Our day started with a leisurely breakfast with made to order omelettes, french toast, and mimosas. I tried mine with grapefruit juice! I wonder what that would be called? Whatever, it was delicious. When our ship docked at 10:30 we were in the heart of Cologne, just a couple of short uphill blocks to the Cathedral that is their priceless treasure.
Our guide led us throught the cobbled streets up from the river bank pointing out interesting sights like the bronzes whose noses you rub for luck or money, or other parts for other things! The sight we beheld after rounding the corner into the Dom Square was not dampened by the drizzling rain. The Cathedral was begun in1248 and not finished until the late 1800's. A prime example of Gothic and Romanesque architectural details is made even more fantastic by the fact that only one of the expansive stained glass windows was damaged by the Allied bombings in W.W.II. That window has been replaced by one that does not have biblical or philisophical design but rather is a homage to them by using the same bright colors but in tiny squares. One corner of the massive stone work, only a few feet square, near the entrance had to be rebuilt and is noticed because of the brightness of the facade. The depiction of Christ upon the cross is the first European expression of the humanity of Jesus.
We ventured out on the extended tour and so the Germanic Romanesque Museum was included in our walking tour. Fascinating artifacts of the Roman Domination of the world is evident everywhere. We were walking on original cobblestones that charioteers rode over through original arches of the city walls. Inside the museum were so many burial monuments, household utensils, and so much history of Germanic Roman occupation. My favorite is the delicate decoratively layered glassware that has lasted for 2000 years! It wouldn't make it that long at my house!
Delores from Viking was at the museum exit so we asked her for directions. Instead she led us on what turned out to be an additonal tour. We saw the site of the new dig which is revealing an early Synagogue. We also saw some humorous touches from Carnival including a gargoylish statue perched high above the street of a man 'mooning' the city below.
We stopped at the original shop that is the home of colgne itself on our way back to the ship for lunch. Right after lunch our new friend Diana went to the room to rest so her husband Len came with us to the Chocolate Museum. Only a couple of samples were given but the museum was very large, covering several floors, and would be especially nice for the kids because of all the interactive displays.
Len headed straight back while Madeline and I took a more meandering route. We were back in time for the five pm lecture on Germany today. I have now met the only person in the modern world who would give a one hour talk with only one audio-visual aid. An 8 1/2" x 11" color printer rendition of a map of Germany divided. which she held up in front of the room while talking about the various states and the war divisions! Lame!
We changed for dinner. River cruises are more casual than ocean ones but I feel that a clean top and some fresh makeup with a quick teeth and hair brushing make me feel more presentable at dinner and sort of give me a second wind. We ate again with the Aussies who are three couples traveling together and totally delightful. My steak was delicious and done perfectly to my liking.
The briefing for tomorrow was followed by a concert of classical music by a local trio. The piano player finished the night with a bang - or rather a clatter. She tap danced during the final number!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
At last I can post the start of my adventure!
As I am sailing down the Rhine away from Amsterdam I will pause and to bring you up to date on the grand river tour. Grand it is, indeed. After arriving safely via Lufthansa we quickly were escorted to our ship which I will from now on rightly call a boat. One hundred thirty two passengers and a crew of about twenty. Since I was among the last to arrive I was quickly able to access my luggage and unpack. The room is not spacious and the window is literally at water level. Madeline had gotten there hours before so her suitcase was the last to be delivered and we had to wait for her to get her coat out of the bag. Amsterdam is very windy and it was quite cold.
We ventured out to walk which felt really good after the very long flight. No time to see the things I really wanted to see but I am sure we will be back again as the jumping off point for some cruise or the other. First impression of the city was that it is not as clean as I expected. Second thought is that being a very flat country is a good thing. Bicycles everywhere. At one point we were walking on what we thought was the sidewalk when the repeated ding-ding made us realize we were on the bike path.
