Dambach-la-Ville, a beautifully quiet town in the Alsace

Between Strasbourg and Colmar, there are quite a few pretty little towns and villages. On our way to Dambach-la-Ville, we stopped in Obernai, which was roaming with visitors on that Saturday afternoon. We did not stay very long.

A fountain dressed in yellow flowers caught our eyes in Obernai.

Obernai

Dambach-la-Ville is known for its quality wines, and lies on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains with a population of around 2200. Its finest wine is the Alsacian Grand Cru.

The first thing we looked for though was our abode, a renovated barn, which we had rented for the weekend.

This barn has been turned into an upstairs-apartment (on the right), and it was perfect for us.

When we weren’t walking around the town, vineyards, or exploring restaurants, we enjoyed spending our time in the inner courtyard.

This is a very clean little town, and its residents take a lot of pride in it.

We explored our neighborhood while it was getting dark already. This is just one of the many roads leading to church.

Dambach-la-Ville in the Alsace

The yellow containers are used for the grape harvest.

We found a restaurant by the town square, where my husband enjoyed a good meal of Schweinebäckchen (pork cheeks). I stuck to wine tasting.

A Night at Zeilitzheim Castle

There are about 25.000 castles and fortresses in Germany. Nobody knows for sure how many there actually are, so the Deutsche Burgenvereiniung (German Castle Association) has decided to do a final count and registration. They expect to have the final results in about ten years’ time.

A week ago, we spent the night in one of these 25.000 castles. Going back to one’s hometown requires accommodation, and over the past few years, we have tried out several places – mostly inns in villages around the northern Franconia area.

This time, we chose Schloss Zeilitzheim (we had spent a night there about 10 years ago). As it was the case back then – we liked the pavilion, the park, and breakfast the best.

We had booked the Kardinalszimmer (sleeps four people) to accommodate all of us.

We enjoyed sitting on the bench looking out over the park.

 

The castle interior is a museum with its artifacts, showcases in the hallway, and authentic furniture.

I can highly recommend this castle hotel to anyone who just wants to get away for a day or two (or more). Buy a bottle of wine from the owner’s Weingut (winery) and sneak off to the pavilion at night. My husband and I sat there under a starry sky, and had a quiet conversation while sipping our wine. Recommended: Bring a flash light or a candle.

If you like really warm rooms, then I’d suggest you go there during the warmer season. This is a true castle, so in early spring, the rooms/radiators do not heat up so quickly. For me, it was perfect though.

Review for Vacation Rental in Lunenburg, NS

This accommodation was the last one on our road tour through parts of Canada and the USA. Not only was it the last one, but also the best one.

We had stayed in hotels, motels, lodges, vacation homes, vacation apartments, and in a boat house. All that in 18 days.

This apartment my husband had booked via homeaway.com and it was wonderful due to its location, spaciousness, and level of comfort. I especially enjoyed the sunny deck overlooking the Bluenose Wharf.

Lunenburg, NS

This was my favorite spot in the morning. Even though the apartment is right in the center of this UNESCO town, it is a rather quiet area.

deck

This loft-style apartment is spacious and allowed even for a work place area. The bedrooms were average size, and fortunately equipped with ceiling fans. It was very hot and humid one day, which was not the usual weather, so we had been told.

sunny apartment in Lunenburg

From the deck you can see big schooners,  sailboats,  and other vessels coming into the Bluenose Harbour.

Two things I recommend while in Lunenburg are: have dinner at the restaurant The Great Dane and take a sailboat tour on the Eastern Star (just walk down to the wharf to buy your tickets). Both events  are very memorable!

sailing around Lunenburg

Sailing around Lunenburg

mussel lunch at The Great Dane

Dining at The Great Dane

 

Review for K-haus Gwanghwamun in Seoul, Korea

On our way to Japan, we visited Seoul for two days and booked K-haus Gwanghwamun in northern Seoul for our accommodation.

Prior to our departure, we got a few personal mails from the manager with directions and other useful information.

The little privately-run hotel lies on the outskirts and it was not easy to find. The usual 10-minute walk from the bus stop took us close to 45 minutes all the while asking for directions. We had the Korean address and not even the taxi driver nor shop assistants were able to direct us. While looking lost standing at a corner, we were approached by helpful Koreans several times. One of them was able to direct us to the place. The best landmark to point out for future reference would be the Czech Republic Embassy which is on the same road. The Czech Republic Embassy is listed on most maps.

The location itself is perfect though. Surrounded by consulates and embassies, it is in a very quiet corner of Seoul. Walking up the street  towards the guest house, you can see the mountains in the back.

The guest house is very clean and the manager was most accommodating in our needs. When we walked in, she already had a caller’s message waiting for me as well.

Our room with three beds was average size. Our shower equipment was very simple – a handheld shower head in front of the bathroom sink. But it worked nicely.

The breakfast on offer is basic (beverage, coffee and toast), so we ventured out to one of the many cafés lining the streets of Seoul for a more culinary experience.

The Airport Limousine bus service to northern Seoul is KRW 10.000 per person. On the way back to the airport, we took a taxi (orange colored, stating Interpretation Taxi on its side) which cost us KRW 50.500 (about US$ 44,–). Very affordable.

Last, but not least. My daughter left her plush animal behind, and Mrs. Lee, the manager, has been most helpful in trying to get it to Germany. She went way beyond her calling on that one.

You can visit K – haus Gwanghwamun on Booking.com for more information.

K-haus Gwanghwamun in Seoul, Korea

When I go back to Seoul, I will definitely book K-haus again. It is clean, quiet, shows good management, and is reasonably priced.

Budget Accommodation in Seoul

Passing through Seoul for a two-day layover is a good opportunity to visit this mega city. The idea of looking for accommodation seemed a bit daunting at first, but we soon found a place in a good location, and reasonably priced.

K-haus Gwanghwamun (patio) in Seoul source: booking.com

We found K-haus Gwanghwamun on booking.com which perfectly fits our budget. We booked a family room (sleeps three people) for two nights at 240,000 KRW ( for about € 160). Booking with booking.com was very easy!

I just love the patio and imagine sitting out there in the evening. I expect the city to be busy and loud, but a few drinks and some good company might help drown out the noise.

Review of this very new hotel is soon to follow.

From Incheon International, you can get there by – [Read more…]

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