2026-05-19 Route des Vins

 May 19, 2026

The first goal of the day is grocery shopping - right after breakfast. The last few chores - making beds, sweeping floors, etc need to be done in preparation for Chris, Ron, and Mad's arrival tonight. By the time all this was accomplished, it was lunch. So we had a quick lunch at home

The bottle  collection since Clark left. 

The day promised to be warm and sunny, as we headed out to follow the part of the Route du Vin that is near us. We'll travel from Turckheim to Pfaffenheim or as far as we get before returning home for dinner. The total distance is only 15 km, but there are 9 towns along the way, each one within site of the previous town.

Our first stop was Turckheim. We drove right through the south gate and parked next to the Hotel de Ville. There were no tourists in town today, just the way we like it. Dave and Judy did a quick explore of this area and then we drove along the Grande Rue and out the west entrance. 

Turckheim still has a night watchman from spring through fall, Each night he carries a lamp and halberd. He stops at each corner and sings a warning to take care of the fireplace and the candle. (To prevent fire.

The next town along the route was Wintzenheim just 3 km away. From here a road winds up above the town to the Chateau de Hohlandsburg, but that is not part of our tour today. We drove through the town, once more charmed by its half-timbered homes and plentiful wineries. The current town hall was once the manor house of the Knights of St. John

Wintzenheim Town Hall

The next city was Wettolsheim which claims to be the birthplace of Alsatian vine growing thanks to the Roman occupation of the 3rd century. It does sit in the middle of a lot of vines. Driving along this wine route gives one a new appreciation for the scale and breadth of wine-making in this region. As if the country side as far as the eye can see isn't enough, driving through each of these small villages invariably has many vintners inviting you into their tasting rooms. While growing grapes and making wine is a labor-intensive job, it's clear that it provides a comfortable living for those engaged in wine-making.

Vineyards between Wettolsheim and Eguisheim

Vineyards between Wettolsheim and Eguisheim

Equisheim is the next town on the tour. We have visited this village a couple of times. It has a sign-posted walking tour around the circular double defensive walls. But today, we will not visit the town. We are looking for Gruss winery. 

Right on the main street, Gruss winery was easy to find

Dave and Judy were able to explore the cave on their own.

gate at Gruss winery - can you see the grapes and grape leaves?

Arriving after the lunch hour closing (12-2 pm), we walked into the courtyard and through the doors of a modern tasting room. My French was inadequate for explaining that our host's sister married the owner of this winery. But she spoke good English and figured out from the names René and Dominique who I was talking about. The wines were very good and we bought 6 bottles. 

Back into the car, our next wine village was Husseren-les-Chateaux. This village is the highest of the Alsace wine villages (about 1300 feet). Husseren-les-Chateaux started as a collection of huts that housed the craftsmen building the 3 chateaux that sit further up the slope from Husseren. The village was originally named Hausern (German for "houses") which morphed into Husseren. This small village of 400 people proudly promotes its wine-growers. 

Husseren-les-chateaux with the 3 chateaux on top of the hill

Along the road between Husseren and Gueberswihr

In Gueberswihr, we made a brief stop at the Eglise St Pantaleon in the center of town

This Romanesque church, built of the local pink sandstone, has a 12th century bell tower. The church was enlarged in the 19th century to accommodate the increasing population of Gueberswihr.

The 19th century expansion was not built on its earlier foundations which can still be seen next to the bell tower.

These Merovingien sarcophogai (8th-9th century) were discovered in the wall that encloses the old church yard.

Our last stop was the church in Pfaffenheim.

View from the gaveyard behind the church, looking up into the vineyards.

By now it was getting toward aperos time, so we did a quick drive through Pfaffenheim. We had tasted local wines at the wine coop here. 

2026-05-27 A Quick Update from France

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Just a quick update along with thanks from those of you noticing the absence of updates. I really appreciate your care and thoughtfulness. 

I had been having trouble with my asthma/allergies for about a week and decided to go the Colmar Hospital "Urgences." to get checked out on Sunday. After the usual tests, the ER decided to admit me to the hospital Pulmonology department, where I have been since Sunday - without Internet or phone service. More later on that! 

I was released today with prescriptions for the usual meds: antibiotic, corticosteroid, and allergy tablets. I'm fine, except for lacking sleep, which as is also the case in US hospitals, is not possible. Not sure how long it will take me to finish up the blogs that were in progress before Saturday, but I'll get cracking on that. 

Our friends, Mad, Chris & Ron are still with us - thank goodness! - but Judy left yesterday with me not being able to say good-bye. We've heard she's safely home. 

After a nap, aperos, and a bit of wine (it has been FOUR days without), tomorrow we will be back on the adventure trail. 

Thank you, my friends, for you concern for me. It means a lot.

Lynn

2026-05-17 Vogtsbauernhof in the Black Forest

 Sunday, May 17, 2026

The sun is shining, no rain in the forecast, and it's in the 60s. So today we are heading into the Black Forest of Germany to visit an open air museum called Vogtsbauernhof. 

This open air museum made a big impression on us when we were living in Germany in the 70s. Little did we know that this museum of country life in the Black Forest had only been open since 1964. At that time, it only had 3 Black Forest farmsteads and their outbuildings. The museum has grown and today there are many more buildings and many interactive displays that show how folks in the Black Forest lived and worked in the middle ages.

Vogtsbauernhof - 1612

The centerpiece and first building in the museum is the Vogtsbauernhof which still exists in its original location. Built in 1612, the last owners, a retired farmer and his wife, left the farm, the farmhouse, its outbuildings, and furnishings to Hermann Schilli, a professor and researcher specializing in Schwarzwald (Black Forest) houses. From this small beginning, examples of many of the old Black Forest style of houses were dismantled, brought to this location, and rebuilt. The museum is now 3 times the size it was when we visited it in the 70s. And it has restaurants, gift shop, and other essential tourist stops.

