2019 - Viking River Cruise Grand European Tour
July 10, 2019 - Trip from Kansas City, MO on United Airlines to Dulles Washington, D.C. to Frankfort, Germany to Budapest, Hungary. We left Kansas City at 12:30 and arrived in Budapest at 10:45 the following day. Flight long but uneventful. (Watched three movies).
July 11, 2019 - Transfer from airport to Viking TIR. Our room was ready - Room 222 with a french balcony. Smaller that what we are used to in ocean liners. The ship is 433 feet long, built in 2019, 190 passengers, 50 crew/staff, 4 decks, free wi-fi, restaurant and aquavit terrace for dining, and deck with walking path, lots of chairs with covers to enjoy fresh air and scenery (unless bridges low and then can't go on deck). After the long trip we were happy for food and then sleep!
L - Photo of TIR hung near the lounge.
R - About the god TIR
(As is the custom, all the new Viking longships are named after Norse gods.
Inside our cabin. Showing the double bed, dresser, tv, and french balcony.
L - Bathroom and shower
R - Closet (shown). The other door opened to shelves and a safe.
July 12, 2019 - Budapest, Hungary - Sunny - temp 54-77 - Panoramic Budapest
Budapest spans both sides of the Danube River - historic Buda on the east and cosmopolitan Pest on the west. The city is full of baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau architecture.
L - The Danube - Europe's 2nd longest after the Volga. It flows through 12 countries.
R - The Liberty Bridge - one of eight bridges over the Danube in Budapest. The coolest part is the 4 large Falcon of Turul statues on the top of each major pillar.
L - Statue of Liberty on GellÉrt Hill showing a woman holding an palm branch - 130 feet tall recognizing Russia freeing them from Germany. R - Statue of the Independence War from Austria.
L - Heroes Square
R - Angel Gabriel atop Heroes Monument
L - "Knowledge and Glory" man holding statue of Nike, woman holding olive branch (Heroes Square). R - "Peace" female in chariot holding palm branch. (Heroes Square)
L - Memorial to railroad workers who died in WWI. R - Iron Curtain Monument - 1949-1989.
L - Statue of St. Stephen, Hungarys first king at the Fisherman's Bastion - a terrace in net-gothic and net-romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill. It surrounds Matthias Church. R - Hooded Crow.
L - Holy Trinity Statue atop Castle Hill and part of Trinity Square.
R - Matthias Church atop Buda Castle Hill since 1015 - used as a coronation church, by Ottoman Turks, by Jesuits, and now Catholic Church. Many reconstructions.
L - An interior view - walls reflect the muslim influence who whitewashed the ornate frescos
R - Madonna Statue in Loreta Chapel under bell tower.
L - Raven atop a spire of Matthias Church. Legend says, "When a raven carried off a ring King Matthias had removed from his finger, Matthias chased the bird down and slew him, retrieving the ring, and in commemoration of this event he took the raven as a symbol for his signet sign".
R - "Sissi - Queen Elizabeth - the queen and empress of the Austro - Hungarian Empire.
L - Statue of Independence War - freedom from Austria
R - The iconic Hungarian hussar (most famous Hungarian army unit from the 18th century).
L - Traditional clothes with baroque features.
R - Local pottery - The Miska jug is a wine vessel in the shape of a stylised human figure wearing the braided jacket of a Hungarian hussar. The jugs often have a writhing snake on the belly or the handle, a symbol of long life, suggesting eternal life.
L - Buda Castle now houses Hungarian National Gallery.
R - Memorial to Railway workers who perished in WWI
L - Mailbox (sorry we didn't mail any letters).
R - Parliament Building as see from Castle Hill standing near Matthias Church.
L - Buda Castle - Historical Castle and Palace of kings
R - Funucular in the foreground and behind the Turul bird on the Royal Castle, Budapest, Hungary.
The Turul is a mythological bird of prey, mostly depicted as a hawk or falcon in Hungarian lore.
L - Monastery belongs to the Pauline monks and it still continues to serve as a church.
