From Luxembourg I headed southeast into Germany and the city of Trier. I was unconvinced that I would want to stop in Trier, but I decided I would at least drive by the famous Roman gate known as Porta Nigra.
The gate was more impressive than I had expected, and then, voila, a street side parking spot was open just up the block, so I pulled in and parked as expertly as if I was driving an automatic. I threw a few coins into the meter and wound it to give me 52.5 minutes (at 20 cents for 7.5 minutes). I still assumed there would not be much I would want to see, a mistake I'm obviously making consistently pretty much everywhere I go.
I walked back down the block and snapped pictures of the gate, then pondered whether or not to pay 3 euros to go inside.
If I had more time, I certainly would have, but instead I walked down the pedestrian street towards the city square.
I bought myself my favourite German duo: coffee and pastry from a cafe for 3 euros. I cannot get over how little this costs, and how enormous and fancy and delicious these pastries are.
Then I wandered into the cathedral, skeptical that Trier could possibly have a cathedral all that interesting.
Wrong again.
It dates back 1500+ years, and is enormous.
I threw 50 cents into the box and took a brochure guide. Of course with only a few minutes left on my parking meter, I had to hurry, but I had time to see the cathedral's most famous relic, apparently some robe that Christ wore, which is now carefully preserved in an air conditioned chest.
I got back to the car and began my pastry, but it was too big to finish so I only ate half and put the rest in the back seat for later.
I continued eastward towards the Rhine and a little place called Bacharach. Nestled between some incredible hills and the Rhine, the village is quite something.
Best of all it has an amazing castle above it, called Burg Stahleck, which is now a hostel, and where I have a room.
I got here in time to scamper around the castle and hike down to the village before dusk.
I thought Trail Inn was underrated, but Burg Stahleck is something else entirely. It is one of the coolest places I have ever stayed, for sure.
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