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First Viking Cruise

Our first Viking cruise was on the Rhine River. We have previously taken ocean cruises, but never with Viking and never a river cruise. My expectations were high because of Viking’s reputation and price point. I am so happy to say that the cruise met my high expectations. Viking puts much care and attention to detail into the cruise. This post is a summary of our experience.

Our cruise began in Amsterdam on August 21 with a two-night extension of the cruise. It gave us an opportunity to recover from jet lag plus a full day in the beautiful city of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam

We landed in Amsterdam and a Viking representative met us and transported us to our hotel. Additionally, there was a representative on site to answer questions and facilitate transfer two days later to the Mani, our Viking ship. Our time in the city is detailed in Amsterdam, City of Bicycles.

Our Cabin

We decided to get the most basic cabin based upon a recommendation from friends who recently took this cruise. Most of the cabins are basically the same size with the window being the big difference. Those with a veranda or balcony come with a pretty substantial increase in price. The window in our basic cabin was small, but we didn’t really spend much time in the room except for sleeping. I think it was a queen size bed, which works for us. The room was laid out very well with room under the bed for our luggage and plenty of places to store our clothing and accessories.

On Board Entertainment

The entertainment was not a big production like some of our previous cruises. However, the entertainment on two nights was wonderful.

On the first night, The Nostalgic Music Trio, performed music from decades ago. They did a fantastic job on songs from Elvis, The Beatles, and others. Passengers filled the floor with dancing and was a fun-filled evening.

Near the end of the cruise, a lady who is a cellist and opera singer performed. She was accompanied by a piano player. I am sad to say I didn’t get their names, but they were professionals performers and I think they were from Strasbourg. The hour or so they performed was probably my favorite hour of the entire cruise. They were phenomenal. Near the end, the opera singer walked around the room and basically sang around the room to us individually. It was almost it was like being on stage during a live opera. My husband loved her performance too.

Other nights, there was an on board musician playing in the background. Also, they had game nights. We generally retired to bed early, so we didn’t participate. Old folks!

Stops Along the Way

Viking includes an excursion at each port and for most they have optional excursions for additional costs. So, we took all of the included excursions and one optional one, The Colmar Pocket. Below our links to each of those excursions.

Windmills of Kinderdijk

Cologne and a Cathedral

Koblenz Germany, An Ancient City

Speyer Germany

Strasbourg, My Favorite

The Colmar Pocket

The Black Forest

Above Deck

The top deck of the ship has a large area for walking plus an area that is shaded with lots of seats. Additionally, there is a small eating area as an alternative to the main dining room. Above deck was a good place to see the surrounding area and get some fresh air and exercise.

First Viking Cruise Food

The food was very good on the cruise. In fact, it was better than what we have experienced in prior cruises. While there isn’t food available where you can basically graze all day, there were three solid meals a day with many options. Choices for appetizers and desserts were always available for lunch and dinner. House wine, beer, coffee, or soft drinks were also included during lunch and dinner.

Some passengers purchased the additional beverage package that has unlimited drinks, including higher end whiskeys, wines and beers. We didn’t elect to take that package and didn’t really miss it. I’m more of a drinker than my husband and we would’ve had to have bought it for both of us. I did buy one individual drink that wasn’t included and it was relatively inexpensive.

My favorite meal was the night they had a focus on German food. The servers were dressed in German attire and they pulled out all the stops on the food. The food was abundant with lots of options and very delicious.

Overall, the food was excellent and the servers wonderful. There was no assigned seating, so we had an opportunity to meet lots of people and make new friends.

German Night on First Viking Cruise — German Night

The Middle Rhine

One day of the cruise was dedicated to traveling the Middle Rhine. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful areas of the Rhine because there are castles and vineyards all along the way. We sat on the upper deck along with a large portion of our fellow passengers. While traveling, we heard details as to which castle we were passing and a little bit of information about them. It was a beautiful sunny day and it was really cool to see all of them. Most of them were high up in elevation and not really close enough to see a lot of detail .

Stolzenfels Castle below is a thirteenth century castle, but a Prussian king rebuilt in the 1800s.

I believe Marksburg Castle was an optional excursion on our trip, but we didn’t participate.

Fourteenth- century Katz castle sustained damage by Napoleon’s army, but they rebuilt it during the Victorian era.

Katz Castle on Viking Rhine River Cruise — Katz Castle

The castle below is a toll castle. The rulers of the Rhine exacted considerable tolls to allow passage through the river.

Pfalzgrafenstein Toll Castle on Viking Rhine River Cruise — Pfalzgrafenstein Toll Castle

The castle below is next to a vineyard. The only thing we saw more than castles on the Middle Rhine was vineyards.

Gutenfels Castle on first Viking cruise — Gutenfels Castle

The Middle Rhine is wine country. The vineyards are planted on slopes that have an incline from 55-70%.

Locks on First Viking Cruise

Our first Viking cruise included many locks, but we went through most of them during the middle of the night. It was an interesting process and we had ample opportunity to watch it on one of the last nights onboard. Passengers filled the upper deck to watch the transport through the lock.

Transport to Cities

Viking motor coaches transported us from the ship to most of the cities and excursions. They were nice well-maintained. We often had a local guide describing the area and providing interesting details.

We crossed many rivers during the cruise. The Lahn River is in the photo below, but most often we were crossing the Rhine.

Disembarking at Basel

Our cruise ended at Basel, Switzerland. We did not book additional days at the end of the cruise in Basel. That is a regret because we learned from other passengers that the extension at Basel is really worthwhile.

Conclusion on First Viking Cruise

Our first Viking cruise was wonderful. However, I wish we had traveled with them earlier as we are currently experiencing some mobility issues. However, we liked it so much that we have booked a trip for next year.