R - Saint Gellért Monument: This multilevel monument spans an artificial waterfall and is capped by by a statue of Bishop Gellért holding a cross while boldly looking over Budapest. Bishop Gellért first came to Hungary from Italy around the year 1000 to convert Hungarians to Christianity. Local tribes didn't like him and rolled him down the hill in a barrel to his death.
July 13, 2019 - Cruise Day - Rain - 60-72 degrees
Day on the river arriving at Vienna at 7:00 p.m.
Sightings of many forts with stone walls and castles along the way.
L - Selfie as we went to the upper deck.
R - More ruins seen along the hillsides.
L - One of the 67 locks we traversed.
R - Bratislava Castle, above the capital city of Slovakia.
July 14, 2019 - Vienna, Austria - Partly Cloudy - 61-77 degrees - Tour - Panoramic Vienna
Vienna, Austria's capital, lies in the country's east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual
legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven, and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schonbrunn, the Habsburg' summer residence.
L - R - Hofburg palace was the bastion of the House of Habsburg monarchs of Austria for more than six centuries, from 1276 until the fall of the Habsburg monarchy in 1918. The palace, located in the Center of Vienna, contains 18 wings, with a total of 2550 rooms and 19 courtyards. Now the official workplace and residence of the President of Austria - also some apartments are for rent to the public. We toured part of the palace - no pictures allowed inside.
L - A close up of old huge wide coat of arms gold imperial two headed eagle and royal crown atop the Hofburg Palace wing.
R - Detail of the Habsburg imperial insignia also atop the Hofburg Palace wing.
L - Spanish Riding School - blood lines back to 1750.Carriage ride with lipizzaner horses. (the fakers - two-horse carriage.)
R - Archduke Karl (brother of Emperor Franz I and first commander to defeat Napoleon at the Battle of Aspern-Essling in 1809. Balanced on only two points. This also in Palace Square.
L - Bronze Statue of man and a young boy located in 'Innenstadt' which covers 1.16 square miles pedestrian area.
R - The Plague Column, or Trinity Column is a Holy Trinity column located on the Graben, a street in the inner city of Vienna. Erected after the Great Plague epidemic in 1679.
Everything about St Stephen’s Cathedral oozes opulence – From the Romanesque and Gothic design of the exterior, to the dominating pointed tower, and the intricately decorated main roof complete with hundreds of colored tiles forming an intriguing pattern. Inside the church there are a total of 18 altars, several smaller chapels, and even some tombs and catacombs.
L - Statue of Pallas Athene, the goddess of wisdom in front of the Parliament building.
R - Museum of National History.
L - Monument to the Empress, Queen and Archduchess Maria-Theresia von Habsburg-Lothringen (of the Habsburg monarchy).
R - Equestrian statue of famous Austrian Field Marshal Josef Wenzel Radetzky in front of the building of former Ministry of War and now government building. Also a youth hostel.
L - Tegetthoff Statue - victory in the Battle of Lisa
R - A believer in the equality of all nationalities in the multinational Habsburg monarchy, Lueger opposed Austro-Hungarian dualism and advocated for a federal state. When the Christian Social Party won two-thirds of the seats in the Viennese municipal council in 1895, he was elected mayor; but the emperor, Francis Joseph I, regarding Lueger as a social revolutionary, refused to confirm his appointment for two years. (Antisemite)
July 15, 2019 - Cruising Wachau Valley
L - The Parish Church of Durnstein belonged to the former monastery that was founded in 1410, previous to that in 1372, there was a chapel and in 1400 a crypt. Behind is the Durnstein Castle - legend of Richard the Lionheart says that upon returning from the Crusades, the English King tore up the Austrian flag and refused to share his spoils of war with Leopold V. Consequently, Leopold V held the English king prisoner in the castle form 1192 - 1193.
R - The Wachau is a UNESCO world heritage site and a region of great natural beauty, situated in the Danube River valley between the towns of Melk and Krems. The varieties Gruner Veltliner and Riesling prevail on over a thousand hectares, with many of the vines on steep-inclined terraces. Some of the best white wines in the world come from the Wachau Valley.
