A series of pictures and factoids for Create's NaJoPoMo Challenge.

This is Rothenburg ob der Tauber. That's in Germany. The 'ob der Tauber' part means it's on the Tauber River.

The town's been there forever, it seems. Well, since back in the 10th Century. It hasn't given in to progress much, either. There are two versions of why. You can take your pick.

Version One: The sensible version. Back in 1631, Count Tilly showed up. He wanted to quarter his 40,000 troops there during the Thirty Years War. The silly townspeople objected. There was a siege. Rothenburg lost. Then the Black Plague hit. After that, there wasn't much left. The town sort of stagnated.

Version Two: The version they tell the tourists. Back in 1631, Count Tilly showed up. He wanted to quarter his 40,000 troops there during the Thirty Years War. The silly townspeople objected. There was a siege. Rothenburg lost. The town trembled in its boots: would Tilly demolish the place?

To put him in a good mood, they offered the general a really big glass of the local wine. Really big, like a few liters' worth. Tilly laughed, and said if anybody could drink that, he'd spare the town. The mayor, a brave man, grabbed the huge wine glass and downed the lot. Passed out of a couple of days, saved the town.

In gratitude, Rothenburg decided to preserve its integrity as a medieval town. This, of course, has nothing to do with the attraction of tourists. Nothing at all. Anyway, guess which version is acted out in the daily clock-striking ritual? You get a gold star.

For the record, the wine in Rothenburg is superb. It should be, it's A-number-one Frankenwein, my favourite white wine. If you visit, be sure to go into the church. There's a great full-sized carved wooden altar by Tilman Riemenschneider.

Also, be sure to visit the Folterkammer, or Torture Chamber. It's a museum. Back when I was there, the local guide adored making the young ladies squeal with his version of Law and Order: 1500. I'll bet they still do that. Let's put it this way: the Franconian legal system would have been way down there on the list of people Amnesty International likes.

The town has a medieval wall around it. Or, at least, it used to. I remember walking all around it one December.

Prost!