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| Rhein in Flammen (Rhine in Flames) is the
major fireworks display along the Rhine River, held five times each year
in selected locations. Realizing that we would be in Germany, I
thought it only reasonable we should go. After all, what would be
more wonderful than fireworks blazing above castles? Well,
eventually (once we were there...), I realized that there are no castles
in the Bonn area - most of them are farther south along the Rhine.
But, still, fireworks over the Rhine River! We drove to Bonn on
Friday, spending the evening wandering around and exploring the
countryside, only a little lost. It turns out the the weekend of
May 1 was very important for many reasons: the expansion of the EU,
cause enough for celebration; the Rhein in Flammen, when many towns hold
their annual fairs; and May 1 itself, which is Labor Day. Germans
seem to be happy with any reason to celebrate, so we had lots of fun
wandering through some of the local fairs.
The gardens outside our hotel in Bonn Our mystery bird - we suspect some kind of pheasant. Actually rapeseed, these crops are grown for (vegetable) oil. Hmmm... what could this be? We're not sure, but we guess maybe a ring-necked pheasant. Church tower in one of the many villages. Looking across the Rhine from our 'campsite'. Downriver is this huge block building. Its one redeeming feature is that it changes colors (blue, purple, yellow, etc.) We think it may be a theatre. The tall building in the foreground is the post office. Then you can see the fireworks in the center, red lights marking Siebengebirge above. The ships are moving towards us! Yay!!! And they've turned around.... Fireworks above Bonn, visible from the pier. What is this, you ask. Fireworks behind someone's head, a plane flying above, and somebody running around with a flashlight. And the cruise ships head to the docks, after a wonderful night on the Rhine.
The gardens outside our hotel in Bonn
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