Sankt Goarshausen 5 May 2019
Because of the power boat event and the road being closed we had a 24km detour to get to the other side of the river and onto Koblenz. Kay had a quick look at the confluence of the Mosel and the Rhine, Dave was illegally parked! Koblenz too busy to find somewhere to stop so we moved onto Sankt Goa
05.05.19 - Last night, we were surprised to see a couple in their car just behind us - they ate, got into sleeping bags - and slept the night in the car - must have been cold in their tin box!
When we got up this morning it was only 3°. As we hadn’t run due to either hills or snow, no reasonable excuse - so did our final run of week 2. Was past all the drivers and their teams getting set up for another day of racing - embarrassing as I sound like I’m about to expire after very little exertion!
Due to the race, we had to make a detour of around 24km to get back to a bridge, as we didn’t fancy the little roads maybe up in the hills.
I was driving today - about 2-1/2 hours in total - but with a couple of stops. First was to service Dave. Machine for water took 10c pieces, only had 4 - so that’s how much water we had!
I’d wanted to see the German corner - the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz. It’s where the Mosel and the Rhine converge. Left Tintin in Dave, as probably shouldn’t have parked where we were! Was starting to rain, and cold - so didn’t hang around! Took a picture of the Memorial of German Unity - but sadly neither of us are taking very good pictures today - either raining and overcast, or into the sun!
Had emergency biscuits, as Tintin doesn’t like it when I’m hangry and driving when it’s lunchtime! Was glad to get out of Koblenz - poor Dave didn’t enjoy some of the cobbled streets!
Some castles on the way, sorry pics through windscreen on a really bad day.
Anyway, about an hours drive along the Rhine and we arrived at St Goarshausen - and Park4night says we can park. However, I translated the sign - and it says for residents only! We’ll see!
We are parked overlooking a curve in the river. It’s so busy in comparison with the Mosel. And there is a very strong looking current! We are also near a cat castle (Burg Katz) - now privately owned - and mouse castle (Burg Maus) - only opened for special tours and falconry shows.
Went for a short walk - near here is The Loreley Statue. The following has been taken from a website! “a 3.3-meter-tall bronze female figure who watches ships go up and down the busy waterway. Sharing a name with the slate promontory towering overhead, the Loreley Statue is a relatively recent addition to the historic riverscape, and memorializes a relatively recent mythological figure borne of German Romanticism.
Since the beginning of navigation on the Rhine River, the treacherous curve under the shadow of Loreley has destroyed an untold number of ships, claiming the lives of countless sailors. While practical explanations of the perilous site chalk it up to a rocky riverbed combined with an unusual drift, 19th-century poets created a more enchanting explanation involving a river siren enticing men to their doom.
The legend involves a young woman, Loreley, with long blond hair and a beautiful voice. One version describes Loreley as a mermaid who fell in love with a human and thus came ashore from the Rhine in the form of a farmer’s daughter; another claims she was a sorceress from the nearby village of Bacharach. In either case, she fell in love with a young man who did not love her back, and thereafter sat on a rock overlooking the river, serenading it with sad songs. The beauty of both her voice and appearance was so enchanting that she caused distracted sailors to break their ships on the rocks and drown.
Like her origins, the end of Loreley’s tale also varies. One version tells of the son of a local lord (the Palsgrave, or count palatine, to be exact) who heard about the nix and wanted to see her. When he came on his ship and spotted Loreley, singing and combing her hair, he immediately fell under her spell. He attempted to go ashore to speak with Loreley but slipped, was swallowed by the river, and drowned. When the lord learned of the accident, he dispatched soldiers to capture Loreley. Fearing her power, the arresting party, upon finding her, ordered Loreley to instead jump to her death.
Apparently happy to comply, Loreley held out an amber necklace and called to the Rhine, “Father, Father, fast, fast! Send the white steeds to your child, she wants to ride with the waves and the wind.” Two rushing white waves in form of horses emerged from the Rhine and carried Loreley away with them. This is the origin of the “Father Rhine” nickname the river bears to this day.
The Loreley Statue was installed in 1983. Shipwrecks still occur at the dangerous curve, the most recent on January 13, 2011, when a tanker ship loaded with 2,400 tons sulfuric acid capsized. Thus, legends persist that the ghost of Loreley still appears—singing, combing her hair, and leading sailors to their deaths in the watery grave at the bottom of the Rhine”.
The weather is still very changeable - warm and sunny, although was windy, and then when the sun goes in, very chilly!
Drinking a lovely bottle of Riesling tonight for a change - very pleasant - let’s hope the plink plink fizz (Solpadeine!) won’t be needed by a certain someone in the morning!
There are at least another three mohos parked up now. Maybe they do like we do, and look out for where other people are parked - and hope it’s a good place!
Still not sure of our plans, but will proceed now going south along the Rhine. Tomorrow we may catch the ferry across the river with our bikes and go a visit a castle - a lot is weather dependent!
Comments ()