Since it was Sunday I was surprised to see how busy everywhere was. Thousands of bikes are augmented by excellent, bus, rail and trolley services. Young people seem to have locked away all the oldsters as few were seen. And young people have a good time in Amsterdam where coffee shops are adults only and Hookahs are evident and in use there and in Smoking Bars. I started to make a stop in the Seeds store to looks for something interesting to bring home and plant. That would only get me in a lot of trouble --- Seeds stores sell marijuana seeds of several varieties!
This morning we went out to Kinderdijk which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Only 17 kilometers from Rotterdam there are nineteen working windmills. Each raises unwanted water 3 or 4 feet at a time until it is up 22 feet to river level so it can be carried to the sea. Families live in each in order to preserve them for emergency use as a back up to the now active Andromeda Screw System that does workhorse job of creating dry land for crops and cattle. In exchange for this free housing they maintain the windmills which otherwise the owning foundation would find to be a multi million dollar proposition. Luckily the rain stopped part way through our included excursion and the sun has been playing peek-a-boo ever since.
Back on the boat the delicious cheese soup with grapes and walnuts was delicious as a warming lunch.
Got to go – evacuation drill. No lifeboats so maybe we will find there are rubber rafts. But the Rhine is only about 50 to 75 yards wide hear so not too worried!
Our nest fun activity today was a tasting of juniper gin, Jenever, and varieties of Dutch cheeses (Gouda). A quiet chat and some picture taking on the sun deck followed this and then was soon interrupted by time for Dutch tea time which featured liquor laced Dutch coffee topped with double layer whipping cream and strawberries. Also served was Plum Cake which is a favorite of my family. Very nice but the amazing thing was how small the world is.
Joining me at my table was a very nice lady from Michigan. When I asked where she was from she held up her hand in typical Michigander style and indicated near the base of the thumb I told her that my daughter, Christine, used to date a young man from East Tawas which is the next town over. I said his dad owned the weekly paper. It turned out that these people are friends of Neal and Barbara Miller, Torre's parents!
The time passed so quickly that before I knew it the time had come to raise a glass to the Captain and then have dinner. More lovely people at our table from Kansas City, Missouri. He had been the person who was the one responsible for all the benefits of the boilermaker union. Very interesting and well traveled.
The evening entertainment was a lesson in speaking the German language since we are now in German waters and tomorrow will dock in Cologne, Germany. River Cruises are not the same as Ocean Cruises. Everything is very low key and quiet. Only one option at a time offered and a little more regimented. There are plenty of things to fill your day if you choose but the best part is the scenery that is ever changing and an arms length away.
We ventured out to walk which felt really good after the very long flight. No time to see the things I really wanted to see but I am sure we will be back again as the jumping off point for some cruise or the other. First impression of the city was that it is not as clean as I expected. Second thought is that being a very flat country is a good thing. Bicycles everywhere. At one point we were walking on what we thought was the sidewalk when the repeated ding-ding made us realize we were on the bike path.
Since it was Sunday I was surprised to see how busy everywhere was. Thousands of bikes are augmented by excellent, bus, rail and trolley services. Young people seem to have locked away all the oldsters as few were seen. And young people have a good time in Amsterdam where coffee shops are adults only and Hookahs are evident and in use there and in Smoking Bars. I started to make a stop in the Seeds store to looks for something interesting to bring home and plant. That would only get me in a lot of trouble --- Seeds stores sell marijuana seeds of several varieties!
This morning we went out to Kinderdijk which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Only 17 kilometers from Rotterdam there are nineteen working windmills. Each raises unwanted water 3 or 4 feet at a time until it is up 22 feet to river level so it can be carried to the sea. Families live in each in order to preserve them for emergency use as a back up to the now active Andromeda Screw System that does workhorse job of creating dry land for crops and cattle. In exchange for this free housing they maintain the windmills which otherwise the owning foundation would find to be a multi million dollar proposition. Luckily the rain stopped part way through our included excursion and the sun has been playing peek-a-boo ever since.
Back on the boat the delicious cheese soup with grapes and walnuts was delicious as a warming lunch.
