Koblenz

Rhein 1
Originally uploaded by pohanchen

Koblenz, also known as the German Corner (Deutsch Ecke), is the confluence of two major rivers: Rhein and Mosel. The area along the Mosel is famous for its wine production and beautiful landscapes. One can find, on the steep hills along the river, many castle or tower ruins several hundred years old. If you stare at them long enough they seem to have the power to possess you, making you feel like going back in time. I think this place has a certain kind of magic to mesmerize visitors. I think it's probably because each one of us longed for something legendary and romantic, which hardly exists in real life. But at this place, both the views and the wines help to stimulate our imaginations.

Here one can taste and buy wines produced in local vineyards. Wines are cheap here. You can easily drink about a liter of wine (if you can) with just about 10 euros. And there are many wine bars (Weinstube) where you can taste a variety of wines. I think here wines are cheaper than any other drinks. So if you happen to be here, forget about coke, beer, or coffee. Somehow the wines here seem a bit too bitter to me. Maybe I'm just too used to sweeter wines.

The Mosel area is also close to France, so you can see a blend of French culture here, as manifested in cuisine and language. One regret was that I didn't have the chance to take a boat along the Mosel . Maybe for my next vacation.

By the way, today is so cold, around 10-15 degree Celsius. Feels like the winter is coming...