Set Fire to That Lot: Koblenz

The Peasants are Storming the Castle!!!!

We departed Cologne after our cathedral tour and headed to Koblenz, where we stayed the night in a lovely small hotel.  After a quick check-in and spruce up, we set off in search of dinner. We're not storming the castle, but we are setting off on an adventurous walk through the vineyards by the light of real torches!   We began our walk right behind the Flugplatz Koblenz-Winningen, the local airport, and walked through the vineyards to the small town of Winningen. Koblenz and Wnningen overlook the Rhine from opposite sides of the river, and are ideally suited for growing the grapes on the steep hillsides. The steep valley acts like a greenhouse keeping the warm moist air in the valley.

Ivo, our fearless leader and Co-head of our program.

Sleeping Beauties; the vines in winter.

We made it back to civilization with only a few wrong turns and one or two torches still alight.

Biergarten!!!

Spring is in the air.

Our final destination, the Winzer Wirtshaft, 
or Vintners House.

White wines rule in this kingdom!
We started with a champagne-like white wine, and then tried three more starting from dry and headed to sweet, although we never quite made it to dessert.  They were all lovely and we settled on a bottle of the medium sweet for dinner. 

1st and 2nd year classmates with Ivo our Sommelier!

Dinner started with a selection of breads served with cheese spreads and DRIPPINGS! We had 4 varieties of Flammenkuchen, similar to a pizza without the tomato base, including a dessert Flammenkuchen with apples and cinnamon. 

Lights on the Rhine

Room with a View.
The view from Koblenz across the Rhine.

On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again!
Another early morning and we are off to Nuremberg!