L - Danube River bank shows marks of past flood levels at the shipping master's house.
R - Equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart and his devoted minstrel Blondel.
L - Wehrkirche St. Michael in the town of Weibenkirchen. Legend says that these rabbits on the roof lived on the mountain side. One day the snowfall was so severe that the gap was filled between the mountain and the roof of the church. When the snow melted, the rabbits were stranded on the roof of the church with no way to get back to their mountain home.
R - Parish Church in Weissenkirchen.
L - Ruins o the nearly thousand-year old medieval fortress of Hinterhaus with its Gothic bulwark and Renaissance fortification. As the legend goes...Henry the Iron was married to Adelheid. While giving birth to one of their children in Hinterhaus Castle, she died in childbirth.
R - Schloss Schonbuhel.
L - The Venus of Willendorf carved from oolitic limestone, covered with a thick layer of red ochre when found. The figurine was unearthed during the Wachau railway construction in 1908 (replica)
R - The huge 'schnoz' is intended to be part of a giant who is sleeping buried beneath the earth in the beautiful Wachau valley region near the ferry station St. Lorenz, close to Krems.
L - Melk Abbey - A Benedictine abbey above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube River. It contains the remains of several members of the House of Baberberg, Austria's first ruling Dynasty
R - Enjoying some time on the river. Rocks along the side of the river breaks the wakes of passing boats.
July 15, 2019 (continue) Milk, Austria - partly cloudy - 56-76 degrees - Included Tour
L - Melk Abbey - the 900 year old baroque Benedictine monastery includes the Imperial Staircase, the Imperial Corridor, the abbey museum, the Marble Hall, the balcony, the library and the abbey church as well as the abbey park with its Baroque pavilion and many other accents.
R - Front Gate to Melk Abbey.
L - Prelate's Courtyard. The Abbey complex is built around seven courtyards and the main church.
R - Clock with Justice Fresco.
L - Church facade from balcony (church towers with Christ statue)
R - King's son on pilgrimage from Ireland to Jerusalem was killed here. St. Column is venerated to this day. In our times, where listening to each other has become increasingly difficult, he can be seen as a contemporary saint, as he, stranger in a strange land, was not understood. Whoever is different, looks or speaks differently, make himself suspicious, causes fear, and can easily become the victim of prejudice.
L - Leaving the abbey to find our bus. in the stairway was seen this post: Hore und du wirst Andommen ("Listen and you will arrive"), which is part of the Benedictine rule.
R - The abbey park with its baroque garden pavilion is an integral part of they gesamtkunstwerk.
L - Leaving Melk - Der Nibelungenzug is the name of a section of the Danube in Lower Austria (from Ybbs to Melk).
R - A small boat that had been waiting to use the lock went in with us.
A beautiful sunset as we leave the Danube River.
Interesting Canal Information:
July 16, 2019 - Passau, Germany - Partly Cloudy - 54-74 degrees - Included tour
Founded by the Celts more than 2,000 years ago, Passau is one of Bavaria's oldest cities. It rests at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers.
L - Veste Oberhause - a 13th-century fortress with a museum.
R - Mariahilf Monastery
L - Markings on wall of City Hall showing flood levels over the centuries.
R - Our tour guide showing the traditional dress of Bavaria - Dirndl dresses for women and lederhosen for men.
L - Decorative door as we walked around town.
R - This was the official residence for the Scharfrichter of the city of Passau. It is now a jazz and cabaret stage on which political cabaret is performed. "Scharfrichter" = executioner.
R - Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall). Paintings depicting episodes in Passau’s past, including its association with the Nibelungen legends. (Building being restored.)
Front of building features Franz Stockbauer brewery whose foundation continues benefitting needy and gifted students.
L - Fountain of concrete and bronze with the four patron saints of Passau.
