The ”Middle Rhein” and Heidelberg

Sunday, May 5

Today we we were on an excursion to Heidelberg, which is about 45 minutes from the Rhein by bus. I had three goals in mind — drink a Maibock beer; find some of the city’s marzipan; get a picture of the gate with the portcullis. At lunch I had a mug of Maibock, and it tasted much as I remembered: smooth, creamy, a little sweet. Later we found a high-end chocolatier that filled some of its chocolates with marzipan — a lot more sophisticated than the marzipan potatoes I had 38 years ago. And I will try to add a sketch of the portcullis gate in my next post.

Saturday, May 4

Saturday was much busier. We cruised what they call the “Middle Rhein,” the stretch from Koblenz to Rüdesheim which has one castle after the other on both sides of the river. 

watercolor of the bank of the rhein with vineyards
Some parts of the Rhein are banked with patchworks of vineyards

Then, in the evening we stopped in Wiesbaden for a big, German-style banquet at Schloss Bieberg. Everyone describes this palace as Baroque, as it was built in the first half of the 18th Century. If so, it’s not at all the Baroque of J.S. Bach; perhaps of one of his sons. I’d call it Rococo.

picture of the palace in Wiesbaden
The Schloss Bieberg in Wiesbaden

Author: Steve

After spending years as an IT professional, creating and supporting systems for designers, writers, and editors, I am now pursuing a dream: to be an artist. I have "drawing on the brain"--not only do I feel compelled to draw all the time, I enjoy thinking about art.

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