Adventure Germany

Rosenmontag is a very popular holiday, not only in Rhineland-Palatinate, but also throughout Germany. On this day many people going dressed to the streets of Mainz, and celebrate together. At least the first part of the celebration is very funny. Rosenmontag-train travels through the whole city and the participants of the train are hurling on the streets various candies and bargains.
This time I was there too. And this time not alone. I learned on the Internet a young woman who wanted to participate at the carnival, but nobody was able to accompany her. I thought not long and have suggested that we could go together. I wanted to go there anyway, and was also alone. We have agreed to meet each other on the central station. Luckily, I told her that I will have a digital camera in my hand, because otherwise we would not recognize each other. I usually don’t have the problem of recognizing, because I already had experience with a „mitfahrgelegenheit“ where I must also recognize strange people.
Actually, the Rosenmontag 2009 went well, but the weather was not so nice.
And here are some photos of the day:

For a diver training course, you need not really much. This is relatively cheap, you usually don’t need to buy any equipment in advance, because all you could need you will get from school for the duration of the training. The most important thing, you need is medical certificate.
The doctor who examined me, was too cautious and she did not give me any certificate before I pass further investigation by cardiologist. There are not much cardiologists in our area unfortunately, that’s why they are very busy and I must wait until February. That means that I can begin with the first training only in spring. Because I like to swim under water, I wanted at least train in a swimming pool. The first thing that I should do for this is I should get a ABC equipment. I asked the divers, which suggested me, to invest not very much money in ABC equipment, because there will be other things to buy, which in this context are more important. So I decided for the ABC set of Mares for around 45 euros, including shipping.
Although of the coming holidays my order was processed immediately. After 2 days I got the packet by post. There was a little problem with my order. I got no ABC set of Mares, but 2 ABC sets from Aqualung. The flippers had not the size that I ordered. The bill was accordingly 2x higher, because I got 2 sets.
Fortunately, the dealer admitted the mistake immediately, as I pointed him to this. Hopefully soon I get my right order.

Recently I decided to make my old dream finally true. I want to make a diving training to be able to lern our world from a different perspective. Initially this idea came to me when I read an interesting Article in the Spiegel Online about mountain lakes in the Alps. This article was about the Alpine lakes. They are so pure and clear, that a diver has completely unobstructed view under water and gets a feeling of weightlessness, like if he is in open space. But then I thought that a training and related costs for equipment are so high that I should forget this idea.
But a few weeks ago I found out that it is not necessarily to have a lot of money to dive. The diving course itself costs about 200 € with all the equipment. I need also no equipment to buy in advance, because this will be provided to me by the school for the time I learn there. There are a lot of divers clubs in my neighborhood, where I could train. So I could select a club, where the training time is better ajusted to my readings. I joined this club and got a trial day, where I had a possibility to see the training of the people and how the trainers would educate me.
This day was not easy for me. The pressure balancing don’t really worked for me, and that’s why I could not dive on a depth of 3 meters in the pool without to get pain in the ears. I lost a lot of time, while trying to familiarize me with the jacket. I was almost desperate. At the end of this day my trainer offered me an another trial day. I decided to use this offer, in hope that this time all would be better. I practiced at home to make pressure balancing and found that it is not so difficult as I thought. The second exercise was much better, because I could already imagine what awaits me. The pressure balancing worked this time without problems and I could swim under water for a while in the pool and do some exercises, which belong to the course. On Friday, I must still undergo a medical examination so that I officially will be admitted to the course.

Starting today, I would like to change my tradition and write not just about my travels in Germany, but also about my short trips abroad. A long time it was impossible to me because of personal reasons to travel abroad. Since I live in Germany it is much easier for me.
I would like to tell how it works on the example of my trip to Rome. With minimum effort and cost you will be able to make a really interesting jorney.
Although most airlines and railway companies increase their ticket prices because of oil speculations, there is still a possibility of a easy and fairly cheap trip. That allow the low-cost airlines like Ryanair. A prerequisite to get a good offer is a planning a flight in advance. That means not that a flight reservation should be made before 6 months, but 3 to 4 week. Moreover, you should note that there are certain days on which the possibility of a good offer is much higher.
My first trip I undertook in the spring of this year. At that time I knew nothing about what would expect me. I flew for the first time in my life. I ordered the tickets via the own Internet presence by Ryanair for a total of about 25 €. The ticket itself costs only 1 Cent, but I had to pay fee for airport and some strange fee of 10€. I don’t understood what does this fee means. But because of the low prices I took these into buying. It should be noted yet that it necessarily to take Internet check-in, if you have such possibility, because otherwise you have to pay about 12 € fee. The trip cancellation insurance consts 10-12€ and I decided to ignore it.
My first trip was a one day jorney to Rome, because at night of the next day I was back in Germany. This worked great. Because I previously informed be with help of the Internet about all important things, I saved a lot of time and money. Total cost of the trip with all the trimmings is 65 € Coliseum entrance included.

