Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Germany's Fairy Tale Dream Town

Europe Journal 02.

I first heard Rothenburg ob der Tauber from my brother after his visit and he mentioned that Rothenburg appeared on several fantasy films including Pinocchio. Since I grew up watching Pinocchio and other Disney movies (80's), it seemed like another Disneyland  to me.I want to see those places where my childhood days were mostly spent...

* Rothenburg ob der Tauber  is a town on the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany, about halfway in between Frankfurt and Munich. It is known for its medieval center (Altstadt), seemingly untouched by the passage of time, encircled by the undamaged 14th century town wall. It means, in German, "Red fortress above the Tauber". This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River.

I visited Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber almost a year ago as part of my 3 weeks Europe tour, which I will also share with you on my next posts...

This is actually 2nd to the last city that I visited from that journey, I initially posted my teaser when I fell for Eiffel; but since Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber is my first choice, let me begin my Europe Photo Journal from this wonderful adventure...

From Stuttgart, where we stayed with my loving grand mother, we travel via train to Rothenburg; it was about 3-4 hours if I remember it right...

What's on your mind?

Familiar question?

We answer it every day if you are not the type of user who change their "Facebook - mind status" every minute. Who doesn't have an FB account? I know some who cancelled theirs already, for some personal reasons. I have thought of cancelling mine too, at one point...until I realize that somehow, we can use this as a tool for spreading the Good News.

If you are my friend, you can surely read Bible verse and some preachings or Biblical phrase on your news feed or ticker from my account, whether you like it or not! And that's what I like about it... being able to reach other people and share God's Words even to those who weren't reachable before.

BFF

"Sinong bestfriend mo doon?"

I remember this line from a TV commercial during early 90's... (though I already forgot for which company/brand it is).

But the story, if I am not mistaken is about 2 kids, one's family will be leaving and the other stays...

I feel for that kid. I am the one who left. I was 14y/o when we first moved...
My life turned upside down... even though I know that there are No Goodbyes...

And guess what... Its been 15 years of almost ZERO communication.
Long enough that most of my GS and HS friends are now married and with kids...

And though our path has moved into different places and travelled in opposite directions in the world, the loooooong gap was never a reason to lose the friendship bond.

After some times, through the help of FB, I was able to talk with them again, and the 15 years or moooore was not long enough after all.
We were able to update each other in just one sitting!
Who - What - When - Where - How? Everything started on the first day that we separated.
The connection is something that is wonderful. We still sing the same tune... and though we were not seatmate for a long time, we are still sitting on the same bench... :)

The feeling is amazing!

It's like finding yourself again. Talking to a friend who knows who you were, decades ago... reminding you of those simple happiness... playing around the campus, exchanging notes during recess, and overnight letters as if you were not together for ages.
The gimiks after school hours, eating at our fave resto... ghost haunting... outing on weekends... simple things that shows what it takes to be happy.

Then, there's this flashback... when you're just wondering about this day, while you were just dreaming to be the person that you are now... and what happened in between...

After all this years, I am grateful knowing that we are still friends... and those promises written on those note pads that I've been keeping were all real...

Years passed. It feels sooo good to know that you still have them...
The promise of being Forever Friends was never broken and the answer to the question is still the same...

"Syempre, Ikaw lang!"