Hi B,

>Are you an English professor?

No. I am an American Professor (ret) of Engineering.

That's funny. I didn't think about the double meaning of English Professor.

Hi Betty,

That explains the feeling of joy an well-being that I had on May 31.

Another Fodorite in the vicinity.

Thanks for all the kind words, folks.

Hi BM,

Thanks for the heads up. I have Andech down for our next visit.

good report, ira!

Hello ira,

Still following along with great pleasure!

I wanted to pass on a tip, Burg Colmberg, in case you and your LW are back in the Rothenburg obT area. RufusTFirefly and Tuck have mentioned it before as well. The castle is a very easy (only 1 turn!) 15 minute drive from the historic center of Rothenburg. The grounds are lovely and there are deer and wild boar in the park (you can easily survey most of the park from the castle). We had dinner reservations for 7:30pm and enjoyed a marvelous meal lasting about 2 hours. We were so far north that we still had daylight for the trip back to Rothenburg. We enjoyed Franconian wine soup, Franconian wedding soup, delicious and unique dumplings made with spinach and I'm not sure what else (but they were wonderful!), saddle of venison which was very tender, fresh asparagus dishes, and the most divine apple strudel. The wine list is very extensive. We had several bottles among our party of 6 and they were all quite good.
As y'all seem to really enjoy good food and unique dining experiences, I wanted to mention it for your next trip to the area.

Ira,
Great trip report!

As for getting the best airfare, my family hopes to travel to Europe in May/June 2008. You mentioned that you booked your fare the August before. Is there an efficient way to monitor the ticket prices so I can book when a "deal" is offered?

My daughter and I just returned from an extraordinary trip to Rome, Florence, and Paris, and want to return again next year!

As always, thanks to you and the many Fodorites for your excellent advice!

Thanks, Karen

Hi TA,

Thanks for the tip.

It's in my file.

Hi Bab,

> Is there an efficient way to monitor the ticket prices so I can book when a "deal" is offered?<

I don't think so.

From August through April our ticket price went up and then slowly dropped to about $30 more than we paid.

Then they had a 1 day sale for $200 less, after which it went up to $200 more than we had paid.

I'm loving this thread. Not only is Ira's report helpful, but I appreciate the additions several people have made, such as TexasAggie's recent post. I'll plan on visiting Burg Colmberg this fall when we are in the area. We don't typically spend much on food when we travel (my husband's reluctance to spend food money, not mine) but I am keeping notes. We are not beer drinkers, but when I do have a beer, I typically like the light-colored beers. (So sorry for the non-technical description.) Are any of the mentioned beers ones that you would specifically recommend for a novice beer drinker who generally seems to like light-colored beers? I must have a few beers while in Germany. PJK

Hi PJK,
For us "novice" beer drinkers (I usually don't care for beer)try a Radler. It's a mix of beer and lemon-lime soda I believe. Sounds odd but is very good.

Paul

Hi PJ,

Your light colored beer is "helles". Dark beer is "dunkle".

Wheat beers are somewhat sweeter.

I think that you will like Stiegl, a very well balanced helles.

June 1 Weather: Cool, light rain all day
After bkfst we hopped in the car and visited Kaysersberg (pleasant) and Riquewihr (crowded – we shall have to go back one evening), drove up to Haute Königsbourg and returned via a number of small towns. Very nice drive through the scenic valley.

Returned to the hotel, where we brought a bottle a Pinot Gris back to our room and watched from the balcony as the rain got heavier and heavier. Decided to have dinner at the hotel.

Roberta had the Guinea Hen, which she declared to be VVG. This was accompanied by a generous portion of spätzle, of which I forced myself to partake. This was what spätzle should be: German heartiness and French finesse. Dessert was a lemon sorbet with brandy.

I had the Mignon de Veau accompanied by a small portion of Ris de Veau – both VVG – and veggies. Fruit tart for dessert.

Our wine was Riesling for me and Gewurtztraminer for LW. 60E

After dinner, we spent a while talking with other guests, and so to bed.