The Black Forest

The Black Forest was our last excursion on our Viking Rhine River cruise. When I first looked at our stops for the trip, I thought this might be one of the best. However, it was actually my least favorite stop. We had an earlier excursion and were perhaps tired. Also, it involved a somewhat long bus ride. Lastly, my phone battery was dying, so not many photos.

Breitnau Cuckoo Clock Village

Our destination was Breitnau, Germany’s Cuckoo Clock Village. We took a long scenic route in getting there with some information along the way about the area. It was lovely, but it seemed to go on forever.

The World’s Second Largest Cuckoo Clock is there. It places music and has figures representing dancers go across the second level. It was quite a novelty to see.

Cuckoo Clock in Black Forest — World’s Second Largest Cuckoo Clock

We had time allotted for either a glass blowing or cuckoo clock making demonstration. Several years ago, we saw glass being blown in Venice. So, we decided to go to the clock making demonstration. Also, the German Black Forest is famous for cuckoo clocks. They have been making them for hundreds of years.

Cuckoo Clock Shop

If you have an interest in cuckoo clocks, this would be a very cool place to visit. The demo was interesting. We enjoyed looking at all the clocks, but it was not something we were really excited about.

The figure below was huge and colorful. I looked up “Jagerstube” and learned it means hunting parlor.

There were lots of cuckoo clocks there. I thought the steins in the photo below were also interesting.

Black Forest Cake

Lastly, there is a restaurant on the lower level of the building and it sponsored a demonstration on how the Black Forest Cake is made. We certainly had to try a piece of it! I’m thinking the cake doesn’t get more authentic than while you’re actually in the Black Forest.

Freiburg Germany

We returned to our Viking ship via a shorter route through the beautiful city of Freiburg. It is considered the capital of the Black Forest. Freiburg is the warmest city in Germany and is in southern Germany next to both Switzerland and France. The city has a high number of students, which represent almost ten percent of the population.

I did a little research and learned that Freiburg is a very green city. There was a major shift in the later 1900s to walking, cycling, and the use of mass transportation. Freiburg is a very focused leader in sustainable development.

Scenes from the Bus

The citizens are quite outdoorsy and spend a good bit of time in the summer enjoying the Dreisam River.

Dreisam River in the Black Forest — Dreisam River

We only saw the city from the windows of the bus, but I would have loved to see it on a walking tour.

Frieberg shopping area beside the river — Shopping area and piano store

Another view of the colorful city from the bus

In Conclusion

The Black Forest brings thoughts of heavy forests, cuckoo clocks, Black Forest cake, and fairy tales. It’s an enchanting place.

While not my favorite stop on our cruise, I am glad we were able to experience it first hand. It is certainly a beautiful area! I have strong German roots on my father’s side, but I don’t know from what area they came. As we have traveled through Germany, I often wondered if my ancestors lived there.

Our previous excursion was The Colmar Pocket. Check it out for some little-known information about the fighting that occurred nearby at the end of WWII.

The Colmar Pocket

The Colmar Pocket is a gorgeous area in the Alsace region in northwestern France. It was the only optional Viking excursion we chose. It was rather expensive, so we waffled back and forth about spending the extra funds. In hindsight, I’m glad we did!

The fighting in the Colmar Pocket was part of the Battle of the Bulge. The battles there were mostly unknown to me, so I was glad to become aware of this important part of history. Lastly, the villages we saw were so beautiful!

Strasbourg was an included excursion in France, which I certainly loved. But, I was happy to also be able to see the beautiful French countryside and villages in the area.

Colmar Pocket Museum

The museum, is located in the small village of Turckheim. They dedicated the museum to the Colmar Pocket battles that occurred during winter 1944-1945. Local residents and veterans donated many of the items in the museum .

American and French soldiers liberated the towns and villages in the area, which was the last stronghold of the German army. In fact, Germany heavily defended the Alsace-Lorraine area. The defense was second only to Normandy.

The museum provides a film about the battles and also many artifacts from the war.

In the uniforms below, the winter uniforms are most noteworthy. The battles in the Colmar Pocket occurred during an unusually bitter winter. There was 3 feet of snow on the ground with temperatures as low as -4 degrees F.

Hitler annexed the Alsace-Lorraine region in 1940. The German army held the area from November 1944 until Allies liberated it on February 2nd, 1945. It was the last battle on French soil.

The Allies had liberated Strasbourg three months earlier. The Colmar Pocket battle lasted twenty-one days in bitter cold and the losses were great. The Americans lost 8,000 lives and the French lost 16,000. Germany lost 20,000 lives and 16,000 were imprisoned.

Colmar Pocket Memorials

The monument below honors American soldiers from the 3rd, 28th, and 36th Infantry Divisions. It sits on a hilltop with a plaque, a flag, and insignias for the divisions. Lightning recently hit the flag and when we were there, they had not replaced it. Our guide was very unhappy that several days had passed without the issue being addressed .

Colmar Pocket memorial in Kientzheim — Memorial of U.S. Soldiers in Kientzheim

The area near the memorial has vineyards as far as the eye can see. The wine of the Alsace region is highly regarded. Most are white wines.

The Vosges Mountains, which are over 1,000 feet high, separate France and Germany and thus made the task of entering Germany more difficult for the Allies.

The only German concentration camp on French soil was located in the Vosges Mountains at an elevation of 26o feet. The Germans opened it in 1941 and sent 54,000 people there. Consequently, a third of them perished.

Ostheim Memorial

The war memorial is actually a destroyed building from WWII in the town of Ostheim. It honors those killed or missing in WWI and WWII. Note the stork nest on the top. The stork is a symbol of the Alsace region and the inhabitants highly regard it.

Colmar Pocket memorial in Ostheim — Ostheim War Memorial

They have affixed a plaque dedicated to the soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division to the monument.

