Guten Tag (Good Day). It is 6 am Sunday in Trier. Our bodies are still trying to figure out where they are - Hawaii, Texas or Europe, so sleeping is a problem. I’ve been awake since 2 am but forced myself to rest as today is going to be a busy one.
8 pm - Our group gathered for an early breakfast before heading off for a full day of touring. (Apparently I did sleep last night, sound enough to miss a half hour fireworks show at a nearby festival that woke most of the rest of our group up, including Tom, around midnight.) Tom informed me at breakfast that other than two spry-looking 70ish ladies from Dallas, he and I are the oldest ones in the group – a sobering thought. There are three families in our group, each with two to four kids, and everyone seems very nice and easy to be around.
We had a local guide today for a very informative tour of Trier's historic area and the huge cathedral or Dom, the oldest Christian church in Germany. At one time, the Trier Cathedral was larger than the Vatican! It is called St. Peter’s, too, and was built by Constantine at the same time St. Peter’s in Rome was built, beginning in A.D. 326. The local church is built (attached) to the right of the cathedral.
The cathedral’s most important relic is the Holy Robe of Christ worn by Jesus when he was crucified. St. Helen, Constantine’s mother, found it in Jerusalem and brought it here. It is enclosed in a special area behind the altar and below a gold cross (below) and only brought
out for special occasions, the next one being in August of this year. I would’ve really liked to have seen it. The Archbishops who presided over this cathedral and area hundreds of years ago were very rich and powerful and they designed and built their own ostentatious altars in the church to memorialize themselves.
As in all cathedrals and large churches, the Trier Dom has a massive organ. This one (below) seems to suspend from the ceiling and is very ornate.
We had a local guide today for a very informative tour of Trier's historic area and the huge cathedral or Dom, the oldest Christian church in Germany. At one time, the Trier Cathedral was larger than the Vatican! It is called St. Peter’s, too, and was built by Constantine at the same time St. Peter’s in Rome was built, beginning in A.D. 326. The local church is built (attached) to the right of the cathedral.
The cathedral’s most important relic is the Holy Robe of Christ worn by Jesus when he was crucified. St. Helen, Constantine’s mother, found it in Jerusalem and brought it here. It is enclosed in a special area behind the altar and below a gold cross (below) and only broughtout for special occasions, the next one being in August of this year. I would’ve really liked to have seen it. The Archbishops who presided over this cathedral and area hundreds of years ago were very rich and powerful and they designed and built their own ostentatious altars in the church to memorialize themselves.
As in all cathedrals and large churches, the Trier Dom has a massive organ. This one (below) seems to suspend from the ceiling and is very ornate.
After our tour we boarded our bus and headed north along the Mosel River. We had lunch in the charming town of Beilstein (BILE-shtine).
After lunch we toured Burg Eltz, a very large castle, sitting in a forested valley, that is filled with many of the original furnishings from the 1500s. Burg (Castle) Eltz has an interesting history and has been in the wealthy Eltz family for 850 years. They still live in part of it at various times during the year. Burg Eltz Unfortunately, the exterior was undergoing renovations so we couldn't appreciate its true beauty but from what we could see, we can imagine that it is quite spectacular.
We used our free evening for another Trier Walkabout, seeking out sights we hadn't explored yet, such as the remnants of the Roman Baths (below).
Enjoying our lunch on Beilstein's riverfront at the Lippmann Restaurant (above and below).
Beilstein is full of cute restaurants and shops like this one.
The guy on the left drove up in this crazy car and parked across from our restaurant and was an instant attraction - I think it was a motorcycle surrounded by an airplane-like body.
All along the Mosel River we saw campgrounds like this one where Germans set up their tents and campers in the spring and use them as their summer home.
All along the Mosel River we saw campgrounds like this one where Germans set up their tents and campers in the spring and use them as their summer home.
After lunch we toured Burg Eltz, a very large castle, sitting in a forested valley, that is filled with many of the original furnishings from the 1500s. Burg (Castle) Eltz has an interesting history and has been in the wealthy Eltz family for 850 years. They still live in part of it at various times during the year. Burg Eltz Unfortunately, the exterior was undergoing renovations so we couldn't appreciate its true beauty but from what we could see, we can imagine that it is quite spectacular.
We used our free evening for another Trier Walkabout, seeking out sights we hadn't explored yet, such as the remnants of the Roman Baths (below).
To close, I’d like to wish our son Danny at happy 31st birthday!!! He is celebrating with friends and his family in Austin and they are awaiting the birth of Matt and Sara’s baby – any moment now, if not already. Two special people will share a July 10th birthday. J
Tomorrow we are off to Baden Baden and the Black Forest. YOLO!!
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