May 3, 2018: Breda, Netherlands to Cochem, Germany
Next stop on our adventure…..CASTLES!!!!!! We left Breda around 5pm
We drove from Breda, Netherlands to Cochem, Germany which was about 3.5 hours. 
It is a little town along the Mosel River Valley that is overlooked by Cochem Castle on the hilltop. It could not be more perfect.
“It is generally assumed that Cochem Castle was built around the year 1000 by the palatinate count Ezzo, son and successor to palatinate count Hermann Pusilius.
When the troupes of King Louis XIV (called Sun King) invaded the Rhine and the Moselle area in the war of succession of the Palatinate, Cochem castle, too, was occupied in 1688. After the town had been completely occupied by French troupes in March 1689, the castle was set on fire, undermined and blown up on May 19th of 1689.
The French Sun King’s troops almost completely destroyed the town of Cochem. The castle remained in ruins until 1868, when a Berlin business- man, Mr. Louis Ravené, bought the castle grounds and the ruins. Shortly after his purchase he began to rebuild Cochem Castle incorporating the remains of the late Gothic buildings into the main castle structure.”
Hotel Germania
We stayed at Hotel Germania – Cochem, Germany and reserved two rooms next to each other that had balconies overlooking the Mosel River and with views of the Cochem Castle! The hotel had a wonderful breakfast cafe.
The girls liked that they could see the castle out their window. Before taking this trip I was worried that Eloise might get bored since it’s not a kids vacation like the beach or Disney World, but I was so wrong. The change of scenery each day and European stuff like funny bathrooms and exploring old hotels kept the girls both very entertained.
When we stopped at a gas station restroom (which are very clean in Europe, most were little cafes or chocolate shops) most you have to pay to go through a turnstile to get into the restroom. So it was quite entertaining to put her Euros in the machine each time, kinda like a ride at Disney 😉
Oh yeah, and we had an actual working hotel room key! Not the electronic ones we are used to. Hotel room phones where also a big hit with the girls as well.
We ate Schnitzel and Haribo gummy bears 🙂 