R - St. Stephen's Cathedral is a baroque church from 1688 in Passau, Germany, dedicated to Saint Stephen. It is th seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau and the main church of his diocese. Since 730, there have been many churches built on the site of the current cathedral. Monument in front is of King Max (1826)
L - Gilded pulpit.
R - High Altar - installed in the 1950's was controversial because it illustrates torture and acts of violence being committed in front of clergy and civic leaders who watch... and do nothing to stop it. It represented Hitler's Germany and was designed to send a clear message - Don't ever let it happen again!
R - Since 730, there have been many churches built on the site of the current cathedral. The current church built 1688. The organ currently has 17,774 pipes and 233 registers, all of which can be played with the five-manual general console in the gallery. Portions of the organ have their own mechanical-action or electric-action consoles, for a total of six consoles.
Here we enjoyed a Mittagskonzert - Orgelmusik by Domorganist Ludwig Ruckdeschel. Program included Bach, Mendelssohn, Piechler, and Schroeder. The sound was incredible.
L - Goosander (Mergus merganser.
R - Bumblebee with red saddle bags.
July 17, 2019 - Regensburg, Germany - Partly Cloudy - 50-80 degrees - Included Tour
One of the best preserved medieval cities.
L - At the end of the Stone Bridge one can see a mini museum and tourist center. Previously housed a salt warehouse - Salzstadel.
R - A 12th-centuryh bridge across the Danube linking the Old Town with Stadtamhof. For more than 800 years, until the 1930s, it was the city's only bridge across the river. It is a masterwork of medieval construction and an emblem of the city.
L - Germany's most ancient stone building, the Porta Praetoria, gateway dating from 179 A.D.
R - Bruckmandl (bridge mannikin) sitting on a miniature toll house on medieval Regensburg Stone Bridge.
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L - The entrance to the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), on the right, with the Banqueting Hall on the left.
R - Historical town hall clock tower.
L - David and Goliath fresco on medieval house wall.
R - Built in 1135, this is notable as perhaps the oldest continuously open public restaurant in the world. Sausage Kitchen.
L - The façade of the modern Golden Cross Inn on Haidplatz.
R - The Goldener Turm on Wahlenstrasse is the highest of the remaining ‘patrician towers’ with 9 stories. Height equalled status. It was originally only lived in up to the height of the rest of the house to which it belonged. Above that level there were store rooms and stairs to the top. It is now occupied to the top – student accommodation with a view.
L - St. Peter's Cathedral seen from anywhere in the city.
R - St. Peter's Cathedral has existed since 700 AD. Rebuilt due to fires in high Gothic-style in 1320.
L - Its medieval windows contain over 800 preserved panes of glass dating from the 13th to 16th centuries. Together with the stained glass from the 19th center and the windows designed by Josef Oberberger from the 20th century, the cathedral is a wonderfully light and airy space.
R - The high altar in silver was made by the Augsburg artists. The most striking feature of this silver high altar is the five altars for reservation.
L - More windows
R - The nave has a large crucifix, with a statue of a praying man, at the head of the main aisle.
Time for some Eis - very Yummy!!
This is where we sat in front of the little shop and my phone fell out of my pocket. Almost back to the ship when I missed it and we rushed back to find the someone had turned it in!!!
Some of nature's beauties as we walked to the ship.
July 18, 2019 - Nuremberg, Germany - Partly Cloudy - 54-77 degrees - Included Tour
This medieval city is still surrounded by 13th-century walls, with many gates and watchtowers full intact.
L - Walhalla in the Bavarian Danube Valley near Regensburg houses the German Hall of Fame. Since the mid-nineteenth century, this neo-Classical white marble temple inspired by the Parthenon in Athens has honored the memory of famous and worthy Germans.
R - DRF Luftrettung operates over 50 Airbus helicopters for emergency operations at 31 bases in Germany and Austria.
L - Viking buses transferred us from their private dock to the city.
R - Several solar panel sites along the way.
L - The grandstand at the Zeppelinfeld, the massive open-air space where the Nazis held their annual party rallies from 1933 to 1938.
