For 30 October 2012, just in time for Halloween, the Burgverein Kronberg offers two flashlight tours through the castle.

These tours are meant to give you an idea what life was like in the Middle Ages. With the help of your flashlight, a guide, and sturdy foot wear, you get to explore the castle interior at night.

Due to popular demand, a second tour has been added to this year’s flashlight tour program.

30 Oct 2012 at 19:00 and 21:30

Please register by 28 Oct at the Burgbüro (office), tel: 06173 – 77 88 or e-mail: burgverein@burgkronberg.de

Fee: euro 6 (discounted fee: euro 3)  I’d assume the discount is for students. 

Important: Bring your flashlight!

The magazine Geo Saison, in its current October 2011 issue, ran an article featuring their choice of the 18 best country hotels in Germany.

These country hotels are spread out all over the Germany, reaching from the North Sea down to the Alps. One of them is located in the heart of Germany, namely Hotel Schloss Zeilitzheim in Northern Bavaria.

On of our visits to my hometown in Northern Bavaria, we had an overnight at Hotel Schloss Zeilitzheim.

Country Hotel Schloss Zeilitzheim

Quoting an excerpt from the Geo Saison article, written by Hannah Glaser:

Den jungen, gutgelaunten Hausherrn von Schloss Zeilitzheim treffen wir im Garten, auf den Knien beim Löwenzahn stechen (We found the young and good-humored castle owner in the garden, on his knees pulling weeds).

This, among other daily routines, contributes to a familiar atmosphere when staying at the hotel.

Country Hotel Schloss Zeilitzheim

Hotel Schloss Zeilitzheim ranked 7th on the Geo-Saison list (full list available on Presse-Portal).

For more information, visit Zeilitzheim Castle Hotel in Bavaria, Germany.

While our daughter and I rested in Bournemouth, my husband and son took the train to Edinburgh to visit the university.

From their room with a view, my husband shot this photo at 5:30 in the morning.

Sleeping in Edinburgh

The next photo was taken at about 8 a.m.

Morning light over Edinburgh

… and to finish off the fairytale view of the city:

Edinburgh at night

If our son gets accepted to the University of Edinburgh, there will be more trips to this most wonderful city.

All photos were taken with this camera: Canon EOS 550D SLR-Digitalkamera (18 Megapixel, LiveView) Kit inkl. EF-S 18-55mm 1:3,5-5,6 IS Objektiv (bildstabilisiert) (from Amazon.de)

We spent another weekend in lovely Franconia. We saw family, visited with long-lost relatives, talked to neighbors. Everybody, but the sun, came out to greet us.

Franconian vineyards

Dark skies and winter coats dominated the landscape wherever we went. The Nordheimer Weinfest saw lots of heavy coated patrons sitting under the famous Kastanienallee (chestnut alley).

Nordheimer Weinfest May 2010

These German winefests are for young and old as their wine culture has no bounds in regards to age. We enjoyed Flammkuchen (Tarte Flambee), Steak Brötchen, Fischbrötchen (photo), and good wine.

How would you like to harvest grapes on that hill?

Visit a  Franconian castle, or the online beer guide to Bamberg and Franconia, as well as  Franconia – the heart of Germany.

There is a lot to see and do in Franconia. They love to eat and drink well, at very reasonable prices!

Impressions of Franconia can vary greatly as these photos can attest to. They were taken within fifteen minutes from each other on two different Autobahnen, A3 and A7.

Luke and Duke, the Nukes in Grafenrheinfeld

Luke and Duke, the Nuclear Power Plant towers, have been around since the 1970s. Their ugly pillars loom over the industrial town of Schweinfurt and really darken its rainy skies occasionally.

Schlossresidenz Würzbug

Vineyards in the sun

While resting at a Autobahn Raststätte on the A7, I got to see a very different view of Franconian culture and  its agricultural highlight – vines on every hill.

The area between Schweinfurt und Würzburg, especially around Zeilitzheim, is full of lovely wine fests in the summer.