Germany – Rudesheim 10.2.21
Saturday, October 2nd – We spent all day Saturday in Rudesheim am Rhein, the southern gateway to the upper middle Rhine. The heart of Rudesheim’s old town is Drosselgasse, a meeting place for locals and visitors alike. And supposedly, where the music never stops. And because our room at the Breuer Hotel overlooked Drosselgasse Alley, the most famous street in old town, we were able to enjoy the music through our window. As we found out later that evening when trying to sleep, that was both a blessing and a curse. Overall though, we were happy to be in the middle of everything. The most humorous thing we heard all night was a group walking down the alley, obviously intoxicated, speaking German with the phrase “Irish Pub” spoken occasionally. We found out the next day that there was indeed an Irish Pub the next street over.
After a hearty breakfast in the hotel’s famous Schlossgarten, which was absolutely gorgeous, we met our group and hiked out of town and up through the beautiful vineyards to Benedictine Abbey of Saint Hildegard. The nuns who reside there live according to the Rule of Saint Benedict and in keeping with the traditions of Saint Hildegard. Prayer AND work, contemplation AND action, seclusion AND hospitality all characterize their way of life.
Established over 2,500 years ago, Rudesheim became a very important town along the Rhine. When the Romans arrived around 20 B.C. they established vineyards. And when they left 400 years later, the locals continued to grow grapes and produce wine. The monks then perfected it.
During the 11th century, Hildegard was born into this community as the 10th child of parents who had 10 children. As the 10th child, she was given to the church to be raised as a nun. Famous for her writings, she went on to write several books and eventually established the Abbey that we visited today.
The journey uphill to the Abbey was worth it. At the noon hour, we sat in the Chapel and listened to the nuns performed a Gregorian Chant. Afterwards, we visited the beautiful and extensive gift shop and bought a number of items, including holy water, which is also known as gin.
After a visit to the Abbey, we took a 2-mile circuitous route through vineyards that contained vines heavy with huge grape clusters. Because it was harvesting season, we passed locals harvesting the bountiful grapes. When we arrived back in Rudesheim we walked to an old distillery that had been converted to a large wine tasting venue.
The wine tasting experience was truly unique. Using pressure dispensers that keep the wine fresh, the facility houses 160 local wines that you can sample by buying coins. Each coin allows a small pour of the wine you select. There are basically 6 rooms with between 20 and 30 wines in each room. After tasting 10 wines, we chose our favorite and enjoyed it with a charcuterie at their cafe.
After a nap induced by the wine and charcuterie, we met our group later that evening for a farewell dinner, which included our very own two-person band for entertainment. John, our resident opera singer, joined the two musicians with guitar playing and singing. And Rainer tap danced. It was a 4+ hour evening filled with food, fun and fellowship.
We loved Rudesheim and the Rhiengau wine region, but also looked forward to a slightly slower pace once we got to Frankfurt the next day. The next morning, we said our goodbyes to our fellow hikers and travelers, but we are already looking forward to our next hiking adventure in two years with this same group.
