R&R on the Rhine - Colmar

R&R on the Rhine - Memphis to Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Viking Bestla
R&R on the Rhine - Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Kinderdijk
R&R on the Rhine - Cologne
R&R on the Rhine - Marksburg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Upper Rhine Valley
R&R on the Rhine - Rüdesheim
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg and Speyer
R&R on the Rhine - Strasbourg
R&R on the Rhine - Black Forest
R&R on the Rhine - Colmar
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 1
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 2
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich to Memphis

After stopping at the ship for lunch we took an optional excursion to the French town of Colmar.  It's renowned for its well-preserved old town and is the home of the August Bartholdi museum, dedicated to the creator of the Statue of Liberty.  They even had a smaller version of the statue in a roundabout and our bus driver made sure to encircle it so we could get photos!

A great many of the houses in Colmar are half-timbered, meaning the bottom floor was some sort of brick or stone, while the upper floors were made of wood.  The ground floor was often smaller than those above since taxes were levied on the house's footprint, not the total square footage!

A half-timbered house

Colmar's version of Painted Ladies

An artist known as Hansi is famous for making many of the shop signs in Colmar.  He was a staunch French nationalist and during WW II, while Alsace was in German hands, he was wanted by the Gestapo for treason.  He was wounded during his escape to Switzerland and eventually died of these wounds in 1951.

Sign for a butcher shop

Sign for a pharmacy

Two more signs by Hansi

Maison Adolph is the oldest house in Colmar, dating to the 14th century.  Notice its three building styles: rounded arches on the lower two floors, gothic arches in the middle and half-timbered on top!

Maison Adolph

Of course Colmar has a lovely church too, though we didn't go in.  The church of St. Martin dates from 1234-1365.  A pair of storks built their nest on its roof.  Our guide said he'd nicknamed them Martin and Martina.

St Martin's
The stork's nest is the dark spot on top of the roof at right

We had a wonderful week of sightseeing and good times with friends.  We lucked out with the weather as the only real rain we had was one day at Kinderdijk and the temperatures warmed up as the week went on.

Viking really knows what American travelers want and caters to that demographic.  I hope to do another cruise in the future but it'll have to be a few years down the road as I'm booked for next year!  Wonder how I can manage to get paid but be on permanent vacation.  Any ideas?

R&R on the Rhine - Black Forest

R&R on the Rhine - Memphis to Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Viking Bestla
R&R on the Rhine - Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Kinderdijk
R&R on the Rhine - Cologne
R&R on the Rhine - Marksburg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Upper Rhine Valley
R&R on the Rhine - Rüdesheim
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg and Speyer
R&R on the Rhine - Strasbourg
R&R on the Rhine - Black Forest
R&R on the Rhine - Colmar
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 1
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 2
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich to Memphis

Wednesday began our last full day on the ship and we docked in Breisach around 8 AM. From there we boarded motorcoaches and drove into the Black Forest.  I learned it is so named because of how densely the trees grow in some places.  Apparently deep in the woods the sunlight can have trouble getting in, thus making the forest seem black. Mostly what I remember is how green the area was.  Lots of rolling hills and farmland.  In fact, it reminded me of Middle Tennessee but with larger hills.

The rolling hills of the Black Forest near Sankt Peter

Our first stop was in the small village of Sankt Peter where once again the prized jewel was its church.  But after so many massive Gothic cathedrals, it was lovely to see a smaller church with a bright interior.  Built in the 1720s, it's a relative newcomer compared to other churches we saw but no less beautiful.  There was a Benedictine Abbey on this site that was founded by 1073 and was only dissolved when the building was secularized in 1806.

Town square of Sankt Peter

Abbey of Sankt Peter

Inside the Abbey

Inside Sankt Peter

Inside Sankt Peter

The organ

Our next stop was Breitnau, which was once a stopping place for travelers between the major cities of Europe.  The Hotel Sternen has hosted Marie Antoinette, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy among others.  Today it's primarily a tourist stop and has a massive cuckoo clock (with gift shop) and a blown glass shop.

The giant cuckoo clock in action

Mural on the side of the Hotel Sternen

Then it was back to the ship for lunch and we were definitely ready for a bite to eat.

