Tucked away in the hills that overlook the Rhine, you'll find Kloster Eberbach. It is stunning in…read moreits serenity and impressive to think that it was built long ago without the help of modern construction. You may recognize it from the 1986 Sean Connery film "The name of the Rose". My family is emigrated from a city just down the road and that used to be a part of the Monastery's estate, and I'm fortunate to stay in touch with the relatives that stayed behind. On Christmas day last year when everything is closed (and the parents wanted to tend to the Christmas roast -- think the same fuss as a Thanksgiving turkey), we young 'uns headed down to the Abbey to check things out. The buildings were closed, but the grounds were open, and we and some other locals meandered around, finally winding up by the sheep and goats. One little guy kept poking his head out to have his chin scratched, and I was happy to oblige him. I'll look forward to my next visit, hopefully on a day when the place is open so I can tour it and learn more about the Abbey's history!

This was my first time visiting a previous monastery dwelling and was surprised to know that only…read more120 monks lived on such a beautiful estate. I came here with a group from work for a team building adventure. We started out breaking into teams for a scavenger hunt around the monastery; then hiked up the top of the hill to see a breath taking view of the countryside and had a light snack at the summit; then returning for a formal tour of the monastery followed by wine tasting in the cellar; and finally we had dinner here at their restaurant to wrap up our 5 hour excursion. Today this place is used for festivals and concerts but you get an appreciation of the dedication and effort of a few men that resulted in an amazing historical landmark. There was also a movie filmed here in the 1980's by Sean Connery. This was a humbling and fantastic experience all rolled into one great adventure that I would highly recommend as a must see place that you will appreciate.

While visiting Trier, Germany, I had a craving for schnitzel. I stopped by this cafe to grab a bite…read moreto eat and luckily, they had lots of schnitzel options! This cafe was full but we were seated immediately. Our server was friendly and efficient. Though my German is not great, the server was patient and we met in the middle as he spoke some English. I had the chicken schnitzel with French fries and crème brûlée for dessert! I enjoyed it and will return if I'm back in Trier!

This place has become sort of a tradition for me. Each time I visit Trier, the first night dinner…read morein the city is always at Kartoffel-Kiste. They never disappoint. They may be potato in name but don't miss out on their meats. The steak with garlic butter is tender and cooked to perfection. The Leberkaese and Wurst is also excellent. Then the potato dishes seem to go on and on. There are so many items it may be difficult to make a decision. The staff is always happy to assist with suggestions. There may be tourists here but also many local people since good food is good food no matter where you are from. Dieser Ort ist für mich zu einer Art Tradition geworden. Jedes Mal, wenn ich Trier besuche, ist das erste Abendessen in der Stadt immer in der Kartoffel-Kiste. Sie enttäuschen nie. Sie mögen dem Namen nach Kartoffel sein, aber verpassen Sie nicht ihr Fleisch. Das Steak mit Knoblauchbutter ist zart und perfekt gegart. Der Leberkaese und Wurst ist auch ausgezeichnet. Dann scheinen die Kartoffelgerichte immer weiter zu gehen. Es gibt so viele Dinge, dass es schwierig sein kann, eine Entscheidung zu treffen. Die Mitarbeiter helfen Ihnen gerne mit Vorschlägen weiter. Es kann hier Touristen geben, aber auch viele Einheimische, denn gutes Essen ist gutes Essen, egal woher man kommt.