Going to European countries as an Asian traveler is the most difficult thing, to get a visa even for just a holiday. Other Asian countries would probably be just fine, but Cambodian is the most struggling with any visas to go the west countries. I planned for almost 5 months to get every
I finally got two weeks to visit Germany, everybody would say Berlin if they go for a holiday in Germany but I was at a very local place called Saarbrücken, a beautiful small town.
I just can’t wait to be home after sixteen hours on the plane and another couple of hours waiting. The moment I stepped out of the airport, this is it – nice weather and fresh air, I loved it. The main roads and highways in Germany are insane but in a good way, traffic law is absolutely incredible, and everybody in Germany is up to date. You can’t do what the law has told and it’s opposite to what I have seen in Asia, It’s crazy.
It’s unbelievable that even German who actually live in Germany still get lost sometimes on these insane roads. It took me two hours from Frankfurt airport to get to Saarbrücken, Saarland. The first thing I did, taking a nap for almost 3 hours.
When the evening came, I went to the most famous restaurant in town called Tabaksmühle. It has a huge parking area and the beer garden is just in front of the park with a beautiful lake for a view while you are eating. The restaurant also has indoor.
I was completely exhausted from the jet lag so no time for the night out but to go back after dinner, checking for what to do – what to see, and TV before an early bed. In the early morning of the next day, I decided to go to the other town called Zweibrücken, the biggest outlet store in Saarland. It could take you a day to look from store to store – restaurants/bars and cafes are also available. The stores normally open at 10 am but I was a bit early so walked around.
The weather was really good, nice breeze, a bit of windy and a little bit of sunshine. Sat down on the bench, having a tasty doughnut and hot chocolate from the bakery on the way, and get ready for the big shopping.
The restaurants in the shopping malls were too busy with customers, so I decided to go to town instead of waiting for a late lunch. It wasn’t easy to park anywhere in town but you can get one a bit far and outside of the town and actually have to walk – the best way to see the view of the town. It was mid-noon but the wind still kept blowing, to cold me down from sweating from the city walk.
An exciting day at Abenteuer Park- Saarland, the only place that you can go hiking, trekking, and importantly zip-line fun park. It’s just in front of Saarland University. There are 16 interesting sessions and the last extra one (most fun, riding a wheel across trees). Most participators already stopped after a few sessions or the 15th. No one ever going to do the 16th because it’s the most challenging and difficult one. I decided to do it, just only halfway I almost gave up but there was no way to turn back, and congrats I did.
I got a couple of hours to rest before getting ready for a family dinner at Riegelsberg – Hixberg-Pflugscheid. I was the one who insisted to have a barbecue outside and it was freezing but it was a great time with a lovely dinner, talking for hours, and visiting the home growth garden.
After a few days in Saarbrücken, I decided to go away for tours along the river of Mosel. My first stop was Bernkastel-Kues, the most well-known wine-growing center in the middle of the Moselle in the Bernkastel Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town lies in the Moselle Valley. The most attractive place in town is the Mediaeval Marketplace with its gambled timber-frame houses since the 17th century.
Nicely, the hotel allowed me to check out late at any time, Hotel Moselauen, is absolutely beautiful and great for a holiday stay. I just dropped off my luggage in the lobby with reception and then went up to the top of the mountain to visit the Ruins of Burg Landshut Castle. Open daily from 12 o’clock until 9 pm. I arrived at around 9 am so that was pretty much early, just walked around the castle and looked at the view of Bernkastel-Kues from the top of Burg Landshut and left for late checkout.
The second stop was at Burg Eltz (Eltz Castle), which took me almost nearly two hours to get there. Eltz’s town is quite small but absolutely gorgeous. I didn’t stop in town but just keep going to the castle. The parking area was filled with cars, I couldn’t even find my own spot for minutes. It took about 15 to 20 minutes from the parking to reach The Eltz Castle by walking through the mountain and beautiful jungle.
You would probably need to eat before or packed your snack. There are a couple of restaurants in the castle but it was a long line of customers and no seats available. Tickets are at the castle counter only. It cost 10 Euros for adults, open daily from 9:30 to 5:30. Tour is available in English and German. The tour took around 30-45 minutes so you got your time for the underground museum.
Was thinking about Neuschwanstein Castle but 6 hours to get there. Unfortunately, I haven’t got time for that because of the Paris tour I booked. I left Burg Eltz and went straight to Cochem city, the biggest town in the Cochem-Zell district, it has a beautiful castle named Reichsbrug Cochem lies on the top of the mountain on the left bank of the Mosel River.
The castle opens daily from 9:00 am-5:00 pm and it cost 6 Euros for the ticket adults. Cochem town has most of the restaurants and shops spreading all over the place. I didn’t actually stop for those but I did stop for city views.
The view of the entire Cochem town from the top of the mountain or Reischburg Castle is absolutely extraordinary and incredible, the town standing on both sides of the riverbank, the bridge, and the boat on the Mosel River. These are the pictures I took from the outside of the Castle – the outside balcony of Richburg.
My third destination was Traben-Trarbach town. The town is standing on both sides of the Mosel River. Traben lies on the left side of Mosel and Trarbach lies on the right side of the river of Hunsrück’s side. I stayed at (Parkhotel Traben-Trarbach). I spent my entire afternoon looking at the jumble sale market along the riverbank of Traben-Trarbach.
The next morning I went back to my first stop at Bernkastel-Kues because I wanted to have a bicycle tour at Traben-Trarbach but I didn’t – so I had it here in Bernkastel-Kues. The tour is renting a bike and doing it by yourself – so packed lots of water snacks before the tour started. I do love this tour, all I can see is beautiful nature and grape farms everywhere.
The cycling took me nearly 4 hours back and forth and I had one stop for brunch before getting back to the bicycle shop and heading back to the hotel.
Had another walk to the tourist attractions and the famous town of Bernkastel-Kues, where I met the town hall, the Mediaeval Marketplace of Mittelalterlicher (with its gambled timber-frame houses sine 17th century, the Spitzhäuschen (narrow house from 1416 still standing strong on The Michaelsbrunnen in front of the fountain of Saint Michael’s).
The sun was down at around 8 pm when I walked back to the hotel. The view of the city in the evening was absolutely gorgeous with its golden gleamy twilight flashing over the town and the river. The golden ruin of Burg Landshut is stunning. I did enjoy my trips along the Mosel River and this town was my favorite.
I did love this driving trip to visit places, towns, and castles along the Mosel. The four nights and five days weren’t enough, at least a week or more. I left very early to get home for a break and get ready for the next trip to Paris.
Two weeks in Germany was just too fast, I didn’t even know that was the last day. I wished I could have had more time to explore places in Germany but two weeks was an absolutely fantastic holiday and I do love Germany, the landscapes, nature, weather, and people.
Want to read more about Germany?
Top Places To Visit In Germany
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References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saarbrücken
2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zweibrücken
3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernkastel-Kues
4.https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_Landshut
5.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traben-Trarbach
6.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochem
7.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eltz_Castle
8.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany
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