It’s the end of the day, and you’re sitting topside listening to the gentle lapping of waves off the side of the ship, a glass of local wine in your hand to toast the end of the day, maybe some local cheese also. The setting sun is casting cloud-filtered shadows across the beauty of the river valley around you. You’re quickly surrounded by neighbors, old and new friends. Everyone is celebrating similar happenings of the day; maybe it was a quaint shop, a great restaurant, a unique gift that they just happened to find in the market or, maybe like yourself, just another great day! Sound like fun? I hope so.
Mike and Cindy Ptak (neighborhood 16) and Fred and Karen Schimmel (neighborhood 17) recently had this experience on their Rhine River cruise. They flew to Basel, Switzerland, boarded the ship, and then just sat back and enjoyed the trip to Amsterdam. Well, sitting is just an expression as there were a number of ports to explore, shops to visit, a new town every day. River cruises offer small ship intimacy that the larger, hotel-size ships can’t provide.
The Marksburg Castle is left virtually undamaged throughout its long life. (Photo provided)
You meet the staff, the captain and the guides as the cruise evolves. Gourmet meals are created using local products sometimes purchased at the port while the ship is docked so the cuisine and wine varies as much as the regions vary during the trip. Sounds like the perfect getaway for fun and relaxation. Right! Some of the items everyone expected on the cruise were the beauty of the river valley offset in areas by mountains, the Black Forest and all of its historical significance, medieval castles around almost every bend of the river, towns and villages with new and exciting cuisine to explore. While local wines are available during the trip, most of the trip is in Germany so beer and schnapps are ever present also.
One of the first towns visited was Freiburg, a twelfth-century medieval city in the Black Forest region. In the old quarter, stands the cathedral of Freiburg. Construction started around 1200 AD in the then-current Romanesque style but changed over to Gothic around 1230. The cathedral is crowned with a 350 foot-tall spire and ranks as one of Germany’s most beautiful religious buildings.
With the Swiss Alps in the background, battle areas from both world wars were visited on the cruise to Strasbourg, France. Mike’s description exemplifies the excitement of the trip as they dined with “a roasted pig’s knuckle with chive and melted Munster cheese on a bed of sauerkraut cooked in white wine.” This injection of protein helped him navigate the cobblestone walk up to the highest point in Strasbourg to visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame Strasbourg. Construction dates back to 1015, way before the Americas were ever thought of.
Next stop, Heidelberg. The building style has changed to Baroque even though the city is very old. The impact of Martin Luther is reflected in the interior of the Gothic Church of the Holy Spirit. A divided sanctuary has one side for Catholics and the other for Lutherans. Want to avoid taxes if you live in the city, keep a statue of the Madonna visible to the tax collectors!
As the cruise ship nears the town of Baubach, the guides will quickly point out the one hill-top castle that has survived without being totally destroyed during its life. Dating from the middle ages, the Marksburg Castle has been occupied for over 700 years and is presently owned by and home of the German Castles Association. Its mountain-top location and numerous fortification additions further reinforced the structure and worked to ensure its survival.
Next stop Cologne for a beer run at the Fruh Brauhaus and kolsch beer, the city’s signature brew. No sipping allowed as the beer must be consumed within 15 minutes or it goes, well it’s not as good as when it was first poured, so no steins of beer are allowed, only small “test tube” like glasses. Also part of the Cologne tour is the High Cathedral of St. Peter, the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. Twin towers over 515 feet tall dominate the landscape. Construction was started in 1248 but halted several times, and the Cathedral wasn’t completed until 1880! Now that’s a construction delay. During World War II, the towers were used as landmarks for bombing runs on the city by the Allies and many believe one of the reasons the cathedral survived the war virtually intact. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is the most visited site in Cologne.
The last two days of the tour were spent in Amsterdam. Major caution for walking in the city – with over 1.2 million bicycles and scooters, you definitely have to watch where you’re walking. Forget the busses and cars; you’re more likely to be hit by a 2-wheeled vehicle! On recommendations from another Del Webb couple the foursome enjoyed pancakes at a centuries-old restaurant not far from their next stop, the Anne Frank’s annex. Now the third most visited museum in the Netherland, visiting engendered an emotional response to the plight she, her family, and others suffered during the war.
The cruise provided many interesting sites: geographic, historical, and political. You’re introduced to different foods, wines, drinks, and thinking while constantly on the move. Every day, they were experiencing a new environment; every evening, reviews of the day’s excitement; and every night, dreaming about the adventures ahead. Definitely a cruise they will always remember.