R - These barracks (German: kaserne) was built for the SS Signal School and a SS Signal Reserve Unit. Soldiers from the kaserne were used to support the Nürnberg Nazi rallies. The post was captured by American soldiers in April 1945 and renamed Merrell Barracks after Private Joseph F. Merrell. It was HQ for 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
L - Old Jewish Cemetery
R - Palace of Justice where war crime trials were held.
L - Entrance to the walled entrance to the Imperial Castle of Nuremberg.
R - Showing how thick the walls were.
L - Sinwell Tower
R - Imperial Chapel and Heathens' Tower.
L - Deep Well
R - Nuremberg Castle is a group of medieval fortified buildings on a sandstone ridge dominating the historical center of Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany. The castle, together with the city walls, is considered to be one of Europe's most formidable medieval fortifications.
L - Our tour guide.
R - Der Hase (The Hare) by Jürgen Goertz appears quite bizarre. One of the newest figures in this medieval city, the statue shows a crazed bronze rabbit stumbling and crushing at least one human (possibly Albrecht Dürer?) beneath him. An ode to Nuremberg's favorite son.
L - St. Sebaldus Church
R - Nuremberg Rathaus (Town Hall)
L - Gold and Black Ring - find and turn three times for good luck.
R - Schöner Brunnen (beautiful fountain) is a 14th-century fountain located on Nuremberg's main market next to the town hall and is considered one of the main attractions of the city's Historical Mile.
L - GPS coordinates in case you are lost
R - Column with Victoria statue, memorial for fallen soldiers from Nuremberg in the Franco-Prussian War 1870 - 1871.
L - Ox sculpture on meat bridge.
R - ? name of statue. Looks like Peace to the world.... Harry is carrying some Lebkuchen!!
L - Detail of clock
R - Frauenkirche - It stands on the eastern side of the main market. An example of brick Gothic architecture, it was built on the initiative of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor between 1352 and 1362.
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At this point we meet our sister longship - Viking Vali! Due to low water we left Viking Tir and were driven by bus to Nuremberg. After the tour Viking Vali awaited us for the next part of the journey.
The Canal connects the Danube and the Rhine. The 106-mile canal cuts through the rolling hills of north central Bavaria, with an elevation change of 547 feet between Bamberg and its highest point, the Hilpoltstein and Bachhausen locks. The Main-Danube Canal employs 16 stair-step river locks that allow vessels to travel 2,200 miles through 10 countries, from the North Sea coast of Holland to the Black Sea shores of Romania.
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July 19, 2019 - Bamberg, Germany - Mostly Cloudy - 78 degrees
Medieval-looking town known for its symphony orchestra and rauchbier, specialty smoked beer.
We chose this day to chill and have some R&R.
July 20, 2019 - Wurzburg, Germany - Partly Cloudy - 88 degrees - Included tour
Wurzburg is a city in Germany's Bavaria region. It's know for lavish baroque and rococo architecture, particularly the 18th-century Residenz palace, with ornate rooms, a huge fresco by Venetian artist Tiepolo and an elaborate staircase. Home to numbers wine bars, cellars, and wineries, Wurzburg is the center of the Franconian wine country.
As we approached the town we saw:
L - Marienberg Fortress now houses two museums. Vineyards fill the slopes around.
R - Kappele Würzburg (Wallfahrtskirche Mariä Heimsuchung), or "Little Chapel," a picturesque pilgrimage chapel.
Our first stop in town was the amazing "The Residenz" - one of the most important Baroque palaces built for Prince-Bishops, the rulers of Ancient Germany. It started in 1720 and took sixty years to finish. No pictures allowed inside. First up a spiral staircase to see the overhead ceiling with 6,400-squre foot "Four Continents" fresco, and then several ornate rooms representing different styles. Going through tall iron gates we go through to fine the well kept gardens.
Below left - "Rape of Europa" Below right - "The Abduction of Proserpina"
This is the back of the Wurzburg Palace in the garden area.
The sculptures under the gum-drop topiary shaped trees are were so attractive.
L - So many beautiful flowers with butterflies in the gardens.