Plaque dedicated to 3rd Infantry Division

Audie Murphy Memorial

Lastly, the Audie Murphy memorial is dedicated to the most decorated soldier in WWII. He earned 28 medals, including three from France and one from Belgium. The memorial is also near where the fighting took place.

Murphy climbed upon a burning Wolverine M10 tank with a machine gun. Though wounded in the leg, he prevented the enemy’s advance by defending three sides for almost an hour. He single-handedly killed over 50 enemy soldiers.

Murphy later became an actor and appeared in 44 films. He was a true American hero!

Colmar Pocket Audie Murphy Memorial — The Memorial

Turckheim

Turckheim is a village that was a site of fighting during WWII and is where the museum is located. It still has 13th century walls that are older than most in the area.

The Hotel’s Renaissance building on the left in the photo below dates back to 1540 and is a historic monument.

The old guardhouse has an interesting history too. It dates back to 1575 and was once a covered market and later the Town Hall. Currently, it houses the police department. The bell at the top was acquired in 1658 and the fountain in 1667. A statue of Mary and Jesus stand atop the fountain.

There was a lovely pastry shop inside the restaurant below.

The Munster Gate was built in the 14th century and has a dark history. Witches were led through the gate to be burned at the stake in the square. The bell in its tower had another function. It warned of impending thunderstorms.

Colmar Pocket Munster Gate — The Munster Gate

Colmar Pocket Church

The present building of the Church Sainte Anne was built in 1839 because the prior one was destroyed by fire. The Romanesque bell tower is all that remains from the original 12th century building. A Turckheim sanctuary was first mentioned in the year 898.

Note the original bell tower below on the right.

The church was empty while I was there, but it was beautiful and peaceful inside.

It is also pretty looking to the back of the church and there is a good view of the organ above.

We saw a lot of ancient and awe-inspiring cathedrals on our cruise, but this church was also special to experience.

Statue of Liberty Connection

The sculptor of The Statue of Liberty, Auguste Bartholdi, was born in Colmar. To honor him, they placed a miniature replica of the statue in a Colmar traffic circle. The resin statue is almost 40 feet tall . It was so cool to see.

Colmar Pocket Statue of Liberty — Statue of Liberty on Colmar Circle

In Conclusion

I’m so glad we included this excursion in our Viking Rhine River cruise. However, it makes me think we might have missed out by not taking some of the other options.

Above all, the Alsace region is just breathtaking! Strasbourg was another Alsace region city we loved.

Strasbourg, My Favorite

Strasbourg

To visit Strasbourg, our Viking cruise ship docked at the city of Kehl on the German side of the Rhine River. The river separates Germany and France’s borders. Viking provided a motor coach across the river and into the city of Strasbourg with a local guide on board to give his perspective of the city.

Strasbourg was my favorite stop of the cruise because of its unique nature and the beauty of the city and its cathedral. It is also the capital of Europe and the seat of European Parliament. The city is located in the Alsace region, an area known for excellent white wine, combined French/German culture, sauerkraut, medieval walls, storks, castles, and Christmas markets.

Strasbourg also has many bridges, including three arched bridges built in thirteenth century that cross the Ill River, a tributary of the Rhine.

Changing Nationalities

Today, Strasbourg is a French city, but it changed hands multiple times between France and Germany during WW I and WW II.

In 1618, Strasbourg was a French city, but it became a part of the German Empire from 1870 to 1918. However, after the first world war, it reverted back to France under the Treaty of Versailles. During the second world war, it again became a German city. Lastly, it returned to France at the end of the second world war. A local guide said that during those years, its citizens could only speak the language of the country that was in control. He quoted his grandfather regarding the difficulty it created. But, I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been.

A Unique City

Our local Viking guide, Caroline, laid out her plans to show us parts of the city using the model below.

Caroline, tour guide, describes our tour of the city

The city is a beautiful blend of both French and German culture and architecture. At over 465 feet tall, the cathedral looms high in the model. From 1647 to 1884, it was the tallest building in the modern world.

Christmas

Strasbourg began the tradition of the Christmas tree. For instance, a document in the museum dated in 1492 states that they put up fir trees throughout the city to celebrate the renewal of winter. They simply decorated them with fruit and pretzels to brighten the darkest of winter. By the 18th century, they also brought the trees into the homes as a celebration of Christmas. The custom was then brought around the world as Germans migrated.

Strasbourg has been holding a Christmas market since 1570 and it is one of the oldest in Europe. It is also known as the Capital of Christmas.

The Cathedral

As in most European cities, the ancient cathedral is the main attraction. The Cathedralis made of sandstone. While primarily Gothic, it actually combines both Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles. Furthermore, it stands on the site of an ancient Roman Temple.

While originally built in 1015, it was subsequently destroyed by a fire. All that remained was the crypt and footprint. They began reconstruction in the 12th century and the building was strongly influenced by the Gothic style of the time. It was completed in 1439. Interestingly, the cathedral only has one spire. It appears that financing was a major factor.

For a time starting in the 1500s, the cathedral became a Protestant place of worship because of the popularity of Martin Luther’s teachings. However, the French King restated it as ‘Catholic’ in 1681. It as listed a a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.

The entrance is on the west side of the cathedral and there are statues of Old Testament prophets on each side. Its door has many carvings. The 49 foot tall Rose Window shines from above. It represents the city’s commercial power in the Middle Ages.

The Interior

Of all the cathedrals we visited on our trip, the interior of this one was the most beautiful and interesting. It is enormous and very ornate. The nave (worship area) of the cathedral is 107 feet tall, 202 feet long and 52 feet wide.

The stained glass windows are from the twelfth to fourteenth centuries. We saw an interesting movie on our cruise ship, “The Monuments Men”, a true story about a group of soldiers searching for art hidden by the Nazis. The soldiers recovered the cathedral’s stained glass from a German salt mine in 1945. It was a very good movie and it is coming to Netflix October 1.

