There was once a time when I would have written about the town of Dettenheim saying it was along the Rhine River. Oh, I’m still going to write about Dettenheim (wait, isn’t that what I’m doing right now), but I can’t say its along the Rhine River.
What happened? Um, someone had the brilliant idea to move an entire river. Don’t look at me, I didn’t do it.
Alt-Dettenheim was one of the town’s villages that used to be along the Rhine, but it’s more famous for being destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War. Today it has only two original half-timbered houses, and a Local History Museum.
What else Dettenheim is known for is the Rußheimer Altrhein-Elisabethenwört. (Don’t you love our tongue twisters?) Anyway, this is a great nature area, and it’s easy to get lost in thought around its walking trails and bike paths, that’s for sure. Really, I just kept wondering how the hell you move an entire river.
Yes, I’m still going on about that. ;-)
Dettenheim lies in an area that isn’t very populated, so it’s quite peaceful. Unless, of course, there’s one of the town’s festivals happening. Carnival is a big one; and its a fun way of partying in the middle of dark winter days.
When the days are longer and brighter, look forward to Dettenheim’s Schlachtfest (Slaughter Festival), Fischerfest (Fishermen Festival), Regatta, and Waldfest (Forest Festival) in May alone. June follows with a Music Festival and ends with two Summer Festivals.
July starts off with the Hähnchenfest (Chicken Festival), followed by a big Beach party. Come August, you’ve got yet another Summer Festival and a Street Festival. I like September, that’s when the Patima Fest and the Oktoberfest get into full swing; and December has two Christmas Markets.
Whew, with all that carrying on, I forgot all about the whole Rhine thing for a minute there. Oh well, this is the Upper Rhine Valley — so it’s only a matter of time before I head off on another hiking trail and think about it all over again. ;-)
