Oktober 2023 the swarm went on a cultural tour to the Franconian wine area at the Main River Loop. The swarm set up a nest in Norheim at the Main River on the Main River loop island.

To make sure, we don’t forget the beer in Upper Bavaria we started in the

First Airport Brewery „Airbräu“ at the Airport Franz Josef Strauß MUC

We went

-shopping, (we started in some fantastic outlet stores close to our destination on the way)

 

-hiking

-and enjoyed the excellent Franconian wine and food.

Autumn is the peak season for grape harvesting. Some of the roads through the vineyards were sticky from all the sweet grape juice dripping down from the harvesting trucks. Spreading the odor of the wine all over the place.

In Nordheim we enjoyed the nice trip with the Mainferry. It was already late.

I payed  the Ferry-Woman for both ways to make sure we would be able to return without having to swim.

          

 

In Sommerach we watched the trucks of the vintners unloading the grapes in the central winegrower’s cooperative. I was hoping for a group of young, picturesque women to squeeze out the wine stomping on it barefooted and singing traditional songs. But the process of separating and squeezing now is industrialized. But the grape harvest is still a lot of manual work and many tourist streemed into the vineyard to watch the events of hard working people.

Still the vintners found enough time to open the traditional “Straußwirtschaften” (pop up restaurant, marked with some shrubbery as indicators: there is food an wine). Here we could enjoy the local wine and the local snacks. The permit to open such enterprises (for a set, maximum period) is regulated by the federal “Gaststättengesetz” and numerous different regulations of the German states.

 

 

   

     

Here are the remains after the grapes are squeezed out. (pomace, Trester)

Nordheim, Nordheimer Vögelein

After all the food and wine we thought we had enough of it. We decided, to walk up to panoramic viewing point Kreuzberg auf der Weininsel

            

 

   

 

 

Escherndorf

We used the Ferry Boat („Mainfähre“) from Nordheim  to Escherndorf and payed the Ferrywomen for the return ticket late in the evening and took the last ferry that day.

Of course, als always, the safety was checked by on of our crew members.

   

 

 

 

     

 

       

Schwarzach

Sommerach (Katzenkopf, not to be confused with the many Katzenkopf Mountains, (such as the one in the Ammergauer Alpen)

     

             

 

   

                   

Michael could not resist to try this cool means of transportation.

 

Not far away from Stammheim,

Würzburg

and Bad Kissingen

The swarm learned that the local people like to decorate their houses with all kinds of pretty flowers which were still booming nicely in autumn.

 

                 

     

     

       

     

 

Some of our Souvenirs (all sustainable vegan, fruits, nuts and seasonal vegetables):

   

 

 

 

The Main is connected to the North Sea and the Black Sea by the Rhein-Main-Donau Canal; and was before by the Ludwig-Donau-Main canal and maybe 793 by the Fossa Carolina.

The swarm of course after all the helathy fruit and vegetales also had to get an iconic Franconian dish served in the idyllic garden of the hotel under a chestnut tree:

“Schäufele” (pork, piece from the shoulder)

     

And some healthy tea, good for the kidney and liver.

 

Credit: Maps Icons ColIlection, https://mapicons.mapsmarker.com/

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