I go every day to my university with the railway, because it is in a other city. There is a time difference between my train and a train, from the same track, which goes in a completely different direction, only 5 minutes. There were already two times that I took a wrong train. Once it was on the day when I had to write an exam. I realized that I sit in the wrong train, as I already was 2 stops away from the station. I was able to go out in a village on the 3 stop. My friend picked me up and drived to the university. The second time happened to me when I went to a test. I sat in the train and immediately got a strange feeling that something is not right. Then I went to the next stop and understood that I was in the wrong train. Fortunately, my train passed through this station and I lost no time.
I thought it must be important to visit this town. Finally, it happened to me two times and not an unimportant day, but when I had to write an exam and a test. The town, where the “wrong” train went, called Tuerkismuehle. Yesterday I decided for a trip to this town.
I took this train again. My mood was perfect. The weather was good and the landscape in the window of the train was very enjoyable. I drove trough beautiful stone mountains and a river and thought about how many beautiful pictures I will made in Tuerkismuehle. The first disillusionment came when the train personal informed us that due to maintenance work, the train no longer drive and we should use a spare transport. I took a spare bus and drove to the nearest town, where I got a train. Overall, I had to change between bus and train 3 times.
When I finally came to Tuerkismuehle, I could not believe to my eyes. There was no town but a village, which was situated somewhere between the forests of Saarland. The place seemed so empty and eerie that I had no any wish to stay there longer than for an hour. Fortunately I was able to take a direct train to home.

Hallgartener Zange is a hill situated in the mountains of Rheingau. To be precise, this is a hill situated on 580 meter hight in Rhine Valley. At the top there is a small restaurant and a tower. From this tower, you get a beautiful view to Rheinhessen. In good weather you can see not only Ingelheim, Gau-Algesheim and Mainz, but also the skyline of Frankfurt.
This hill has also a historical significance. It is thought that the Kaiser Karl der Grosse maintained here a hunting lodge. There is also a legend. It tells that a blacksmith shod a horse for the devil and received a magical pliers as a reward. These pliers transformed each object, with whom she came into contact, into gold. The tongs brought for the blacksmith only woe so he killed himself.
I live in the vicinity of Hallgarten, on the other side of the Rhine and do often walks with my bicycle through the woods, to the top. The way to the top takes in about 3 hours. It is quite tiring, but the nature there is so fascinating that despite all the difficulties I often repeat this path.
Here are some photos that I made yesterday at the increase:

I got this tip from an unknown men, during my visit of Castle in Heidelberg. He said that there is a garden near Heidelberg, it was built following the example of Versailles as a residence one of the electors. The name of the elector, as I later found out in the Internet was Carl Theodor (1724-1799).
I was not able to visit the castle itself because of time. You must plan at least half of a day for the visiting, if you want to see both the garden, as well as the castle. I did not know that and that’s why I decided to go only in the afternoon when the sun was not so strong .
The garden is enormous and it consists of actually a minimum of 2 gardens. The first part is one of its canals and meadows about English gardens.
There are large ponds with chestnut-lined avenues along, a beautiful white Chinese bridge, the temple of Mercury. Unfortunately, at the time of my visit the temple surrounded with building ladders, apparently because of the renovation works.
At the entrance of the temple you can see a table where a cow and a woman are displayed. At that time I did not know what does it mean, after the return home (better late than never), I found out that this scene is from a myth, according to the, Zeus falls in love with Io, the daughter of the river Inachos God, he wanted to kidnap her, but he was caught by his wife – goddess Hera. He turned his concubine in a cow to hide his plans. Hera prompted him to give her the cow. Finally, Io was amnestied by Hera and transformed again into human form.
There are many wild animals in the park. There are different types of ducks, swans, herons and others. In ponds and water channels swimming fish, some of them are even bigger than a duck.
During making this photo I had a big chance to obtain a knocking in a head by the swan-father, because I tried to approach to the children too close:

The second, French part has a geometrically balanced structure, instead of ponds and canals you can find here now different fountains, wild animals, such as herons or swans are missing, but you can see a blue peacock.
There is also the castle.

Ruedesheim is a little beautiful, but fairly famous touristy town, located in Rhein-Main region.

The half-timbered houses, closely streets, countless cafés, restaurants and “Niederwalddenkmal” make this town especial interesting for tourists.

But if you ready to walk 4 kilometres long distance, you will have the possibility to see the ruins of castle Ehrenfels.

It was built in 11 century and in spite of relatively small dimensions this castle has an interesting and noticeable history.

Unfortunately the gate to the ruins is closed most of the time, but if you really want to go into, you will find some way

One of the interesting historical places of Palatinate is Burg Triefels.

The first document referred to this castle was present certificate of the year 1081.

The interesting fact of the history of this castle is that in 1193-1194 Richard the Lionheart, the King of England was here as prisoner.

Unfortunately the castle was much damaged during the time and all what you can see now is the “new building”. It was rebuilt in 1935-1938, but the design of the castle was not recovered.

But I advise to visit Burg Trifels anyway. You will be able to look not only at the castle, but at fascinating landscapes and beautiful nature too.

Burg Eltz is one of the most beautiful castles in Germany. Castle Eltz and castle Buerresheim are sole castles in Eifel that were never encroached during wars.

I think I don’t need to tell about this castle, because these photos could tell you about it much more.

Best you visit it. I will go to this castle in spring or in summer too.