Last Minute Shopping in Mainz and Our Last Night in Rudesheim

Screen reader users, click here to turn off Google Instant.

Shopping in Our Former Hometown of Mainz

Our breakfast was a pleasant surprise.  Lots of good meat and cheese, along with plenty of brotchen.  Bacharach is a lovely, small town to stay in, however, the roads (narrow, crowded & under construction) and the proximity to the airport (about 65 km) is not as easily accessible to the airport as I would like.  Rudesheim, on the other side of the Rhine and in the vineyards, has direct autobahn access to the Frankfurt am Main airport. 

Before making our way to Rudesheim, we go shopping in downtown Mainz.  The city, along with others in this part of Germany, have changed in their ethnicity.  There is a middle-eastern influence. 

Screen reader users, click here to turn off Google Instant.

After visiting the cathedral, we have coffee & apple strudel in the town’s market area.  It was in this plaza that I would buy fruits, veggies and flowers most Saturday mornings when we lived here in the 70’s.  It was also here that I would shop at the small, beautiful Christmas market each year.

In order to convince ourselves that we have sufficient luggage to bring home our purchases, we repack our cases at the car.  An hour, or so, later, we set the GPS for Rudesheim.  This side of the Rhine is more scenic with lots of tudor-style buildings, and wineries, alongside the river.  Many years ago, Melissa and I stayed at a zimmer way above Rudesheim and among the vineyards.  I hesitated to make Steve drive up there, however, the accommodations along the Rhein are more expensive and full of tours.  Rita, at Haus  Zoth, had a room, with bath, available for 46 euros.   (Later I found out that you can stay at the abbey for 55 euros.)

Benedictine Abbey of Saint Hildegard  in Rudesheim am Rhein

On our way to dinner in Rudeshiem, we get lost and find ourselves further north on the Rhein at a restaurant in the next town.  This restaurant is heavily decorated with wine artifacts.  Grapes, wooden figurines (men holding wine glasses), and plaques are in every nook and cranny.  We enjoy our last dinner of ½ roasted chicken and pommes frittes.