Germany

From Bavaria my Mom and I drove up the "Romantic Road" - as it has been labelled by the Germany tourists association. It was a beautiful drive through country roads. Unfortunately half the time we weren't sure we were on the right road as signs were few and far between. But eventually we ended up at our destination -- Rothenberg ob der Tauber.

Rothenberg is considered the best preserved medieval town in Europe. It is a walled town, with fortifications completely surrounding the city. It is a beautiful town and a great place to just wander around. The streets are cobblestone and spread out from the central Market Square. There are fountains all over town -- they used to be the only water source for residents of the area.

St. Jakob's church is the main church in town and was built in the 14th century. The outside is currently under renovation, so we didn't get a good look at that, but the inside was interesting. The farther north in Europe you go, the less decorated the churches. The Protestant reformation removed a lot of the decorations and embellishments. Thankfully, the amazing altars and stained glass windows in this church were not destroyed. The Altar of the Holy Blood in St. Jakob's was incredible. It is fully carved of wood and over 500 years old. Stunning!

Rothenberg is known for hosting one of the biggest Christmasmarkts in Germany during December. As you can imagine, it is a great place to shop for all kinds of German souvenirs. My mom and I both enjoyed the German Christmas Museum. It was really interesting to see the history of christmas decorations and how they have evolved over the years. And the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop was like nothing I have ever seen before! I have never seen so many Christmas ornaments in one place -- all for sale of course.

We spent one afternoon walking the entire wall around the city. It was fun to see the city from a different angle and to hike along the ramparts. Spread out along the wall are several towers, only one of which is now open. We climbed to the top and had a great view out over the city. Fortunately, most of Rothenberg was spared during WWII. In the last days of the war, bombs were dropped on the western edge of the city and destroyed parts of the wall, but thankfully no historic buildings. The wall has been rebuilt with donations from people all over the world who have enjoyed visiting Rothenberg, and small plaques on the wall are dedicated to these donors. It was fascinating to see all the people who have donated from all over the world. It makes you realize how small the world really is, and how much others help during times of crisis.

One of the best things about travelling with my mom is meeting different people. My mom is known for talking to anyone and everyone, and this trip has not been any different. While travelling on my own I have met lots of people in the hostels -- most around my age or younger. With my mom, we have met a lot more people of varying ages. We met a great Brazilian couple while touring the castles in Bavaria -- and ended up running in to them in Rothenberg. We had a great dinner with them -- they were so much fun to talk to! And as a result, we have an open invitation to visit a coffee plantation/cattle farm outside of Sao Paolo. While we were in Switzerland, we met a really nice German couple who were vacationing there and staying at our hotel in Brienz. While we were packing up to check out, the man knocked on our door and gave us several beautiful photos that he had taken of the area. I know I have said it before, but I will say it again -- the best part of travelling is all the amazing people you meet from all over the world. It is a great reminder that we are all alike, no matter where we come from. I have really enjoyed travelling with my mom. It has been nice to have someone along for the trip and to meet people of all different ages.