R - Going into old town there were attractive flower arrangements along the street.
The Chronosbrunnen (well). Above the well is a larger-than-life man with wings pointing to the residence, kneeling beside is a female figure, writing something down. One interpretation of this group of figures is that "Chronos" (the god of time) instructs "Clio" (the muse of history) to tell about the residence in the book of history. Directly above the shell of limestone in the cavern niche, "Moenus" can be seen, the river god ("Father Main"), next to him the main water jumps out of a jug.
L - St. Mary's Chapel - though large, it is a chapel as it doesn't have a parish.
R - "St. Kilian” is a prime example of the architectural style during the time of the Salian kings. It is the fourth largest Romanesque cathedral in Germany.
L - An iconic church building in Würzburg is Neumünster Collegiate Church , most notable for its 11th-century Romanesque east end and the Baroque west end, built in 1719. Under the dome are a figure of the Virgin and a crucifix, both by Riemenschneider, and in the west crypt is the sarcophagus of the Irish monk St. Kilian, the apostle of the Franks, who was murdered here in AD 689 along with his companions.
R - Located in Würzburg's Marktplatz, St. Mary's Chapel built between 1377-1479 and remains the finest Late Gothic building in the city. This picturesque old building is notable for its magnificent doorways and its richly painted altar panels with images of the Madonna from the early 1500s. It's also home to the Tomb of Balthasar Neumann and other notable aristocrats and knights.
L - Ratskeller - the name for a bar or restaurant located in the basement of a city hall.
R - This 18th-century baroque fountain features an obelisk with sculptures & a coat of arms.
"Four Tubes Fountain". The statue on the top symbolizes Franconia with a duke's hat and the emblem of the former prince-bishop of Wurzburg. At the base of the fountain, there are statues of the four cardinal virtues: Justice with scales and faces, Fortitude with a helmet, Temperance with a goblet of wine, and Prudence, with a mirror and a book.
Leaving Wurzburg we go under Wurzburg's Old Main Bridge, the Late Mainbrucke - a magnificent stone structure (the city's oldest), which is lined with numerous Baroque statues of saints.
July 21, 2019 - Wertheim, Germany - Partly Cloudy - 82 degrees - Included Tour
Wertheim is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg with a population of around 23,400. It is located on the confluence of the rivers Tauber and Main. Wertheim is best known for its landmark castle, medieval town centre, and glassblowing. Although Wertheim is Franconian, Wertheim is not in Bavaria. Protestant religion largely determined Wertheim's destiny.
L - Our transportation into town from the ship.
R - The old town is entered via the Maintor (Main Gate, where Main refers to the Main River)
L - Many houses have a special meter mark on them, which help townspeople to know when they need to become concerned with a flood warning. Our guide pointed to one saying 6 meters. “This means that the shopkeeper only needs to be concerned if a river's water level rises 6 meters or more. Anything lower than that, they don’t need to move everything upstairs.” Many houses have been raised - note the low doorway.
R - The 13th-century Pointed Tower. Originally built as a lookout tower, it later served as a prison for drunkards and quarrelsome women.
L - A strange looking statue sitting in a niche of the side of a building. Not even our guide could explain what it was.
R - The market square surrounded by well-preserved half-timbered buildings, many from the 16th century.
L - Marks recording river levels over the years.
R - View of typical buildings along the river.
L - Kittstein tower with fortress behind and to the right the Baroque garden house with high water marks since 1595 carved on the northern side.
R - Wertheim Protestant Church - the Stiftskirche (Protestant Church), a 1383 Gothic basilica on Romanesque foundations. The clock tower has two faces at different heights. The original one facing the Burg has only an hour hand while the golden one added in 1544, faces the town with the by then customary minutes’ hand as well.
L - The impressive 12th century Wertheim Castle (Burg Wertheim), which sits high on the hill overlooking the town.
R - Our River Boat - the Vali waiting for us to board.
Some flowers as we walked back to the ship.