Rose Window

The Rose Window is above the door on the exterior. It appears small in the photo, but it is actually 49 feet tall. Hopefully, that will serve to show the epic size of the interior.

Silbermann Organ

Johann Andreas Silbermann, noted Alsace organ builder, created the ornate musical instrument in 1741. It has both German and French characteristics. They rebuilt it several times going back to 1298. It has three keyboards and a moving figure of Sampson and a trumpet player.

The Astronomical Clock

The astronomical clock is a masterpiece of the Renaissance. Artists, mathematicians, clockmakers, and sculptors contributed the creation of this beautiful timepiece. They installed the mechanism of the present day clock in 1842 and for first clock in 1354.

There is a lot more going on than timekeeping. The four stages of the life of man parade in front of death at the upper level, which symbolizes time’s effect on man. The twelve apostles parade before Christ. The days of the week are also a component of the clock.

We saw its movement on the half hour and it was pretty cool.

Strasbourg Astronomical Clock — Astronomical Clock

Other City Sights

Restaurants

Lovely restaurants and cobbled streets surround the cathedral. We had a cappuccino at the restaurant below and enjoyed watching the people going by with the cathedral in the background.

It would have been nice to have a meal at one of the restaurants, but we wanted to be sure to not miss our ride back to the ship.

One of many restaurants with outdoor seating

Old Customs House

The Old Customs House is an ancient building that has been repurposed. It was built in 1358, but was heavily damaged during bombing raids of WWII. So, they rebuilt it almost twenty years later, based upon the original medieval plans. Today, it houses a restaurant and a market for fresh produce.

Storks

Storks are the symbol of the Alsace region and Strasbourg. They symbolize fertility and residents also believe they bring luck and wealth. The image of storks are visible all over the city. Stork nests are encouraged on top of buildings and houses. A folk tale of the 9th century depicted storks a a symbol of peace.

Strasbourg stork — Storks are the symbol of Strasbourg

The Oldest House

The brown and orange half-timbered Kammerzell house below is considered the most beautiful house in the city. It has five-stories and was built in 1427. The house is named for Phillipe Kammerzell, a grocer. Today, the building is a restaurant and hotel.

Oldest house in Strasbourg — La Maison Kammerzell

Museum

The Musée de l Oeuve is another ancient building. They constructed its left wing in 1347 and the right wing in 1739. The museum houses art that dates from the Middle Ages to 1681. I understand the museum has a large collection of statues, stained glass, and art. But, we did not have the time to visit.

In Conclusion

I’m afraid that our stop in Strasbourg just wetted my appetite to see and do more in the city because we were only there for a few hours. However, it was my favorite stop on our Viking cruise. Now that I’ve seen it, perhaps I may return someday.

Lastly, check out my post, Spyer Germany to see another magnificent cathedral.

Speyer Germany

Speyer

The third German city on our Viking Rhine River Cruise was Speyer. It is notable because of its prominent place in history, its ancient history and cathedral, and its religious significance to the Protestant movement in the sixteenth century.

Speyer was a treat for me because of its wonderful examples of Romanesque and Baroque architecture.

Ancient Speyer

The city was a Roman camp in the year 10 BC. However, it later became a predominant area of power. For example, eight Roman-German emperors and kings were laid to rest in a crypt in the cathedral. Statues of some of these emperors are displayed in the garden nearby. The statues were originally placed in Berlin, but were moved to Speyer in 1964.

Statue in Speyer — Konrad II & Gisela, Regin 1024-1039

The Cathedral

Below is a photo of the Speyer Cathedral, west entrance. It is certainly the main attraction in the city. Construction was from 1080 to 1120, making it the largest Romanesque cathedral in the world. The style is balanced and symmetrical, with clear lines.

The model below serves to clarify the size and shape of the cathedral. It is certainly large at 439 feet long and 123 feet wide. The tallest spire is just under 234 feet.

I believe this is the southern side of the cathedral and our first glimpse of the cathedral after going through the courtyard with the statues. It is enormous from this side.

Beside the cathedral is the “ Mount of Olives” sculpture. It depicts the night before the Jesus was crucified. A 17th century fire destroyed parts of the original work. Sculptor, Gottfried Renn included the surviving parts in the 1856 replacement. A rooster above represents the denial of Christ by Peter before the cock crows.

Mount of Olives statue in Speyer — Mount of Olives

The bowl at the west entrance has an interesting history. It was a part of church territory and prisoners sought escape by running to the bowl for protection by the church. Priests also filled the bowl with wine for citizens to share as a welcome to a new bishop.

The entrance features multiple Roman arches. A massive, carved door also adds drama to the entrance.

The interior was not especially ornate, yet it was quite lovely. Again, the Roman arches were a dominant aspect.

Speyer and the Protestant Movement

Martin Luther was a German monk and university professor. He started a reformation movement in 1517 by posting his 95 theses upon the door of the Wittenberg castle church. The theses objected to the greed of the medieval Catholic Church. Luther also didn’t believe that the church had the power to pardon sin. It was the beginning of a great split in the church.

Martin Luther continued to write about his beliefs and had many followers. Consequently, the Catholic Church declared him a heretic. He and his teachings were banned.

During the reformation era, Speyer was often a location for Imperial politics. A meeting of political leaders was called a “Diet.” At the Diet of 1529, the emperor didn’t attend, but sent his brother, Ferdinand. He argued for a law that anyone could believe whatever they want, but the Catholic Church would be the religion of the land.

Six princes who supported reformation wrote a lengthy and compelling protest on behalf of themselves and anyone in the future who believed as they did. This protest letter gave the name Protestant to the reformation movement.

Trinity Church

Trinity is a protestant church and the oldest of five Protestant churches in Speyer. Construction first began on the beautiful baroque-style Trinity Church in 1701.

