Mimi, Jared and Wesley Come to Germany!

Our oldest daughter and her two boys at Burg Eltz

This has been a long time coming. Our sweet oldest daughter and her two sons came to visit us and Europe. They spent almost two weeks here around us, and we loved it. What a thrill it was to have them with us and to show them some of the reasons why we love Germany. Here's a picture montage of their visit.

Visiting the Römerdom (Frankfurt Cathedral)

View from the cathedral spire down the Main River

To get to this point, you have to climb lots of steps in a spiral stone staircase

Frankfurt has a really impressive skyline

The view is worth the climb

Der Eiserner Steg

This iron footbridge crosses the Main from near the Römerplatz to Sachsenhausen across the river. It was built in 1868. The Wehrmacht blew it up in the final days of World War II (completely pointless as so many things were), but Frankfurt rebuilt it in 1946. It is a popular spot for people to demonstrate their undying love by locking engraved locks to the bridge railing and tossing the keys in the river. 

Who dares to cross my bridge.

It was hot, and children found one of the old fountains inviting.

How else can you cool off in a country where air conditioning is rare.

Off to Rothenburg ob der Taube

Rothenburg is the most picturesque towns in Germany. The town was mostly spared the ravages of the war. It has a long history and the medieval wall of the old city is intact. You can walk about 2/3 of the wall, and it is a great vantage point looking down into the old city. The houses and buildings are quaint, and there is plenty to see and do. We rode the trains from Frankfurt to Rothenburg and walked from the train station to our hotel just outside the wall. The hotel was a 19th century gem and was a great place to stay. 

Ready to go at the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof -- just waiting for the ICE train

A gate for the city

Part of the moat remains

Just inside the wall. Notice the flowers in the window boxes

Now that's a nice yard inside the wall of the old city.

View along the wall

The rain decided to fall while we were walking the parapets and under a roof

One of the bridges over the moat

Circular fortification at one of the city gates.

That's quite a mustache

Everything exudes charm

Ancient city hall - we climbed the steps to visit the top of the white tower

Views away from the city

Anciently one of the main gates

Above the gate - used for pouring hot oil on people you wanted to keep away from the gate

Christmas Store advertising

Those are a variety of geranium

Unfortunately, the nightwatchman had his halberd in the wrong place when Janet and Mimi posed with him.

He has conducted the same evening tour for 25 years. A great walking tour of the old city.

He didn't even look like he had told the same stories 10,000 times before

Our hotel. The open window on the ground floor just below the hotel sign was our room.

Our hotel room

How can you not like a hotel breakfast when they bring you a boiled egg with a smiley face?

View from the top of the city hall tower worth the steep climb (including a short ladder)

Jakobus Kirche (St. James Church) -- built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It became a Lutheran church when Rothenburg became Protestant.

We are just not selfie people, but we had to try on top of the tower

Looking directly down on the large market plaza in front of city hall.

We knew we had found the right place for the boys

Guilty!

Especially guilty -- of being good.

Lots of interesting things in the museum of justice and torture (do those two things go together?). This was a shaming mask. There were several varieties of these. Perpetrators were sentenced to wear these in a public shaming. They are really fanciful.

There is a store where you can buy knives and swords, medieval costumes, and armor. the dungeon is part exhibit and part dressing room for trying on stuff.

Wesley and Jared thought this guy had been waiting a long time for service.

Wesley's friend looked like a character from Lord of the Rings.