This volkswagen is wearing the typical Alsatian  headdress - red is for single ladies; black is for married ladies.

Vogtsbauernhof - This is such a peaceful place - despite the crowds of tourists.

Today's village showcases 11 farms and houses, entirely furnished, along with outbuildings. These represent styles from the southern, middle, and northern parts of the Black Forest. The geography and the weather played a great part in how these houses were designed. and built Keeping out snow and wind was primary. Houses and farms took advantage of the steep slopes on which they were built to protect living quarters and make barns more accessible. 

The oldest farm here is the 1599 Hippenseppenhof, an example of a mountainside home. Others date from the 16th-19th century. 

We were most appreciative of the clever signage at each location. A 4-sided panel attached to a post could be rotated vertically to one of four languages, allowing for the same information in English as in German or French. (I forget the 4th language - possibly Spanish)

Besides the farms and houses, outbuildings like a bake oven, sawmill, grain mills, chapel, forge, and others necessary to be totally independent of towns (which were distant, and unreachable in the winter).

Chapel

This outbuilding is a primitive sawmill

The museum staff are available in some houses to answer questions, others are doing farm work - baking bread - or in this case flammenkuche, those flat pizza like bacon and cheese snacks. We of course bought one to share. 

Judy finishing her flammenkuchen

We saw a man making woven straw shoes, someone had washed and hung out the linen.

This contraption was used to boil water for doing the laundry.

Laundry finished and hanging to dry

Besides all this, we walked around pens of goats. Chickens roamed freely. And cows were pastured near one of the barns. 

The goats were a hit with the children. They tried to feed them grasses through their fence.

After 3 hours, we had absorbed as much as we could. While I couldn't go into any of the buildings, I could peek inside doorways and enjoy the grounds where gardens were flowering and kitchen gardens had been planted.

Living quarters of Falkenhof

Judy in the loft of the Falkenhof house

It is typical for Black Forest houses to have an external balcony that is covered by the roof.

Kitchen garden

Dave thought we had time to visit Triberg, a town he remembered was interesting. It's only 13 km away (a 15 minute drive). So off we went. 

Notice the hairpin turns in the road to Triburg. It's built on some pretty high undulating hills.

Parking found in the middle of town, Judy and Dave headed off to explore. Triberg is build high into the hillside, creating a lot of streets with steep inclines either up or down. We were parked with a view of the town and a nearby park, so I wasn't missing out on much.

Downtown Triburg is set up for tourists

Triberg is famous for having the highest waterfall in Germany. It's also known as the cuckoo clock capitol of the world. Thus its city center is full of stores, like the House of 1000 cuckoo clocks. 

You are warned to be careful if buying a cuckoo clock. Lower priced ones come from China.

After a brief walk around town, Dave and Judy crossed the park and climbed the steps to our car. Another good day of adventures. 

This city park is right below where the car was parked. I'm not sure what the carved totems with Alsatian headdresses are all about.

2026-05-16 Good-byes & Mulhouse

 Saturday, May 16, 2026

Dan and Paulette left for Brussels early this morning (at least early for us). Their visit was too short, but in the time we had, we traded stories of kids, travel, the "good old days" and life in general. We had a great time adventuring together. 

Luckily, Judy is still here, so the adventures will continue. Today, Judy and Dave decided to visit Mulhouse to look at art galleries. It's still cold and threatening rain so I stayed behind to catch up on writing this blog and I took a much needed nap. Below is their report: 

Place de Réunion, taken from the steps of the church

As you can see, Mulhouse is also cold and cloudy, although Judy and Dave missed the rain while visiting an art gallery. While looking at buildings on the Place de Réunion, they noticed something a bit strange on the side of the Hotel de Ville (City Hall). 

One end of the Hotel de ville - the painting below is between the windows on the first floor

This is what's painted on the town hall - see translation below

The  Klapperstein - "gossip stone"

Apparently, until 1798, if you were judged a gossip or liar, you were sentenced to wear this Klapperstein - a heavy carved stone - around the neck as you rode backwards on a donkey through the town. Painted above the gruesome head is this poem: 

« Zum Klapperstein bin ich gennant,

Den bößen Mäulern wohl bekannt ;

Wer Lust zu Zank und Hader hat,

Der muß mich tragen durch die Stadt. »

Translation: 

• I'm known as the Klapperstein (gossip stone)
• Well known by evil tongues
• Whoever takes pleasure in arguing and quarreling
• Will carry me around the town

The church, Temple St. Etienne (St Stephen) was open today. Dave and Judy spent time looking at the stained glass windows. They were able to go up to the clerestory level  to look at them "up close and personal."  Dave was very impressed. 

The organ is not in the back of the church, nor is there a rose window.

The windows on either side of the central window are modern, made to replace the windows damaged in WWII

Close up of one of the new windows in the west end of the church

The organ is behind the altar

Panorama looking down from the clerestory. The windows in the clerestory of the nave are 14th century, saved from a previous church and built into this one.

One of the clerestory windows

They also found something  we missed last time: trompe l'oeil paintings on buildings. These are paintings that look real, but, in fact, are only two dimensional. Very cool.

Dave & Judy were looking for  a WC (public toilet)in the old town when they stumbled across these trompe l'oeil houses. Look closely - these are not real people in the windows and there are not any windows on this side of the house.

This trompe l'oeil is actually one house that is flat.