It is my understanding that the citizens of Speyer have been predominantly Protestant since reformation.

The doors were locked, so we couldn’t enter the church. However, I took a picture through the door. I would have loved to get a closer look at that ceiling.

A statue of The Saint James Pilgrim stands near the right of the church. It is a striking image.

St. James Pilgrim at Speyer — The St. James Pilgrim

Other City Sights

The Old Mint appears to be used for various retail purposes. It is another gorgeous example of baroque architecture.

My research failed to identify anything about this building, but I’m sure it too has a story to tell. It also looks quite old.

The administration building is enormous. It is the location of the mayor’s headquarters. I would have liked to know more about this building

Administration building in Speyer — Administrative Building

Our guide, Alfred, presented much historical information about his city. He provided religious content for the reformation.

Tour of Speyer — Alfred, our local tour guide

Speyer, In conclusion

To sum up Speyer, old world history and religion looms large. The massive cathedral and the activity around the Protestant movement are important parts of its identity. Additionally, I researched some of its history. A lot can happen in two thousand years. To me, it is a city that has undergone a lot of changes, but much evidence of its past remains.

Lastly, our Viking Rhine River Cruise included multiple cathedrals and churches. Check out Cologne and a Cathedral to see a quite different cathedral.

Koblenz Germany, An Ancient City

Koblenz

Koblenz was the second German city on our recent Viking River cruise. It is one of the oldest cities in Germany, dating back over 2,000 years. It began as a Roman city in 9 BC and was a Frankish royal seat in the 6th century. Much later, its medieval history included the Order of Teutonic Knights beginning in 1216.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day for our tour. While waiting for it to begin, I noticed the sycamore tree in the photo below. I am not aware of ever seeing a tree like it before. It was quite beautiful. We also saw many more sycamores on our tour of Koblenz that day.

Our Guide

Our Viking local guide, Karin, was amazing! She is 84 years old and incredibly sharp. Moreover, she did not appear to have any mobility issues. Her knowledge of the city was nice, but more importantly, her positive attitude and the successful way she is aging was inspirational.

Our Koblenz local guide — Karin, Our local guide

The German Corner

Koblenz is at a strategic place at the crossing point of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers. Thus, it became known as the “German Corner.” Germany and France has hotly disputed the area throughout history.

The statue below of William I is a monument for a unified Germany, which was originally erected in 1897. The original was destroyed during WW II, but a copy was reinstated in 1993 when German unity was considered complete.

Koblenz’s Old Town

Our tour of Kloblenz was exclusively in the Old Town and there was a lot to see. However, I understand that there are parts of the city that are quite modern.

The giant thumb below was the work of artist, Cesar Baldaccini. It is a six-foot bronze work modeled upon the artist’s thumb. The detail in the sculpture was impressive!

The historic building below currently houses the Ludwig Museum. We did not have an opportunity to visit, but enjoyed the exterior of the 800 year old structure that began as Teutonic Knight’s House.

Ludwig Museum located in historic Teutonic Knights House 1216

There is a lovely restaurant, Addacio, to the right in the photo below. But, it was not yet open during our tour. However, the owner allowed our tour guide’s group to use their restroom. It was so nice! If I should find myself in Koblenz again, I would love to have a meal there.

The City Hall dates to 1695 and includes three connected buildings with different styles of architecture. The building was a Jesuit school during the 1600s. The hall is located on what is called Jesuit’s Square.

Koblenz Churches

Basilica of St. Castor

The Basilica of St. Castor is the oldest Koblenz church, which was originally constructed in the 9th century. Through excavations, they have uncovered evidence that the site was used for religious ceremonies as far back as the first century.

Our tour didn’t have access to the church, but I sure would have loved to go inside.

The grounds in the photo below were adjacent to the basilica. It was a pristine and lush area.

City Church

A nondenominational city church is housed in the building that was formerly a Jesuit structure. The entrance is beautiful and is very much old world.

Koblenz Jesuit structure — City Church formerly Jesuit building in 1200

The inside of the church is much more modern. Our tour guide told us that she attends this church and she was also married there.

An enormous peacebell is at the front of the church.

The Spitting Boy

The French occupied Koblenz in 1794 – 1814 and it resulted in many boys born to French soldiers and German women. The boys were street urchins and known for pranks. Subsequently, Koblenz residents have embraced the idea of those cheeky boys as being clever and fun-loving.

The Spitting Boy Fountain pays homage to those boys. It’s base has images of these boys acting in mischievous way. Intermittently, the boy on top of the fountain spews a stream of water that extends beyond the fountain.

The city also embraces the spitting boy in other ways. For example, it displays the image of the boy upon its manholes.

Other City Sights in Koblenz

The area of the city we visited included cobblestoned streets and some interesting small shops.

I found the gorilla in the store window very expressive. Didn’t feel the need to buy it, but I liked it.

A tram runs through the city, but barely fits in the narrow street.

Koblenz In Conclusion

So, Koblenz was fun and a little bit whimsical. It certainly wasn’t something that I expected from this ancient city, but it was another wonderful day on our Viking Rhine River Cruise.

Our previous stop in Germany was Cologne. If you have an interest in German cities , check it out.

Cologne and a Cathedral

Cologne

Cologne was the first German stop on our Viking cruise and our first time in the country. I have German roots on my father’s side, so I felt a special affinity for the country.

The air was crisp and the temperature mild. It was such a perfect day to tour the city! A motor coach transported us from the drop off point on the Rhine river into the city and we saw a bit of residential area and countryside.

The Cathedral

Firstly, our local Viking tour guide first took us to the Cologne Cathedral , the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and one of Germany’s most famous landmarks. Its twin towers dominate the Cologne skyline. The cathedral is also a World Heritage Site and the most visited site in Germany.

