Today’s post is 1500 words, 36 photos, a 7 minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
This week I’ll take you on a drive in the countryside near Regensburg to visit communities where Wayne’s maternal grandfather’s family originated. Before heading to Neckargemünd, I’ll take you on a short cruise on the Danube River.
If you missed the earlier posts in this series, click here, here, and here.
The Road to Furth im Wald
It was Sunday morning and raining. I was up early, had a couple cups of coffee in the room before heading downstairs for breakfast. The well-stocked buffet was included in the price of our rooms so we ate hardy. At 8:30 I summoned an Uber for a ride to the SiXT car rental in Regensburg. There was no line, check-in was smooth. The young fella who provided the orientation to the nearly new BMW SUV was well done. He showed me how the nav system worked, how to adjust the mirrors, and the safety features of the car.
I entered our first destination into the nav, Furth im Wald, near the Czech Republic border. Furth im Wald is a town of about 9000 people that dates back to the 11 century. Roughly translated to English, it means a crossing point over the river in the forest.
The traffic both in town and on the highway was light. At first I was nervous and hyper vigilant but relaxed as the morning wore on. Upon arrival in Furth im Wald, we tried to get near the main Catholic church but all the roads were blocked. We could see the tall spire and after a few attempts, I pulled into a civic parking lot to use my phone to pinpoint and identify churches. My search showed a church near us. In fact, it was across the street from the parking lot.
The rain had stopped. We parked the car and walked to the church and found there was a large cemetery in the courtyard. We learned it was the main Catholic cemetery in Furth im Wald. The church is now used for burial services at the cemetery.
In Germany and other European countries, cemetery practices are carefully regulated and reflect a strong cultural respect for order and remembrance. Most grave plots are rented rather than owned outright, typically for a fixed period of 20 to 30 years, known as the Ruhefrist (resting period). After the lease expires, families may renew the plot or allow it to be reused. Headstones and grave designs are often standardized, and families are responsible for maintaining the grave during the rental period. This system helps manage limited space while ensuring that burial sites remain dignified and well cared for.
We were disappointed to find out about this practice. Wayne hoped to find the gravesites of some of his ancestors. As we walked through the cemetery, he did find some surnames of families that settled near his farm at Ashton, Wisconsin. Here’s a look at the orderly, well-kept grave sights. During our time there, a number of people came by to water plants and make sure everything was in order.
After the cemetery, we found a way to the city center. There was a triathlon ending right in front of the Church of the Assumption of Mary. The doors were unlocked so we took a look inside. The alter and ceiling were very ornate as was the pipe organ.
Near the finish line of the triathlon, there were some women selling baked goods and local foods that looked delicious. We already had lunch so passed on the food and headed out of town to explore some of the surrounding villages.
Dalking, Obernied, Reisach, and Weiding
The four villages listed in the title are within a few miles of the Furth im Wald city limits. We stopped at churches when there were churches in the small hamlets. The rain had moved off and sun came out making for a pleasant day in the countryside.
This particular church had a small cemetery nearby. The feature I found interesting was the vending machine for candles near the entrance to the cemetery.
At Dalking, we came across this roadside memorial to the German soldiers killed in World Wars I and II. At first, I was taken aback by the memorials not unlike those I’ve seen in Allied countries. Then I realized these were someone’s son, husband, or father. They need to be remembered too. We would see more of these memorials on our travels around Germany.
In the small village of Reisach, population about 50, we saw the gentleman on the left working in his yard. He had no English but Wayne (on the right) had a photo of a house said to be in this area. We tried using Google Translate but he didn’t get the concept. But he pointed us in the direction of a house that looked similar to the one in the photo. A couple of miles away, Wayne and I stood out in the middle of the road with that photo. We examined the house from all directions and decided that it wasn’t the one. But it was close.
In another village, this was the church. It was closed and appeared to be no longer in use.
It was late afternoon when we made our way back to Regensburg. It was a good day and we were both tired. We walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner, more sausages and sauerkraut.
A Cruise on the Danube River
After breakfast the next morning, I made the 20 minute walk to the waterfront near city center of Regensburg to take a 45 minute cruise on the Danube River. My motivation came from the route my German ancestors took on the Danube to the Black Sea in the mid-1700s. There was free land available in South Russia, now Ukraine. In addition there were promises of freedom of worship and conscription in the army. They’d spend the next 100 years or so establishing productive farms in the fertile soil until Russia reneged on their promises. It was then they emigrated to the United States.
My journey took me a few miles down the river and a few miles up the river. I was the only passenger on the 10 AM “Historical Strudel Tour.” The Bruckmadl can accommodate up to 120 passengers. My ticket was 15€ (euros), about $18 USD. I ordered a coffee from the attendant and took a seat in the open air on this sunny, cool morning.
We passed under the historic Stone Bridge twice. I took a lot of photos of Regensburg from the water. It’s a beautiful city.
The surrounding area produces a lot of small grains such as wheat, barley, and oats. There is also corn, canola, potatoes, and sugar beets in the area. This grain elevator appears to load barges that are likely exported to nearby countries.
The twin spires of the Dom (Cathedral) are the lasting symbol of Regensburg. The spires were undergoing repair and renovation thus the scaffolding.
There is a lock on the Danube that helps ships pass through a controlled stretch of the river. It also provides water level regulation and hydroelectric generation.
This cruise was enough to say, “I too traveled on the Danube River.”
Here’s my last photo of the river.
On the wall along the riverwalk, I noticed this graffiti. Translated it says:
Fight against war, patriarchy, & capitalism
Forward to Revolution
and Socialism
KA with a hammer and sickle
The last look at the Dom in the morning light.
The Trail to Neckargemünd
After the cruise, we loaded up the BMW and set out for the next stop on our adventure, Neckargemünd. Traffic was moderate but fast. The speed limit was 240km/hr or about 150 miles mph. I can testify that some cars whizzed by going at least that fast or more. My max speed was between 75-80 mph.
At one point, we sat on the autobahn for nearly an hour. Police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks came. The cars in the middle lane where we were moved to the right. The cars in the outside lane moved to the left, allowing emergency vehicles to pass. There was an accident that shutdown the highway. We saw the remnants once the traffic started moving again. 
We checked into our spacious lodging in a residential area of Neckargemünd. It was the most comfortable place we stayed during our three-weeks abroad.
After getting settled, we stopped at a local grocery store for some provisions. I was most impressed by the extensive selection of sausages. And this didn’t include the fresh sausages available at the meat counter.
That evening, we found a nice place to have dinner. I had the special, meat loaf, sauerkraut, and a little salad.
Join me next week when I’ll take you to the sites around Neckargemünd. But first….
THE FIVE SENSES PLUS ONE
Saw – beautiful hills and villages in the Bavarian countryside, rain, gravesites, road, emergency vehicles, Danube River
Heard – church bells, loud music at the triathlon, sirens, people talking
Touch – gravestones, door handles, steering wheel, grocery cart
Smell – cow manure, flowers, dust, food cooking, diesel mixed with sewage from a cruise boat, air freshener
Taste – good beer, sausages, breakfast buffet, meat loaf, wafer cookies
Learned – no old headstones in cemeteries, driving a rental car is a learning experience, to use the cruise control
Until next week, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM