Königstein, 26 May 2017

Burg Königstein

Königstein is about 20 kilometers from Frankfurt in the Taunus mountains. Our apartment living room window looks west toward the Taunus, and we have wanted to drive up there since we have been here, but it hasn't ever been on the agenda. Janet has been sick and spent one day this week in bed.

She missed Mission Leadership Council yesterday where we feed lunch to our young men and women leaders. We love this once a month exercise, even though it is a tremendous amount of work. Imagine preparing lunch for about 30 people and having to transport all of it across town. At the end of those Fridays, we are generally exhausted, but it is always worth it when we stand in the room at the end of lunch and the group sings to us as a thank you. Hearing these valiant young people sing "Called to Serve" elicits a tear or two every time.

Janet is better today, but she opted to stay home anyway and Jeff joined 5 couples to go see Königstein. The town is charming and small, and the ruined fortification towers above it. You have to walk up a steep road to get to it. Today a local reenactment group was sponsoring a medieval festival in the fortress. It was a spectacular morning, cool in the shade with clear blue skies.

Elder and Sister Mumm, Sister Markle, Sister Snapp, Elder Markle, Elder Snapp, Sister Kay, Elder Kay, Elder Neilson, Sister Neilson (seated)

Great little pedestrian shopping area in the old city

Great half-timber house now a gift shop

Cafe at the old Rathaus

Love the deep blue sky

Sister Snapp, Sister and Elder Kay -- up the steep cobblestone street huffing and puffing

Beautiful church on the slopes below the castle ruin

Sister Kay's head got in the picture. Crowds were headed up to the ruin for the Ritterturnier (Knights Tournament)

Elder Neilson checking in with security

Great view into the town from the ruin

Close up of part of the old city

Our dear friends the Markles

Entering one of the original gates

Villa Andrae - was a boarding school and then headquarters for a huge business that went bankrupt in 1994. It was subsequently owned by a software developer and was then bought by a Hong Kong businessman in 2016.

Looking down on part of the tournament area for the festival and off to the mountains behind

Medieval market

Impressive walls of the castle ruin

The castle tower -- sadly closed today. The view from the top is supposed to include Frankfurt far below in the Nidda and Main river valleys

Eulental (a band) and Tainnas (another band) getting acquainted (hear the bands below)

Part of a small troupe from Czech Republic

Neilsons found a shady spot to watch the opening ceremony below on the tournament field

Elder Markle was reaching out to a beggar (the guy was a real comedian)

Looking up from a small park in town

Palace that once belonged to the Grand Duke of Luxembourg is now the city court building

Lunch outdoors on the patio of a very nice Italian restaurant. Markles and Neilsons on the left and Kays and Snapps on the right (Mumms had to leave early to participate in a Young Single Adult activity for Friedrichsdorf Stake)

We had to include this short video of the procession marking the opening of the medieval market and festival (wait til the end for a special cameo appearance). We are going to miss being here doing missionary work and spending Saturdays with these great couples.

We didn't take this one, but it's a good look at how impressive the ruin is. (from a real estate website Königstein Immobilien https://www.kip-hessen.de/k%C3%B6nigstein/standortinformationen)