Germany-Koln and Bacharach

I had my first experience with getting on the wrong train! I really hope it is my last as well; it wasn't much fun at all. But, the train was at least going in the right direction, so that's a good thing. Eventually, I ended up being able to get where I had wanted to go, which is another good thing. It was also a day I was using my railpass so all my train travel was included.
I started off the day by going to Koln (or Colonge to us English speaking people) for a quick stop before continuing on. The cathedral, the reason so many people visit, was pretty amazing, and right outside the train station, a plus.
I was later than I wanted getting back to the station, mistake one. There was a train already at the platform I wanted and I assumed it was the train I needed, mistake two. I tried asking someone, but they only spoke German, so that didn't work out. It turned out to be regional train, not the faster one. It was going in the same direction, just not as far. Then the town I wanted apparently had 3 stations with very similar names. I got off on the wrong one and had to wait for the next train to take me to the right station. I get on the train and realize this one has an actual list of its stops (i reaaly like this feature, by the way) and it will actually take me to the town I want (or so I think).


I get off the train and get the time for my boat cruise down the Rhine. Life seems to be good now. Use my map from Rick Steves to find the road up to the castle (I have some time to kill before my boat arrives). Walking, walking, walking, all uphill and not finding the top. Cars are looking at me funny. Come to find out later, I am on the other side of the Rhine from where I want to be, in a very similarly named town, and the road I am walking on is the highway. No wonder cars were looking at me funny!
I get on the boat and enjoy my hour long cruise down the river to Bacharach. Once there, I try to find the flatter route up to the castle, which is also the hostel, so cool. But, no luck. I have to backtrack and take the steep trail, with my pack and all. Over 500 stairs later, I finally get to the castle. I am trying to wipe the sweat off me before I go in, and find out from the receptionist they are full! The only thing they have left is a mattress on the floor in the seminar room. I REALLY don't want to go back down 500 stairs to find another place, so I take it. It wasn't the best night's sleep, but it was something.
I got a Spectcular view the next morning - I will try to post a picture on fb later, I actually took one with the tablet. I walked back into town to find other accomodations for the evening, then spent a very relaxing, quiet day walking the streets in Bacharach and sitting in the park right on the Rhine. A much better ending than beginning, I must say!