June 2 Weather: Cloudy and cool
Saying farewell to the Family Schille-Giese, we headed off to Nancy via the N415, which was the road I had missed coming in. Very nice mountain scenery; nothing to disturb LW.

Transferred to the N59 outside St. Dié-des-Vosges. This has been upgraded to a 4 lane hiway and is very fast. Near Nancy, it becomes the A33.

Being ahead of schedule, we stopped off to see the Basilica at St. Nicolas-de-Port. (2* in the Michelin Guide). The town isn’t much to look at, but the church is interesting. We got there just in time for the 12:30 organ recital. A bit of a treat. If you happen to be in the vicinity, it is worth a stop.

Having found the road signage to be very dependable, I didn’t bother with my detailed route plan to the Hotel de Guise, but took the turn off to Nancy Center. Big mistake. (“You spent so much time researching the route, why didn’t you follow your own directions” was heard more than once.)

Anyway, we found the hotel (www.hoteldeguise.com). It is located on the Rue de Guise a small, narrow street in the Old City, close to the Porte de la Craffe, the Ducal Palace and Place Stanislas. The concierge showed me where to park the car in the courtyard and watched, with some concern, as I slowly backed into the one garage space. I’m sure that he was pleased that I didn’t move the car until we left.

The Guise is housed in a 17th Cent mansion, and has many interesting antiques and works of art. We had the “Jr suite Henri 1er de Guise”, a fairly small room with ensuite facilities. I think that what made it a Jr Suite was that the commode was in a separate space from the bathroom. It was acceptable. I think that the hotel’s location is its forte.

After settling in, we oriented ourselves to the neighborhood, picked up some info from the Tourist Office, had a snack on the Pl. Stanislaus, looked at some of the buildings on the Art Nouveau Tour (most are Beaux Arts) and generally calmed down from the drive to Nancy.

Dinner at Chez Lize, not far from the hotel, opposite the Porte de la Citadelle. This is a small, local resto recommended by the hotel. I suspect that there is a family/business relationship. We weren’t disappointed.

It is a pleasant room, done up as a traditional country inn. Roberta had the mixed salad with ham and fromage blanc – 10E. I tried the Tart flambée volonté – 14E. I didn’t realize that I had ordered the “All you can eat” special.

It was offered with Munster cheese, ham, onion or bacon. I had the onion.
It was good: paper-thin crust, delicious fromage blanc, sweet tasty onions.

The waitress then asked if I would like another. “Sure”, says I, “the Munster”. This was equally good.

The waitress then asked if I would like another. Not wishing to disappoint her, I had the bacon. It was very good, but I was sort of overstuffed by now. When the waitress asked if I would like another, I had to decline.

Two, more than sufficient, very tasty dinners, with wine and coffee – 38E.

Roberta, with some help from a passing stranger, rolled me back to the hotel, and so to bed.

June 3 Weather: Fair and hot
Awoke early and went off to take pix as the city came to life.

Down the street from the hotel, on the Grand Rue, a Sunday Market was being set up. Spent most of a pleasant hour perusing the knick-knacks, clothes, fabric and general stuff being set up. The food market was in a short side street, out of the sun. A foodies delight. Here I discovered that the mild cheese with holes in it that we had been given for breakfast in Kientzheim wasn’t Swiss. It was Munster. I assure you, folks, Munster cheese in Alsace/Lorraine ain’t at all like what it is at home. The same goes for the wine.

Picked up a croissant (0.75E) and a pain au chocolat (0.85E) for my Lady Wife at one of the 3 bakeries near the hotel. Every bit as good as Paris. We then went down to breakfast. This was the usual French fare, and was quite good.

Off we went to the Musée de Beaux Arts. It being the first Sunday of the month, it was free. The guard at the entrance, a very helpful gentleman, was having a difficult time explaining to several groups of English-speaking patrons that they didn’t have to pay. They kept asking, “how much”? He kept saying “libre”, they kept asking “how much”? etc.