July 22, 2019 - Cruising the Middle Rhine - Sun and Clouds - 66 degrees
There are over 40 castles along the Rhine which are now turned into luxurious hotels, restaurants, and museums. Travelers love to cruise the river just to castle watch.
L - Champagne producer MM in Etville am Rhein.
R - 14th century Electoral Castle amidst ole Eltville town. Beautiful setting in the river in the centre of the Rheingau wine region.
L - The castle Reichenstein, also called Falkenburg, is a castle in the UNESCO World Heritage site Upper Middle Rhine Valley. It stands on a hillside on the eastern slope of the Binger forest above the Rhineland-Palatinate community of Trechtingshausen in the district of Mainz-Bingen.
R - Castle with vineyards
R - Along the river there are groynes/weirs.
The objective of groynes/weirs is to provide a
fairway of sufficient depth and width also
preventing erosion.
Niederwald Monument is a large and elaborate 19th-century structure at the top of a majestic outdoor staircase in a park. It commemorates the inauguration of the German Empire following the Franco-Prussian War.
L - Kaub Castle Gutenfels R - Castle Schonburg - big wall, red house (hotel rooms), prison tower. And Castle Jugendburg - an outpost for Hessian youth.
L - We are enjoying another beautiful day on the Rhine River. Stolenzfels Castle in the background.
R - Ice cream - served as we sat on the deck.
L - The Loreley Statue was installed in 1983. Shipwrecks still occur at the dangerous curve, the most recent on January 13, 2011, when a tanker ship loaded with 2, 400 tons sulfuric acid capsized. Thus, legends persist that the ghost of Loreley still appears - singing, combing her hair, and leading sailors to their deaths in the watery grave at the bottom of the Rhine.
R - The legendary Lorelei Rock.
L - Katz Castle built 1371. Now under private ownership
R - Maus Castle built 1363. Open to the public.
Same Day - Tour of Marksburg Castle (Braubach)
L - The large cannons in this "Great Battery" are aimed at the Rhine river. According to weight we differentiate between front-loading 6-pounder and 12-pounder cannons. With a reach of approximately 1000 meters, the soldiers were able to secure the Rhine valley in tis whole width. The older part of this military construction was erected in 1589, the latter half in 1711.
R - Castle as seen from the river. Tour bus met us and took us part way up and then we hiked the rest of the way to the castle. The only fortress of the Middle Rhine to have escaped destruction. A masterpiece of military engineering. The oldest section from about 1200 AD.
L - The "Bed Chamber" furnished with a canopied four poster bed and a cradle. This room was one of the very few rooms in the castle that was heated by a stove, and the curtains surrounding the bed were used to trap the heat. R - Grape-crushing device.
Photos from the enormous Knights' Hall with a display of twelve life-sized figurines from 1880 which demonstrates the changes made to armor and weaponry from ancient to early modern times.
L - Torture chamber items.
R - Various musical instruments.
Koblenz, Germany
R - Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is a fortress in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, on the east bank roof the Rhine where it is joined by the Moselle, overlooking the town of Koblenz. Built in the 16th century. in 1799, the French army succeeded in starving out its defenders and razed it to the ground. The current fort was built in 1817, when the Prussian government made Koblenz into an important garrison town.
July 23, 2019 - Cologne, Germany - Partly Sunny - 91 degrees
Included Tour - Cologne Walking Tour. Cologne, a 2,000 year old city spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, is the regions cultural hub. A landmark of High Gothic architecture set amid reconstructed old town, the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral is also known for its gilded medieval reliquary and sweeping river views.
L - A simple and plain fountain in the Fish Market Square, by Rainer Walk depicting women selling their fresh fish. The drab fishwives are contrasted by the colorful stack houses at one edge of the square and the majestic Great St. Martin church on the hill.
R - The Great Saint Martin Church is a Romanesque Catholic church in Cologne. Its foundations circa 960 AD.
L - Partial view of City Hall - The current statues, 124 in total, were installed in 2008 and depict Christ, his apostles, saints and a host of figures that made an impact on the history of Cologne over a span of two thousands years.
