Day 2-Ober Mörlen

The whole POINT of this week's journey!!

Our castle for the night!

After sleeping like rocks for ten hours, we finally woke up and headed to breakfast.  They had a great spread, with a few things we could not identify, but all was good!  We packed and checked out, but before getting to the car, we saw there was a museum for the castle, and it was free to guests.  It was COOL!!!!  The museum was part of a tower, in fact the one that sits over the main entrance.  They had some nice displays, and was pretty well done.  It gave a good feel for the history of this castle and the purpose for a lot of the designs.  Since this one was started in about 1160, but added on to over the centuries, things like spiral stairs (introduced in Germany in the 1300s) were incorporated into later part of the complex.  The museum had great overlooks from the top, and even had a “trebuchet” (with electronic sensors) that you could load stones into the sling, and the weight basket, and pull a lever.  Then a video on the TV monitor in front of you showed a clip of your “attack” on a neighboring castle, and the damage.  And you adjusted things to try to destroy the other castle.  We had fun and learned a bit too!

A very "castle-like" stairs in the tower.

We got on the road finally about Noon.  At first, the drive was along the Rhine River, and we got a sense of the beauty of the valley, seeing lots of little towns along the river with churches on the banks, vineyards up the steep slopes, and castles above overlooking the river.  In feudal days, the only ones who could have fortified houses were by grants of the king.  But, they also had authority to collect tolls from the ships traversing the Rhine (their primary source of money).  In some areas, there were tolls only a few miles apart, so castles everywhere was not that surprising!  Also, the idea of the Founding Fathers insisting on toll free trade among the first States makes even more sense in light of the history of parts of Europe.

A medieval "toll plaza" in the middle of the Rhine.

The Rhine and the town of Ober-Wessen from the top of the castle.

A view from the top of the "defense tower".

Toll Booth!

Eventually, we made it to the freeways, and got up to 120, 130, than no speed limits at all!!  Where it was clear, we were able to hold 140 and 150, and even get up to 160 a number of times.  But, that’s KPH, not MPH.  For those who have no idea what a kilometer is (Wade), 160 kph is about 100 mph.  One thing we learned is that drivers, even large trucks, signal and change lanes in one singular motion, without really looking prior or even during their lane changes.  So, best to just get out of the way fast!!

St. Remigius church in Ober-Mörlen.

We arrived in Ober-Mörlen in the early afternoon, and headed straight for St. Remigius Katholik Kirch.  I know my Great Great Grandfather emigrated from Ober-Mörlen, with the help of the local Priest, so I am pretty sure he would have attended this very church some 140 years ago.  It was fascinating looking around and wondering which buildings he might have seen when he lived here, and how much it might have looked the same (minus cars).

St. Remigius

Bill Geck on Adam Geck Strasse

After touring the church, we headed over to the cemetery to look for Gecks.  We found LOTS!!!  There were probably 20 or more that we found, so we know there are still some around here.  (20 is meaningful since first, they plow up the cemeteries after 20, 50, or 100 years depending on the amount one pays, and second, in all of my life, I have only met 12 Gecks including Theresa).    Then we headed to Adam-Geck-Strasse (Adam Geck Street).  There was a little sign that said he (Adam, I presume) was a founder for a foundation set up for the poor in town.  So, that seems to be the reason for the street being named after him.  There was something about London and 1888, so we’re not sure the whole story.  We walked up the road and came across a little house with a sign that said “Geck Familie”, so NATURALLY, I walked up and rang the doorbell.  No one answered.  Oh well.

A look down Adam Geck Strasse.

We then attempted to head to a tower that (reconstructed) marked the Limes, which was the edge of the Roman Empire.  It was a line that crossed northern Germany, and was marked with forts or soldier camps to control what came into or out of the Empire.  Well, this tower was apparently 4 km away from the closest parking space, and through the woods at that.  So, not tonight!

We headed back to town and got some dinner at a local bar.  It was good, but, well, we’d try something else if we went back!  But the beer was good!  Tonight we’re back in Frankfurt, as we had a hotel reserved here (and it’s a Hampton Inn, so not really a castle).