Rudesheim is a delightful town with many quaint buildings and a museum or two. It is also the home of the famous Asbach Uralt brandy and and many vineyards. Perhaps more importantly, it is close to Ebingen Abbey, the spiritual home of the 11th century mystic, musician, advocate of healthy eating and holistic medicine, not to mention saint, Hildegard of Bingen.
Although she has been considered a saint for centuries, Hildegard was never formally canonized by the Catholic Church. When German Pope Benedict XV, realized this, he proclaimed her sainthood immediately to rectify this omission. On our last visit to Rudesheim, I made my way to the Abbey and found it a powerful experience. Although I did not get to revist the Abbey this time, I did provide directions and information for another guest who wanted to go there. She enjoyed her visit very much
On this sunny morning, I decided to go on the village stroll with some congenial friends. The senior Rambler was delighted to stay behind; since we were docked in town, he could happily walk around on his own. Rudesheim is one of those towns with what the Europeans call a “a tiny tourist train,” that saves walking from the dock area to the historic district and back again. These trains are all pretty small, but the Rudesheim one is really tiny; some of the larger members of our tour had a hard time getting in –and out.
Of course when we wanted to go back to the ship, the tiny train was no where in sight. The Rambler thinks it is a ploy to force the cruisers to walk past the shops that line the street facing the river on the way back to their ship. On the plus side, it is a pleasant stroll and one can walk along the river as well. Considering all, Rudesheim is the last small towns we would visit on this cruise, and many of our group, including the Rambler would indeed buy some souveniers from shops we passed on the way back.
Fortunately no one got stuck inside a tiny train car on the way to our destination downtown. so we all climbed out in the heart of the historic district. There our smiling guide was already waiting. Before we started our stroll, we visited a local chocolate shop to have a chocolate tasting. Fortunately it was a tiny tasting, to go with the tiny train, perhaps. The Rambler likes her chocolate well enough, but not so much at 10 AM in the morning.
During the tour, we walked past the Drosselgasses, which the Rudesheimers promote as the narrowest street in Germany. The Rambler is not sure about this but it is both narrow and steep and lined with inviting weinstubes, restaurants and hostelries.
We did have a treat in store before our tour was over, a stop at the Rudesheimer Schloss for the signature drink of the town; a Rudesheimer coffee. The folks who had gone on the Rudesheim tour split into several groups mostly based on walking speed but all the tours ended at the Rudesheimer Schloss for our special coffee; and special it was. The staff at ther Schloss Rudeseim are used to serving Rudesheimer coffee to large groups and after a brief welcome by the proprietor, the waitresses dressed in traditional costume set to work. First hot coffee was poured into special cups, then the Asbach Uralt brandy produced near here was added. Finally the steaming cup was topped with freshly whipped cream. Then the coffees were quickly delivered to our tables and enjoyed by all who love coffee, brandy and whipped cream.
Walking back to our boat, I reflected that Rudesheim was bombed heavily during WWII, The main reason was because of the Hindenburg bridge which linked Rudesheim with Bingen across the Danube. Bombing was not a precise science during WWII and many non-strategic buildings were also damaged. Although most of these buildings were rebuilt, the bridge was destoyed and not rebuilt,;only parts of the once massive structure remain. In Rudesheim,as in many other German towns, medieval buildings were painstakingly rebuilt using salvaged materials whenever possible. Unless you look at photos taken immediately after the war, it hard to imagine how much was detroyed during the war.
Rudesheim today might be considered touristy by a purist, but it is at the center of the Rhine wine industry. Much tasty wine is made in the surrounding area and many Germans stay in the area while doing a series of visites to local wineries. We did not visit any wine estates on this cruise but sailed past many hillsides covered with vines.
Rudesheim is also situated close to the Rhine Gorge which probably helped make it a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as the Lorelei Valley. a very picturesque area of the river. Since it is a popular vacation spot for Germans as well as a regular stop for a number of river cruise lines, the local buisness hopefully have been able to keep going during the Pandemic years. The Ramblers were fortunate to take our last cruise together before the onset of the virus, virtually shut down travel.
The Rambler headed back towards the ship with along with Jean, one of our cruise pals, stopping at a few shops along the way. Even in Germany, it is sometimes difficult to find items that are actually produced there. I was lucky enough to find a t-shirt for my young grandson that was actually made in Germany on the way back, not an easy task.
Of course the senior Rambler was waiting for me when we got to the ship, and I was very glad to see him as it had been quite the long walk. Yet it had been a pleasant stroll in good company and the last time we would enjoy the atmosphere of a small German town. Our cruise was almost over and it would end in the very busy metropolis of Amsterdam.
The next day would be spent cruising through the Rhine Gorge, with a brief stop at Koln (Cologne) and then on to Amsterdam, where we would disembark. This time, the Ramblers would spend a few days in Amsterdam to relax before heading back to Atlanta.