R&R on the Rhine - Strasbourg

R&R on the Rhine - Memphis to Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Viking Bestla
R&R on the Rhine - Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Kinderdijk
R&R on the Rhine - Cologne
R&R on the Rhine - Marksburg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Upper Rhine Valley
R&R on the Rhine - Rüdesheim
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg and Speyer
R&R on the Rhine - Strasbourg
R&R on the Rhine - Black Forest
R&R on the Rhine - Colmar
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 1
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 2
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich to Memphis

If it's Tuesday it must be Strasbourg.  Or something like that, right?

One of the cool things about the European Union is the free transit between the countries within it, much like going between states here in the US.  So on this morning our ship docked in Germany and we boarded motorcoaches, drove across the bridge and voilà! we were in France.

Strasbourg is located in the Alsace region and is its principal city.  It has roughly 750,000 inhabitants in the French portion of its metropolitan area.  Historically the language spoke here was Alemannic, a dialect of German, and we saw some street signs in both French and Alemannic.  As we drove toward the city center, we passed the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. 

Street sign in both French and Alemannic

The quiet tree-lined streets on our drive were quite scenic.  And then we saw a number of trees that looked like they'd simply been flat-topped but we learned that was for a very good reason.  Each year quite a large number of storks make their way to the region and the need these areas for their very large nests.  We saw several nesting pairs as we drove along.  Later we saw several stork-related items in the souvenir shops.

We exited the motor coach and made our way to the city's historic city center, Grande Île, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the first city center to be designated as such.  As the name suggests, the city center is an island and thus there are channels all around it for the river to flow.  It made for some pretty photos, I thought.  We'd hoped to take an afternoon cruise in one of the glass-topped boats, but the line was too long and we couldn't risk missing our ship!

The houses facing the canal tended to be sure their façades were kept pretty.

Canal Tour passing through the drawbridge

The crown jewel is, no surprise, the cathedral which is known as Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg.  It's a massive Gothic structure and was the world's tallest building from 1647-1874.  Today it's the sixth tallest and is still the tallest structure built entirely in the middle ages.  This version of the cathedral began construction in 1176, replacing one that burned to the ground.  Construction was finally completed in 1439 and it is amazing to me how this huge building (and others like it) were constructed without the modern equipment we have today.  The façade on the west side contains thousands of stone-carved figures is considered a masterpiece of the Gothic era.  Some consider that the design of this cathedral (along with the one in Cologne) must be some of the first uses of architectural drawing.

Cathedral Notre-Dame - another building too big for a single camera shot!

Inside the cathedral is the world's largest astronomical clock.  It stands 18 meters high and is highly intricate.  This clock was completed in 1843 and can calculate leap years, equinoxes, the date of Easter each year, the official time, solar time, the day of the week, the month, the year, the sign of the zodiac, the phase of the moon and the position of several planets.  For the time-keeping portion, it has figurines parading through each hour, from a small child to an old man, representing a life span, all parading in front of Death.  It's very impressive.  From 1858-1989 the same family business took care of the clock and since that time it has been cared for by a man who formerly worked for that business, and his son.

Astronomical Clock

Man passing in front of Death

After our tour we made our way back to the ship for lunch and then several in our group took an optional excursion to a winery out in the Alsace region.  Some of us went back into Strasbourg and wandered around on our own before returning to the ship for a leisurely afternoon aboard.  Another day, another country!

R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg and Speyer

R&R on the Rhine - Memphis to Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Viking Bestla
R&R on the Rhine - Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Kinderdijk
R&R on the Rhine - Cologne
R&R on the Rhine - Marksburg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Upper Rhine Valley
R&R on the Rhine - Rüdesheim
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg and Speyer
R&R on the Rhine - Strasbourg
R&R on the Rhine - Black Forest
R&R on the Rhine - Colmar
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 1
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 2
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich to Memphis

After spending the morning up at the schloss, the bus took us down to the town of Heidelberg for the rest of the morning and into early afternoon.  Our guide continued our tour for a bit and then left us on our own.  Heidelberg University is the oldest university in Germany and the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire in 1386.  It has an emphasis on research and has been associated with 56 Nobel Prize laureates and is consistently rated one of Europe's top overall universities.

