Monchau is an amazing town in Germany and I refused to leave without checking it out. It has half-timbered houses, narrow cobblestone streets, a river running right through the middle, and that infamous castle on the hill that I noted when I stumbled (staggered, shuffled, teetered) my way into town the evening before. The last few days had left me blistered, bruised, and exhausted, so I decided that I deserved a zero day to explore the town, rest my feet and back, and rejuvenate my spirit. I needed a day off!

I started the day with a wonderful German breakfast (and two cappuccinos) in my hotel while I studied the map and brief description of the town in my guidebook – all in German, of course. I couldn’t understand a word, so I asked my hosts how I should spend my day. They only spoke “a little” English – which in Germany means they probably speak better English than you – so they gave me a full 3 hour rundown on the town’s history, the architecture, fun shops to visit, and of course, the castle. Their enthusiasm was so infectious that I was raring to go, blisters or not!

When you hear the phrase “a Fairy Tale Town”, Monchau is what they’re talking about. The streets are made of cobblestone and narrow, with flower boxes full of beautiful blooms spilling over in every window and by every door and the air smells of baking – bread and cookies and cakes. I was trying really hard not to drool as I hobbled through town, but nobody’s perfect. It was incredible. The sounds were magical too. There was a band playing in the center of town, bells on every shop door, and church bells that rang every 15 minutes. On the hour, the church bells chimed for a minute straight. I would have pinched myself to make sure it was real, but my blisters were reminding me on a moment-to-moment basis. 

After about 2 hours, I was done. I saw amazing furniture craftsmanship in the Rotes Haus museum, toured the castle without crying this time, and bought gingerbread cookies and a heavy glass jar of stone ground mustard from the shops (Pack weight? What’s that?). I stopped for a late lunch at the cafe in the middle of town and drank a huge glass of Hefeweizen Bier (wheat beer) while I waited for dinner. I felt good – really really good – for the first time in a long time. I don’t know if it was the physical exertion of the hike so far, my beautiful surroundings, or the knowledge that I had been through a really tough couple of days and didn’t quit. I was still out there. I was doing what I’d dreamed of for years. That zero day in Monchau didn’t just rest my feet – it reminded me exactly why I started this hike in the first place.