Category Archives: Assmannshauser

Assmannshauser, Dresden

Bad Hersfeld 2 Dresden – August 17, 1015

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DSC_6640Our pension was so quiet that we thought we were the only guests. We didn’t see anyone last night when we checked in or after we returned from dinner.  Each of these rooms is uniquely decorated and have names on the doors as well as numbers.  Ours is the “Amazonas”.

 

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The wall decor is very tropical.  The room itself is at least 3, maybe 4 times larger than our tiny Amsterdam room!

 

 

It has a cooler downstairs that is basically an honour bar.  2 Euros for a beer.

We were astonished when we went down for breakfast that there were at least 20 other people there.  The breakfast buffet was sumptuous to say the least.  Along with the regular buffet items, it had scrambled and fried eggs, sausages, bacon and bacon wrapped dates (interesting).  They also had boiled eggs.  We have seen boiled eggs in other places.  Already cooked in a bowl or basket.  Stu saw the whole eggs and plopped one in an egg cup and took it back to our table.  When he was ready to eat it he started to crack it with his knife.  Goo started oozing out of the egg that was now obviously still raw.  He decided to hide with his napkin.  The woman organizing the breakfast somehow figured out what he had done (BUSTED!) and took him up to train him in the art of soft cooking an egg.  She showed him the egg cooking appliance and set the timer for the appropriate time.  Being impatient he went to check on his egg.  A lady guest sitting at the table next to us said “it should be OK”, so he started to retrieve it.  The Breakfast Lady says “did it ring??”,  Stu says “No”,  Breakfast Lady “It isn’t done yet!!  4 minutes”.  Giggles from the table next to us, he sits back down ruing his choice of egg!  Finally it rings and the egg is finally done.  Stu consumes and enjoys.  🙂

We get into our car and head off to Dresden.  We have a hotel near the train station and train tickets to Prague tomorrow.

The rain is lighter today and we are on the main road A4 to Dresden.  Much more pleasant than yesterday.

We are driving in the middle or right lane of the Autobahn.  Doing 120 K/hr we are passed with “peeyowwwww” by a whole list of German cars, BMWs, Audis, Mercedez, Porsches and Opels.

I am trying to get them on video and giggling with every one that leaves us in their dust even though we are going up to 135 k/hr!

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Just west of a city named Jena we go through a 3K tunnel.  That is followed by a small 600M one.  It is an odd feeling driving that far underground.

 

After arriving into Dresden and finding our hotel, we drop our bags and then head out to find the Budget office to drop off our car.

Mission accomplished we walk to the train station to get our bearings for tomorrow and back to our hotel.

Checked places in Prague to stay.  We had a couple of recommendations from friends.  We checked them out, some over 340 Euros/night.  We recall that we are in high season and prices are obviously much higher.  I check HRS.com and find a place called Anyday Appartments.  HRS has it for 81 Euros as I have now registered my company to get the “Business Tariff”.  Much better.  I decide to check Trivago and find it for 70 Euros!!  It pays to check around!

 

Assmannshauser, Bad Hersfeld

Assmanshauser 2 Bad Hersfeld – August 16, 2015

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We woke up to rain this morning, so it is a great travel day.  We head out with the plan to head to Dresden and drop off the car.  We try to bypass Frankfurt as it is such a big busy place.  It is raining a lot and we are on a major freeway the A5.  Not the nice quiet country roads we envisioned.  We manage to find a slower pace road, but the rain does still make travel uncomfortable.  We have noticed many towns called “Bad”  something or other.  Checking the translator Bad means Bath, so I am thinking Spa and that translates to something more interesting than the little towns we have been passing through.  It is Sunday, so it seems that almost nothing is open.

We arrive in Bad Hersfeld.  Check our HRS.com and find a nice place for the night.  Tomorrow is off to Dresden and Tuesday we have booked train tickets to Prague.

Assmannshauser

Assmannshauser – August 15, 2015

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We tried to get another booking in our pension but all she had left was a room that had a shower and sink but no toilet.  The toilet was down 3 flights of stairs.  Yeah, not going to happen.  We checked with the pension across the street and they had a room available.  It is a bit more money, but we really want another day here, so we take it.  We just have to move our stuff about 100 meters down the road.

There is a chairlift in Assmannshauser that takes you up to the top of the hill where there are many hiking trails.  One takes you to Niederwalddenkmal

Allegory of Germania commemorates the Franco-Prussian War above Rüdesheim (next town from Assmannhauser)

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DSC_2878This monument is HUGE.  We came out of the forest and were so taken by the view of the Rhine that we didn’t even notice the monument at first.  We look away from the view and look up and this massive structure.  Wow!

 

From the town on the other side of the hill, Rüdesheim, there is a gondola to bring people up to this spot.  Also buses bring people up here.  The views are stunning.

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We start back down using the trails through the vineyards.  This reminds us of trekking the Amalfi Coast.  It is definitely the path less traveled.

 

 
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There is a ruined castle on our way.  The map we are using leads us to believe that the trail goes past the old castle.

 

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So when we come across a steep set of stairs it seems to be the way to go.  Apparently not!  It does take us to the castle ruins, but in order to get back to Assmannshauser we must go back UP those stairs.  It is doable 🙂

 

 

DSC_2945We make it back and find ourselves heading in the right direction to our town.  The views of the Rhine valley are stunning.  This river has a strong current running North, which seems odd to us.

 

We end the day by going to Rüdesheim where there is a wine festival being held.  This is where all the people are.  We have been very surprised that the little towns we have been through have so few people around.  Rüdesheim obviously has them all 🙂

20K on the fitbit!

 

Assmannshauser, Unkel

Unkel 2 Assmannshauser – August 14, 2015

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We leave Unkel with a hotel booking in Assmannshauser. No pressure to get there.

We find a beautiful little town called Linz. We park in a public parking lot. The railway is elevated above us. There is a man up on the tracks who starts talking to Stu in the language of the area, German. Then some other people who are parking across from where we parked get into the act 🙂 After a lot of discussion one of the people parking near us tells Stu to open the door to our car, he then pulls out of the pocket in the door a time parking thingy. Apparently you set the time you will be back so they don’t give you a ticket. A little parking lesson in Germany!

DSC_6548It is the busiest little town we have come across along the Rhine. It has very quaint half timber buildings in lots of bright colours and crooked buildings. In this one when you drop anything it will roll downhill to the left I’m sure.

 

 

 

 

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There is an interesting fountain where you can pose the figures arms and hands.

 

DSC_2842We carry on south down the Rhine. Stopping next at a beautiful castle up on the hill. We drive up and pay our 6 euros each to take  the tour of the castle. Very interesting hearing how they lived in the middle ages.

 

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There are amazing views from up on the castle hill.
DSC_2855Off we go on our way to Assmannshauser. I think Stu picked this place for it’s name. We find our little pension but have a bit of trouble finding where to park our car. We got this place through HRS.com for 49 euros (about 72 CAD). It is small and quaint. Once again we are on the top floor. At least the steps can handle a normal human foot! We hope to stay in this town tomorrow night as
well.

This IS a room with a vew!!DSC_6583