That title’s not hyperbole. I literally have forgotten which castle this is. I had a Saturday with no plans before my wife and daughter got here to Germany, so I pulled out the map, and saw an icon for a “castle ruin” just east of Kaiserslautern. Perfect! So much of my preferred genre of fiction takes place in doom-haunted castle ruins, I thought I’d go check one out in real life!
The Germans have a (not entirely undeserved) reputation for being a harsh people.
The example for the holiday season? Krampus.
Halloween remains my favorite holiday.
When I was a child, it was all so much fun. Candy. The chance to dress up and be someone else for a night. Days warmed by the autumn sun, but with portents of coming change. Crisp, cool autumn nights. Changing leaves.
As I grew, it was still so much fun, but of more of an adult nature. Namely, massive beer consumption and women, who have really done an excellent job of making “sexy” versions of every Halloween costume imaginable.
It’s the happiest time of the year for Bavarians!
No, not Christmas; Oktoberfest! Beer, sausages, giant pretzels, and women in dirndls! What more could one ask for?
From the archives: when my parents visited in September, we took in a Renaissance Festival at Burg Satzvey, a castle about two hours north of us on the outskirts of Cologne, between the towns of Mechernich and Euskirchen.
The castle, while small, is beautifully preserved and picturesque.
Mick Gall 