Wurzburg & Rothenburg

The days are starting to run together. On this particular day, the boys, Garnet, Jim and I opted to do a little cross-country tour by bus to Rothenburg, while the girls, Shirley, Pam and Marion opted to spend more time in Wurzburg touring, dining and shopping. There is so much to see and do!
First, the Rothenburg bus trip; departing the city of Wurzburg, with a guide, we travelled about 75 minutes,along the "Romantic Road". Described as the 'grandfather' of Germany's scenic routes, we drove through historic towns with striking buildings and historical sites. We traveled through a very rich agricultural region. Large crops of corn and sugar beet predominated the country-side. Farms were very large and extremely tidy. In this part of the country, dairy cattle were stabled year round. Milk was shipped to a huge central processing plant owned by the French company, Danone, a name well known in Canada also. All farm houses and barns were in a community. No houses were located on the actual farms. We saw the latest equipment harvesting sugar beets, the principle source of sugar for Germany. Arriving in the best-preserved medieval city of Rothenburg, we entered through an arch in the outer city wall, a  1 1/2 city wall that encircles the city. Inside, a city of wonderful architectural display from the Middle Ages. The wall connects five medieval gates, complete with guard towers that date from the 13th - 16th centuries. In the centre of the town, the Rothenburg Town Hall Tower, from which fabulous views of Rothenburg and the surrounding countryside can be seen. The entire town is a museum filled with cobblestone streets, fountains, nada mix of gothic, renaissance and baroque houses and stores. Following our guided tour, a traditional German lunch was served... Cream of potato soup, bratwurst, sauerkraut  and mashed potato. Dessert was the ever popular apple strudel...did I mention beer? I must admit that I missed a lot of the countryside on the return trip to Wurzburg ... It seemed like the perfect time to snooze!
Meanwhile, back in Wurzburg, the girls had already experienced what we were soon to see...the Wurzburg Residenz Palace. it's difficult to comprehend the opulence and splendour of such a place! The resident prince-bishops wielded enormous power and wealth, and the city of Wurzburg was the epitome of that wealth. Built in the mid 1750s, it boasts  a grand staircase with an unsupported vaulted ceiling which features the largest ceiling fresco in the world...so glorious, along with rooms so special one must check all knapsacks prior to entry. It is also not possible to use a camera while inside the palace...that was disappointing for sure but did allow for one to concentrate completely on what was to be seen.
So, a hectic day of walking and viewing and recording all that was to be taken in!