R - Unknown.
L - Close up of some of the statues on the sides of City Hall.
R - Archbishop of Cologne (1238 - 1261), von Hochstanden wielded great influence in imperial affairs but was controversial and a contentious figure. ultimately, to generate funds for continuing work on the cathedral, he initiated a tax on hops (thus rising the price off beer), a move that may have influenced the grotesque ornamentation added by stone carvers at the base of his statue (1410).
L - Stop in for some Kaffee & Kuchen.
R - Pixie Fountain - The legend of the good pixies, who emerge at night to do the work of lazy people.
L - Lion Fountain with statue of St. Peter next to the Cologne Cathedral.
R - "Stumbling Stones", are 3.9 in x 3.9 in in concrete cubes along the sidewalks bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution.
L - Not black stone 0 just dirty, thanks to the way that sandstone reacts with the sulphuric acid that is in our polluted rain. Workers clean the facade almost constantly.
R - This giant Gothic cathedral, which until its completion in 1880 had bee under construction of over 500 years, is perhaps Germany's most famous religious structure and includes two huge towers that serve as the defining symbol of Cologne's skyline.
L - Entering the Cathedral.
R - Window of the Adoration of the Magi, 1846 (some 45 windows in the cathedral.
L - Grabmal Philipp von Heinsberg was the Archbishop of Cologne and Arch Chancellor of Italy from 1165 - 1191
R - Tomb of William of Gennep.
L - Grabmal Philipp von Heinsberg was the Archbishop of Cologne and Arch Chancellor of Italy from 1165 - 1191
R - Tomb of William of Gennep.
L - Leaving the cathedral - a holy water font or stoup is seen. These are generally placed near the entrance of a church.
R - High altar in front of the Epiphany Shrine - Shrine of the Magi.
L - Chocolate Museum - The exhibits show the entire history of chocolate, from its beginnings with the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs to contemporary products and production methods.
R - Store - yes, we definitely bought some chocolate!
July 24, 2019 -- Cruising Waal & Merwede to Kinderdijk, Netherlands - Mostly Sunny - 98`
Kinderdijk is a village in the Netherlands' South Holland province, known for its iconic 18th century windmills. Its water-management network features 19 mills and 3 pumping stations, plus dikes and reservoirs that control flooding.
Along the way to Kinderdijk various wildlife was seen. Birds (Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese, Great Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls, Yellow-legged Gull), Charolais cattle, and Konik horses. Arrived at Kinderdijk at 2:00 p.m. Kinderdijk is a village about 15 km east of Rotterdam. kinderdijk is situated in a polder in the Alblasserwaard at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was build around 1740. This group of mills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands. The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the best-known and most beautiful Dutch tourist sites.
L - Water tower in Kinderdijk is now a boutique hotel.
R - Visitor Center Wisboom Pumping Station.
The eight stone mills of the Nederwaard were build in 1738, the wooden mills of the Overwaard in 1740. The former move the drainage water from the lower polders of the Alblasserwaard into a reservoir, the latter from the higher polders.
We went inside one of the windmills filled with vintage miller's items and photos. There were ladders to climb to see the inner works of the 'home'. The town now has about 867 residents. Of the 19 mills, 16 still have millers who live inside and maneuver the massive sails in the wind.
L - To turn the blades of the windmill into the wind, the top or "cap" of the windmill must be rotated to the desired direction. The miller does this by turning a giant wheel, resembling that of a ship's steering wheel, located at the bottom of the windmill's tail or the triangle shaped trellis structure that connects the cap to the wheel. The miller then turns the wheel clockwise or counterclockwise to rotate the cap at the top which can swing a full 360 degrees if necessary.
R - A pear tree just outside the windmill loaded with pears.
L - Eurasian Coot R - Great Crested Grebe
Our last night on the Rhine.
July 25, 2019 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Partly Sunny - 96 degrees.
We boarded a taxi van provided, and with another couple (coughing their heads off) we left for the airport and the long way home via Toronto Canada, Chicago, and finally Kansas City.
