2nd Oct.: The Limesturm of Idstein-Dasbach is a replica of ancient Roman fortifications. We hiked about 13km from our hotel in Idstein through fields and forests under a constant shower – almost losing our way a couple of times. (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: The road leading from Dasbach to Idstein is lined with apple trees…fruit still hanging from it. The cloudy sky did not spoil the quiet, beauty of this view. (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: Back in Idstein, we wandered through the old town. The shops were closed, but we made our way to the Rathaus (city hall) in the town center (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: The old Hexenturm (witches’ tower) of the Idstein fort made a good background for the flaming red leaves of this tree. (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: There is not much to look at in the fort – it is a small fortified structure with the Hexenturm as its highlight and a restored garden with these wonderful, bright orange-red marigolds. (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: Half-timbered houses are not really a novelty if you’ve travelled through Germany. But these houses in Idstein had some really unusually colourful houses. We were hungry, but I was keen on exploring every alleyway to see these beautifully well-kept houses. (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: The houses were complemented by some very vibrant flowers still in bloom in this early October. (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: I do not think this has anything to do with the famous Zuckerberg. (Oct. 2016)

2nd Oct.: The day ended with a really awesome dinner at the Kartoffelküche in Idstein specializing in potato based dishes – “Awesome? Potato?”, I hear you ask, but this place gets really innovative with its dishes and I intend to come back here again. Definitely recommended. (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: The rain continued even as we tried to make the most of this bad-weather day by visiting Eppstein fort. Here a cat seems to be cursing the heavens as well as it took shelter from the rains near this tower named the “Bettelbub”- no idea what the name means! (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: Partly to escape the rain, we got in to the museum, which had an old Steinofen (brick oven) – this is what a piece bread would see from inside. (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: A small scale replica of the Eppstein fort. Most of the buildings are gone. (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: Inside the “Bettelbub”, there is this entrance to the deep cellars, which served as the prison and torture chamber. Can you imagine getting down through that? (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: We climbed up the steps of the main tower (Bergfried) to the viewing platform – beautiful forests extended all around from the city on to the nearby hills. You can see the Kaisertempel (the first white building from the right). At this time, I didn’t even know what the Kaisertempel was – only later were we to discover the nice coincidence after we went there. (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: Another view of the forests – there are probably criss-crossed with hiking paths. I could just stand there in the cold wind blowing in my face at the top of the tower and watch the autumn colors. (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: The Eppstein coat of arms on the flag flying atop the tower (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: A picture of contrasts – the soft beauty of the rose against the rocky hardness of the main tower (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: At some point the rain stopped and we headed down to the city past the Bettelbub – the cat had disappeared by then. Too bad! (Oct. 2016)

3rd Oct.: And then Tuli insisted on hiking through the hilly slope opposite the Eppstein fort towards the Kaisertempel. After about an hour, we arrived there (originally we wanted to visit the Italian restaurant next to it for lunch, but that had closed down). (Oct. 2016)

3rd oct.: That the Kaisertempel (constructed in 1894) is dedicated to the German Unification under Kaiser Wilhelm I, it seemed like a nice, symbolic coincidence that we were visiting this place on the anniversary of the German Reunification day. There are busts of the Chancellor Bismarck and Field Marshal von Moltke flanking the two sides inside the Kaisertempel (i.e. 3rd Oct).