2025 Day Trips: DE 1&2

We may qualify as the tortoises of tourism--slow, but sure.

 

Well, mostly slow.  In over 30 years of visits to Saarland, we had never made it to the WWII West Wall fortification located a whopping 2 miles from home.  The Besseringen B-werk was built in 1938-9 as one of 32 completed bunkers that contributed to the defensive Siegfried Line (like the Maginot Line of France), which ran from the southern third of the German border with The Netherlands all the way south to Basel, Switzerland.

To be fair, the installation was only restored (and made available for public viewing) by volunteers in 2005 (so we're really only 20 years late).  Apparently, there are also remaining stretches of tank barriers and trenches in the nearby woods.  Maybe someday...

Anyway, part of the experience of touring this unusually preserved (because it was surrendered without a fight) fortification is wrapping your head around living bunker-style, with everything from trap-doors at the squatty entrance

to tight rope bunks in the shared living quarters

to the close, damp, windowless passages with bulkhead doors like their submarine counterparts.  All the bunkers in the "B" series had walls 1.5 m thick.

In case you weren't claustrophobic enough, keep in mind that power for these bunkers was provided by diesel generators within the same tunnel system, so part of the design was a hand-pumped bellows to bring in fresh air after the headaches started! 

The other part of the experience is a reminder of 1940s technology, in which this constituted the "smart phone" of the day

and this was the entire inventory of the infirmary.  It's good that we do not live in the "pee in a bottle and hope for the best" era of medicine.

It may not be so good, however, that this still represents the cutting edge of German defense...

 

Another very nearby destination in Germany that took us 30 years to visit (on a second day) is the "Bird Rock" (Vogelsfelsen).  We began our hike by slowly creeping up the slope, catching tiny glimpses of the Saar River between the trees.

Along the way we passed what were likely old mining cuts in the regionally characteristic reddish Permian and Triassic sandstone, which provided the stone blocks to build the 17th century town of Saarlouis (20 miles away).

Thanks to a small clearing we got a good view onto the village of Saarhölzbach, which translates literally as the Saar-forest-creek.

The 'natural' forests of the area are more diverse than their managed counterparts and include two species of native oak.

Near the top of the Volgelsfelsen is a scenic viewpoint that overlooks the Saar River valley.

On our way back down, we appreciated clusters of smooth barked European beech, which have probably been coppiced a couple times since those quarries were active.

Before heading home, we stopped off in the town of Mettlach to walk around the "castle" Saareck, which was built in 1902-03.

The reddish sandstone of the Vogelsfelsen also provided the material for this manor house. 

Formerly the residence of the Boch family, it now serves as a guesthouse for the porcelain manufacturer Villeroy & Boch, which was the prime economic mover and shaker of the region for a century.  

Although in a sad state of disrepair, the former stables are surprisingly ornate--until you realize the relief sculptures are biscuit porcelain undoubtedly from the nearby V&B factory!

From this last stop on our second regional day trip, it was only a few minutes drive for us to get back home.  Back in the late 1950s-early 1960s, however, it would have been a 3+ mile walk for E's mother (who hand painted porcelain for 10 years).

 

 

Road Trip: ES/PT Day 12

On the last full day of our spring road trip, which began almost exactly one year ago, we "did" Lisbon (PT).

 

First up was a bus ride with our 24-hr Lisboa Card up the hill to reach the castle--this view looks back down upon the square (with that equestrian statue) near our hotel (just off the right edge).

With a history dating back at least 10 centuries, fortifications on the site of the Castelo de São Jorge were put to use by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors before conquest by the Portuguese in 1147. 

Since the 14th century, it has been home to peafowl imported from India, which are clearly now the ruling family.  When we were there, many peahens had peachicks underfoot.

Some wander in the neighborhoods near the castle as well; this peacock was in a stand-off with his own reflection in a shop window!

After the castle we wandered through the nearby Alfama neighborhood, enjoying the tile-paneled backside of one scenic overlook

and the colorful painted tiles of many house fronts. 

