Europe Part 3: Cochem & Burg Eltz

The next day we woke up in charming Cochem, a small town on the Mosel River (an area known for its Riesling wines).  It is hard for me to pinpoint my favorite part of the trip, but this day was probably it.  There was just so much beauty to soak in!

Situated on a hill right in the middle of town is a lovely castle (Reichsburg Cochem).  We walked all the way up past the grapevines that grow on the steep river-side hills.  We did not have time to tour the inside, but were able to walk around the grounds, enjoy the views, and watch a falconry show.

We had a special treat for lunch because my friend Maria (who lives in Germany) drove up to see us!  Her visit made the scrumptious outdoor patio dining even more fun.  We (of course) had some wine with lunch and then tasted and purchased a number of different wines at a couple local wineries and wine shops.

We finished the day at Burg Eltz, another castle not too far from Cochem.  Unlike most castles in this area (including Reichsburg Cochem), this castle was never destroyed so we were able to tour a true medieval castle, including a number of fully furnished rooms and the castle treasury.  Wesley, being the expert on castles, was on the lookout for dragons and princesses, and kept asking where they were.  Despite his vigilance, we did not come across any during our tour, so we bought him a stuffed one from the gift shop.  Being the bright kid that he is, he immediately declared the dragon a toy, not a real dragon, but he soon got over that small point and enjoyed running around with him. 

Believe it or not, we fit all of this fun into one day.  Say tuned for the final post on our trip to Cologne!