Cousin Elena's Wedding in Germany

I had a great five days in Germany!

We saw Reinfels Castle at St. Goar on my first full day. It is in ruins now, but I’m sure it was pretty incredible at the time it still stood. The views down to the Rhine (or ‘Rhein’ as it’s spelled by the Germans) were great. The skys weren’t clear on our sightseeing days, but the weather was perfect for Elena and Jens’ wedding. Pictures from St. Goar (click for full size):

Once we got to Bielefeld for the wedding, we met the groom's family and caught up with the usual suspects from our side who had come across the pond. It was a multiple-day affiar - dinners and meet'n'greets, followed by the wedding and reception. Everyone had a great time - I think it shows in the photos:

After the wedding, my parents and I had an extra day to explore in the Frankfurt area. We took a trip down to Heidelberg. It was a good day trip. Like a few other cities in the region, its castle is the main attraction. This one was in slightly better shape than St. Goar:

the view down to the city:

Castle in the background in the main town square: