Rüdesheim am Rhein.......

I arrived in Rüdesheim am Rhein about 2:00 PM today after about a four hour drive from Heidelberg.  The hotel that I stayed at in Heidelberg, the Hotel Kurpfalzhof was one of the best I have stayed out so far on my trip.  The owner, Volker Mampel, was extremely helpful in every aspect, from suggesting places to visit and eat, etc. It was refreshing to talk to him, since he spoke perfect English, and is extremely educated and would talk about every aspect of the world, including politics, economics, etc.  The physical facility was phenomenal......the room was as modern as you can expect and the breakfast was more than anyone would expect from a "European Buffet Breakfast".  I would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the Heidelberg area, and would surely stay here again if and when I return to the area.   The ride today was quite pleasant as it winded a bit along the Rhine River, and the weather has been excellent.  There is always a lot to see and I have a hard time keeping my eyes on the road, with everything that is going on around me.  I passed through the major cities of Manheim, Worms and Mainz as well as some smaller towns before reaching Rüdesheim.  Rüdesheim is a very popular tourist town located directly on the Rhein River.  I easily found my hotel, Hotel Rüdesheimer Hof, checked in and immediately headed out to explore.  I walked around a bit, but it was so hot today that by about 4 PM I returned to my room to get out of the heat, relax and grab a quick nap.  By 6 PM I went out again, and found a very nice outdoor cafe for dinner.  This place was recommended on the Internet and it was very good.  I had a salad, chicken dinner & potatoes and a few glasses of the local Riesling Wine, all for under $20.  The wine here is so good and produced locally, and is also quite inexpensive.  At the restaurant, I met and chatted a bit with a very nice retired couple from South Carolina.  They were on a Viking River Cruise, and the boat stopped here in Rüdesheim for the night, so they got off the boat to explore the area and have dinner.  It was actually nice to chat with some Americans for a change and discuss and compare our travel experiences.
 As I always say, travel is great and the opportunities and experiences that one encounters cannot be duplicated by just staying home.  Unfortunately, life is short and making the most of it,  in my opinion, includes traveling the world and constantly living new experiences.

Tomorrow I am off to Bad Münstereifel to meet my friend Peter (who I have know for over 30 years) and look forward to spending a fun and exciting week with him.  Peter and I might spend some time camping at Lake Zulpich, so do not expect to see many updates to the blog over the next few days.