the present tense: The Wine Route! Day 4

Tuesday, May 24th 2011

It just keeps getting better and better.

We headed out this morning to continue biking to our next destination, Andlau, stopping through and passing by many villages that looked just like this.

In the heart of the Wine Road now!

Biking through another village

I'm really finding myself at a loss for words to describe all this beauty - Hopefully the pictures can convey some of that for you.

Biking along these long stretches of road not only allows your eyes to wander, but the further and further you go, the more hyptonized you become by the beauty and your mind wanders, too, in all sorts of wonderful directions. I wonder if I had a single negative thought while biking during this trip? I found myself lazily trying to form words to later describe what I was seeing and how I was feeling, I thought most often of my family and how I wish they could experience this as well, but perhaps more often than not, I simply rolled through the vineyards and soaked in the sun while thinking not much at all, content to be absolutely present in the moment and marvel at all that was around me.

We made it to Andlau by the afternoon and found an excellent little cafe where we refueled with some coffee and cakes. They had this great little outdoors place to sit, but in between all the buildings so it felt like our own little secret garden.

Not a bad place to refuel, eh?

Alberto had planned us arriving so early so that we could spend the afternoon hiking around the mountains that line the Wine Road, as I've mentioned.

Making our way through the vineyards to
go on a hike!

On our way to the mountains

View from the path

Getting higher and higher - you can see Andlau in the background!

Our path

Arriving in the woods

There were two old castles to see along our hike, both in different states of ruins though either restored or in the process of:

Inside the "castle"

We walked for hours. We finally got to the top and had an excellent view of Andlau from a different perspective this time:

There be Andlau!

And then, we just kept on walkin'

Some flowers along our hike

Walking walking walking

Even in good company, there is much silence with so much ground to cover, and again it's been very interesting for me to see where my mind wanders, or if it does at all. Walking through the woods here was quiet and peaceful.

We did make it back to Andlau, however, rather fatigued and ready for a good, hearty meal. Not before seeing some more of this gorgeous little village.