After enjoying an excellent breakfast at the Trois Rois, we checked out on Sunday morning. However we didn’t go far, about a city block. We had planned to stay another day in Basel, but instead of remaining at the formal and somewhat dark (and expensive) Trois Rois, I had found the Hotel D, a modern new hotel at a much lower price. Although it wasn’t directly on the Rhine, it did have suites that opened to a private terrace on the top floor. This was the room we booked and we did enjoy it. The terrace was large and gave us an expansive view of the Basel rooftops in several directions. We thoroughly enjoyed the one night we stayed there and wished we had been there all along.

We could see the Rhine from our terrace, as well as any number of charming buildings. It made for a wonderful afternoon.

There was was one fly in the ointment. No one had told us that almost everything closes on Sunday in Basel, except the churches and a few quick marts. And it was Sunday. When we asked about restaurants at the Hotel D desk, they told us there wasn’t much to choose from as they were almost all closed. Even the COOP where we planned to go for lunch was closed. So what to do? The hotel staff said there was one restaurant that was open and it was right across the street, The Bombay. Guess we were going to have Indian food for dinner.

The senior Rambler is not an adventurous eater, but I convinced him that I could find something on their menu he would like, and…it really was our only choice. For lunch we went to to the corner grocery/quick mart and bought an assortment of snacks and fruit to tide us over. Our room also had a well stocked mini-bar that was included in the room charges, so we spend the afternoon on the terrace enjoying the view while we munched on our snacks.

On the street level there was a corner store with good quality fruit and other snacks which tided us over during a delightful afternoon. Our room also had a well-stocked mini-bar which was included with the price of the room.

We could see from our room when the Bombay opened and we decided to have an early dinner, so we headed across the street. Since it was early, the restaurant wasn’t crowded and we were seated at a table for two with a wonderful view of the Rhine. We scanned the menu and I suggested a few entrees that were not too spicy for the senior Rambler. Fortunately he enjoyed my selections which were served family style. This Rambler enjoys spicy food, and my entree was excellent, especially washed down with an icy Indian beer.

The New Bombay Restaurant, with the Rhine in the background.

While we ate, we watched Sunday activity on the Rhine. First were the old fashioned ferries; Basel has four. For a modest fee you can traverse the Rhine in a small vessel, pushed across by the current going one way, and by a cable in the other. The ferries were quaint but we had no desire to ride in one as we had enough trouble with the gondola the day before.

What was even more fun was watching swimmers float down the Rhine pulled along by the current. Evidently this is a summer tradition in Basel when the water warms up. This is the way it works. The swimmer rents a Wickelfisch, a swim bag/float for about 30 Swiss francs. Clothing covering the bathing suit is packed in the waterproof bag, it is sealed shut and it is time to get into the water. The Wickelfisch, which looks sort of like a fish, acts as as both float and clothing bag during the mile or so most float down the Rhine. The most popular stop is a series of steps where swimmers dry off, chat with friends for a while, get dressed and return their bag before heading home.

From our window table we could watch the ferries cross the Rhine and the swimmers floating along with their Winkelfisch.

All in all, we enjoyed our stay in Switzerland very much, especially at the Hotel D, and the senior Rambler had a chance to rest his back before we began our journey home. Unfortunately I chose to get us back to Amsterdam and our flight home by train instead of flying from Basel to Schiphol. We had enjoyed train travel twenty years ago, when we spent 6 weeks in Europe, and it seemed like a good chance to see more delightful landscapes from a train window. BUT that was twenty years ago, and most of our travel was done without luggage.

What had seemed like a good idea a few months ago, now didn’t seem like such a good idea. What we should have done is booked an Easy Jet flight back to Amsterdam, but we didn’t. The first minor issue was to make sure we went to the right station. Basel has two, one was for mainly local travel and the other served international travelers. Our taxi driver spoke good English and dropped us off at the right one, but when I showed my ticket to the person on duty, he seemed somewhat agitated. Unfortunately he didn’t speak English so I didn’t understand what he was saying. We shrugged and turned to get to the platform. Then the lack of handicap accessibility hit us. There was no elevator…we had a choice of steep stairs or a steep ramp. Since we had our luggage, 2 carry-ons and a larger check-bag, we had no choice but to take the ramp. It was a struggle and we finally got to the top, my asthma had kicked in and it took a while to catch my breath.