We enjoyed walking around the town, just soaking in the ambiance in the plazas and, of course, checking out their old churches. Unfortunately, I began to have camera difficulties and don't have many photos of the town.

Church in the middle of Heidelberg

We returned to the ship for a late lunch and while we were eating the ship relocated to the town of Speyer.  Since it was Easter Monday it was very quiet town as many businesses were closed for the holiday.  Its magnificent cathedral, the Kaiserdom, dates to the 11th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It's nearly 440 feet long and contains the crypts of eight German emperors and kings, along with various queens and bishops.

Kaiserdom

Inside the Kaiserdom

R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg Castle

R&R on the Rhine - Memphis to Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Viking Bestla
R&R on the Rhine - Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Kinderdijk
R&R on the Rhine - Cologne
R&R on the Rhine - Marksburg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Upper Rhine Valley
R&R on the Rhine - Rüdesheim
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg and Speyer
R&R on the Rhine - Strasbourg
R&R on the Rhine - Black Forest
R&R on the Rhine - Colmar
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 1
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 2
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich to Memphis

Our next stop was the university town of Heidelberg. Our longship docked in Worms (though in Germany it's pronounced Vurms) and we hopped on motorcoaches that took us into town and up the hill to Heidelberg Castle.  There we gained a tour guide who was a university student.


The castle as viewed from town

The earliest version of the castle was built before 1214 and later that century it was expanded into two castles.  But in 1537 a lightning bolt destroyed the upper castle.  The structures pictured here were in place by 1650 though they've been damaged by water and fires.  Its most famous resident was King Frederick V who married Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James VI of Scotland (aka James I of England) in 1613. He began the enormous task of creating level grounds around the castle as he wished to have gardens for his wife.  Only a few years later he lost the crown and was forced to flee the area.

Interior walls

The courtyard walls demonstrate the different architecture from different eras.

The Schloss was abandoned over 300 years ago but is still home to the world's largest wine barrel - though it's long been empty.  It is 250 years old, shaped from 130 oak trees and once held 50,000 gallons of wine!

There was even a dance floor on top of the barrel!

From the Schloss there are lovely views of the town and the river.

Then it was time to take the bus down the hill to the town of Heidelberg.

R&R on the Rhine - Rudesheim

R&R on the Rhine - Memphis to Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Viking Bestla
R&R on the Rhine - Amsterdam
R&R on the Rhine - Kinderdijk
R&R on the Rhine - Cologne
R&R on the Rhine - Marksburg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Upper Rhine Valley
R&R on the Rhine - Rüdesheim
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg Castle
R&R on the Rhine - Heidelberg and Speyer
R&R on the Rhine - Strasbourg
R&R on the Rhine - Black Forest
R&R on the Rhine - Colmar
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 1
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich Day 2
R&R on the Rhine - Zurich to Memphis

On Sunday evening our ship docked in Rüdesheim.  The town shops were only a short walk away from the ship and many of our group enjoyed strolling through the small town.  C and I decided to just relax on the ship for awhile and enjoy the waning sun.  At the appropriate time we all met up just beside the ship where a "train" had magically appeared.  The train was actually a string of tram cars decorated to look like a train.  It was a tight squeeze to get us all on board but we did and the tram drove us through town, up and down hills and over the cobblestones.

We eventually stopped at a restaurant for our dinner.  As this was a large shore excursion from the ship, we took over the whole main part of the restaurant while other patrons were out on the terrace.  We were served traditional German food by waitresses in traditional German clothes.  It was all quite good and the complimentary wine was a big hit as well!  As we ate, the oompah band performed for us.

During and after dinner, the band and restaurant staff encouraged audience participation.  Shots of some sort of alcohol were served in glasses attached to a ski, so 5-6 people had to drink at the same time.  Many of our ladies gave that a try!  Then one of our group was recruited to play the bass drum as the band struck up a parade through the restaurant, both inside and out.  Nothing screams "I'm on vacation" like a bunch of slightly tipsy tourists wandering through a maze of tables.  To preserve their dignity I'm omitting any photos.  Well, that and very few of the photos came out very well as they were constantly in motion and the lighting was a bit dim at times.

But it was a lot of fun and our group enjoyed ourselves immensely.