Making a quick change into my Superman costume, at a conveniently located phone booth, I intervened. I was rewarded with a map of the museum, and free passes to the special exhibit.

The Musée de Beaux Arts offers some good works by minor masters, and some minor work by major masters. The highlight of the museum is the collection of Daume glass. This is a must for folks who like that sort of thing.

Since we were in Nancy for the Art Nouveau, we set off for the Musée de l’Ecole de Nancy. According to my tourist map, this was about 8 blocks from Pl Stanislas. The map lied.

About 1:30 hr later, very hot and footsore, we dragged our aching bodies up the last hill to the museum, plopped down in the shade in the garden and rested.

The museum is the former home of an Art Nouveau fanatic who had the house, its furnishings and the grounds done by some first-class artists and artisans. It is beautiful and overwhelming. In some rooms, it feels as if the house is going to enfold you.

The visit did reinvigorate us, but not to the extent that Roberta was going to walk back. I was prepared to call a taxi – not easy to find in Nancy on a Sunday, but one of the staff showed me how we could go by bus.

For those of you interested in visiting the Musée de l’Ecole de Nancy, take the no. 123 bus from the Pl Republique bus station (near the train station). It’s about a 10 min ride. Bus stops in both directions are about 1 blk from the museum.

From the Pl Republique it was only a 10 min walk to the hotel. We rested.

Dinner at the Excelsior. This is a Belle Epoque Brasserie, with all the bells and whistles: polished wood and brass, stained glass, waiters in white shirts and black jackets – our kind of place. It being our last chance for a good dinner before heading home – we splurged on the Plateau Royale – one each – and a bottle of Chablis Premier Grand Cru.

A plateau (or dome) is a very large tray covered with crushed ice on and into which are embedded oysters, clams, mussels, snails, shrimps, langoustines, periwinkles, and a crab. It is served with a mild and a spicy mayonnaise, the traditional vinegar and shallot “mignonette” sauce and a baguette.

The Excelsior has another version (same price for two) in which a Maine lobster is substituted for the crab and some of the oysters.

The folks sitting next to us, a German couple, didn’t think that we could finish it all. However, when it looked as if we were going to make it to the finish line still standing, they asked us about it. This led to a pleasant conversation over dessert, coffee and brandy.

A very pleasant evening – 170E.

Walked back to the hotel, and so to bed.

"...It's a mix of beer and lemon-lime soda I believe."

Also known in Britain and the ex-colonies as a 'Shandy'.

Ira : I'm still following as well and enjoying it all very much. Your dinner descriptions are causing me to add a few more kilometers to my morning run for all the weight I've gained from just reading them !

Looking forward to more enjoyable reading, and thank you for taking the time and effort in doing it for us all.

M.

Sorry Ira. I posted the above nor realising that you had in the meanwhile posted another installment. I knew we were near the end, and I;'ve enjoyed it all.

M.

Ira, We dined at the beautiful Excelsior, you loving Art Nouveau as I must have been impress. We also stopped at Lefevre-Lemoine famous for their Bergamottes of Nancy. They come in a red tin , the same one "Amelie"finds hidden in the wall.

www.brasserie-excelsior.com

Ira,

What a wonderful trip report! We are thinking of going to Austria next year and you have really helped us a lot!

We live in Florida, and usually fly in and out of Atlanta. We mostly fly Lufthansa. For Provence, we flew to Munich, then on to Marseille. What airline did you use?

I'm not even sure that Lufthansa goes to Munich direct...this last trip we flew out of Dulles, meeting up with friends in PA. and we did have a direct
flight to Munich, than on to Provence.

Thank you so much for all you info!!

Hi Maizy,

We flew Delta from ATL to Munich and from Stuttgart to ATL. Nonstop flights both ways.

June 4 Weather: drizzly until Strasbourg, clear to Stuttgart.
Had bkfst, packed up, paid bill and left Nancy without getting lost – just followed the signs to the Interstate. The A330 linked to the A33 to the N333 to the N4 – all pointing to Strasbourg.

