Do Something Every Day That Scares You!

 Another day, another German Medieval Town. Rothenburg ob der Tauber (hereafter called plain old Rothenburg) is one of Bavaria's top tourist destination. It is one of only three towns in Germany that still have completely intact city walls and many people consider it to be the best-preserved medieval town in Europe. The Nazis called Rothenburg “the most German of German towns” and when the Americans arrived, the order was given not to use artillery during the taking of the town because of it's history and beauty. It also has one of my personally most scariest times on this trip.

Rothenburg map

At the Criminal Museum, this contraption was used to discipline bakers. 
If a baker sold you a dozen rolls and the count was short, the baker would be put in this and dunked in the river.  They say that this is where the term 'baker's dozen' came from.  Bakers would always make the count 13 so as not to be found as a criminal.

I love the grand old churches.  They are so monumental.  
St James Church

Christmas Boat
The Nativity is shown in the stern of a boat, including Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus and a lamb.  The boat is travling with the disciples of Jesus to their eternal home.  The angel is blowing the trumpet of the Last Judgement.  This art is Ebony and was carved in Tanzania. 

The Altar of the Holy Blood is named for the rare relic it contains : three drops of Christ's blood. 
The woodcarving itself was created between 1501 and 1505.

St James
There was a 'Camino De Santiago' at his feet and he is holding a clamshell which is the
symbol of the Camino.  Not sure if he is just giving directions or is actually standing on the Camino.

Now we come to the scary part of Rothenburg.  The building below is the Rothenburg town hall.  They say that if you climb to the top of the tower, the views are amazing.  Ok, I'm game.  You start off with a rather wide circular marble staircase.  The stairs get narrower and narrower.  When you get up to the attic level of the building in front, you cross over to the white building in back.  Here the stairs are wood, barely the width of a body and straight up.   

When you get to the top, you crawl out to the fenced area and stand up to see the view.  Heights, remember me and heights?  It is a little difficult to take pictures when you have a death grip on the railing.  I did inch all around the top there, with my back plastered against the wall.  I have no idea what the view was like, but ...

I DID IT!!!