Back after 7 nights in Goslar/Harz and 4 nights in Bacharach on the Rhein.
Weather: often rainy and cool.
Only one "washout" day, when we daytripped to Hameln.
I liked Wernigerode far more than Quedlinburg.
We happened upon a medieval knight's festival at Schloss Wernigerode-great fun!
I discovered the MOST delicious 'banana' beer in the Harz area! A wheat beer with banana nectar-ubiquitous in the Harz area!
Got to experience Hexenfeste (Walpurgis night-witches festival) in Goslar--lovely!
Introduced to the delicious treat of Kaminenstreizel- a thin dough rolled in the shape of a chimney, rolled in your choice of sweet toppings. Mine was cinnamon- sugar! Mmmm.
Hiked 3 hours up to the Brocken peak-windy and cold- meeting costumed witch characters coming out of the woods, and crossing the former line between East and West Germany!
Forgot that May 1st was a National Holiday (Tag der Arbeit-Labor Day) with all stores closed!
We had two beautiful apartments in historic buildings, through booking.com.
I forgot a washcloth again, duh!
Woolworth stores live on in Germany!
We met so many lovely people again- an older gent that continues to paint beautiful scenes of Bacharach after his stroke-using his nondominant left hand...an 80 year-old former Goettingen professor that travels annually with a bunch of his contemporaries for a weekend every spring... A couple running the sweetest little cafe for 55 years, set to retire later this year in October...

Happy you enjoyed the Harz and Hameln, both are good choices. A very pretty part of the world. Wernigerode has the spires with a connecting bridge, doesn't it???

Lavandula

Sounds like a great trip! We liked both Wernigerode and Quedlinburg but for some reason also preferred Wernigerode. Quedlinburg had a lot of construction going on at the time so perhaps that had something to do with it. We really liked the Schloss at Wernigerode as it seemed that it had been lived in more recently than other castles we've visited. Not too many tourists there and knowing some German comes in handy at times.

Thanks for writing, Mokka4, keep it coming!

Cafe Rustikana on Mainzerstrasse in Bacharach will be closing in October (if that was your question).
Approximately 7 tables charmingly crammed into a space the size of my living room, the owners live upstairs!
Prefered W'gerode likely because we visited Q'burg on a Sunday, with shops closed. Though Market Square is well renovated, the periphery looked a little bereft and industrial.

oh, what a shame we never made it to Bacharach to eat at the Rusticana.

But we did go to Goslar, which we loved, not least because having read stories about the Harz when I was learning German at school I never thought that I'd actually get there.
As for the debate between Quedlingburg and Wernigerode, we visited the former and stayed in the latter so I'm not really in that good a place to comment, but for us the biggest advantage of staying in Wernigerode was being able to take the train up to the top of The Brocken, and walk back down - the opposite to you, Mokka! I think that it's possible to get the train from Quedlinburg but it takes about 5 hours!

Our 2 bedroom apartment in Goslar was centrally located, but quiet, facing a pedestrian-mostly street (rare bus and home-owners only). My bedroom faced a quiet courtyard.Two floors up via a steep staircase (watch yer head! ) in this restored 1770-era house. Nice, large, modern apartment! Upon unpacking, I realized the forgotten washcloth!
The first evening, we exlored town a bit, ate dinner at Wildfang---alsatian-style Pfannkuchen (flatbread pizza). Stocked up on a few groceries in a nearby mall Edeka. Fell asleep to gentle rain on the courtyard rooftops.

Saturday, awakened to sunshine. Sat outside on market square for a latte, and to watch the Glockenspiel at noon (tale of the town's silver and copper mining history).
After climbing the basilica SS Cosmos and Damian (233 steps) for great views to include nearby windmills, we shopped Karstadt for my washcloth, and half-off Lindt Easter candy!

A later lunch of riesige Currywurst mit Pommes Frites and a Berliner Weiss Bier, al fresco (prices are SO much better than Switzerland!), outdoors of course, led to my phone being dropped and screen cracked for the duration of the trip. Manageable, but rough.

Decided to take the Bimmelbahn Choo Choo train tour of Goslar to see/discover new and quaint areas if town.
Dinner at the Goslar Brauhaus, because it was busy/fully reserved, we had our meal at the bar.
A vegetable and potato dish in a mushroom cheese sauce, and if course, a Gosebier, helles.
A nice relaxing day.

