Monday 16 July 2012

Snapshot of the Moselle Valley, Germany


Vineyards 
The slopes of the Moselle Valley are a rich green tapestry of vines harmoniously hugging the hillsides like a comfortable patchwork quilt. Each section of plants has been lovingly cared for and tirelessly tended by generations of the same families over hundreds of years. A veritable 'garden of eden'.
Architecture 
Colourful and very attractive architecture in the pretty riverside town of Bernkastel. Most of the properties date from the mid 17th century being timber framed. Buildings backing on to the valley slopes have the vineyards soaring high above their rooftops.
River
The source of the river is in the Vosges mountains, from which it flows through France, Luxembourg and finally Germany. Journey's end is when it joins the Rhine at Koblenz. The Moselle has been made navigable for large cargo carrying barges and cruise ships from the Rhine in Koblenz up to Neuves-Maisons, south of Nancy.
The river flows quiet and swift
It twists and turns as the waters drift
It branches and breaks - its fingers entwine
It grows and grows - snakes like a vine.
The River Flows - Kailey Jennings

40 comments:

  1. A most beautiful part of the world. I have never been to Mosell Valley, only Ghent area and Brussels. This area looks so welcoming . The buildings are so lovely. Reminds me of Switzerland.
    The vineyards are perfect.
    I once again have seen a beautiful place through your travels.
    thank you Rosemary.
    happy Monday val

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    1. Dear Val - glad you have enjoyed this little jaunt with me along the Moselle valley. It is a very pleasing place to visit, the senses are continually engaged via all the three things I mentioned above. We visited some wonderful little cities with beautiful architecture and treasurers which I shall show when I have sorted myself out.

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  2. Dear Rosemary,
    Wonderful photos of the Moselle Valley. The vineyards show the perfect care and attention from their owners. They seem like a mondern painting. And old houses with the technique of bagdati,( in Greek we call this technique "μπαγδατί ") wooden frame with plaster, is also like a painting.Thank you for sharing with us .
    Olympia

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    1. Dear Olympia - I like your description of the vines looking like a modern painting. Thank you too for the information about the wooden framed houses and the name you call them in Greece. I am not sure what architectural term they use in Germany for them, but wooden framed house in England are known as Tudor, mainly because they were built during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1.

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  3. Dear Rosemary, Lovely photos of a lovely region. We prefer the Moselle River Valley over the Rhine. It is more intimate in scale and size.

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    1. Dear Gina - although we only touched the Rhine in Koblenz, I could see what you are talking about. We enjoyed the prettiness and harmony that seemed to exist along the Moselle. Glad you enjoyed the photos.

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  4. So appreciative of your breathtaking photos and commentary of a lovely place! They serve as a wonderful antidote to the depressing news stories we are bombarded with daily from the media. It is so nice to know such loveliness exists and is maintained in today's world! Thank you for sharing!

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    1. What a lovely comment to make - you have made my day. I am pleased that you like the photos. Sometimes I feel that I am rather inadequate with my little point and shoot camera when I am surrounded by people with big cameras and huge telephoto lenses. Thank you for your visit.

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  5. Awesome photos once again! I love the green and lines in the vineyards and the colourful, quaint, picturesque town. What a lovely place to live or visit.

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    1. Dear Marie - we found everything about the trip delightful. We loved the slopes of the Moselle valley covered in vines, so beautifully cared for and laid out. Glad you enjoyed the photos, I appreciate your comments knowing what lovely photos you take.

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  6. How wonderful, colourful and just delightful! I love Germany! To me, discovering Germany was an incredible experience. So much beauty, lovely people, new food to taste and wine to drink.

    German people are such good hosts and loyal friends. I have friends near Hamburg and in Bavaria, near Munich. I truly love this beautiful country and I can't wait to visit again and savour the traditional food. German people make the best cakes ever. Coffee is the equivalent of Tea in UK and is served to guests, with plenty of cakes, best China ans silver (that was my experience, anyway!)

    Your photos are magnificent and I just wish I were in a Disney catoon, so I could jump into one of them and stay there!

    TRULY AMAZING!LOVE IT!Bernkastel is to die for! HELP!

    CIAO!

    ANNA
    xx

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    1. Dear Anna - I totally agree with you. Discovering Germany is a lovely experience. I have been to the mountains in Bavaria and Berlin but never to this region before. The cakes, yes, they are something rather special, and not for those on a diet. We went to a cafe with a huge glass cooling cabinet full of the most spectacular cakes. They were made daily by the local women in the small town. The slices we were presented with were huge, and looked as if they had a filling of cream at least 8 cms wide. In fact they were as light as a feather to eat, and the cream was actually lightly whipped mousse with chopped fresh fruit in it. They were not difficult to eat!!!
      So pleased that you enjoyed the post Anna, and that it brought back lots of memories for you.
      I am a bit slow getting round to visiting blogs since my return just over 2 days ago, but will be calling on you soon.
      Ciao♥

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  7. Beautiful and pristine countryside! I would love to visit this region. Did you all sample the local wine? And, how was the food? Hope you had good weather.
    Cheers from DC!
    Loi

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    1. Dear Loi - definitely sampled the wine, our hotel had a local vintner within the grounds. As you probably know that region mainly specialises in white wine. In the moselle they do a very special wine, which only comes from there. It is known as Eiswein, i.e. ice wine. It is quite a rare commodity because of the process involved. It is a big gamble for the growers as the grapes have to freeze while still on the vine. If the temperature is not correct the whole lot can be destroyed. The grapes have to be left on the vine until late and need to be protected from birds, insects and sometimes brown bears. The grapes are typically picked at about 3 a.m in whirling snow, at temperatures of -6 to -13 degrees, any other temperature will not work. At that stage they are draped in thick robes of ice. These perfect conditions only occur 2 - 3 times every 10 years. Hence the wine is very expensive.
      Enjoyed both lovely weather, and food.

