Idstein Jazz Festival and Our 42nd Wedding Anniversary

On Saturday to celebrate our anniversary, the Dearings took us out for an afternoon in Idstein for a Jazz Festival. Idstein is a quaint little city in Hesse, about a half an hour drive from Frankfurt. From the late 18th  to the mid 20th century, Idstein was the center of an important leather industry. 

The town's landmark is the Hexenturm ("Witches' Tower"), a castle keep from the 12th century.

For the Jazz Festival, four sound stages were set up in different parts of the Old Town, and we enjoyed walking from one performance to another, even in the rain. I especially enjoyed the Oldies (i.e. Sentimental Journey) sung in English. It was kind of like a European mini Utah Arts Festival with a few craft booths for children, music, and wonderful food.

Of course, I had to get in on the fun!

We found a charming jewelry shop that had these charms made from paper that were modge-podged onto a wooden bead.

We visited the Unionskirche that dates back to the 14th century. Its interior was changed in the 17th century. It is a unique Baroque monument that includes 38 paintings of the Dutch Golden Age School of Rubens. 

The interior was very dramatic and different from most of the churches we have seen in Germany.  

The Dearings treated us to a delicious anniversary dinner at Restaurante La Fattoria.

Bruschetta! Yum!

Lasagna! Ummm!

What a wonderful anniversary! Couldn't have been better! Loved it!