Stopped in Sarrebourg to see the Chagall Windows. Found the Chapel with little trouble. Got there at 11:45. They close for lunch at 12:00, so we were OK. If you happen to be passing Sarrebourg, it is worth the visit.

At 11:58, just as the lady at the desk came in to tell us that the chapel was closing, a bus load of tourists arrived. Poor woman.

Headed toward Strasbourg on the D133 through Neuwiller and Bouxwiller (pleasant towns) and shifted to the D419 at Pfaffenhofen with no trouble. The A4 and the A35 took us around Strasbourg. At the D2, we crossed the Rhine into Germany. Very impressive.

We followed the D2 (becomes the L87) to the B500 and headed South. This is the Schwarzwald Hochstrasse. It is a very scenic drive through wooded mountains, but didn’t bother Roberta. If you take this road, do not plan on getting anywhere on time. Monster trucks verrrrry slowly grind their way up the two lane road – most of which is “do not pass”.

At one point, someone in a Porsche passed 5 cars and a truck going uphill on a blind curve. Since we didn’t come upon any wreckage, we assume that he/she got to where they were going.

At Freudenstadt, we found our way onto the B294 going North to Calmbach. We had expected to turn onto the B296 toward Calw south of Calmbach (as shown on the map), but the intersection turned out to be north of the town. (OR we might have missed the one we were looking for.) At Calw, we found our way onto the road to Sindelfingen, just following signs.

This whole route was a very nice, scenic ride up, along and down the mountains.

Beyond Sindelfingen, the roads become industrial and crowded as we approached Stuttgart and the airport. We hit the Autobahn at rush hour. This was not good.

1. Stuttgart is a very large city, and we are no longer used to driving in large cities.

2. Driving the Stuttgart beltway is as bad as driving the Atlanta beltway, except that the speed limit is higher.

At this point, our navigation system (Roberta) went completely on the fritz. There is some justification for this, as we came to a full stop, when a truck just stuck its nose out into 80 mph traffic and dared anyone to run into it. My LW, who seems always to look in the rearview mirror whenever it seems as if we will be hit from behind, dropped all of the map stuff, ducked down and didn’t come up until after I got off.

Luckily, although I was completely disoriented, I ended up on the B27 for Filderstadt, where a sign pointed toward the Ascot Airport Hotel.

WE had booked this traveller’s hotel simply because it was near the airport and the price was reasonable. We were pleasantly surprised. Very nice room, decent bar, helpful staff. Dinner was nothing to mention, but the breakfast buffet was superb. They even had bacon and eggs.

We had an 11:00 flight out. I suggested to LW that we didn’t have to repack everything that night (all the wine had to go in checked luggage), but could easily do it if we got up at 06:30. The TV had an alarm function, which I set for that time.

At 05;00, I was awakened by my Lady Wife, repacking the suitcases. (She likes to be early.) Fortunately, breakfast opened at 06:30.

When we were checking out, 1:30 hr earlier than I had planned, I asked the desk clerk to check my map to see if I had the right directions for the airport. “No map needed”, he said. “Go out from the parking lot, make a left turn and go straight until you get to the tunnel. After the tunnel go left. Very easy”.

Off we went, filled up the car, and followed the directions. After returning to the hotel. We found out from another clerk, that the “tunnel” was the overpass crossing our road, that we were supposed to go over the “tunnel” and make a right.

This time we found the airport. Returning the car was easy – follow the signs that say “Rental Car Return”.

Killed time at the Duty Free shops (no bargains) until it was time to board and took the Delta flight home. 1st/business class was full. Coach was more than 1/2 empty. Many of us were able to stretch out over 3 seats and sleep.

Arrived ATL at 15:00. Arrived at gate at 15:25. Arrived at at the baggage carousel at 16:25. Not bad for ATL. Usual traffic getting home – about 2 hr to do a 1-hr drive.