Volksmarch in the Rain & Two Castles

This Sunday, we wanted to go on another Volksmarch (people's walk) in Germany.  While the weather was pretty lousy - cold and rainy, when two of the people we invited to join us showed up, we decided to brave the rain and head on out.  

The Volksmarch took place in Schrozberg, Germany.  A small, picturesque town about 1-1/2 hour drive away.  Veronica Soto, who also walked with me last week, volunteered to drive so me, Brad, Katie Cline (a friend Brad met when he was volunteering at the Thrift Store) and Veronica headed out.  When we arrived in Schrozberg, we could see that the weather had not been a deterrent to any of the Germans walking today, they were out in droves, so we registered and hit the trails.

After about a mile, the rain came down hard, and at about a 45 degree angle.  I had my umbrella, and Brad and Katie had their rain jackets.  Veronica chose to keep warm a different way - she headed out at a run.  Fortunately the rain stopped after about 10 minutes, but with the weather the way it was, and Brad being underdressed and COLD, we opted to just complete the 5 km walk (Veronica did the 11 km).  Our walk headed through town, across fields, through the woods, and back past the town center.  At the one checkpoint, we got our cards stamped and warmed up with what we thought would be a shot of schnaps but was instead as strong as turpentine or unfiltered moonshine!  I should have stuck with the Gluwein (mulled hot wine).

Since Easter is in one week, several of the yards were decorated with Easter Eggs hanging in the trees (see them behind me and Brad in this picture).  Other things I found interesting included this house with a sod covered car port, the Rathaus (town hall), built in 1551, and spring flowers.

When we finished, at the same time as Veronica, we all sat down for lunch, buying schnitzel and bratwurst with some german beer.  The hall was full of people, with a live band (accordian (or as Brad calls it "squeeze box")) player, tuba player and another band member (I can't remember what he held) playing traditional German music.  Our "medal" or award for this walk was a glass beer stein.  I'm not sure why, but the stein was from the previous year's volksmarch.  Since they weren't selling this year's steins anywhere, this is a mystery to me.

Heading out from there we went to Langenburg Castle.  While we knew the castle doesn't open for tours until after Easter, today was the 40th anniversary of their Automobile Musuem.  Knowing Brad would enjoy looking at the cars, and hoping to be able to walk around the grounds, we thought it would be fun.  Langenburg castle, the residence of the princely Hohenlohe - Langenburg family, is situated on the top of a hill spur overlooking the beautiful Jagst valley in "Hohenloher country".  In addition to the castle, there is a ropes course, a castle cafe, and the automobile museum.  

Walking behind the castle at the base of the walls, we came across this graveyard - a dog cemetery that's active even now with the last burial in 2005.

The Langenburg Castle Automobile Museum is situated in the castle stables, with approximately 65 vehicles, and documents the development of motorised vehicles from vintage cars up to modern times.  We enjoyed looking at the old cars, though we couldn't read the descriptions in German.  One of the interesting things was that car evolution in Europe followed different lines than in the U.S. so there were several cars there we'd never seen before - though Brad had heard of many of them.

Here you see Brad looking at hood ornaments, including two Lalique glass ornaments, rare and expensive hood ornaments that could be purchased as add on's to your car.  One feature was the glass would be lit up from underneath.  (When Brad starts telling me things like this, I realize why I can never beat him, or even come close to him, in trivia games.)

Wanting to go into a castle, and since it was not yet 2:00 p.m., we headed to Neuenstein Castle, which was on our route home.  Neuenstein Castle was developed as a moated castle for the Lords of Neuenstein.  In 1250, the Lords of Hohenlohe acquired the castle.  in 1560 the buildings were combined to form a residence in the Renaissance style.  Lived in until about 1700, this castle later became a social venue and then a museum in 1878.  Our Schencks guide book indicated the castle reopened again for tourists on March 16, but unfortunately we learned the hazard of using a 2009 book - they open for business on 30 March (TWO DAYS FROM NOW!!!!).  We did walk around and take pictures, it's very picturesque with the moats surrounding it and the ivy crawling up the walls.

Also on the Neuenstein Castle grounds was this WWI memorial - I think the barbed wire chain links are really fascinating.

I'd really like to come back to Langenburg when the girls are here this summer.  We can see the gardens in bloom, check out the castle itself and go on the ropes course right behind it (one obstacle is 15 m high!), then lounge around and have desert and coffee in the cafe afterwards.  Plus I still need a castle pin!  Neuenstein Castle is interesting and I'd like to see the "fully operational medieval castle kitchen from 1495 that is in original condition."  We're going to make this trip again!