But there was worse to come. Once on the platform, we learned from a friendly young man, what the agent was trying to tell us. There had been a cave-in on the line and all trains were being re-routed. What I had thought would be a scenic ride to Frankfort where we would have ample time to find our connecting train, turned into a nightmare of transferring from train to bus to train and finally getting on one that would take us to Frankfort. Keep in mind, that none of these stations had handicap accessible platforms… If it hadn’t been for the kindness of many German passengers we were being re-routed with, we might still be in Basel. LOL As it turned out, they helped us with our luggage, carrying it up or down the ubiquitous ramps for us, until we finally boarded a train that would take us to Frankfort where we would catch our train to Amsterdam, or so we thought. The bus connection was the worst as it was a fairly long ride and the bus was crowded; we were not the only ones being routed. The Ramblers did get to see more of the area, but not in the way we had expected.

When we finally reached Frankfort, it was obvious we had missed our scheduled connection but the railway guide who met the train with a welcome wheelchair, assured us he would take us to the platform where we would finally get aboard our train to Amsterdam, or so we thought. He instructed us to board the next train that pulled in, and even placed us in what was supposed to be the right boarding stop. When the train arrived, we got on, luggage in tow, and sat down. However, when the Russian lady conductor checked our tickets, she tried to tell us we were on the wrong train. However, we didn’t understand her. We were on the WRONG TRAIN and it was really the wrong train. It turned out to be a local commuter train and before we realized what was happening, we were the only people on board, and the train as stopped at a siding. A German railway worker came through and told us we would have to get off, as the train was going nowhere. We would have to find another train to get back to Frankfort and find the right train again.

When he opened the door, we saw that there was now a big drop to the ground, we were nowhere near the platform. When the railwayman saw our difficulty, he brought a ladder, and we carefully climbed down while he and a young student who would help us get back to Frankfort took our luggage. But that was only the first step. We had to climb over a series of tracks and a 2 1/ 2 ft. brick platform wall to get to the station. I really struggled to get over the wall, my repaired hips don’t flex like they used to. Fortunately my helper was a large guy and with me pushing and him pulling we got me over the barrier.

Unfortunately when we finally reached the station our young guide told us there wouldn’t be another train until morning. Staying there overnight was not an option as our flight was the next morning. We had to get to Amsterdam!

Waiting for the train that had already left…

In fact, our only option was to get a Taxi to drive us to Frankfort. It would be expensive but at this point we had no choice. Thanks to our kind student, he was finally able to find a driver who would take us back to Frankfort. Thanking our friend, we boarded the taxi and settled back for a fairly long ride. However, there was another problem. Our driver wanted to be paid in cash. We had few Euros left as we were leaving the next day. Since the Senior Rambler’s back was hurting again, I set out to find an ATM. By now it was rush hour and the station was crowded with commuters, but I finally located an ATM machine only to find it was broken, and the next wouldn’t accept my card. Trudged back to where the driver was waiting and told him I would have to find a bank. AT this time, a tall German came to my aid, assuring me that there were ATM’s close bay and he would take me there. And so he did, but I had a hard time keeping up with his quick pace. Evidently he didn’t spend much time with senior citizens. LOL Anyway, the first ATM didn’t work, so we went around the corner to another bank. By this time, I was really dragging and tripped on the bank step, falling and slamming my right arm into the glass door of the bank. As I lay there like a beached whale, surrounded by a small group of concerned Germans, adrenaline kicked in. I asked for a hand up, and headed towards the ATM machine which did work. Thanking yet another kind guide, I headed back to the waiting taxi, and paid the driver.

We were back in Frankfort but still had to get to Amsterdam by tomorrow morning. Not wanting to make the another mistake, we headed to Traveler’s Assistance where we explained what had happened and where we needed to go. But nothing went right that day. The last train to Amsterdam had already departed and there wouldn’t be another until 6 AM. That one should get us to Amsterdam in time to make our flight but it was now 8:30 in the evening. Because our problems were caused by the railroad, they offered to put us up at a hotel by the station. The Ramblers didn’t have much choice and we accepted the voucher, assured that the hotel was only a short distance away. We also had a ticket and information for the morning train to Amsterdam.

