and beer, high above the Rhine River in a place called Loreley, I got the sense (and the appreciation) that no matter how low you can sometimes fall in spirit and in position, something like this can bring you so very high and remind you that life is really, truly, wonderfully, beautifully magnificent. 

If you are reading this in the company of a glass of wine (or soda, coffee, tea or water), toast yourself and life.

 

 

To Lorelei...way up high

The name itself brings up memories of old seafaring stories but I might be confused--too much wine maybe? Anyhoo, the drive up to Lorelei along the winding Rhine with castles dotting either side of the river on average every 3 miles,  is truly a sight to see ( My brother and I are seeing it and appreciating it for all reading this so rest assured).

Water, sky, greenery and old feudal structures that still stand so very long after they were erected to demonstrate stature and position by men (maybe women too) now long lost to history.

 

Rüdesheim am Rhein

Wineries dot the drive along the Rhine river as we made our way to Rüdesheim. 'Rüdesheim am Rhein' is a winemaking town in the Rhine Gorge (part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site) and of course it is a gorgeous town. There are places that evoke something in you (I am lucky to be evoked a lot) and this is one of them.

The wineries with their beautiful landscaped rows upon rows of vines, chateau like buildings with architecture capturing the romance of wine making and passion for living life.

Rüdesheim views:

'Drosselgasse' is a famous narrow lane with charmingly decorated restaurants, cafes and wine bars.

Heidelberg

After a short trip to Heidelberg to see the castle and a wonderful lunch, we headed down the Rhine.

Heidelberg views:

 

 

 

The adventure begins_ Bad Durkheim

On to Bad Durkheim which is great wine and spa town. There is a huge wine festival here later in the year- (I will have to come back) but it is just great to drive through the vineyards (see all the young vines) and then walk through the town with all the wonderful 'weingut' (winery).

We walked through its beautiful park and saw this very interesting wooden water feature.

 

 

'Bad' denotes a health resort town but hey it can be applied to me too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This spa has excellent landscaping and its own lemon trees and all kinds of herbs growing in its garden. There is a perfume of rosemary, sage all around me.

 

 

 

After a leisurely coffee break in town center, we are heading off to Heidelberg....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arrival at Frankfurt- Main

My brother Jeff picking me up at the airport-- coffee in hand --this is the ritual when I come to Germany. I am so happy to see him and he is overjoyed to see me too.