They began construction on the cathedral in 1248, but did not finish it until 1880. Lengthy interruptions occurred due to war and financial difficulties. They built the cathedral to enshrine the bones of the Three Wise Men. The shrine is located in the back of the cathedral. We had limited access inside because it was Sunday. So, we couldn’t view the shrine.

While we could view and photograph from the back of the cathedral, we couldn’t go beyond.

Church personnel had roped off the main area because a mass was being held.

Cologne Cathedral — A Sunday service was occurring

Prayer candles and ancient artwork were in the back of the church and were also accessible to visitors.

The builders had placed many statues of biblical heroes upon the facade of the church. From my research, I believe that the two below are Elijah and King Solomon.

Pollution causes the dark areas of the cathedral and, therefore, it is an ongoing effort to clean the exterior. As soon as the last area is cleaned, the earlier areas that were cleaned need it again.

Lastly, we learned that the cathedral was damaged from bombs by the Allies during WW II. The damage was repaired though.

The Rest of the Tour

While the cathedral was a main portion of our tour, we subsequently saw a few more areas of interest. Our guide, Ulrika, certainly was a hoot. She had a great, somewhat quirky, sense of humor. I really enjoyed her!

Stumbling Stones

The stumbling stones below were in an area near the cathedral in front of some shops. Ulrika explained their meaning. They have laid over 70,000 of these blocks throughout Europe and Russia. Many of the stones are financed by schoolchildren who learn of their meaning and about former residents in their area. They place the stones where the victims previously lived. The victim’s name, date of birth, date of death, and method of death are etched on the stone.

I was very touched by this way they are remembering the victims of the Nazi regime.

Stumbling stone in Cologne — Stumbling Stone

Heinzelmannchen Fountain

The city established the water fountain below in 1900 as art that depicts a legend. The Heinzelmannchen were a mythical race of gnomes who, according to legend, did the mundane work during the night for Cologne residents. A tailor’s wife wanted to see them and spread peas to make them slip and fall. They became angry and never returned. Thus, the residents of Cologne had to do the work themselves.

Fountain in Cologne — Heinzelmannchen Fountain

Cars and Bikes

We didn’t see the massive number of bikes like in the Netherlands, but we did see more than in the United States. Also, we saw this very tiny one-person car.

The Chocolate Museum

Our tour guide mentioned the Chocolate Museum during our tour. We returned to our ship with our “leisurely” group for lunch. We came back later that afternoon to visit the museum.

A giant Ferris wheel spins to its side. The museum has all you could ever want to know about chocolate and the displays cover multiple floors.

Chocolate Museum in Cologne — Chocolate Museum

The exhibits had information on how cocoa beans are harvested, a history of chocolate, plus some antique vending machines and chocolate cups. Chocolate-making machines were also on display.

They gave us some samples. Yum!

Afterwards, we ordered the local beer of Cologne. There were beautiful pastries and candies in this restaurant, but we didn’t have the time or appetite.

A Rickshaw Ride

Our trip to and from the museum was via rickshaw. Our Viking desk arranged it for us through “Let It Roll.” It was a lovely experience. Our two drivers were friendly and helpful .

A Beautiful Sunset

After dinner, we watched the sunset across the Rhine with the cathedral in view. It was a beautiful end to the day!

View of Cologne at sunset — View of the cathedral across the Rhine

In Conclusion

We only had one day in this beautiful city and couldn’t do everything, but we saw a lot. I somewhat wish we had stayed on the other side of the bridge instead of going back to the ship for lunch. However, we are limited in what we can do physically and it was probably good that we didn’t push ourselves too hard. Travel while young and healthy if you can!

We love to travel, so my blogs have covered a lot of territory. We visited Kinderdijk in the Netherlands just before this stop. Check it out!

Windmills of Kinderdijk

I didn’t know much about windmills before we visited Kinderdijk
as part of a Viking River cruise. I knew that they were a symbol of the Netherlands and had a general idea how they looked, but that was the extent of it.

This was the first stop on our cruise and it was very memorable. We disembarked our ship, crossed a quiet street, walked down a short path, and entered a historic area that is much like it was hundreds of years ago.

Kinderdijk is about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam, but it evokes a feeling of a very different place—very rural and rustic. I learned that most of the land in the area is about two meters below sea level. Windmills enabled the people to live on this low-lying land over 700 years ago.

Currently, there are 19 circa 1740 windmills on site that are approximately 128 feet tall. At least one windmill is always keep operating.

The Tour

Our tour guide was Peit, a retired English teacher who was born in the Kinderdijk area. He is a volunteer and was a great guide because he was wonderfully enthusiastic about the windmills and very proud of the history of the area.

It was a beautiful walk to the windmills. They stood majestically in the distance with the one lone windmill spinning in the wind. Along the way, there were many paths to walk or bike. It was very cloudy day, but thankfully, no rain.

Pumping Stations

Later, residents replaced the windmills with a pumping station, the Weisboom, built in 1868. It was originally steam powered, but they later replaced it with an electric engine.

Eventually, additional pumping capacity was added with a second pumping station.

The Cat’s Cradle

The monument below was in the water near the windmills. It is to pay tribute to a legend that dates back to 1421 and a great flood. The cat was said to be jumping back and forth to keep the cradle with a baby inside from toppling over. There are various versions of details of the story. Also, Dutch children give their pet kittens new collars on St. Nicolas Day to honor the cat.

Reeds for Roofs

Reeds were and still are abundant in the area. They played an important role in the construction of the windmills because the thatch roofs on the structures were made from them.

Active Windmill

The tour allowed visitors to get very close to the active museum windmill and to go inside if desired.

Windmill at Kinderdijk — The wind was actively blowing

We crossed over to the other side of the structure, beyond the spinning blades. The wind was whipping them through the air with a big whooshing sound. Though we knew we out of the reach of the blades, it was slightly scary walking under them.

