Hello, again, Blogonauts! I have arrived! My turbulence-jostled flight set its wheels on Terra Firma in Frankfurt-am-Main on Friday morning. (If J.F. Kennedy had spoken instead in Frankfurt, he might have declared, "Ich bin ein Frankfurter!" and the guffawing would have had some justification.) I'll return to Frankfurt in a few days, but for now I've taken a filled-to-the-brim regional train to reach Bacharach, my temporary home base for exploring the Rhein valley. Bacharach gained its economic footing as a wine market. Ever since Roman times the Rhein river has served to transport its kegs of fermented Traubenmost (grape juice) to distant buyers. The vertical rows of cultivated grape vines still cover the hillsides that line the Rhein. The town retains its half-timbered architecture and much of its medieval charm. Dangling above the town's main intersection is a wreath, crown, and sculpted grape-cluster that I assume represent the crown of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and the source of the town's name. Bacharach's current tourist population has convinced me that I have entered my codgerhood. The numbers of retirees (as indicated by the preponderance of wheeled walkers and hearing aids) makes me feel either quite young or (shudder!) among my peers. While I'm here, along with exploring the Rhein valley, I plan to spend one day in Cologne, a 1.5-hour train ride north of Bacharach. The primary goal is to see the legendary cathedral, but there is more to Cologne than the bells and smells of a Catholic mass (or a perfumed Salvation Army kettle-tender). So, the journey has begun. I hope you enjoy the photos of Bacharach. I'll try to keep you posted regarding my comings and goings over the coming days. Blog to you later!