Got to go – evacuation drill. No lifeboats so maybe we will find there are rubber rafts. But the Rhine is only about 50 to 75 yards wide hear so not too worried!
Our nest fun activity today was a tasting of juniper gin, Jenever, and varieties of Dutch cheeses (Gouda). A quiet chat and some picture taking on the sun deck followed this and then was soon interrupted by time for Dutch tea time which featured liquor laced Dutch coffee topped with double layer whipping cream and strawberries. Also served was Plum Cake which is a favorite of my family. Very nice but the amazing thing was how small the world is.
Joining me at my table was a very nice lady from Michigan. When I asked where she was from she held up her hand in typical Michigander style and indicated near the base of the thumb I told her that my daughter, Christine, used to date a young man from East Tawas which is the next town over. I said his dad owned the weekly paper. It turned out that these people are friends of Neal and Barbara Miller, Torre's parents!
The time passed so quickly that before I knew it the time had come to raise a glass to the Captain and then have dinner. More lovely people at our table from Kansas City, Missouri. He had been the person who was the one responsible for all the benefits of the boilermaker union. Very interesting and well traveled.
The evening entertainment was a lesson in speaking the German language since we are now in German waters and tomorrow will dock in Cologne, Germany. River Cruises are not the same as Ocean Cruises. Everything is very low key and quiet. Only one option at a time offered and a little more regimented. There are plenty of things to fill your day if you choose but the best part is the scenery that is ever changing and an arms length away.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
At last the day and night are here
It is way too early to be up on the day of a flight that doesn't leave until dinnertime! But maybe that is good and I will sleep on the plane tonight. My flight leaves Atlanta at 6:05 PM barring any late afternoon thunderstorm delays. I fly overnight to Frankfurt on Lufthansa. A short layover there before flying on to Amsterdam to begin the Viking Cruise Line Grand European Tour.
This is the second time a cruise has started in Amsterdam for me. Last time we had a whole day to explore the city. The Sail Amsterdam event was the same weekend that we were there. Traffic stalled in every street as hundreds of thousands of people converged on the two harbors and Grand Canal to see the Tall Ships. Some eight thousand sailing ships of all kinds and small motor boats clogged the waterways in celebration.
We did not risk missing our own sailing to see the sights of the city. But what a fantastic front row seat we had on our balcony overlooking the end of the sailing route where every ship and boat turned to head back to the starting point.
My hope is that this time Amsterdam will be relatively quiet and we will have time to visit the Anne Frank House at the very least. Someday Amsterdam will have to be our destination, not just our jumping off point.
This is the second time a cruise has started in Amsterdam for me. Last time we had a whole day to explore the city. The Sail Amsterdam event was the same weekend that we were there. Traffic stalled in every street as hundreds of thousands of people converged on the two harbors and Grand Canal to see the Tall Ships. Some eight thousand sailing ships of all kinds and small motor boats clogged the waterways in celebration.
My hope is that this time Amsterdam will be relatively quiet and we will have time to visit the Anne Frank House at the very least. Someday Amsterdam will have to be our destination, not just our jumping off point.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Lufthansa
Found out my flight cannot be on Delta. I am flying Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Germany on the way to Amsterdam. I have heard that the airline will make it a comfortable flight. BUT I checked their website and got some bad news. Only one 40 pound bag can be checked for free. International Delta flights allow two bags.I pack extremely light but three weeks in Europe with a wide variety of activities from hiking to the opera and symphony makes for more stuf needed. Shoes alone will take up lots of space!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Packing
Five more days until the next international trip. Grand European Tour And tomorrow there is out of town company coming to stay over for one of them! Jean, Joe, and the kids are coming on their way back home from Disney World. All my kids are coming to spend tine with our old neighbor who grew up with them in Chicago and is really like another daughter. It will be a late night after a busy day of getting the house ready and actually cooking dinner. Something I seldom do.