One of the windmills — It was intimidating up close

The Interior

Whole families lived in the windmills during a time when families were usually very large. Those who took care of the mill were called millwrights.

It must have been challenging to find a sleeping spot for each family member.

The kitchen was rather compact.

The first floor was furnished in a manner similar to how it would have been when the water was controlled by the windmills.

The second floor was more narrow and the shaft was in the center.

There was no access to the top floor, but we could see it.

We learned that people currently live in these windmills, but, they are more modern inside. At least one member of the household must have a miller’s degree to take care of it.

Some Local Hydrangeas

The flowers below were on the pathway to the windmill museum. I like to remember pretty things along the way.

In Conclusion

This tour brought a different time and place alive for me. It was a fabulous start to our river cruise. If interested in the beginning of this trip, check out a post about our extension in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam, City of Bicycles

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a very dynamic and charming city. It was our first visit to the Netherlands and its capital was a wonderful two days for us. The city was an extension to a Viking River Cruise and we are so glad we were able to spend some time in this iconic city. Amsterdam is most widely-known for windmills, canals, tulips, cheese, and the Dutch Masters. I think it should also be known for bicycles!

Amsterdam’s people

The people we encountered were friendly and welcoming. However, in one way, they are different from people from the United States and other countries we have visited. They have more than a million bikes in the city, more than one for each person and it is their principal form of transportation. The people were lean and are undoubtedly more fit than those with more passive transportation.

Many families do not own a car. The streets are so narrow and the parking so limited that it makes car ownership undesirable. They do, however, have access to cars. An app identifies nearby cars and enables access to them. They just park it in their final destination. Our local guide, a young married woman with a small child shared this information. They did not own a car.

However, this means that during cold and rain, it’s just them and a bicycle! Daytime temperatures in January are in the low 40s and the average is low 30s at night. They are a hearty bunch!

Consequently, bikes were everywhere, as were wide bike lanes. The city also has a tram system that some of our fellow travelers used. We used Uber while there and it worked well. Our Uber driver had a hybrid and he told us all taxis must be all electric in 2025.

Our Hotel

Hotel Okura in Amsterdam is a five star hotel and very luxurious. We do not normally travel in such style. A canal runs on the right of it and many nice restaurants are within walking distance. The hotel has a swimming pool, spa, and several restaurants. I believe a couple of them have Michelin stars.

Our room was comfortable and quite nice. The unbelievable breakfast buffet, which was included, was the best part of the hotel. Everything imaginable was on it, including Japanese items. The staff were especially attentive. I will remember those two breakfasts for many years to come.

Our room on the fourteenth floor had a great view of one of the canals and a part of the city.

View of Amsterdam canal — View from our room of Amstelkanaal

Amsterdam Cuisine

Though jet-lagged, we ventured out on our first day to an Italian restaurant, Insieme Ristorante, near our hotel. According to our waiter, the owner is from Sardinia and the food was authentic Italian.

A delicious dinner at Insieme Ristorante

I ordered the special, though having no idea what to expect. Gnocchi with a beet sauce, cheese, and crispy tomato. The presentation was attractive and the dish was so delicious. It was also served with beautifully-presented bread.

I also ordered the recommended wine, Primitivo Di Manduria, a 1922 Le Vigne Di Sammarco. It was on of the best red wines I have ever tasted. I have looked for it since arriving home, but haven’t located the exact wine in that year.

Dessert was tiramisu, which is a specialty of the restaurant. I love fancy food, but my husband is more a big steak man. Overall, this meal was one of my most memorable.

Tour of Amsterdam

Viking provided a local guide for a two-hour tour of the city. We took an extensive walk of the city and she shared details of her life in Amsterdam, the city’s culture, history, and architecture.

Interesting Sites

The Heineken Brewery is located in Amsterdam. We had several of its beers while on our trip, but unfortunately, we didn’t have time to tour the facility.

A street market was on our tour. The dragon fruit drew my eye because it is so colorful. I didn’t stop to try the fruit though.

Colorful Dragon Fruit in the local market

Amsterdamers were on almost every street. Each has the symbol of Amsterdam on it, three Xs. The Xs represent the threats to old Amsterdam: fire, flood, and disease.

We passed the building below on our tour. I loved the unique look of this art gallery. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to go inside

Our guide informed us that “Coffee” shops whose signs were in English also sell cannabis products. The city “tolerates” those soft drugs.

There were many small shops on our walking tour. The shop in the photo below sells a particular kind of fish that is eaten by hand. The girl in the photo is wearing the traditional Dutch clothing. The image was compelling.

Classic Dutch attire and method for eating a particular kind of fish

Amsterdam Canals

Amsterdam has three 17th century canals: Gentleman’s (Henrengracht), Prince’s (Prisengracht) , Emperor’s (Keizersgracht). Bikes and cars often fall into the canals: over 12,000 bikes and an average of 35 cars are pulled from the canals each year.

Below is a shot of the Singelgracht, an outer canal designed for defense and water maintenance. It served as a moat to medieval Amsterdam from 1480 to 1585 when the city expanded beyond it. So, it was then no longer a defensive canal.

Amsterdam Singel canal — Singelgracht Canal in Amsterdam

National Museum

The Rijksmuseum is a gorgeous structure. It is the national museum of the Netherlands. It was founded in 1798 and it covers 800 years of Dutch history and the Dutch masters including Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. I am very sad that our time and energy did not include a visit to the interior. But, we enjoyed the exterior, which was built starting in 1876.

Below is a park behind the museum. This area was where our tour ended and we both were very tired. We shared a water with some friends from the Viking tour there. It was so good to sit down!

A Canal Ride

To rest after our tour, we took a canal ride. Our guide recommended this company. It was relatively inexpensive and allowed us to see more of the city. The ride included recorded information about landmarks along the way.

