The town of Oestrich -Winkel

Here are some photos of the town of Oestrich-Winkel.

More appear on Pinterest: Roaming thur europe / Oestrich-winkel

I, particularly, like sitting on the Rhine river bank waiting for the sun to set.

Oestrich-Winkel: Kühn’s Mühle – April 27

The farm house is rustic, very rustic.  In my room, I find a photocopy of the history of the place. Kühn’s Mühle (Kühn’s Mill) has been in the family since 1870, when Thomas Kühn bought the property at auction from the Herke family for 6,000 Gulden. (The Herke’s took their new found fortune and immediately set sail for America.)  

Thomas, the new owner,  found a bride  - Maria Schnorrenberger from Planig (near Bad Kreuznach) – and the history of Kühn’s Mühle began. On my last day, as I am preparing to leave I have a nice chat with Ruth Kuhn. Ruth and her husband, Werner (a big burly, but seemingly quiet vintner and writer of the Kühn history!!) run the place now. Four generations live there: Werner’s mother, Ruth and Werner, their grown son and daughter-in-law (who is pregnant with her second child), and their granddaughter Maya. (Shy, tow-head blonde 2 year old… plays a great game of peek-a-boo!!)

If you would like to read the story of Kühn’s Mühle, please  visit my website. www.roaming-thru-europe.com

 

 

Oestrich-Winkel – the Loreley 25 April

Just had to re-visit this wonderful tourist spot.  I went in the late afternoon/ early evening around 5.00 and spent a wonderful hour or so there… Just sitting, contemplating and taking in the beautiful sights.  When I first arrived , there were several people there, but after a while they left and I was alone. What a wonderful place to have a nice romantic picnic...  on the far side of the monument, there is a rather secluded lookout point.

 

Oestrich-Winkel: The Oma (the grandmother) causes a traffic jam – April 26

As I try to leave Oestrich-Winkel, I am caught in a rather strange traffic jam. The streets are very narrow – only one car wide. I come upon an old lady toddling along with her walker in the street (not on the sidewalk!!). What can I do but stop? So I simply drive slowly behind her.  Soon there are cars lined up on both sides of the road.   I dare not blow my horn and scare her, so I simply wait. Finally,  she seems to notice that the traffic coming in her direction has completely stopped.  She raises her head and thank goodness (!!) raises her walker, as well, and gingerly steps up onto the sidewalk allowing me and my fellow motorists drive - unobstructed - on our way.

Oestrich-Winkel …exploring 25 April

As I drive to and from my farmhouse/ hotel, I notice an interesting brick house almost hidden in the valley formed by the vineyards. (The vineyards are all high on the hills and the houses lie in the valleys below. This has a dual effect, the vineyards are exposed to the most sunshine and the houses are protected from the forces of the elements (wind and rain).

I decide to take a better look. It takes me some time to find the right road (actually path) to get there.  The one closest to me did not really seem to be for motorized vehicles, so I drive further looking for another one. I find it and proceed along it. As I approach the driveway to the house, I come upon the exit to the path which I did not think was a road.  Suddenly an old Mercedes sedan comes barreling long it.  the drive is as surprised to see me and I am to see him. We both slam on our brakes and then move as far apart as possible to let each other pass. ..not an easy feat since there are stone walls on all sides. At any rate, to make a long story shirt, here is a photo of that house… apparently it is a guest house with beautiful rooms to rent…and not too expensive.

 

Oestrich-Winkel: walk a bit, drink a bit more - probably…. - 24 April

I walk up the road to the vineyards, the same one the tractor took.. I walk along for a period of time. There seems to be a crossroads of some sort. When I get there I realize that it is a hiker’s marker… a cross roads sign. All of the paths to the various vineyards in the area are clearly marked… with the distance. Now I understand why there have been so many (not crowds and crowds, but a voice or two here and there) outside of my room on the tractor’s road.  They were hikers.. wandering through the fields from one vineyard to the next….walk a bit, drink a bit, eat a bit, walk a bit more…what a place.. definitely my kind of exercise program!!

Oestrich-Winkel: take your child to work – April 24

Driving up this road and that, I come upon a group of farm vehicles and men. They are working in the vineyard. One man is aboard something that looks like a tractor with huge plastic drums attached to either side…. fertilizer, perhaps.  At the side of the road a woman stands with her child playing in the dirt nearby.  The German equivalent of ‘take your child to work’ day…

 

Oestrich-Winkel: rush hour in a wine-town 24 April

In most places, when we think of rush hour traffic jams, we think of lines and lines of commuters sitting in their cars waiting and waiting or just driving very slowly. But rush hour in a wine town presents a different picture.  First of all, you have to understand that, unlike America where the farmers live on their land generally miles away from the town, here in Germany - the farmers and vintners live in the towns and commute to their fields which surround the towns.  As a result, the farmers and vintners to commute to their fields and like many businessmen they drive the company vehicle to and from work. But the vehicle in this case is a tractor or some other motorized farm implement. As a result, you often find yourself driving slowly behind a vinter or farmer as he heads to or from his fields… in the morning or at the end of the day… and most often at mid-day for lunch.

Luckily the farm equipment is shared – amongst all of the vintners in the area - so you don’t have zillions of them hogging the roads… but when you want to get someplace.. one is more than enough!!

Be sure to visit Pinterest (Roaming-thru-Europe /Oestrich-Winkel April 2013  to see all of my photos form that wonderful time. 

Oestrich-Winkel: the tinkle of bells - 23 April

I walk to my car, open the trunk and start trying to re-arrange things. I am working slowly and quietly only my upper body, which is deep in the trunk, is moving. I hear the gentle tinkle of bells. I look up three goats have come from the pasture and are now in the flower bed behind me nibbling away!! I stop what I am doing and watch them. When they realize I am there, they look at me and walk nonchalantly away.

 

A day or so later, I am in my room working. I can hear the tinkle of their bells. I go to the window and they are on the ridge of the hill playing.

The next day, as I walk towards the vineyards, I pass the barn where they live.  As they hear me approaching each one comes out into their yard, not to greet me but to look at me in absolute consternation… as if I am invading their territory… intruding on their privacy. Guiltily, I say a few words of greeting and quickly walk by. On my return trip, I take the path near the paddock and the horse. He doesn’t seem to care. I guess he is used to hikers and cyclists coming by.

Oestrich-Winkel: Working overtime 22 April

About 6.30 pm that night, I’m sitting in my room blogging with my back to the open window. I hear an engine… some sort of machine outside of my window. I jump up to see what it is. It is a tractor moving noisily along on the road which runs parallel to the building. It is about 10 feet from my window. A man is returning to the vineyards to work until dark. By the time, I grab my camera he has reached the crest of the hill and is out of sight.  But soon, I hear a noise and race to the window. I look  - to the right - up the road, but it is empty. Then I turn my head to the left, almost directly in front of me.... is the  tractor moving slowly directly down steep slope - towards my window.. coming directly at me!! I grab my camera and start snapping away. Can he see me?? Does he think I am a crazy tourist, I wonder.

                                Vinter returning from the vineyard. Photo taken from my room.

Oestrich-Winkel – Driving thru the vineyards… 22 April

I driving on the Rhine river road, past Walluf, past Eltville, to the town of Oestrich-Winkel… a small wine-growing town on the banks of the Rhine. (The town is also home to the renowned – in Germany, at least - European Business School).

I chose this hotel because it looked like a rustic farmhouse. I drive up the main highway, and then take a turn inland. I drive through the very small streets of the town (actually more like a village) … two , three blocks. Then I am in the vineyards. I drive through the vineyards. There are no houses, only grape vines.  Finally after a few minutes, I see a bit of a valley with a house, a large farm house nestled in its bosom.  I drive towards it. After all, I have nothing to do other than follow my nose. (My GPS lady said I ‘had arrived’ minutes ago as I drove past the last house in the village.) I turn right and head down the very narrow road, and drive into the yard. I park, follow the sign to the hotel and walk up the stairs.  There is a note on the door written in German of course: be back in 5 minutes. So I wait. Finally a little old white hair lady shows up.