Fun Adventure in Germany

What’s that saying, “you can never go home again”? A Del Webb traveler wanted to challenge that thought and just returned from a “reunion” tour of Germany. When she first lived there, she and her husband were the only Americans in Oftersheim, Germany. During this time, a daughter, Laura, welcomed a brother, Scott, who was born in Heidelberg, Germany. The children learned the German language from a local kindergarten. Carol (N34) had taken German classes at the University of Maryland, and her husband uses his secretary as a translator. Relatives would visit during the years and travel around Europe.

Years later, photo albums and scrapbooks inspired her for a reunion visit. With her second husband, she traveled back to Europe without any adult children. The short duration of traveling becomes short vacations due to work restrictions. She tried to revisit her home in Oftersheim, Germany, but it was no longer there. Townhouses had replaced the forest areas. Farmlands had become dwellings of apartment buildings with an autobahn (expressway) intersection. Home was no longer home.

This year, with covid restrictions eased, Carol, her daughter, and son-in-law traveled on an eight-day Rhine River Cruise aboard AmaSiena, Disney Adventures. Flying into Frankfurt Germany, they then transferred to the airport in Basel Switzerland, and traveled to Strasbourg France, Speyer, Heidelberg, Rudesheim, Cologne, Germany, and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

What a difference in seeing the same places years later. Past trips were primarily educational with the history of cities, universities, churches, and the culture of people. This trip was FUN, FUN.

Alas at a different age, having FUN includes difficulty in walking on existing cobblestone streets, climbing stairs to get into attractions of museums, and dodging traffic with the increased city populations.

Disney Adventures had 125 guests, all meals were on ship, and adventures offered half-day venues, twice daily, in each port.

When Carol asked about a “Disney Adventure” cruise, my daughter and son-in-law encouraged me as they had eleven Disney Adventure experiences that included Peru, France, China, Germany, Austria, Africa, Galopus Islands, Danube River, Alaska, Wyoming, and the Grand Canyon. Note: Disney Adventures is different from their Disney Cruises as no child under 14 is allowed.

FIRST FUN ADVENTURE started the second day going to Gutach, Germany. It’s in the heart of the “Black Forest” and has “sommerrodelbahn,” a park for toboggan rides. The toboggan, controlled by two side brakes, allows you to start slow at 35 mph or as fast as 51 mph. After my first experience, going uphill on a pulley, then experiencing jerking, winding curves, I took four rides hoping to beat the competitors. A wide television screen showed your thrill-seeking excitement of anxiety, scared expressions and laughter, and travel times in kilometers per hour.

The SECOND FUN ADVENTURE was visiting the Black Forest Open Air Museum dating back to 1599. This landscaped park and working village have three historical houses, several barns, smokehouses, and milking machines, farm animals of cows, bulls, sheep, and chickens. The park opened to the public with costumed narrators, a restaurant, children’s playground, and signage of upcoming venues. Separated from public visitors, our group of twenty privately churned fresh milk products into butter, using egg beaters in mason jars. Two groups created face decorations on clocks using their artistic talents. The museum built in 1964 houses a restaurant, clock museum, local craft goods, and souvenir shops. Strasbourg, France had self-guided tours of “Notre Dame” cathedral, Alsace Canoe, or Batorama Canal Boat tour excursion through the town proper.

THIRD FUN ADVENTURE was a private evening organ recital at St Pierre le Jeune Church. Secular organ music of Brahms, and a Bach organ rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” for our July 4 celebration,

FOURTH FUN ADVENTURE was of the Fontanella family who invented “Spaghetti Ice Cream.” We saw the process of how it is made including samplings. Alas, the family did not patent its discovery, and local restaurants and street vendors claim to serve this product as their own. Samplings rated it beyond comparison.

After docking in Speyer, Germany, there was a bus ride of 1 ½ hours to the mountain top of Heidelberg Castle with costumed tour guides. We Used QuietVox listening devices for facts and the history of France and Germany claiming territory of the castle through its numerous fires, lightning strikes, and military revolts. After the two-hour tour, our buses were not available. Stranded? No, a vehicular tram with limited passenger space was available or you could take the steps to the Market Square.

FIFTH FUN ADVENTURE: My daughter and son-in-law did three Iron Man competitions so the 365 stairs to Market Square was their option. I WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS, STOPPED AT A LANDING, WALKED DOWN MORE STAIRS, STOPPED AT A LANDING, etc. What a different perspective you get walking to each landing, seeing wrought iron fences, front gardens, and private home entrances. Do these people use the vehicular to get to their residences? Or, do they use their cars?

SIXTH FUN ADVENTURE: Traveling to Rudesheim, Germany seeing Drosselgasse, the narrowest street in Germany. I had previously experienced narrow streets, driving my Opal on curbs and sidewalks with hairy experiences of dodging people, dogs, and bikes. This town had a museum of Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet. Our group had a private tour experience of listening to individual music cabinets including Edison’s music box.

Some Rhine River Cruises start at Rudesheim and go to Lorelei Rock. Disney Adventures went beyond to Cologne, Germany, passing the Remagen Bridge of World War II with both American and German flags posted.

Cologne Germany included a self-guided tour of its cathedral. Optionally, there were private tours of the 4711 Perfume Fragrance Museum, a Pub Tour, and the Lindt Chocolate Museum with making individually bars of different flavors in milk, or dark chocolate. City traffic was bikes rather than cars. Returning to the ship, they made bikes available to go along the canals for restaurants, shopping, and other sightseeing.

SEVENTH FUN ADVENTURE: art museums in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Moco for contemporary art, renowned Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh museum. With four levels, it is the largest in the world of his 1,000-plus paintings. Also visits to the Zaanse Schans Village for windmills, cheese making, and wooden shoe clogs. A private attraction included painting mini clogs.

Side Notes

Carol took a plane from Chicago, Illinois to Dulles airport to meet her daughter and then on to Frankfurt Germany and the start of the Rhine River Cruise in Basel Switzerland. Cruised on AMA Siena Disney Adventures to Amsterdam, Netherlands, returning to Newark, New Jersey International Airport then Reagan National airport.

We used bus transportation to some locations, cruised to others. My observations and impressions. Esso gas is $2.21 euro a liter (3 liters equal one gallon). Germans considered bees and wolves to be dangerous animals. No truck traffic was allowed on Sundays. The majority of towns have traffic circles rather than traffic signals. Very importantly, public toilets do not accept coins, only credit cards for admittance via turnstiles. Late June weather in Europe was pleasant. High 70s mornings, low 80s afternoons.

Traveling via river cruise, the benefit was the small number of people aboard the ship rather than an ocean cruise. Meals were at set times and the dining room accommodated everyone. Buffet breakfasts included chefs making omelets on request. An attentive server made sure I had my banana with chocolate syrup and crispy bacon. Lunch and evening meals had vegetarian and gluten-free meals always listed. Three selections of appetizers, two selections of soups, three selections of the main course, three selections of desserts, and local red and white wines were served.

Our tour guides made sure evening entertainment included local musicians. If you won at bingo, you selected Disney “treasure” and had to perform a “happy dance.” There were trivia games with team competitions and karaoke with some strong-voiced participants.

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