Now to find the hotel. The area around the Frankfort main train station is somewhat run down, the further away we walked the worse it got and we couldn’t find the hotel listed on the voucher. We were still dragging our roller bags, it was warm, we were dog tired and my arm was smarting. This was a very low point in the Ramblers’ travel experiences. I guess we should have been glad it wasn’t raining.

Sometimes God looks out for idiots, as we were stopped by a man wearing a Hawaiian shirt who noticed the two bedraggled Ramblers. It turned out he was a fellow American who was familiar with the area and would help us find the hotel. Of course it turned out that our hotel had been bought out by the Mercure chain which had changed its name. We had walked past it several times…To make matters worse, it was being remodeled. Thanking our angel in a Hawaiian shirt, we checked in and found that our “free” room was a long way off through an area that was under construction. It was tiny, and the twin beds were among the smallest we had ever seen.

It was now almost 9 PM, we hadn’t had anything to eat and didn’t feel like going out, but we had seen a McDonald’s close by. We got some burgers and headed back to our dumpy room. They were among the worst we ever had, which was par for the course. By now my right arm was a deep purple blue, and I had some interesting bruises on other parts of my anatomy. I always wear long sleeves when we travel; either keeps the sun off or keeps you warm. The shirt I was wearing was blue chambray, at this point my arm was the same color as the shirt.

The Ramblers didn’t want to miss the train to Amsterdam so we had a wake-up call for 4 AM and decided to take a taxi to the station even tho it was not far. We judged rightly that the people still roaming the streets at were not any we wanted to meet. This was confirmed by our taxi driver.

This time we found the right track and sat down to wait for boarding. The conductor looked at our ticket and felt we deserved an upgrade to first class for all our troubles. Finally, we experienced the train ride I had anticipated, as we sped through quaint small towns, and green countryside dotted with windmills. Unfortunately by this time we were too tired to appreciate it. But even now there was trouble in paradise. We were joined in our compartment by a young South Korean student who told us her computer had been stolen from her lap while she dozed off. Fortunately the thief hadn’t gotten her passport but this was a big loss for her. So I guess you need to be careful even on an upscale express train in first class.

We did get to the airport on time, and made our flight although the KLM people wanted me to go to urgent care first. By this time it was obvious to me that I had some cracked ribs to go with the blue arm. If I had gone, we would have missed our flight and there really wasn’t much they could do for me. So we boarded on time, had a decent flight although it seemed very long to this Rambler. We were super glad to have wheelchair service but even more glad to see our daughter Lisa waiting for us at arrivals. It was an unfortunate ending to what had been a great trip until then.

PS Went to Urgent care, had X-ray, had cracked my arm. When swelling went down, I got a cast that matched my arm.

Lucerne Switzerland, Mt. Pilatus

Conquering Mt. Pilatus after visiting Lake Lucerne

June 3, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

Our little group had another early start as we left for Lucerne Switzerland at 9 AM. Today we would enjoy both a quick tour of Lucerne, a cruise on its famous lake and lastly ride up to the top of Mt. Pilatus on a cog railway. This last worried me a little bit but getting to a mountain top is a must in Switzerland, even tho the railway is the steepest in the world, basically going straight up.

Advertising for the Mt. Pilatus Cog Railway, it looked like a daunting experience to me as I don’t much care for heights.

After about an hour’s drive we reached our first stop, the massive rock sculpture titled “The Lion of Lucerne.” It was carved into solid rock by Lukas Ahorn in the 19th century to commemorate the massacre of Swiss Guards during the French Revolution. The slaughter took place in 1792 at the Tuileries. The sculpture was both moving and impressive,serving as an excellent remembrance of the slain guards.

The Lion of Lucerne, its mournful topic and its location in front of a reflecting pool, made it a somber experience.

Next we headed into the center of Lucerne, a city of 80,000 or so, which surrounds a beautiful lake of the same name. This area of Switzerland is still strongly Roman Catholic and a majority of the residents speak German.

One of the most engaging frescoes we saw in Lucerne, would have like to try the restaurant on the ground floor.

As soon as we got off the bus, Bernie took us through the heart of Lucerne at his usual quick pace. Along the way we got a glimpse of shop windows and more buildings with frescoes. Our final destination was the kapelbrucke or the Chapel Bridge which spanned the Reuss River just before it flows into Lake Lucerne. The water in the river and lake is amazingly clear.

Considering that this river and the lake it feeds are in an urban area, the water is amazingly clear, but chilly. Didn’t see any swimmers in the water.