Although, I had done my train research in advance, and KNEW that crossing over Niedersachsen state line required a Q-Durchs ticket to Q'burg, somehow I realized that I had bought a NS ticket only once aboard the train. (Note, that many of the smaller towns we visited had no DB office with personnel to ask questions or get advice from. Those that were staffed had limited hours and generally, no Sundays. Ticket kiosks were IT.
The conductor TO Q'burg let us pass. So before heading home, I made a good faith effort to purchase tickets for the rail stretch in question, to no avail. The officious train conductor on the way home made us repurchase the correct return ticket
(so instead of the 52� QD, we ended up paying something like 70� for my error).
Needless to say, I found purchasing the 'correct' train network ticket rather complex during this trip, despite reading German and researching beforehand.

Good weather up in arrival, we found the old town/market square, smaller, restored half-timbered houses galore. I had my first (of what would be 4 or 5) Gulaschsuppe at Cafe Boulevard. We split a cheesecake for dessert.
This being a Sunday, with TI closed, and no map, we meandered. The edges of town seemed deserted and a bit industrial-like.
Antique stores were open with throngs of visitors, but not much to my interest.
Back in Goslar, it was raining. We had dinner indoors at die Butterhanne. I had breaded pork schnitzel with blueberry cream sauce and tried my first Diesel-half dark beer and half coke.
E was not able to finish her dinner and asked for a 'to-go' container, which the snooty waitress brusquely supplied ( I know, not common to ask, but hey. The well-known Butterhanne lost points here.)

Mokka, you have reminded me of the lunch we had in Q'burg which was ok, but was enlivened, if that's the word by the chap selling sausages at a stall nearby, which were apparently the only sausages with the gold medallion. We intermittently repeated the phrase to each other throughout the trip, every time we saw a sausage seller.

Monday's target was Hameln, 2 hours away.
Though raining in Goslar, we hoped for better weather there.
The initial approach to town center was not overly impressive, as it began to pour, turning windy and much colder. 😖
We were aided by a woman on the street, who it turned out, worked at the TI! A stroke of luck! We backtracked to their office for a map, WC, and cafe suggestions.

Lunch was indoors at the Rattenkrug (Pied Piper/ rat themes abound, naturally). I had Leberkaese mit Spiegeleier and Weizenbier.
Sightseeing was aborted due to the drenching rain,
so we set up for some dry people-watching in the windows of Grandcafe taeglich, with two Milchkaffees.
When it slowed to a light drizzle, we went in search of the old Jewish cemetary (not so easy to find, but we succeeded).
Many old Hebrew headstones, some dating back to ?1790's-1800's, tucked into a quiet city corner. Sadly, garbage bags full of leaf waste sat between several old headstones...
Back to the Bahnhof, raining in Goslar too at 7 pm.
Planning to hike up to Brocken tomorrow, we picked up sandwiches and fruit for our picnic lunch.

A sunny start, a good omen.
QDT ticket for 2 = 52�, did cover the bus as well.
Train to Bad Harzburg, then bus to Torfhaus, a usual starting point for area hikes. Small information center, loads of people on this nice day.
We had scoped out the Goetheweg path, but staff advised an alternate starting point so we wouldn't have to backtrack.
THREE hours of steady uphill ascent on a well-marked path through forest mostly. We could see the Brocken radio tower in the distance, slowly growing larger. Huff, puff, and sweat. Windy and sharply colder at the top. A few snow piles along RR tracks. Not much infrastructure at the top either-- one outdoor eating stand, pay toilets, small museum and return train waiting salon.

But it was cool passing the sign noting the former East German border (30 years reunification in December). AND, as we neared the summit, costumed witches literally started coming out if the woods for Walpurgisnacht, a festival celebrating St. Walpurgis. Based on a Christian abbess from around 980, she reportedly fought against the concept of witchcraft and demons. We weren't above for evening celebrations at the Hexentanzplatz, but big holiday in the Harz towns.
Took the Harzquerbahn down to Wernigerode, one way ticket from ANY point = 29 �, NOT part of DB.
We passed an ascending train with revelling staff and riders in full witch/devil/demon costumes! So cool!
Back in Goslar, Marktplatz was transformed, with food and drink booths, festooned with orange and black lights, bats, flying witches on broomsticks and a bubbling, eerily lit fountain, turned cauldron!

What could we do but join in 😁?
Bratwurst and beer, then tried a new Hungarian dessert-Kaminenstriezel. A labor-intensive dough, sliced thin and baked around a thick rolling pin, then rolled in your choice of sweet roping for 4�. Big line, well worth it! Music playing in the background, a happy vibe.
Slept well, anticipating the usual Wednesday morning market...

