I kept pronouncing it ‘Rotten’ burg and believe you me there’s nothing ‘rotten’ about this ‘burb. One of the quintessentially German towns known for its charm and preserved through the eons it is a must visit. Surrounded by a wall and a moat the town has withstood the test of time, of wars waged and through all weathers.
Don’t make the mistake we made of taking millions of pictures and not actually eating the Schneeball though Rick Steves comments it’s a tourist tempter more than anything else. Still, when in Rome!
He does however strongly urge you to shop if there’s something you do want to take back – from the beer steins to the all year round Christmas stores and the toy shops.
We were particularly enchanted by a store carrying wood art. The artisan skillfully engraved our wooden keepsakes with beautifully calligraphy.
The walk up to the Powder tower’s steep uneven steps takes you to some views of town you can enjoy from different vantage points.
There was more ‘the hills are alive’ moments than I could count. I did not expect the rolling green hills and abundance of green perfectly coiffed grass along the countryside. The legendary autobahn did not disappoint though it took us some hand flips and dirty looks from annoyed Germans to understand just how seriously they take their speed limits or lack thereof. It’s a perfect example of order in chaos. We were told there weren’t many accidents and it really is quite astounding considering the speeds at which they zip about.
There were plenty of picturesque photo opportunities throughout the town but the most awe inspiring view was that of the hills and a brook with expansive vistas of the castle like wall and chirping German birds in the background. It was quite breathtakingly surreal.