The covered bridge was made of wood and has a stone tower at one end. The interior ceiling braces are decorated with paintings, mainly landscapes, which were done in the 17th century, although the bridge was built in the 14th. It has suffered fire damage during the years but today, looks much like it did in days gone by.

Interior of the Kapelbrucke showing one of the many 17th century paintings.

The Kapelbrucke and the medieval tower at the end.

Our next stop was the lake itself. We were to take a scenic boat tour of Lake Lucerne. The lake has a beautiful setting surrounded by glittering buildings and mountains, including Mt. Pilatus,which we would visit in the afternoon. The boat ride was fun, the day was beautiful and we learned about the homes and resorts that surround Lake Lucerne. The lake has an interesting shape with several arms and we enjoyed the scenery and the weather as our boat navigated the calm waters.

One of the many tour boats that cruise around lake Lucerne. Sadly the one we took was not as picturesque.

Our boat tour ended around 1 PM and our group then split into two. Not everyone wanted to take the cog railway up Mt. Pilatus, as it turned out. About half stayed in Lucerne and had a free afternoon to explore the city and have lunch on their own until it was time to return to Basel at 4 PM. However our brave group boarded the waiting bus and headed towards the town of Kriens where we would board the cog wheel train. As we neared the station, the buildings started to resemble the views of Switzerland you see on postcards, although Kriens is actually a suburb of Lucerne and has a population of 20,000.

Several Swiss were playing their long Alpenhorns in front of the station, no doubt to engage the tourists. They succeeded as I can’t imagine having enough breath to get the sound out those long horns. They do have a deep, mellow sound unlike any other.

Can’t imagine playing one of these, or carrying it around. The horns do have a mellow, deep sound.

The ride up the mountain takes about a half hour but our train hadn’t arrived yet which gave us even more time to be nervous about the experience.

Waiting for the train, even the station platform has an upward slant.

Everything is steep about the cog railway, even the platform that leads to the car is at a steep angle. On board, we learned that the railway opened in 1889 and has been operating ever since. It travels about 7,000 ft. to the top of Mt. Pilatus, first through steeply sloping farmland and pastures. We saw several really fit farmers working the land while contented cows wearing large bells grazed on the lush grass.

This gentleman had to be really in good shape to farm in such a challenging environment and at a fairly high altitude too. Photo was taken from the open train window.

The final ascent is steep and rocky, but we were surprised to see some hardy souls hiking up the mountain, instead of riding. Then we noticed that there is a foot path that parallels the cog railway. As it turned out, the ride wasn’t that scary, although there are a few spots where you look straight down out your window.

The views were amazing everywhere you looked and if you have a chance to take the cog railway, don’t hesitate to do it.

I would have to say I would do it again and would have preferred to ride the train back down instead of riding a gondola. Now that was scary!

The Ramblers on top of Mt. Pilatus in front of the dragon sign.

We disembarked to find the temperature was at least 20 degrees cooler on the top of the mountain as intermittent fog swirled around us. We would have about an hour to enjoy the view and have some lunch until we regrouped for our gondola ride back to Kriens. The mountain top boasts a hotel, with a mall for souvenir stands and food counters. After walking to the viewing platform and getting our picture taken in front of the Mt. Pilatus sign, we decided to get something to eat. Although there is a sit down restaurant, it was crowded and the Ramblers decided to get the Mt. Pilatus version of fast food, really long hot dogs. Good choice, they were tasty and easy to eat, and we were lucky enough to score seats at a nearby table.

The senior Rambler with his more than a foot long hot dog, tasty tho somewhat obscene looking.

Soon it was time to reassemble for our ride down Mt. Pilatus, Unfortunately Bernie had booked our group on the huge gondola called the Dragon Ride. The dragon is the symbol of Mt. Pilatus. Well, this is a huge car that holds about 60 people. There are seats around the gondola walls but the Ramblers were not in the first rush of passengers and were packed into the standing room only middle like riders on the subway during rush hour.

It was probably as well we couldn’t see much from the crowded Dragon car as it glided down the mountainside.

The one good thing about the Dragon Ride is that the gondola has to stop while the passengers board. The Ramblers no longer appreciate the smaller gondolas that never stop and force you to get in and out while your vehicle is still moving. Unfortunately, the Dragon gondola only went half-way down the mountain. From there we would have to climb into 4 person gondolas constantly on the move. We did manage to get in with a charming Swiss grandmother and grand daughter who told us about their lives in the area.

