The Rhine River
Flynn Marr 18 October 2026
Sorting through my images from our 2012 trip through Europe has been a frustrating exercise. I find myself wanting to show you everything, to post picture after picture saying look at this, look at this, look at this. Of course I see different things in my pictures than you do for every one holds a memory which evokes an emotion for me. You will miss all of that subliminal content and so I try to chose pictures that will inform but not overpower the viewer that will not share the memories I do.
When judging a photoraph we have to take into account the point of view of the viewer. This will be hard sometimes but we have to do it to create a sustained enthusiasm for the images in the presentation. So remember, what you see here is not an historical document but rather taste of an experience. But it does frustrate me because what you see here is a small fraction of the images I captured on our trip.
Since the advent of digital photography we have been freed from the need to conserve our film. The pictures are now essentially free and you can never take enough pictures. I promise that when you get home, it will not be enough. So take pictures of everything. Well, there is one caveate. Don’t let the picture taking spoil the experience. Seek a balance.
When you want a car where do you turn? We found a Hertz office near our hotel and reserved a car for our trip south west to Kobach.
In the last post I left us in Korback at the Hotel Touric. After an interesting two days in this picturesque town it was time to head south to Switzerland. We had a good breakfast at the hotel and then packed the car and headed out.
We headed south out of town and then south-west with only a rough plan to find the Rhine River. We stayed on two lane country roads and took our time. The highway wandered through rolling countryside dotted with small villages and towns with farms and forests between. It was as beautiful country as any you will find.
Eventually the lunch hour caught up with us and we pulled over in a forested part of the road and walked into the trees to have a picnic. Susan as usual pulled a meal out of her tote bag and we ate pannini sitting on a log listening to the sounds of the woods around us.
Mid afternoon we stopped in a rest area for lunch. As she always does, Susan had packed a lunch for us. She is amazing.
Susan’s lunches are always fantastic, tasty and healthy. Here we had croissant with cheese, tomatoes and avocado.
A post card I bought at the Schloss Montalbaur.
After our little lunch we set off again south west along what I believe was Highway 255 eventually coming to what appeared to be a large community. A sign as we appraoched said “Montalbaur” and further on another said “Schloss Montalbaur”. (Schloss is German for the English word Castle.) It was time for a break so we decided to have a look at the Schloss Montabaur.
References to this castle go back to the tenth century. The present structure was built on Schlossberg Hill in the center of present day Montalbaur in stages between about 1200 and 1600. Today it has been added to and restored to include a conference center and hotel.
We drove up to the parking lot and left the car to proceeded on foot. Walking is the absolutely best way to experince any location. There was a nice view out over the city but the site did not feel like its age. It was too modern for my taste, too much hotel and conference center and not enough castle.
We left the car where we parked it and walked down the hill and into the town. Montalbaur is medium sized town, city actually, with a very pretty historic center. We walked through the old buildings and crooked streets and looked in the shops along the way. Unfortunately it was late in the day and long deep shadows made photography problematic. It was getting late and we still had a ways to go so we walked back to the car and were on our way again.
A simple doorway in a wall and yet I like this picture. It has color, symetry, and texture, all things that appeal to the human eye.
Walking up to the Castle Montabaur main gate. The restored castle has been converted into a very exclusive hotel and conference center.
Susan is sitting on the wall of the castle with the city of Montabaur behind her. The building in the distance with the twin towers is the catholic church “St. Peter in Ketten”.
As a little aside, I love taking pictures. Various pictures can perform different functions. Many of the images here simply demonstrate our trip. Some are lovely and bring pleasure in themselves. And sometimes they are delightful all on their own regardless of our journey.
Occasionally I take a picture like the one on the left above that is irrelevant to our story but I like it very much. A simple doorway in a wall in Schloss Montabaur. It has color which is attractive. It has symmetry which all humans find attractive. And it is a decorated doorway. Taken together these elements create a pleasing image.
Now that is a very subjective statement. One man’s art is another mans waste paper. But for me, this is a great photograph.
The streets of old Montabaur are full of traditional old buildings and shops.
The view of Montabaur’s old town from the Schloss Montabaur.
We carried on down Highway 49 and not too far beyond Montabaur we came out on the Rhine River just south of Koblenz. We then turned South and started up river on Highway 42. The road was a secondary two lane highway that ran right along the river. There were little communities along the way, souvenir shops, small bars and restaurants. It was a totally enjoyable drive.
Along the way we saw old castles on the hillsides above the road way. Some were obviously in ruins but some showed signs of being still lived in. We stopped here and there as we travelled to take pictures, look at scenery and to take pictures. And that led us to a mistake. We were having such an enjoyable drive that we lost track of the time and as the sun set and it grew dark we had not found a place to stay for the night.
Looking across the Rhine you can see Highway 9 running along side the water with grape vinyards on the hillside above.
We stopped at a small restaurant on the river for a break. The Rhine is visible through the pergola over the restaurant tables and chairs.
At one point we stopped for a glass of local wine. Highway 42 which you can see in this picture was a secondary two lane road, ideal for slow driving and sight seeing.
Looking across the Rhine you can see Highway 9 running along side the water with grape vinyards on the hillside above.
Looking across the Rhine you can see Highway 9 running along side the water with grape vinyards on the hillside above.
This is the rear entrance to the Rheinischer Hotel which we found after dark. This turned out to be a wonderful little hotel.
By 10pm it was dark and we were lost. It was beginning to look like we were going to sleep in the car. We blundered into a small town but the streets were dark and deserted. Jast as we were about to give up our search we drove past a doorway that appeared to be an ebtrance to a pub. I didn’t see the Hotel sign. We stopped, parked the car and walked in.
What we had found was
a most charming and
delightful little hotel with
an excellent dining room.
What we did not know
until the next morning
was that the front of the
hotel was on the banks
of the Rhine river! It was
beautiful.
The building the hotel is
in was built as a hotel in
1813 and has been
operated by the same
family ever since. The
name has changed in the
years since we were there
to the Hotel Peter Schafer.
They had room for us and so we checked in, got settled, and went to the dining room for dinner. We were very hungry.
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