For the past 9 days Jennifer and I have been criss-crossing Bavaria finalising details for our Romantic Road tour.
We pride ourselves in handcrafting our tours, finding the very special out of the way places, whether they be restaurants serving the best regional food only the locals know, or the coolest hotels in the best locations, or discovering things to do that will translate into personal experiences that will make the tour something to truly remember.
As of Monday, we completed our “scout,” and we made our way north to Frankfurt to meet up with our group. It’s a small group on this one – we had some late minute cancellations – but that only makes it more fun, more convivial.
After early evening drinks we walked through minus zero temperatures through the Frankfurt Christmas markets then across a bridge and down some winding alleys until we came to a nondescript restaurant down a narrow lane – reputedly the best restaurant in Frankfurt serving genuine home-cooked Bavarian food.
It was magnificent.
Slabs of grilled pork on a huge mound of fried potatoes, sausages and sauerkraut like you’ve never tasted before, deep fried apple-rings with whipped cream that sounds disgusting, but it was glorious. All washed down either with sublime weissbier or local Frankonian white wines.
We walked 3kms back to the hotel, in temperatures which had dropped considerably from when we set out, thankful that we had ingested sufficient calories to keep our body heat up to survival level.
This morning I picked up a nine-seater Mercedes van, and we headed off south to the start of the Romantic Road – Wurzburg, some 120kms away. At 9:30am the temperature was -6.5 C. Yes that’s MINUS 6-point-five Celsius. I don’t know what that is in Fahrenheit, but I guess about 24F or so?
Bloody chilly.
There was snow on the ground and in the trees as we drove south – and it was so so beautiful.
We parked the van by the hotel, and immediately set off on foot to a magnificent fortress on a hill overlooking the town. The walk to the fortress took us across a medieval bridge just as a barge was going through a lock. The barge must have been nearly half a kilometre long!
The fortress was massive, and spectacular – and after visiting the museum inside we headed back into town to check in, before heading out again to visit the city’s palace, called the Residenz. It was like the Palace of Versailles inside – sorry no photography was allowed so I can’t show you pictures – but needless to say it was jaw-droppingly beautiful.
Pre-dinner drinks involved a Wurzburg tradition – of standing on the ancient stone bridge with a mug of hot German alcoholic apple cider, looking up at the fortress above the town, now shrouded in mist.
For dinner a week ago I had pre-arranged something special at the city’s top restaurant – Roast Goose cooked the traditional German Christmas way, with stuffing, red cabbage and huge dumplings. It was delicious! For dessert we again had traditional Christmas fare of cinnamon infused hazelnut ice-cream with whipped cream and hot cherries.
We walked back to the hotel in the cold – not really feeling the cold though, but invigorated by the briskness of the air, and captivated by the Christmas spirit that surrounded us everywhere we looked, from the decorations in the shop fronts, to the lighted up Christmas trees in the squares and outside churches, to the distant sound of Christmas carols wafting on the chilly night air. No one does Christmas better than the Germans.
It was a great way to start the tour…
(sorry for lack of pics – internet in hotel is sooooooo slow!)
PGS the Way 
Bill,
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I so enjoy reading your descriptions. This sounds to be the most wonderful tour you are leading.
The meal sounds as though it was grand, I am truly living vicariously as I sit and wish I could have made your tour happen for me. Hopefully next time!
Arlène
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haha – Arlene, your kick up the bum worked! Thank you! wish you were with us!
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Hey Arlene – today we did a walk through the snow and it was magical – truly magical. Yes I wish you were with us too – but I think we’ll repeat this tour. It’s amazing!
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Bill,
So glad to read your post. Almost makes you feel like you are right there with the group. I was going to say ditto to Arlene’s comments on the repost until I got home and found this surprise. Really enjoy reading both blogs and seeing the pictures and perspectives of both you and Angie.
-6.5 degrees Celsius is actually colder. It’s 20.3 degrees Fahrenheit. We are supposed to be in the 20″s tonight and some areas here had snow yesterday.
I know it takes a lot of time writing a blog and then posting pictures but for those of us not fortunate to be there. we really do appreciate the posts and pictures.
Ahhhh, snow, castles, bridges, Christmas markets, yummy food and drink but most of all friends together. Enjoy!!!
Love you both
Dale and Lynda
XXOO
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Hey Lynda – it’s actually a really good discipline for me to post each day, because it helps structure my day’s activities, and it forces me to visualise the story I intend to tell when I come to blog. It’s very sweet of you to say those things, thank you – and I hope that you and Dale do enjoy our journey as we go through this beautiful part of southern Germany. Love to you both, Bill
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I second Arlene’s and Lynda’s comments. You both work so hard to make everything wonderful for your groups – all enjoy every magical moment.
Camino hugs to all –
Jenny
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Hi Jenny – thank you for saying that. Jen and I take pride in creating the kind of tour that we would like to go on… which is always something a little different, and a bit special. We look for those great experiences that others can have no other way than by going on the tour… it’s fun!
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Sorry for the “test” entry, I was having a challenge posting.
What a great start to your journey. Well -6 isn’t really all that cold, unless you have wind. Just bundle up, drink lots of Gluehwein and Hot Applecider. Prost! Ingrid
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Hi Ingrid – you’re right, minus six is quite manageable. There’s been no wind, thankfully, and no sleet. The temp requires layers though, definitely! And yes, that hot wine certainly helps with the chills!!
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WOW, here’s the envious making post to end all envious making posts!!! And I KNOW from personal experience how wonderful that food can be … enjoy every mouthful and minute of this magical trip 🙂 As for the cold … nah, so not a worry when you’ve got a stomach full of heady wine and sublime pork – just need to walk it off and come home with reddened, chilled cheeks!!
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haha – you know only too well what it’s like Britta, of course! We’re having great time. It’s going to be really weird coming back to Australia in two weeks time and celebrating Christmas in the summer heat! I’m getting used to a “white” Christmas!
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