A Christmas in Rothenburg

Since our last email we have been largely staying in a place that feels mostly like a Disney movie from some years ago.  Back when the kids were young, Disney's Beauty and the Beast was on high rotation, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Rothenburg on the Tauber) was just like Belle's village in medieval Europe.  Lots of small streets, half timbered houses and city walls and towers.

We chose here on a whim - we saw a youtube video of this little quaint place that looked so pretty, and both said 'Lets go there for Christmas'.  With little idea about exactly where it was, or how to get there.

Getting there from Munich involved a couple of smaller German country trains and a 15 min walk.   We are now much more familiar with the train processes in Europe, so this is not the stress that it once was.  And again, much of the countryside seen from the train was covered in snow.

As we walked through the Rothenburg old city gates in the semi dark of dusk, we could see that this was very different.  It truly felt like a step back in time.

Our hotel was exactly right for the environment.  Parts of it was 800 years old, but yet our bathroom seemed like it was remodelled last week.  The hotel has been in the same family for five generations, and each day we saw many of the same family members.  Our room was right at the front, next to the clock tower that rang out the hour during the day.  Definitely the right choice.

Our Hotel: Romantik Hotel Markusturm

The view from our window.

And then it was Christmas.

We have made a bit of a habit of travelling at Christmas time over the last few years and are aware that it can be tricky.   Not being with the family at home, and trying to make something special when the place you are staying in is mostly closed for Christmas can be hard.  In the past we did a dinner in the Eiffel Tower (arranged by a wonderful travel agent who 5 years later became Daniel's girlfriend!) and we have been in St Peter's Square to hear the Pope speak (it was a great experience even if we didn’t understand a word he said).  The secret we learned is to make sure you plan something special.  The hotel staff told us about the Christmas function that they always put on, being German this was a Christmas Eve dinner rather than Christmas day, and they also helped us figure out which places would be open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (or second day of Christmas as it was called there).

The Christmas dinner was special.  We put on clothes that we had carried around the world for nearly 3 months for just the occasion and spent the evening in the company of 3 other couples (2 American and 1 Canadian), swapping travel stories and Christmas stories.  A four course meal over four hours.  It’s been a long time since we have had the opportunity to chat at length with some total strangers.  Hard work but enjoyable.

Christmas in Rothenburg

The Classic Image

Often when we go to a new place, I do some research online to understand what are the classic images that other photographers have taken of that place.  Sometimes to avoid just doing the same thing, and sometimes to see if I can capture it as well as others.  In Rothenburg, down the bottom end of the town in an area known as Plonlein  is the classic image.  So one evening, I gathered up my gear and went to see what I could capture.  It was magical.

This is ‘the’ image of Rothenburg that every photographer captures.

Walking the Walls

Our challenge for Rothenburg was to walk the full perimeter around the town wall.  It took 4 attempts, several hot chocolates, and some damp clothes but the views were amazing.

Rothenburg was everything we could have hoped for.

After Rothenburg it was a brief stop in Nuremberg for New Year’s Eve and then on to Edinburgh. But that’s for next time.

David and Michelle xx