My first night in Assmanshausen am Rhein was unbearably hot. But when you wake up, with that muggy night behind you, you feel a delicious Taunus mountain breeze that suddenly comforts you. Practicing sport or just walking around the Rhine River early in the morning is priceless. A few places thrill me more when I close my eyes and remember this landscape.
Regardless of your personal taste regarding the wine culture, it is undisputed how much Germany’s countryside reveals vineyards of extreme organization and beauty. In Rothenburg op der Tauber, one of the most attractive places to go for a walk - or do sports such as hiking, jogging, cycling - is the Tauber Valley.
Traveling by car brings a kind of freedom and practicality that other means of transportation do not offer. That’s because you or your companion can drive and, whatever the route, you are automatically allowed to stop, anytime, as often as you like, and wherever you want. Or to take a detour.
Whenever I close my eyes, I can still feel the sensation produced by the landscape around the River Rhine when I visited tiny Assmanshausen am Rhein. It is almost a village, right beside the town of Rüdesheim am Rein, but hardly ever considered in most sightseeing tours. The entire town is part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
It was love at first sight. It has a very peculiar charm, with a countryside feeling, but full of pomp like a big city. It is difficult to explain what delighted me the most in this city that may be considered one of the most important ones in Holland, together with Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
After a few hours walking on the cold fields at a distant vineyard, in Northern Holland, I was absorbed by a strong yet peaceful energy that mostly reveals itself when close to nature. Then, I find it hard to avoid thinking that a simpler lifestyle endures to fulfill us so much more.