I will admit that the view was spectacular and everything went well until we had to get out. We let our Swiss friends go first as this was a common experience for us. They were quick but we still have relatively little time to exit.

The smaller four person cars where the senior Rambler hurt his back. As you can see, they move along at a fairly good clip and there is little time on the platform to enter or exit.

When the senior Rambler got out, he stepped out awkwardly and experienced severe pain in his back. We managed to get back to the bus, and then to the hotel room but his pain didn’t go away. In asking about a doctor, the concierge told me that we were very close to the emergency room of the University Hospital; of course, it was open 24 hours. We finally decided that our only option was to go to the emergency room. Three hours later, we found that he had no serious damage but must have pulled or tweaked something when he stepped out of the gondola. The doctor wrote several prescriptions for him, and fortunately there is a pharmacy attached to the hospital that is open 24 /7. Prescriptions filled, we headed back to the hotel.

We would be checking out after breakfast and heading to the the Hotel D, about half a block away on the other side of the street. Good thing we had those hot dogs as we never did eat dinner that night. It was the right decision to go to the hospital, as it wouldn’t be long until we had to head for home. Keep in mind that having medical treatment in a foreign country is often expensive and you will have to pay up front. Take a credit card with a high limit along, just in case you have such an emergency. Then you can pay the bill at the medical facility and work on reimbursement when you get home. Best not to travel abroad without some kind of medical insurance, either thru a Medigap policy or travel insurance bought specifically for your trip.

Basel Market Place, Basel Switzerland, COOP Department store, Jean Tinguely fountain

Basel, the city of frescoes and fountains

May 30, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

Friday morning after our last breakfast on the River Queen, we transferred to the Les Trois Rois Hotel in Basel for our two day extension in Basel. Les Trois Rois or The Three Kings hotel is a venerable hostelry on the bank of the Rhine. More about the hotel later… Before we checked into our rooms, we had an orientation briefing in the hotel Library. The Ramblers were not the only cruisers who had opted for the extension but most of our cruise friends did not. Thus we met a mostly new group of people who were taking the River Queen from Basel back to Amsterdam, as well a a few folks we knew from our cruise.

Our guide, Bernie Jakob, always on the the go.

At the briefing, we met our guide for the extension, Bernie Jakob a very personable and likable guy. Bernie turned out to be an excellent guide who really knew his stuff; my only complaint was that he walked too fast. There was no gentle walkers group on the extension,We were all combined into one, as our numbers were fairly small. We soon learned that our tour would start almost immediately at 10:30 and it was now nearly 10 AM. The senior Rambler was not excited about this and he decided to stay at the hotel. After the tour ended, we would have all afternoon to explore Basel on our own. I would meet him at the hotel when I got back around noon. This turned out to be a good thing, as Bernie led us at a fairly quick pace past some very intriguing buildings.

One thing that surprised me about Basel was the large number of buildings which had frescoes on their facades, many of them in bright colors. Although their style was from ages past it was obvious they were either fairly recent or had been restored not too long ago. Had always thought of the Swiss as conservative but they certainly embrace a very different style of building decoration. Of course we saw striking modern buildings as well even in the historic district.

On display in the shop window were a variety of weapons, including a semi-automatic rifle.

Also in the historic downtown, you could visit a shop displaying a variety of weapons including a semi-automatic rifle in its window. This you probably won’t see anywhere else in Europe. The Swiss still have mandatory military service, and officers are required to keep their guns at home. However, since a mass shooting at the Swiss parliament, they are not allowed ammunition at home, so the guns are useless for home defense. Yet the shooting sports are still a popular family activity in Switzerland. However, there is much greater emphasis on training and regulation for gun owners and users, and most Swiss still enjoy shooting. Nevertheless, as Switzerland is a member of the Schengen Area, tho not a member of the EU, they may have to change their laws to comply with EU regulations, to retain their membership in Schengen. We were in Basel in 2017, and a referendum to comply with the EU just passed in 2019, so perhaps that window display has changed.

The exterior of the Rathaus courtyard with exuberant frescoes on display, inside you will find much older paintings and statues.

