Journal Notes

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A CHARMING, CREEPY INN SOMEWHERE IN GERMANY<br />
Nov.2nd./99 – We drove the autobahn from north of Berlin to the Char Mountains (400 KM), a big jump for us, but it has been rain and drizzle and is a good time to change locations. The town of Goslar, where we were originally headed turned out to be old, beautiful, with many timbered houses, narrow winding streets, huge walled gates, but too big for us and we finally despaired of finding a place in all this traffic and headed into the mountains south of the city. Two places we tried were closed for “Holiday” so when we arrived at the Hotel Konigsreich (Romkerhall) we settled in. Have never been in any inn like this place. It’s a very long, ornate 2-story building on a winding road. Across the street is a 200 foot high tiered waterfall and a rocky, narrow canyon alongside the property has a creek running through it and under a portion of the hotel. Now, to the interior: Very gaudy, over-done, creaky, mysterious, dowdy, musty, weird, all of these and more. There is a dining room, quite large and dark – there is a drink hall with what almost appears to be a throne at the end of the room. In a small room off the hall a kid was playing a game on a computer. A lone, large doorman was sipping a drink. From a room off the dining room appeared two gypsy-dressed women who said they do have a room (mit douche und doppel zimmer) for the night. One led me through the front hall, up some very creaky stairs and the length of a hall about 50 feet long, almost every inch we have covered since she said, “come see the room” has been decorated in gold railing, There are hundreds of pictures in 'gold' frames, “gold” plaques and “gold” trim on almost every inch of every wall, door and passageway! The bedroom itself has a nice enough bed, closet, bathroom, chairs, etc. and only has a few (on every wall) 6 feet high, gold "Plaques"” with paintings of Napoleon, Nymphets, Ladies, landscapes and there is a fakey looking crown over the bed. There are stuffed OWLS, HAWKS, KITES, EAGLES and DEER RACKS lining the walls and Benny Goodman is playing in the background! The light bulb in the bedroom lamp is KAPUT (one of our very short list of German words!) as Robert informed the waitress when he brought it down at dinnertime to be replaced. This place is used for local weddings as many wall pictures appear in the main doorway, of the happy couples. The table linens are bright pink and remind us of the Madonna Inn in California only scarier. We will see what dinner brings. Robert had chicken which the lady said was "chicken, only bigger" (maybe the winner?!!) cooked, well – it looked like – well, cooked for three days over an open fire. My WILD PIG was very, very good (Robert sure enjoyed the bite I gave him). Off to an amazingly good sleep considering the fire trap we chose for tonight!<br />
Nov.3rd./99 – Breakfast was in the dining room with a group of German gentlemen who had eaten all the jam, WITH beer, before we got there. Several more spooky trips through the building to get some photos of it (Robert found a nice watch to purchase, as a memento of this place), and we were off through the countryside, green expanses divided by picturesque small villages, larger towns and several cities, all still with beautiful color on the trees.<br />
<br />
(Incidentally, Robert's "gypsy watch" (as we always called it) was still running ten years later . . . )

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A CHARMING, CREEPY INN SOMEWHERE IN GERMANY
Nov.2nd./99 – We drove the autobahn from north of Berlin to the Char Mountains (400 KM), a big jump for us, but it has been rain and drizzle and is a good time to change locations. The town of Goslar, where we were originally headed turned out to be old, beautiful, with many timbered houses, narrow winding streets, huge walled gates, but too big for us and we finally despaired of finding a place in all this traffic and headed into the mountains south of the city. Two places we tried were closed for “Holiday” so when we arrived at the Hotel Konigsreich (Romkerhall) we settled in. Have never been in any inn like this place. It’s a very long, ornate 2-story building on a winding road. Across the street is a 200 foot high tiered waterfall and a rocky, narrow canyon alongside the property has a creek running through it and under a portion of the hotel. Now, to the interior: Very gaudy, over-done, creaky, mysterious, dowdy, musty, weird, all of these and more. There is a dining room, quite large and dark – there is a drink hall with what almost appears to be a throne at the end of the room. In a small room off the hall a kid was playing a game on a computer. A lone, large doorman was sipping a drink. From a room off the dining room appeared two gypsy-dressed women who said they do have a room (mit douche und doppel zimmer) for the night. One led me through the front hall, up some very creaky stairs and the length of a hall about 50 feet long, almost every inch we have covered since she said, “come see the room” has been decorated in gold railing, There are hundreds of pictures in 'gold' frames, “gold” plaques and “gold” trim on almost every inch of every wall, door and passageway! The bedroom itself has a nice enough bed, closet, bathroom, chairs, etc. and only has a few (on every wall) 6 feet high, gold "Plaques"” with paintings of Napoleon, Nymphets, Ladies, landscapes and there is a fakey looking crown over the bed. There are stuffed OWLS, HAWKS, KITES, EAGLES and DEER RACKS lining the walls and Benny Goodman is playing in the background! The light bulb in the bedroom lamp is KAPUT (one of our very short list of German words!) as Robert informed the waitress when he brought it down at dinnertime to be replaced. This place is used for local weddings as many wall pictures appear in the main doorway, of the happy couples. The table linens are bright pink and remind us of the Madonna Inn in California only scarier. We will see what dinner brings. Robert had chicken which the lady said was "chicken, only bigger" (maybe the winner?!!) cooked, well – it looked like – well, cooked for three days over an open fire. My WILD PIG was very, very good (Robert sure enjoyed the bite I gave him). Off to an amazingly good sleep considering the fire trap we chose for tonight!
Nov.3rd./99 – Breakfast was in the dining room with a group of German gentlemen who had eaten all the jam, WITH beer, before we got there. Several more spooky trips through the building to get some photos of it (Robert found a nice watch to purchase, as a memento of this place), and we were off through the countryside, green expanses divided by picturesque small villages, larger towns and several cities, all still with beautiful color on the trees.

(Incidentally, Robert's "gypsy watch" (as we always called it) was still running ten years later . . . )

Germany inn spooky country 2137