Bacharach.......a great day on the Rhine river

For some odd reason the weather turned "Seattle-like" during the entire month of July.  So when the warm sun finally returned there was no doubt that our plans for the weekend included getting outside.

We decided to visit a cute little village on the Rhine: Bacharach.  A very interesting name for a village that was originally named "Baccaracus" which roughly translates to "the Celtic manor of Baccaracus". The village dates back all the way to the early 900's with the Stahleck Castle (shown below) built some time later in the 11th century.  Today the Stahleck Castle is known for being one of the nicest youth hostels in the Rhine Valley.

The best and arguably the better way to arrive in the village is by boat on the Rhine river.    

For us, it was easier logistically to drive directly from our village (a little over an hour away) in our beloved Polo.

Right away we felt welcomed.....even if the official greeter's were not human.

Back in the middle ages Bacharach was known around the world as a main storage station for wines from the Middle Rhine, Nahe, and Rheingau and was one of the best known wine regions.  Today that tradition of highlighting the local wines is continued as evidence by nearly every other shop offering a special from a local vineyard.    

Did I mention that Bacharach is somewhat smaller-sized?  This is the view looking down "main street".

Looking down one of the side roads that lead into town.....with the local vineyard in the background.

Loved the half-timbered houses found throughout the village.  

After a brief walk through the heart of the village we decided it would be a good idea to make our way to the river's edge and rest the feet.......and perhaps take a mid-afternoon siesta.  Our view from the final resting spot:

After a few minutes of lying on the grass, soaking in the warm sun while also being kept cool by the gentle breeze blowing from the Rhine......Andrea asks," so, what do you want to do now?".  Uh.....I'm doing it.  Our time here Europe has led to a few discoveries about ourselves.  For me it is for the love for warm sun.  Perhaps growing up in Seattle and living/working there the past several years has taught me to never miss an opportunity to be outside enjoying the warm sun.  

With the offer of "getting some ice cream" if I removed myself from the sun-worshiping position, we ventured out to see the remainder of Bacharach.  I have to say the village is really cool with the half-timbered homes and natural vines that cover some of the buildings on the main street.

Some great humor found on some of the business signs.

We decided to hike up to the Stahleck Castle to take in the view.  The route led us by the Wernerkapalle (Werner Chapel) located on the side of the hill that offers a tremendous view of the local vineyard, Rhine river, and the village.

Andrea taking it all in. 

Hiking back down we found a great little patio to quench our thirst.....and enjoy some local cheese as well.

Walking back to our car.....probably the most scenic view for "leaving a city".

For anyone coming to Europe and entertaining the idea of enjoying a ride on the Rhine, stopping at Bacharach is a must.  Even a few hours will leave you satisfied that you made the stop. Bacharach is an incredible village that offers great views and tasty ice cream.....a perfect combination in my book.  

Spangdahlem Air Base Open House

The local US Air Force base recently held the annual Open House, offering everyone an opportunity to see up close the impressive machines that make all that noise throughout the day.  The experience was somewhat nostalgic for me given the years during my youth of taking in the Open House and Air Show put on by McChord AFB in Tacoma, WA.  What was more eerie was the weather: clouds, cold, and overcast......a typical summer day sometimes found in the Pacific Northwest.  In spite of the less than perfect weather we had ourselves a great time and enjoyed the demonstration put on by the F-16 and A-10 jets.  Of course many pictures were taken......below are just a few.

Looking into the nose of the A-10....and the massive gun mounted in the nose.  Wow.

They brought in jets from Germany and Poland for the event.....which was pretty cool to see.

I was very impressed to see an F-35 at the event....until later when I learned that this particular plane did not fly and was transported in for the event in four different pieces.  Come on!

Demonstration of loading weapons onto an A-10.

Old school

A-10 in flight for one of the demonstrations

F-16 and A-10 flying in formation....a rare event to see.

A-10 at max speed and an F-16 at near stall speed.......

F-16 landing

The impressive gun mounted in the nose of the A-10 that can fire up to 50 rounds per second. 

F-15's were flown in from the AFB in England that made the F-16's look very small.

Rear-view of the F-15

F-16 flown by the base Colonel

An engine from the F-16

F-16 preparing to takeoff for the final demonstration

The F-16 can take off in under 1,000 feet with the after-burners going.....although it can be a little loud when it does.

F-16 doing a fly-by

Although the weather was not ideal for the event it was a great opportunity to see up close a variety of different fighter jets.  There is something about fighter jets that draws people......I can't exactly say what it is....but I know that it was fun to watch young kids marvel in the same way as parents and grandparents.  And yes, you can count me as one of those mesmerized by these million dollar machines.