We flew into Frankfurt where we caught a train from the airport to the riverside town of Trier. The train ride was fabulous! It took us through the heart of the Rhine Valley with ancient castles on every corner. The memories from our RS BOE tour came flooding back to us as we relived our walk through Bacharach with the incredible Herr Jung, and the peaceful river cruise along the Rhine. Upon arriving in Trier we stayed the first night in a hotel near the train station to gather our wits and recover from the jet lag.
Here you can see the map of our RS tour. (You can click on the map to go to RS Best of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland tour summary.)
Here you can see the map of our RS tour. (You can click on the map to go to RS Best of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland tour summary.)
Tag (day) 1 Willkommen in Deutschland
Today, being our first day in Germany we headed to our first hotel with the RS Tour, the Hotel Residenz, an assisted living facility that has rooms that can also be used as a hotel. The rooms were large and wonderful. We were very comfortable.
Before meeting the tour group the three of us walked around the town of Trier on the Mosel. We walked down to the river where we found some friendly ducks. We also walked through the town, past Karl Marx house. |
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We eagerly awaited the time to meet our group mates and tour guide, Maisie Hitchcock. Maisie had a fabulous idea to take photos of everyone, put our names on the photo and send them to the group (click here to meet our group). This was a very helpful way for us to learn everyone's names.
Maisie led us through Trier for a brief orientation walk, including a visit to the Basilica of Constantine. We walked out into the beautiful Hauptmarkt, an incredibly charming square, and also the home of the restaurant for our first group meal. It was so exciting to meet our group and get to learn about these people we would be spending the next two weeks with. It was a great meal with new friends! |
Memorable Local
On our way back to the hotel this evening we walked past a German man riding an electric scooter. He heard us talking and asked, 'Are you American?" We told him we were. He asked where we were from. We told him Oregon. He said, "Ah, Portland, right?" We told him we lived along the coast. He responded, "No, Portland is in Oregon, right?" Well, yes. He raised an arm up and said, "Keep Portland weird!" This had us all laughing. We learned that when he was a younger man he had visited Portland. It's a small world, after all!
On our way back to the hotel this evening we walked past a German man riding an electric scooter. He heard us talking and asked, 'Are you American?" We told him we were. He asked where we were from. We told him Oregon. He said, "Ah, Portland, right?" We told him we lived along the coast. He responded, "No, Portland is in Oregon, right?" Well, yes. He raised an arm up and said, "Keep Portland weird!" This had us all laughing. We learned that when he was a younger man he had visited Portland. It's a small world, after all!