Bingen

Our last day into Bigen was quite arduous.   It was the hottest day since we began, and quite humid.  Added to that, with a lot of climbing up and down the nearer we got to Bingen, we both felt pretty weary.  We had few places to stop and rest, and it wasnt until we were about 4 kilometres from Bingen that we found a restaurant open where we could have a cool drink and something to eat.  Up until this day we have found a bench to sit and rest most times when we were in need, but the last 12 kms or so they were few and far between,  and with our ability (or rather Edith's) to have ticks find us, we were very reluctant to just sit on the grass.  Once bitten ... as the saying goes.

Lots of little bridges to cross on this stretch. 

Leaving Stromberg would have meant a stiff climb out of town, and so our host, instead of returning to the bottom of the hill, delivered us to the path at the top.  A bonus.

The locals, being a Sunday, were out in force.  They drove their vehicles to somewhere in the forest and then went walking.  The path was, in places, very muddy with locals telling us they had never seen it like this.  Over the past week we have seen poppies, cornflowers and other wildflowers on the edge of the path and amongst the crops, but on the last day, in amongst the forest we saw large swathes of fox gloves.

Our first glimpse of the Rhein, far below.

Another glimpse of the Rhein, and the village of Assmannshausen.....

Assmannshausen viewed from the river cruise.

The only pilgrim we have met on this way has been Ulrike who we met at the beginning and end of day 1, and saw again on day 2 at breakfast.   We heard how she was going, but never saw her again. 

Our first day in Bingen was busy.  There were 2 circular walks to do, which we did in part, visiting the Cathedral, dedicated to St Martin, who gave his cloak to a beggar. Then up to the Hildergard forum, a former monastery, now a hotel, and visiting the church nearby.  We visited the Klopp - the castle overlooking the town, and climbed the 10 flights of stairs to get to the top of the tower.  Even on an easy, almost rest day, we made 24,000 steps!

Up 10 flights of stairs for some great views

The view from the tower.  Our hotel is the white building bottom right.

The Klopp, viewed from our hotel

A sculpture of Hildegard at the Hildergard Forum.

One of our first tasks was to find, and make use of, the laundromat.  We managed to fluke a reasonably priced room in a hotel right on the river and when lying in bed I can watch the boats going up and downstream. 

The view from our room

Our final day spent in Bingen has indeed been a leisurely rest day.  A quick visit to the tourist office to sort out a few things, then a long visit visit to the Hildegard museum, and finally a 4 hour cruise on the Rhein.

The Mäuseturm - grain was stored here, by a selfish Bishop, so the mice didn't get it.   But the mice got the grain, and the Bishop!

Die Rheinpfalz.  A former prison and toll gate.  The floor could be raised or lowered so it was always wet, cold and uncomfortable. 

Castles everywhere on the cruise.

Edith was keen to show me, and I, of course keen to see it, the Loreley (or Lorelei), which is where our cruise went.  The current is so strong that we took 1 1/2 to get there (downstream), and 2 1/2 hours to return upstream.  There is a group of choristers reading this who know why we wanted to see the Loreley as they have been required to sing my arrangement of it numerous times.  For those who aren't aware of the story, the Lorelei was a beautiful woman who used to comb her long, lustrous hair at the top of the cliff, and generally be provocative, and thus lure the passing boatmen to the bottom of the cliff on which she sat, where they met with strange currents, rocks and other difficulties and thus met an ignominious end at the bottom of the Rhein.  These days it is quite a navigable stretch of the river, but in days gone by this was an exceedingly dangerous and deep part of it - no doubt, the reason for the story / song.  When we reached the Loreley they played a recording of the song so we hummed along!

The Loreley 

Sadly, tomorrow Edith and I will part ways.  Not because we don't get on, but Edith in the week we have been walking has lost centimetres off her waist - unlike me, something she can ill afford to do.  For the sake of her health the wisest thing to do is for her to stop.  She is disappointed, as am I, but she will have more time with her brother, and I will head off alone for Trier, where Edith had planned to stop.

The task is to fatten Edith up!