Cochem Burgfest

On Saturday, Jed took some of us on a drive to Cochem (Germany), for a Medieval festival. 

I've learned a few things about place names in Germany.  A lot of locations' names end in "burg" or "berg."  I always just assumed it meant "town" or some such thing.  But "burg" actually means "castle," and "berg" means "mountain."  Cochem is not named "Cochemburg," but they call their festival "Burgfest," because it's centered around the castle there.

Even with as many castles or ruins as we've seen already on this trip, some of them still are just breathtaking.  It takes a second to realize that the castle you're looking at is real, and not some fairytale image.  Cochem falls into this category.  Our first glimpse was a surprise, since we were still high up in the surrounding mountains and came around a curve to see something like this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Panorama_Cochem.jpg/800px-Panorama_Cochem.jpg

As you drive down into the city, the view becomes no less breathtaking.

 

I add this picture just to show the extreme topography involved.  See the castle, upper-left?  About this time, I'm thinking, "And we're WALKING up there??"

The city of Cochem, itself, is beautiful.

Narrow little streets.  Just occassionally, a car will venture through here.  Mostly just pedestrians.

Can't get enough of this architecture!

g

Window-shopping . . . traditional German costumes.

Grandpa and kids

Keep in mind what a narrow little valley this town is built in.  These are high-water marks, recording floods in various years.

Camilla and Lauren, taking in a little history.

 On the climb to the castle . . .

Good thing we carried our own water, since this old trinkwasserbrunnen was closed up.

Cute little cottage among the steep vinyards.

About halfway . . .

Three gates, and we're still climbing.

This is not actually a Medieval castle, as you may have guessed.  There was a castle here in Medieval times, but it was largely destroyed.  It was rebuilt in 1868, I think, in the style of that day.  It now belongs to the city of Cochem. 

Some of us toured parts of the castle.

The man who requilt the castle had a love of woodwork and wood carving.  Here are Adam and Eve.

A huge horn on the dining room table.

He also love symmetry, as was the style then.  The door on the right-hand side is fake, just to match the one on the left.

What might look like wallpaper throughout was actually hand-painted.

A mermaid with antlers?  Touch her belly and make a wish.

Beautiful windows, beautiful views.

The Knights' Room

This suit of armor was made for a man from Austria, who was seven feet tall!

 Here's some video taken from a balcony high above the Mosel River.

 Okay, back outside to the festival!  There were lots of handicrafts to see and to buy, around the castle and along the road as we approached it.

Weaving

 

Bird houses

Handmade shoes

Jewelry

Leather books

And plenty of entertainment!

Fire-eating

(Little boys watching from the castle windows)

Dancing

A unicyclist (taken 

from that same window in the castle!)

Knife-throwing

Lots of music . . . and a juggler.

Camilla, taking a breather.

 And a good time was had by all!  Thank you, Jed!