Chestnut Festival in the Ancient Village of Annweiler

Wine Country

The man has a thirst.

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A village of canals

Yes, we went to another fest, this one celebrating chestnuts.  And yes, I’m a fan.  I like them roasted by an open fire, etc. Feel free to join in.   Also like them in cookies, cakes, and as I found out….beer.  Also, wurst.  Once you turn cooks, brewers, and eaters loose on an ingredient, there’s no stopping them.

But, you really don’t need an excuse to spend an hour or three in Annweiler, a medieval town of half-timbered houses, canals, water wheels, and interesting shops and restaurants.  When you step into this sleepy village, you can’t help saying:  This place is really cute!  I mean that in the truest sense.  Just like seeing a baby, or fragrant flower, Annweiler brings a smile and a happy sigh.

With waterpower at hand, this ancient spot developed as a tanning center and remained so for hundreds of years.  Annweiler weathered The Thirty Years War, The French Revolution, and a host of sieges.  They all took their toll in taxes and seizures, until the tanning industry finally left the town completely in 1903.  Commercial evidence remains.  There are the large water wheels on each end of town and an amazing village of stone homes, narrow, cobblestone streets, and lazy, meandering canals in between.  The only tanned goods you’ll see, however, are imported.

Must have been sad days to see family owned businesses, centuries old, wither and die.  What the last owners must have felt as generations of work and wealth slipped through their fingers, with only the sketches of history and memory remaining.

But, for Annweiler, spring has come again.  It’s a tourist center, although you’d never know it.  Through careful preservation and avoidance of modern trappings, the city fathers have carefully maintained the spirit of old Annweiler.  It’s a wonderful place to idle away an afternoon, explore the nooks, and soak in the atmosphere.

On a mountain over looking the town, Triels Castle stands proudly, as it has since the 11^th Century.  It’s been restored and holds replicas of dynastic jewels from The Holy Roman Empire.

Hey, the festival wasn’t bad either!  Lots of different wursts, including many made from wild game.  Local cheeses, breads, and wines.  Plus the local brewery served a very tasty chestnut ale.  Would you expect anything less at a German festival?

Chestnut beer, locally brewed!

Sometimes when you're drinking beer with your buddies, you need a little privacy.

I think the woman in the lavender dress found one!