A Medieval Fairytale

Germany and Europe are the countries of castles, fortresses and long abandoned ruins. Sitting high above on hills and mountains, they oversee the countryside in all directions. Back in the days, their high perch served as a lookout to see approaching enemies and buy time to prepare for battle. Castles are as common in Germany as strip malls are to be found here. I do miss my castles and I always loved exploring these places of history and magic while chasing the fairytale of long past times. This is “Burg Colmberg” a fortress near my house in Germany. It now is privately owned and was converted into a hotel / restaurant years ago. Enter through the big wooden gate, ornate with wrought iron decor that used to keep enemies at bay, and step into the thick walled courtyard paved of cobblestones. In the summer outside eating opportunities are presented with tables nestled into the romantic fairytale atmosphere. It is one of my Mom’s favorites places to go when I’m home and we always have to pay a visit. The surrounding land is home to numerous bucks and deers that belong to the fortress owners, and of course Mom and I always bring carrots for feeding time. We spent the night in one of the rustic rooms during my last visit and it’s not every day you get to sleep in a fortress. The rooms vary in accommodations as well as price. I originally wanted a studio room with exposed beams under the roof that had amazing views of the lit up city at night, but it was a room with the original beds and we discovered that people were a lot shorter back then. Simply said, the bed was too short and I compromised on another room (equally amazing) in order of being able to stretch out. Nevertheless the room and the experience was one I will not soon forget and I would do it again in a heartbeat.