Almost before our group could catch its breath, Bernie led us to the central marketplace. There we made our first stop at the Rathaus which had been built in the 16th century. It is a beautiful and unusual building multilayered like an onion. The red stone exterior is decorated with trompe de l’oil from the art Deco period but once you step into its courtyard you see frescoes that date from a much earlier period. The two towers that book-end the building were added later on. The provincial legislature still meets here, and I’m thinking it would be a wonderful place to work.We didn’t have much time to spend there but since the Rathaus was not far from our hotel, the Ramblers could visit it later on.

The courtyard interior complete with more frescoes dating to an earlier period.

One of Bernie’s objectives was to show us how to use the tram system so we followed him onto the nearest tram stop. Electric trams and busses have routes all over Basel. Using a tram was quite simple and we got a fare card to use during our stay. Following our leader again, we got off the tram after riding only a few blocks, close to the imposing Munster church. We then walked through its cloister up to the cliff overlooking the Rhine.

Undoubtedly the most amusing fountain I have ever seen, fun for adults and children alike.

On the way to the Munster, we stopped to enjoy the most amusing fountain I had ever seen. I almost never deliberately take videos with my iPhone, tho I sometime do accidentally. The fountain, a creation of the Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely, was a melange of kinetic futuristic creations that sprayed water at each other in constant motion. I had never heard of Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) but evidently he is well known in Switzerland. There is a museum devoted to his work in Basel. The fountain was a lot of fun to watch as his mechanical creations got to work spraying water. . Have since learned that there are over 300 fountains scattered around Basel, and it is not a huge city. I wager none is as much fun as this one.

When we strolled by the marketplace on our way to the Rathaus, we all admired the products displayed in its stands. Bernie did mention that the products in the stands were quite high priced however we wouldn’t be able to check it out until we headed back to our hotel.

A beautiful display of mushrooms attracted the Rambler, but alas, I had no place to prepare them.

There was so much to see, the time flew by and before we knew it, the tour was over. We had walked in somewhat of a circle and the Trois Rois was not that far away. On the River Queen, food was available whenever we desired it, but during the extension we were on our own for all meals except breakfast. As we again passed the market, some friends from the cruise decide to pick up a few snacks, they did look very appealing, from one of the stands. I recalled Bernie’s comment, and also the time that I bought a very expensive package of raspberries at the Nuremberg market, so I passed on the experience. They later told me that the little bit of cheese(about 1/4 lb.) they bought cost them 80 Swiss francs which is more that 80 US dollars. Expensive indeed. Hope it was at least tasty.

The senior Rambler and I headed out to find a place for lunch after I met him in our room. Bernie had also mentioned that the best place to buy Swiss chocolate if you wanted to bring some home, was at the COOP department store off the market place. I did want to get chocolate for family and friends so we headed there, thinking to find a place for lunch on the way. Bernie, as usual was right, COOP has an amazing chocolate display and the prices are reasonable. They also had a little cafe that served lunch. We decided to eat there and enjoyed a simple, tasty meal. We enjoyed it so much we planned to go back on Sunday our last day in Basel. I later learned that this cafe was one that Rick Steves, ever on the look-our for bargains had recommended.

Some of the self-help snacks at the COOP. All were tasty and well a shopper’s magnet in expensive Switzerland.

As it turned out, we didn’t sample any of the nearby restaurants for dinner. We had bought some snacks to go at COOP and munched on them while enjoying a leisurely evening at the hotel. The next morning we were scheduled to visit Lake Lucerne, have a boat ride on its beautiful lake and then take the optional excursion to Mount Pilatus. This included a cogwheel train ride up the mountain and a gondola ride down. The Rambler was a little nervous about a train that would travel up the mountain at a fairly steep angle but the senior Rambler was game for it, and so we signed up. As it turned out, it would be a very enjoyable experience.

Alsace villages

Alsace village day in the Rain

May 23, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

On our last day on board the River Queen, we docked at Breisach Germany Thursday morning at 8 AM, however I didn’t get to spend much time at Breisach. The Alsatian Village Day I had signed up for was scheduled to leave at 8:45 AM. Unfortunately, it was a drizzly, grey day, unlike the beautiful sunny ones we had enjoyed. Nevertheless, the thought of strolling along streets lined with medieval houses that looked like they were part of a fairy tale landscape was still appealing. Even the bus ride to our destination was a treat as we motored along country roads dotted with quaint villages, castle ruins and the ever-present vineyards. It had me wishing we could stop at and wander around but before long we were nearing the parking lot at Kaysersberg.