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    2. Omgosh! What a gamble! As a gardener, I know how unpredictable mother nature can be. Okay, now I want to try this wine ;-)

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    3. Right, if you want to give it a try, then it costs money - quite a lot of money. It is a dessert wine best enjoyed with a fruit based dessert, or as an aperitif to savour and enjoy every last drop. You can expect to pay £30 per half bottle - 2008 was a reasonably good year, 1998, and then 1996 was a very good year. If you try it, then share the experience with us.

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  8. The first item I notice is how green the fields are. Not so here with our drought. The farm land is truly pretty and well cared for. The city is pretty too. Thanks Rosemary. Wishing you a happy Monday.

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    1. Dear Olive - one thing that we do not have is a drought!!! Perhaps we could do a swap, a bit of your drought for a bit of our rain.
      The Moselle is a very pretty area, lots of lovely things to photograph and enjoy.

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  9. Beautiful pictures! Looks like the weather there was better than around here. Beautiful blue skies! We'll really have to visit the 'Moezelvallei' as we call it. It looks like a wonderful place. Beautiful villages and nature. Love the many half-timbered houses.
    Bye,
    Marian

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    1. Dear Marian - the weather was very good apart from the day we left.
      It cannot be all that far from you, and I would urge you to give it a try. I am sure that you would enjoy it. Quite a few people from Belgium take their motorhomes there, and they are allowed to park them right alongside the river. To rent a motorhome and do that could be good fun.

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  10. It's a beautyful place to be. We spent our holiday's three times overthere. What did you think about the wine? Beautiful pictures Rosemary.

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    1. Dear Marijke - do not touch the red wine would be my advice!!!
      I am so pleased that you have visited the area, and you obviously enjoyed it to have been 3 times. Glad you liked the pictures.

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  11. Hi Val,
    Your photos are wonderful and have captured so well the vines, river and beautiful buildings. Having lived in Germany for 14 years it is lovely to see things that look familiar, and take me back instantly to my childhood.
    My parents also preferred the Moselle to the Rhine. German cakes are outstanding and as you say so light! My mother and I used to regularly stop for Kaffee und Kunchen when we were out shopping. The cakes on sale here do not compare!
    Sarah x

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    1. Dear Sarah - so pleased that you have been reminded of your 14 years living in Germany, and how lovely that you were transported back to your childhood.
      The general consensus seems to be a preference for the Moselle rather than the Rhine.
      Yes, the cakes are delicious, but not to be eaten too often.
      Thanks for your visit.
      Rosemaryx

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  12. Beautiful place, with the vineyard and architectural buildings, wonderful.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed seeing the vineyards and the buildings Bob.

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  13. Your photos are beautiful! Germany is one country I really need to visit - you make it very appealing :-)

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    1. Dear Nat - do visit sometime. I have never been disappointed. The Moselle Valley seems to win out over the Rhine. However, the mountains in Bavaria are also lovely, as are many of the cities, and in particular Berlin for lots of wonderful art galleries and museums.

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  14. Your views are breathtaking. The photos that show the village churches remind me so much of the spot where my maternal grandmother grew up. Your posting brought her to mind, and that I miss her . . .

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    1. A poignant comment but I sense many happy memories Mark.

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  15. Meandering river with steep valley often creates beautiful landscape, and I think Mosel Valley is one of the most attractive places from your photos. I’ve been to southern Germany and I liked these charming style of architectures and the landscape a lot. There are still so many wonderful places I’ve never known. I enjoyed this tour very much, rosemary.

    Yoko

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    1. Dear Yoko - I am happy that you enjoyed this little trip. It was a first time visit for us to that particular area of Germany, and we enjoyed its ambience very much. Picture opportunities at every bend in the river.

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  16. Hi, I'm Nadezda! I found your blog and I've read 3 posts. They are so interesting. And your photos of valleys, drawn up together, are very lovely.

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    1. Thanks for your visit Nadazda - glad you enjoyed the posts you read, and the collage of the valley slopes in the Moselle.

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  17. Dear Rosemary.
    Love the first mosaic. The multi directional hatching of the vineyards is a lovely effect.
    Bernkastel looks so beautifully quaint and old fashioned with all those pretty little geranium festooned houses and not a Starbucks to be seen!
    You must certainly have scaled some heights to achieve those magnificent twisting river pictures and lastly I think the Kailey Jennings poem reflects your last quartet perfectly.
    I'm off for another tour.
    Paul

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    1. Dear Paul - Germany was a real surprise in many respects. Lots of little family shops that did not belong to chains. We could not find any stamps for postcards as you can only get them in large post offices, and we did not see one. We were also surprised at how catholic it was considering that Luther came from Germany, and how many important religious relics the church's held.
      I wonder where you are off to this time. Hopefully all will be revealed soon. Enjoy yourself.

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    2. I meant another tour of your lovely travelogue, I'm staying put for a while yet.

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  18. The pattern in your post today is stunning. I love those vineyards, and the patterns they create together.

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    1. Thanks very much Kate - glad you like the patterns of the vines, they had me captivated whilst I was there.

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