On September 14, 2012, the AIB film students
joined up with the engineering group and went on an adventure to the
Upper Rhine Valley. We woke up early in the morning and clambered onto a
bus leading to a small town south of Bonn. After two hours of sleeping
passengers, the students arrived at Bacharach and took a short break
before we embarked on our boat journey. As the sun was rising over the
mountain, the cruise ship arrived and we were off.
The trip was definitely a different way of seeing Germany and
the villages along the Rhine. Sitting on the top deck, we were able to
view the beautiful scenic mountains, villages, and many vineyards. The
day was clear but windy, which made all the students bundle up with what
little clothing they brought. The air was clean and crisp as we floated
up the river, passing through many small towns that we have never heard
of but admired the beauty held within them. Finally we arrived at one of our destinations, Braubach. We docked and walked to a small restaurant where we were provided lunch. For the vegetarians there was mushroom pasta, for the meat eaters, Schnitzle and fries. After a filling meal, we began our small hike up to Marksburg, a beautiful castle on a hill that survived since the middle Ages. Marksburg was never attacked or involved in any war and therefore kept in tact for viewers like us. We were given a tour of the castle by a young woman, and learned about the families that owned the building, how royalty and luxury lived back then, and why the castle was built in the first place. Inside, authentic furniture and stone carvings were kept in pristine condition for the public.
After the castle, we hiked back down the hill to our bus. It took us only about forty-five minutes to get to our final destination: the Winzer winery in a town called Mayschoss. The winery had been around since the 1800s and has been making wine from the grapes grown on the mountain just outside the door. The vineyards were built on a slant and always harvested by hand. They are placed precisely where the sun hits at all times of the day; this is how they protect the grapes from the cold weather. In the cellar, we learned the process of making wine and how the juice is always kept in fresh wooden barrels for years before it is ready to be bottled. Depending on the wine, the entire process can take ten to fifty years before the wine matures.
After the cellar and the history of the winery, we headed upstairs to a private dining room where we were served dinner and three types of cheese. Each student and faculty had a plate of various meat, cheese, and bread. Afterwards, we were able to purchase cheese for our host families or to enjoy ourselves. With full stomachs, the students piled back onto the bus and headed back into Bonn for a long and restful weekend.
Written by Kate Remsen
