1936 On the Continent

Italian wines. It is the same with “Sekt,” the sparkling champagne-like drink, a very good quality of which is produced by Matheus Muller, Deinhardt, Henckel, Kupferberg, etc., and which is proportionately very cheap, but abroad has no chance against the French champagne. In Germany, however, it can safely be ordered and will be found enjoyable.
A Rhine Tour
    After much deliberation, and so as to get the most out of my travels, I arranged my Rhine tour as follows. It was more expensive than it might have been but the extra cost was well worth it. In Cologne I hired a car and drove to Coblenz, and thereby came to know one of the best motor roads in Germany—from Cologne to Bonn—and a typical example of Germany’s new motor roads. From Coblenz, where I arrived in the afternoon, I took the 4.25 boat to Mainz, where I arrived at 9 o’clock in the evening. On my motor ride I had the opportunity to stop at the university town of Bonn, to see across the river the wine-intoxicated Königswinter, then on to friendly Remagen where a good red wine and the well-known Apollinaris Water are produced, having also at other smaller places at least time for a few minutes’ walk round in order to get to know the interior of these homely little towns. On my drive I had a good view of one of the most famous regions of the Rhineland—the Siebengebirge, or Seven Mountains,with their picturesque castles. At Petersberg, one of the seven hills, is one of the best hotels in the neighbourhood; it certainly charges somewhat higher prices but offers, in addition to excellent food and wine, a view which hardly has its equal in the world.
    Even if one is not an art connoisseur, enthusiasm is a little damped at the sight of some of the castles. There are a few amongst them that look overwhelmingly pompous, but are only tasteless imitations. At the end of last century there was a wave of romanticism resulting in efforts to restore the building art of the Middle Ages. Thus the Drachenburg was built on the Drachenfels mountain, but no one is proud of it to-day, and there are many ill-natured jokes made about it.
    The river trip then gave me a wonderful general view of the justly famous stretch of the river from Bingen to Mainz. The Rhine boats have an excellent kitchen and are so built that every traveller has as clear a view as possible of both river banks.
    It was very lucky for me that I had taken my luggage with me, as I could set out the next morning from Mainz to my next objective, Frankfort, thus getting the greatest amount of pleasure out of the Rhine trip in one single day and that without becoming overtired.
    I made many notes and talked to people as much as possible as I was again fortunate in coming across Germans who could speak English. From what they have told me I have made the following list of the places most worth seeing on the Rhine. Though sketchy and superficial it should be useful for my next and I hope more leisurely visit. Anyway, we tourists must always be superficial. Too much thoroughness, and we shall never get any further.
Places to see on the Rhine
A DENAU
    Lies somewhat away from the Rhine in the valley of the Aar, surrounded by the Eifelgebirge. Noted for the Nürburgring, the finest and most modern motor-racing track in Europe. Twenty-nine kilometres long, 9 kilometres wide, with gradients up to 700 metres. Built round an old castle.
A SSMANNSHAUSEN
    Well-known wine-growing town on the Rhine, between Coblenz and Mainz. On the bank of the river is the much-described inn Zur Krone, where nearly everyone who is anyone in Germany puts up. Amongst other things, lines by Hindenburg in a historically valuable visitors’ book. Home of many poets and artists. Opposite the wonderful ruins of Burg Rheinstein.
B ACHERACH
    At the foot of the Stahlleckburg, the castle of German youth. A medieval-town character, known over the whole of Germany from songs and romances. Famous wine—the name of the town is supposed to derive from the god Bacchus. Equal distances from Coblenz and Mainz.
B ONN
    One hundred thousand inhabitants. World-famed university. Most of the Hohenzollern princes studied here and they were members of the chief student corps which have their beautiful houses in Bonn. The birthplace of Beethoven. There is a museum in the house of his birth, Bonnstrasse no. 20. Terminus of the 12½ mile new Cologne motor road. The best hotel is Königshof—room price about 6 marks.
B INGEN
    On the right bank of the Rhine