So what about getting me and my house ready for a three week tour of Europe. Luckily my girls pitch in and take care of making sure bills are paid and the Skeeter dog is cared for. I am pretty sure that Karen is anxious to drop me off at the airport on Saturday afternoon. Katie will keep Skeeter company and the little wiener dog will return the favor while her Dave is still in Afghanistan. Christine will maybe miss me as much as I will miss her and the kids., I will miss out on so many things with them this month.
I will not be here to help see Jamie packed off to college. Very exciting milestone for the whole family. Christian and Maddie each have birthday parties. This is Christian's last childhood year. Next year he will become a teenager. He and his friends will be celebrating at the computer game venue and at the Cubs - Braves game. Maddie's gang of girls will be celebrating at Monster Mini Golf. I still have to make VIP passes for them. I will miss so much while enjoying sights I never thought I would see.
So how do I get some clothes in my suitcase? I resurrected the rolling duffel because it is slim enough to store under the river boat bed. So one suitcase and a small carry on to get through 22 days in the glittering capitals of Europe from Amsterdam to BudaPest and on to Prague. First problem is that every pair of slacks must be tried on. Can't afford space to carry along something that might not fit right. Then to match up tops. I need something pretty to wear in the evenings for dinners and the opera, and symphony. In my head I believe that in Europe people must dress nicer than we do. I KNOW that this is not true, and besides, everyone I will be traveling with is probably from America!
I am thinking of this as the Castles and Cathedral Tour. I know that every city or town will have one, the other, or both. So skorts are added to my wardrobe. Can't wear shorts into churches so I have that covered - no pun intended. Unfortunately each one needs to be tailored before dropping into the suitcase. In order to fit over my hips and rear I need a size that is way too large for my waist! My slacks need to be hemmed too. Guess that will be Tuesday.
Can't take too much but need to be ready for lots of walking, lots of hills, lots of uneven surfaces, ready for rain, cool, hot, and abbeys. The e-reader will save lots of space. So I really have to think this whole thing through. Guess I should go get busy about it!
So what about getting me and my house ready for a three week tour of Europe. Luckily my girls pitch in and take care of making sure bills are paid and the Skeeter dog is cared for. I am pretty sure that Karen is anxious to drop me off at the airport on Saturday afternoon. Katie will keep Skeeter company and the little wiener dog will return the favor while her Dave is still in Afghanistan. Christine will maybe miss me as much as I will miss her and the kids., I will miss out on so many things with them this month.
I will not be here to help see Jamie packed off to college. Very exciting milestone for the whole family. Christian and Maddie each have birthday parties. This is Christian's last childhood year. Next year he will become a teenager. He and his friends will be celebrating at the computer game venue and at the Cubs - Braves game. Maddie's gang of girls will be celebrating at Monster Mini Golf. I still have to make VIP passes for them. I will miss so much while enjoying sights I never thought I would see.
So how do I get some clothes in my suitcase? I resurrected the rolling duffel because it is slim enough to store under the river boat bed. So one suitcase and a small carry on to get through 22 days in the glittering capitals of Europe from Amsterdam to BudaPest and on to Prague. First problem is that every pair of slacks must be tried on. Can't afford space to carry along something that might not fit right. Then to match up tops. I need something pretty to wear in the evenings for dinners and the opera, and symphony. In my head I believe that in Europe people must dress nicer than we do. I KNOW that this is not true, and besides, everyone I will be traveling with is probably from America!
I am thinking of this as the Castles and Cathedral Tour. I know that every city or town will have one, the other, or both. So skorts are added to my wardrobe. Can't wear shorts into churches so I have that covered - no pun intended. Unfortunately each one needs to be tailored before dropping into the suitcase. In order to fit over my hips and rear I need a size that is way too large for my waist! My slacks need to be hemmed too. Guess that will be Tuesday.
Can't take too much but need to be ready for lots of walking, lots of hills, lots of uneven surfaces, ready for rain, cool, hot, and abbeys. The e-reader will save lots of space. So I really have to think this whole thing through. Guess I should go get busy about it!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The value of the digital camera...
