Mosel River

The Mosel River is a winding river that stretches from France to Koblenz where it joins the mighty Rhine.  The hills on either side of the river are ideal for grape growing even if very steep.  For that reason, the chief industry in the region is wine.  In these pages we will take you to the towns of Cochem, Beilstein, Trier, and our favorite German castle, Burg Eltz.

In the summer, each of the villages has their wine fest, where they celebrate another good season.  Needless to say, the wine flows like water.  Frequently, during these wine fests, they also have a "castle burning".  Fireworks displays reenact battles between castles and attacking forces.  In the end, the castle is usually destroyed in a brilliant pyrotechnic display.  Flickering red lights strategically placed around the castle and in the surrounding vineyards simulate fires.

The pictures below are the town of Bernkastle-Kues.  They were taken in and around the town center.  The narrow building on the far right is a wine tasting shop, only one room wide.