The original tower below was built in 1516 as part of a defensive wall around Amsterdam. The decorative part at the top was an addition in 1606. So much history in this city!

Moreover, the buildings in Amsterdam are very narrow with multiple floors. The date they were built is displayed on the older buildings, like the 1590 date on the building below.

Note the date of the building in the center

Anne Frank House

Tickets to the Anne Frank house had to be purchased weeks ahead. Tickets become available on a specific day for the following couple of weeks. I set my clock for the middle of the night on the date the tickets dropped and snagged an afternoon entry time for our full day in Amsterdam. The photo below is the front of the house.

Anne and her family had been in hiding for two years when the Gestapo discovered them. Afterwards, Anne and her sister, Margot, died in a concentration camp and her mother died in Auschwitz. Only her father survived the captivity. He discovered her diary which was kept during their time in the attic and it was later published. The diary is believed to be most read book in the world, second only to the Bible.

Amsterdam in Conclusion

Because we crammed a lot of activities during our short stay, it was a quite exhausting. Overall though, our two days in Amsterdam were outstanding. I really wish I could return so we could see more of it at a leisurely pace.

We also traveled to the United Kingdom in 2019 and if interested in that experience, see Edinburgh, United Kingdom Summer Tour.

The Train from Anchorage to Denali

The Train

We opted to fly to Alaska rather than pulling our camper. It is so far away—we just couldn’t envision being on the road so long. The bonus with this strategy was that we could take the train from Anchorage to Denali. It turned several months travel on the road to just over two weeks. I had to share the photo below of Alaska from the plane. It was stunning!

I am happy to say that all our flights to and from Alaska went smoothly. We flew American Airlines to Anchorage and Alaska Air returning home. Alaska Air was my favorite because the planes were nicer and it offered better service on the plane.

We were very happy when our plane landed at the Anchorage airport as our flight from Dallas was almost seven hours. There was a definite “Alaska” feel to the terminal.

Anchorage

Our trip began and ended in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. In fact, close to half of all Alaska residents live in Anchorage. It had the feel of many small cities in the lower forty-eight, except for the amazing mountains as a backdrop.

We had a little time in Anchorage before camping and before and after the train. We loved it because of excellent meals and friendly people. Our first night was at the Holiday Inn near the airport. The shuttle was reliable and the manager was excellent. He told us about a Korean restaurant nearby, which we tried and loved.

Our last two nights (before and after the train) in Anchorage was at Crown Plaza. Hotels were fully booked long before we checked in, so I recommend booking early if going in the summer. They also had a shuttle to the airport and gave us an amazing upgrade our last night.

We had great luck with meals in Anchorage, including Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria and El Jefe Taco Joint.

Alaska Aviation Museum

Our one excursion in Anchorage was to the Aviation Museum. My husband loves anything related to aviation, so he was happy with our choice.

In Alaska, one in five people have pilot’s licenses because so much of the state is not accessible by roads. I found it interesting that Juneau, the capital, is not even fully accessible by road. Consequently, airplanes are an important part of Alaska’s history and life today.

The museum is on Lake Hood and we watched several float planes take off while at the museum.

Float planes were taking off near the museum

Alaska Railroad

We rode Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star and chose the Goldstar Service to Denali and the Wilderness Express car returning to Anchorage. Wilderness Express is a private company that has two cars that are on the back of the train. The Goldstar Service includes dome seating, meals and a couple of drinks and Wilderness Express costs a bit less, but includes no food or drinks.

The food was better on the Goldstar service and was actually cheaper because you are on the train for approximately seven hours and food and drinks are expensive.

However, the Wilderness Express car had an excellent host/narrator who pointed out viewing opportunities, including Denali mountain. Sarah was upbeat, charming and fun! The car also had more comfortable seats and you could charge your devices at your seat, unlike the dome service.

Wilderness Express Car on the train to Denali — Wilderness Express Dome Car

Views From the Train

The trip from Anchorage to Denali takes about seven hours and covers 234 miles. It travels pretty slowly, so one can take in the sights and snap photos without everything passing quickly.

Mountains and rivers were often what we saw on the trip. There were very few people and buildings along the way. Alaska truly is wide open country.

The train went slowly on the 918 feet long bridge over Hurricane Gulch. It is also 296 feet high making it the highest and longest bridge in the Alaska Railroad. The photo below was taken from the back of the rail car.

There is a story about the house below. Many decades ago, the owners wanted to paint it a green that would blend in with the background. This particular shade, however, stood out brightly. It got so much positive attention though, that the owners kept it that color. It became a gathering place for the community.

I love the colors in the mountains and trees for this area.

One area, as you neared Anchorage, had vivid lime green ground cover for miles and miles.

Special Sightings

We were on a bear sighting hunt for all of our two-week trip, but we only saw them as the train was departing the station in Anchorage. It appears that mamma and baby were separated by a fence.

We saw bears from the train — Bears near the Anchorage Station

Denali Mountain is the highest mountain peak in North America at 20,310 feet above sea level and is also the third highest peak on Earth. It is so often covered by clouds that it is estimated that you only have a 30 percent chance of seeing it. While spending two days in Denali, we tried unsuccessfully many times to view it. So we were delighted to finally see it on our way back to Anchorage. It was a sight to behold!

View of Denali Mountain from the train — Denali, the High one, viewed from the train

The photo below was taken from the back of the train after crossing Hurricane Gulch.

View from the back of the train past Hurricane Gulch — Just past Hurricane Gulch

Conclusion

The train was not the least expensive way to get to Denali, but it certainly was a pleasurable trip. To be able to comfortably enjoy such beautiful scenery was a privilege. As we are not likely to get to Alaska again, I am so glad we got to experience the train and the dome views of Alaska.

We also spent ten days camping on the Kenai Peninsula. If you would like to check it out, it’s at Alaska Camping in a Rental RV.