The final part of the journey… we started driving from Cochem along the Mosel and close to Lahnstein, we joined the B42, which led us down the Rhine. A bit of an impulse…we’ll catch the sunset on the Rhine, I thought…

And on the way, we saw the Lorelei… and that changed the evening.

A statue of the siren, Lorelei – made famous by the poem of Heinrich Heine – on the Rhine (April 2015)

Anyone remember this poem by Heinrich Heine? It was introduced to me first by my German teacher – Dusmanta Chakra (one of the evening German lessons over some coffee).

Die Lorelei                                                                                   The Lorelei

Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten,                                     I know not if there is a reason,
Daß ich so traurig bin;                                                              Why I am sad at heart;
Ein Märchen aus alten Zeiten,                                                A legend from ancient times
Das kommt mir nicht aus dem Sinn.                                     Which keeps haunting me.

Die Luft ist kühl, und es dunkelt,                                           The air cools and it gets darker,
Und ruhig fließt der Rhein;                                                      Gently flows the Rhine;
Der Gipfel des Berges funkelt                                                  The top of the mountain is gleaming
In Abendsonnenschein.                                                            In the final rays of the evening sun

Die schönste Jungfrau sitzet                                                    The fairest of maidens sits
Dort oben wunderbar,                                                               High up there, so wondrously fair,
Ihr goldenes Geschmeide blitzet,                                            Her golden jewels glisten,
Sie kämmt ihr goldenes Haar.                                                 As she combs her golden hair.

Sie kämmt es mit goldenem Kamme                                      She combs it with her golden comb
Und singt ein Lied dabei;                                                          And sings a song while she’s at it;
Das hat eine wundersame,                                                        And weaves a wonderful,
Gewaltige Melodei.                                                                     Overpowering melody.

Den Schiffer im kleinen Schiffe                                                The sailor in his small ship
Ergreift es mit wildem Weh;                                                     Is spellbound with a wild ache;
Er schaut nicht die Felsenriffe,                                                 He sees not the jagged cliff,
Er schaut nur hinauf in die Höh’.                                             He can only stare up above.

Ich glaube, die Wellen verschlingen                                        I think the waves will devour
Am Ende Schiffer und Kahn;                                                    The sailor and his ship in the end;
Und das hat mit ihrem Singen                                                  And all that with her song
Die Lorelei getan.                                                                        Wrought the fair Lorelei.

A view of the town of St Goar on the Rhine (April 2015)

Stuff of the legends… the evening sun sheds its last rays on the cliffs upon which the sailors, entranced by the singing of Lorelei, rammed their ships…the Rhine devouring the boat and the men. (April 2015)

A statue of the siren, Lorelei – made famous by the poem of Heinrich Heine – on the Rhine (April 2015)

From the Loreleyfelsen, we watched the sun setting on the Rhine valley… The silhouette on the right is of the Burg Katz (Castle Katz) standing tall over the town of St Goarshausen. (April 2015)

That was the final highlight of the weekend…starting with the Mosel, ending on the Rhine with this fine spectacle of Nature and a legend to remember. (April 2015).

As the sun set, it was the perfect setting to set any romantic’s heart on fire… just like this very blazing sunset. That was the final highlight, after which we had some dinner in Ruedesheim and drove back to Frankfurt, drawing the curtains on this marvelous weekend experiencing the stories offered up by these two ancient rivers.