We then toured the open-air Museum of Lisbon – Roman Theatre, which showcases the ruins of a 1st century B.C. multipurpose Roman municipal building.

Nearby was the Igreja de Santo António de Lisboa, which despite medieval origins now only dates to 1767 after having been destroyed by the 1755 earthquake.

We then explored the city on foot as we worked our way down to the waterfront, passing by classic post-earthquake/tsunami streets and opting to not ride the famous funicular because it was too fragile-looking (which sadly proved to be the case during a horrific accident last September).

We had more faith in the subway and buses, though, so we took them to the western end of town to look at the 16th century part-defensive/part-symbolic Belém Tower at the mouth of the Tagus River.

Walking inland to the north, we then paused to admire the western entrance to the Jerónimos Monastery.

This 16th century monastery was built of Portuguese limestone in late Gothic Manueline style, which is very elaborate and incorporates maritime themes.

Although ornate, it is also subtly monotone, with almost everything carved of the same gold-colored stone.

The double-decker cloisters are magnificent,

as are such details as the intricately painted azulejo tiles.

From there we wandered into the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, an 18th-19th century neoclassical royal residence on a hilltop overlooking Lisbon's historic oldtown.

Not only is the palace filled with amazing art from the world over, but every square inch of ceiling, wall, floor, and drapery is exquisitely detailed.

At the palace entrance are 23 marble statues made by different artists at different times, each symbolizing a different attribute (such as Gratitude).

Finally, primarily because we were standing next to it anyway, we strolled through the Royal Treasure Museum, which is inside one of the world's largest vaults (completed in 2022) and shows off the royal family's jewels, diplomatic gifts, silver, and the golden Portuguese Royal Crown.

By then, we were touristed-out and fled back to our hotel before our Lisboa Cards expired, to recover and prepare to fly out the next morning.

 

Although admittedly absurdly long, it was an amazing trip that can only be recommended.

 

 

  

Road Trip: ES/PT Day 11

We spent the second-to-last full day of last spring's road trip entirely in Portugal, as we worked our way toward Lisbon.

 

We awoke--peacefully in the pre-peak season--to the lovely Peniche peninsula, and spent a little more time appreciating the layered gray Jurassic limestone off the Atlantic.

Then, to make up for it, we joined what felt like everyone else in Portugal for a Saturday at Cabo da Roca, taking in spring flowers,

and the lighthouse

at this westernmost point of mainland Europe. 

Along with all the other lemmings, we crossed the clearly marked Do Not Enter reserve boundary in order to get the best view.

Feeling guilty, we quickly wrapped southeast along the coastal route into the Cascais District, such that E. could gaze south upon the Atlantic Ocean.

Before diving into metropolitan Lisbon, we enjoyed a last look at the marine limestone and sandstone formations in this district on the outskirts of town.

Next thing we knew, we were back in civilization, winding east past the Farol da Guia lighthouse, the tower of which dates to 1537 when gigantic oil-wicking lamps were used to guide local sailors.

After returning our rental car (miraculously in one piece!), we purchased the 24-hr Lisboa Card for free access to public transit and various museums and hopped on the subway.  Adjacent to our hotel was the Praça da Figueira public square in the heart of town, with the castle on the hill behind the landmark equestrian statue (at least since 1971). 

We strolled through town that evening, working our way toward the 
Miradouro de S. Pedro de Alcântara for an overview of the city.

Too tired and impatient to wait for sunset with the crowds, we took one last look

and meandered back past the Praça Dom Pedro IV.  The enchanting Baroque fountains contrasted nicely with the brightly colored apartments highlighted by the waning sun.

My favorite aspect was the unique wave-like patterns made by white limestone and black basalt cobblestone.

Arriving at our hotel, we initially got a laugh out of our 4th floor "balcony" (which were common to many downtown buildings), but were otherwise pleased with the WG-style hotel.

Especially after dark, when the castle on the hill outside our window lit up for our second-to-last night in Lisbon.

11 Days down!