Tuesday, October 2

Today we stopped in Trier, Germany to see the Roman ruins and have lunch.  Then we did a beautiful drive up the Mosel Valley--vineyards on steep slopes overlooking the river.  The area produces wine made from the Riesling grape.  Grapes were grown in this valley by the Romans.  We stayed at the Gastehaus zum Moseltal -- even though they had made a mistake and had only one room available, the owner immediately found another room for us close by.

Vineyards

B&B 

Hill side vineyard

and a Castle or two!

Wednesday, October 3

German Military Cemetery

We left our guesthouse early, today is a long drive.  Further up the Mosel Valley we passed through the towns of Tres-Karden,  it was in this area the 803rd crossed in early March, 1945.   Since we're in Germany now we're not finding any "war memorials" of course, although it seems most villages have a small memorial to their German soldiers killed in the war.  We did stumble across a German Military Cemetery in a small village.

OK, we purchased a GPS for this trip and the European Maps; however, we have Patrick along with his IPad and his great sense of direction!

The 803rd crossed the Rhine River with the 5th Division at Oppenheim in late March, 45 so we crossed too--Patrick found a ferry location on the outskirts of Oppenheim.  Probably not the same spot but pretty close.

Vineyard along Rhine River in Oppenheim area

Crossing at Oppenheim, Germany

We did a four hour stop-over in Rothenburg to walk about the old walled city and have dinner.  Then a very dark drive to Mornsheim arriving so late they had closed up the Guesthouse and Bar--fortunately the owners lived above and let us in.  We're in the Solnhofen area well known for the fossils found here.  So, of course, traveling with two geologist-paleontologists we're going fossil hunting.  We spent the next morning and early afternoon in a quarry splitting limestone slabs looking for sea life fossils.  We did find several nautilus and one fish head--our luggage is going to be heavier on the return trip.

Rothenburg--window box flowers were beautiful!

Rothenburg street

Tools of the Trade:  Rock Hammer, Chisel and Spit

When you think you've found a fossil you have to give it lick to
 see it better!  Rocks and Fossils look better wet!

Patrick and Heather

Friday, October 5

Left early this morning for Munich area, staying in a small hotel on the rail line just north of the city.  With October Fest in full swing we did not want to drive any closer!  Took the S Bahn in for a look at October Fest--seems each mega beer brewery has their own "tent"--huge permanent tents that probably hold a thousand or more beer drinkers!......and this is one o'clock in the afternoon and we can't find four seats!...the oompa bands playing and the waitresses in traditional dress running around with as many as 12 steins of beer, six in each hand! Finally we found seating outside and each had our giant stein of beer and pretzel and then took off for a walk into Munich's main square.  Charlie and I found a coffee shop and enjoyed people watching while Heather and Patrick window shopped.

October Fest Crowd

Dad's unit did not come through Munich but traveled to the east from the Frankfort area to Passau and then on into Austria and the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia).