One step closer to my childhood dream of becoming a princess.

Guten Tag!  We made it to Germany today.  We're staying in a lovely little mediaeval town called Bacharach (please, try to say this with as much phlegm as you can muster in your throat…it's the only way).  It's perfect and quaint and looks like it was ripped right out of the Texas Renaissance Festival and placed here, in the mountains of Germany, right next to the Rhine river.

We met our bus driver, Richard, today.  He's a wonderful, Flemish, man who has to bend down to take a picture with me.  He's always dressed to the nines (even when driving what he lovingly refers to as our "coach") and has promised Ally and I a night on the town in Italy if we buy some fancy Italian heels.  I told him that there was no need to twist my arm and that I would very willingly oblige…what else could I do!?

Richard first took us to our last stop in the Netherlands.  We visited an open air folk market today.  It was like something out of a story book, ya'll!!  Little Dutch houses with thatched roofs, windmills, bakeries and even old fashioned games.  We had fun exploring the place and having a traditional Dutch pancake lunch.

Ally and I were a teensy bit late for re-boarding the bus, luckily…we have some admirers who wouldn't let the group leave without us.  We slept through much of the countryside and finally arrived at our 700 year old hotel…yes, that's what I said…700.  Jealous?  You should be.  It's the coolest hotel I've ever stayed in.  The Hotel Kranenturm has it's drawbacks, however.  Actually, I'm writing this post on "text edit"…I'll have to go down three flights of stairs to get internet access and actually post it…whoa is me…

Which brings me to my next point, Ally and I are in the highest room in the hotel!!  We are literally in the upper room of a tower, we have to walk up five flights of stairs and then climb a ladder to get to our little boudoir.  Now, for those of you that know me well, it has always been a dream of mine to live in a tower (like a princess) and for the next two days I'm going to live that fantasy to the fullest!  If I had billowy long hair I would throw it out this window, right now, and expect a handsome young prince to climb up it immediately.  I'm in love with our room.  Wait till you see the view…

Upon getting settled into our princess suite, we went downstairs and shared a hearty German meal with "the family".  Our hosts, here at the castle (ehem…hotel) are a husband and wife team.  The wife takes care of the decorating and maintenance of the rooms (19 to be exact) and the husband takes care of the cooking. We had Asparagus soup, salad, chicken with mushrooms (they made a special meal of all veggies just for me), and ice cream.  Then Ally and I walked down the street to a quiet, Irish pub and had some whisky and beer and watched the England/Ukraine "football" match on the tele.  What a day…it just gets better and better.  Gute Nacht.  

                                                                                       Peace, Love, and Travel,

                                                                                       Reba

Check out those clogs!

How'd those get in there!?

Lovely View.

I heart windmills.

This is one blade of an inactive windmill.

From the bridge.

When I get to heaven, I expect it to smell like this bakery did...

Am I doing this?

Yes. I. Am.

Gnome-ville.

Favorite Gnome. 

Check out these cute Dutch kids just pulling themselves across the river!

Richard!!  We love him!!

The view from our princess tower of the Rhine river.

Our princess beds.

View of the street from our hotel...cobblestones!!

At the pub.

Watching the game!!