Thank you for continuing your TR, Mokka. I love the Harz area; Goslar was our go to for weekend getaways when we lived in Berlin. I'd like to walk DOWN from the Brocken sometime... I think someone else here did that, maybe Annhig. Many of the towns that are even less traveled that Goslar/Wernigerode/Quedlinburg are quite charming, as well, and there are many more opportunities to practice our fractured German since English is less common there. So many possible trips, so little time.

We decided to have breakfast out the next day, not a common act for Germans 30 years ago (all those great bakeries).
As we left our apartment, where were the market stalls? And why were all the stores closed?
E was getting a migraine. We spotted an Apotheke that was open. After translating the ingredients for essential Excedrin, the clerk offered a small tube of tablets for "only 10�." While E considered the relatively high price, the clerk defended the product surcharge stating, "because we are voluntarily open on a holiday, state law allows a higher charge!"
I completely forgot that May 1st was a national holiday, akin to Labor Day! And the concept of higher price in a holiday? Bet that makes its way to the US!

So, noting that stores would be closed in most towns, we opted to spend the day in Goslar, with no travel expenses.
At the Teestube on market square, I opted for Fruehstueck of 2 rolls, butter, jam, Nutella and Kaninchen Schokolade for only 4,90�! E had scrambled eggs and Chinese green tea.
This was the only day warm enough for my new KEEN hiking sandals!

We checked put the Jakobikirche-the only catholic church in Goslar. They had an exhibit detailing the recent exhibition of the Shroud of Turin. Very mesmerizing.
Then we searched out the Great Holy Cross-the site of a hospital founded in 1254. It now houses several artisans within. It was open with about 60% of the small shops staffed.
I bought 2 small stained glass suncatchers, and from a nearby souvenir shop, a must-have Goslar with keychain!
We retraced our steps to the leather mill, near the Zinn-figure-museum, and its cute inviting cafes.

Yes, Ad,
I was glad we got to experience the Hexefest!
We have also enjoyed a few Pfinstenfeste (Pentecost fairs) on other spring trips...great fun!

So, back at our picturesque corner, an der Lohmuehle, we sat outside at a cafe in the bright sunshine.
There was that Weizenbier mit Bananensaft on the menu again!
I MUST try it with my goulash soup! A tall glass of wheat beer, clouded by banana nectar----
Wunderbar, ausgezeichnet, lecker! SO very tasty and thirst-quenching! I will have to replicate this at home!

We sat in 'our' sunny courtyard and read or texted home for a bit. I tried a small bottle of Roetkaeppchen Sekt- raspberry champagne- found at Edeka...delicioso#

We had stopped into the Goslar Brauhaus earlier in the day to make dinner reservations, so we wouldn't be stuck at the bar this time!
So back out much later for dinner there. I had chicken breast in dark beer sauce with potato croquettes, and we shared a Bieramisu (yes, really!) for dessert. Dinner was something like 38� for two, with drinks! I HAD to purchase a bottle of Gose dunkle for takeout. (Later turned into a Diesel, as I really don't care for dark beer)!

Our last full day in Goslar~
We planned a later start after breakfast and a quick grocery trip for moving day picnic supplies.
Point to Point train tix were most economical today.
Thirty minutes later, we were in sunny Wernigerode, well signposted, lots of visitors, many open stores. Half-timbered Marktplatz, Rathaus, so scenic. TI for free map.
We decided to catch the next Bimmelbahn up to the castle, 4� one-way or 6� RT. So glad we took this jostlely ride, instead of walking!
We stopped partway up for views over the town, and met walkers on their way down.
At the castle entrance, we learned that a Medieval Knights Festival was going on...yeah!

Many booths of both food and wares (animal pelts, wood-carvings, etc) plus a few kids rides.
We both got Langos- fried bread with garlic sauce, cheese and vegetables- SO good!
Watched a short acrobatic hoop show ( not sure what scantily dressed women, large snakes, fire and hoops had to do with medieval times!)
There didn't appear to be any guided castle tours going on during this event, but a few rooms were roped off for self-guided wanderings. A pity we couldn't see more.
We were walking back down to the city, then stopped at the Schlossterasse for ice cream and views.
Wernigerode is very pretty with colorful half-timber
houses.
A bit of window shopping then a Mineralwasser and shared Sahnetorte on the main square for more people-watching in the very warm sun.