I am beginning to think that the digital camera may not be the best invention for the indecisive. On my recent trip from China to Seattle by way of Japan, Russia, Alaska and Canada I took some 3,400 pictures. But the picture in my mind that I regret not capturing is the one of the Russian immigration officers. I did not have camera in hand when the elevator doors on our ship opened and some fifteen ladies in combat fatigues, Ushanka hats and bright smiles pointed skywards and repeated 'ate-che, ate-che.' Caught totally off guard and with my hands full I could only point to the ceiling. The doors closed just as my brain was registering to hand my stuff to my friend and raise the camera. All happened in a swift moment as time slowed down just enough for me to realize that I had been caught totally off guard.
The women were looking for the ship buffet. .. on Deck Eight (ate-che). My need to be helpful superseded my need to record every single moment of my adventure. This would have been the best picture of the trip. It would have let me tell the viewer the story of the long waits to get off the boat to tour Vladivostock or the endless line to re-board in the Petropavlovskian snow. Of the incredible delight these Russian soldiers were experiencing being on our luxury liner. Their eyes wide with wonder how they went on to the bufet and cautiously took small servings of a few essentials. After a few moments one was overheard telling the others that yes, they could go back and get more - as many times as they wanted. And they did!
The digital camera is to blame for me missing this picture which is still so vivid in my head. When I used to carry a somewhat cumbersome film camera I was always conscious of having it. I always knew exactly where it was and how many shots I had left. I composed the picture in my head, moved people and tree branches around, and made sure that it was exactly the most telling scene. I did not want to waste film or the money to develop the final product. Now my lightweight, GPS smart camera is ALWAYS with me; usually in a pocket for easy access. This time, this one time, the handy carrying strap was around my wrist over which also hung my jacket, a bag of souvenirs, and a rather damp and dangly umbrella! My other hand had a cup of hot tea and two cookies! I totally forgot where the camera was. I actually thought a little too late, to put down the cup and reach in my pocket for the Casio but when it wasn't there, the fleeting moment was gone. My always helpful self had told them "8, up, 8" as my hand both searched for the camera and pointed skyward!
Now I know what needs to be invented next. A digital, GPS, camera that is fastened to your head like a singers microphone and operates by mind thought processes. I'll buy it for sure.
The women were looking for the ship buffet. .. on Deck Eight (ate-che). My need to be helpful superseded my need to record every single moment of my adventure. This would have been the best picture of the trip. It would have let me tell the viewer the story of the long waits to get off the boat to tour Vladivostock or the endless line to re-board in the Petropavlovskian snow. Of the incredible delight these Russian soldiers were experiencing being on our luxury liner. Their eyes wide with wonder how they went on to the bufet and cautiously took small servings of a few essentials. After a few moments one was overheard telling the others that yes, they could go back and get more - as many times as they wanted. And they did!
The digital camera is to blame for me missing this picture which is still so vivid in my head. When I used to carry a somewhat cumbersome film camera I was always conscious of having it. I always knew exactly where it was and how many shots I had left. I composed the picture in my head, moved people and tree branches around, and made sure that it was exactly the most telling scene. I did not want to waste film or the money to develop the final product. Now my lightweight, GPS smart camera is ALWAYS with me; usually in a pocket for easy access. This time, this one time, the handy carrying strap was around my wrist over which also hung my jacket, a bag of souvenirs, and a rather damp and dangly umbrella! My other hand had a cup of hot tea and two cookies! I totally forgot where the camera was. I actually thought a little too late, to put down the cup and reach in my pocket for the Casio but when it wasn't there, the fleeting moment was gone. My always helpful self had told them "8, up, 8" as my hand both searched for the camera and pointed skyward!
Now I know what needs to be invented next. A digital, GPS, camera that is fastened to your head like a singers microphone and operates by mind thought processes. I'll buy it for sure.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
July 13, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)