We cleared out of our cozy apartment in Bacharach and said goodbye to Tammy, Doug, Mila, Makenna, and Deborah. We were sad to leave them, and wished they could continue on with us for the rest of the summer. Knowing that they were heading to Canada made Tim, Darius and Mariah a little homesick. Brennin, Belia and I were just happy to have more time to keep exploring. But given the choice to go home early they said no, they were excited for our upcoming adventures, especially Holland. Tim was looking forward to introducing the kids to friends and family, and showing them his roots.

Our drive to Enkirch was short, just over an hour. It was an interesting drive. We went from hilly, winding roads through forests, popping up in wide open fields. The area looked a lot like driving in the Evansburg area back at home. The landscape and colors were so similar, with the exception of many modern energy windmills. We were surprised by a white weasel when it crossed the road in front of us. After driving through the hills we came up to the extremely steep valleys of the Mossel river. Endless rows of Riesling grapes covered the valley - it was breathtaking! We had no idea how the grapes could be managed on such an incline. We wound around teeny cobbled streets hoping our GPS knew where it was taking us. When it announced that we had arrived at our destination we were in the adorable village of Enkirch, in front of a tall white house with a steep roof, and green shutters - once again thrilled with our accommodation. The house itself is not that old in European standards, just over 100 years, but the village is ancient. Continuous habitation goes back 2500 years, with the first traces coming from the Stone Age! Many timber-frame homes in this village were built between the 15th and 18th century giving the village another name: the Schatzkammer rheinischen Fachwerkbaues, meaning Treasury of Rhenish Timber Framing.

We were early for check-in but rang the door-bell anyway. The cleaning lady, and the lady who rents the house were working inside. We received a warm reception, and they didn't mind us unloading our bags early. We were shown around the house, and then drove to Traben-Trarbach, to have lunch and find a grocery store.

The town was only a 10 minute drive through the valley, following the Mosel river. Many people were biking on a bike path next to the river. We parked and walked through the streets admiring the grapevines growing up along buildings.

We ate at a restaurant called Im Kitt'che. A curious place because although the patio and most of the interior are similar to any restaurant in Germany, a step down takes you to a jail cell. The cell is nicely decorated like the rest of the restaurant, and available for eating in. We thought it was great to be out of the hot sun and in such a unique spot. We ate our meal behind bars. Supposedly it was a real jail at some point.

After lunch we checked out bike rental prices, and then drove under an impressive gate with turrets called Brückentor. The bridge-gate is Trauben-Trarbach's landmark. It was built at the end of the 1800s, and leads over the river joining two towns. We past many businesses, stores, a residential area and then found the grocery store.

Back with our groceries we took a closer look at our new home - it was updated and had the best equipped kitchen of any accommodation on this trip so far. Looking out the kitchen window we could see the small garden in the backyard. The living room had a dining room table on one side and an L-shaped couch on the other side. Two large windows looked out onto the street, and we could see a green wooden shed with antique farming tools on display. We heard a nearby fountain, and people visiting at the pub next door. Every once in a while we could hear kids playing in the park beside the house. Creaky narrow wooden steps spiraled up, and in between floors a small door opened into a spacious bright laundry room. Continuing up the stairs to the second floor was a bathroom, master bedroom and across the hall two single beds where the girls slept. Our room was spacious with large windows. Next to the two chairs in our room was a door leading to the bathroom with a shower. Up more steps into the attic was another bathroom, with bathtub, and a bedroom with a double bed where the boys slept. Their room had a large window with a mini balcony, just big enough for one person to stand on.

We were tired from a busy week, and the beds looked so comfortable. We opened the windows, letting in a breeze and took a nap.

The kitchen setup was simple and practical. One of the best things about being on holidays is having the time to enjoy cooking. We weren't in a rush, so with a glass of wine in hand we made supper. After supper Mariah made brownies and served them for desert.

The kids played a board game, The Game of Life, while Tim and I took a walk around town. Almost every yard has a small tractor and wagon of some sort. Antique water pumps, grape presses, winches for pulling vineyard carts, and other interesting odds and ends were all neatly stored in people's compact yards. Tim felt bad for thinking he needs a shop when he watched people here fixing tractors and other things on the street. The biggest out buildings on people's properties were a small garage or lean-to
in-between houses.

Each home had a unique old wooden door. I would like to know the stories behind the different types of doors. We could hear people visiting overhead, from one balcony to the other, across the street from each other. The streets are so narrow that visiting that way is simple. Hearing the evening chitchat gave the village a warm feeling. We browsed in the shop windows noticing that one small store sold almost every household item. Everything from t.vs to toasters. It would make shopping simple with such a concise selection.

Happy with our new spot we headed off to bed, looking forward to some hiking the next day.