The old stone bridge still protects the entrance to Kaysersberg, as the medieval sentry box still stands watch. It seemed we were walking into a Grimm’s’ fairy tale as we crossed the bridge.

Yet all was not what it seemed. Our local guide told us something we never would have guessed. Most of the villages we drove through and would visit, had been turned into rubble by the end of WWII. Yet almost all were now restored to their former beauty. Alsace-Lorraine, an area France and Germany had fought over for centuries, was the the site of Hitler’s last ditch offensive to hold back the allied advance. Spearheaded by fanatical SS troops mixed in with regular Wehrmacht regiments, Operation North-wind took place in the winter of 1944-45. with heavy casualties on both sides including many civilians. it was hard to imagine the heartbreak of that time this morning.

All that remained of Bennwhir after the battle was this statue, strangely enough, it was a WWI memorial erected with a hope for no more wars! Instead it now serves as a reminder of both WWI and WWII.

As our tour bus motored along country roads, through picturesque villages, we came to one that had not been restored to its original beauty. This was the village of Bennwhir which had been almost totally destroyed in 1945. As we drove through this nondescript town, our guide pointed out a statue of two children in front of a plain modern church. The church had obviously been built in the 50’s of gray stucco with modern stained glass windows. However, the statue, a World War I memorial, called Felicite, of two children holding hands, had been the only thing left standing in Bennwhir after the battle. Perhaps because they didn’t have the heart to restore their town. the citizens of Bennwhir rebuilt their town in post war utilitarian architecture. Thus the buildings are not quaint or colorful but more modern in style and mostly painted in gray tones. Although Bennwhir is on the wine road, it does not have as much tourist activity as its neighboring towns but the residents don’t seem to mind. The Rambler thought Bennwhir was a poignant reminder of the changes wrought by WWII and somehow, quite appropriate.

The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Bennwhir was a stark contrast to the reconstructed Medieval buildings in the other villages but somehow appropriate. The statue Felicite stands in front of the building.

All the other small towns that dot the wine road had gradually been painstakingly restored after WWII until now it is impossible to tell what is old and what was reconstructed as you walk past. However, according to our Alsatian guide, Riquewehr, our second stop was unusual in that the brunt of the fighting swirled around this village and it received little damage. Thus the buildings we would see there really were built during the middle ages. Re-built or original, the villages in this area are among the most beautiful in France. This area has been claimed over for centuries by French and German forces. Over time there was much intermarriage and cultural exchange between the two nations which only made the WWII battles more bitter.

Kaysersberg’s most famous citizen was the renowned humanitarian, theologian, philosopher and medical doctor. Albert Schweitzer. Schweitzer was born in Kaysersberg in 1875 and died 90 years later in Lambarene, Gabon. In his 30’s, Schweitzer, already famous, trained as a medical doctor and headed to Africa where he established a medical mission. He was aided by his wife who had trained as a nurse. Schweitzer is not as well known today as he was in the last century as he received much recognition for his efforts including the Nobel Peace Prize. A simple museum dedicated to his life is at the outskirts of the town. Unfortunately it was closed when we visited.

The museum was a small building which faced the main street. Not very impressive on the outside and we didn’t get to go is as it wasn’t open at the time.

Kaysersberg is more than just a pretty face, it is dominated by a ruined castle, the Chateau de Kaysersberg which protected this strategic area for centuries. Although we had no time to walk up to the ruin, it was visible from almost everywhere in the town. One other shop caught my eye as we headed up the slippery wet cobblestones. Its sign said Elsass Dream, the Porte de Bonheur! Since my name is Elsa, I was naturally attracted to it, but the shop wasn’t open. It seems to be some kind of home decor place so I naturally took a photo. Just the other day, I realized that it probably wasn’t owned by someone named Elsa; in fact if you say Elsass it sounds like Alsace, which it probably meant. Oh well, it was a cute place.

The shop windows were inviting and despite the drizzle, a rack of toy storks already stood outside. Too bad I didn’t have the time to go inside, to find out the true meaning of Elsass Dream!

Kaysersberg also had an ancient fortified bridge, its stone sentry box still stands. It is necessary to cross the swiftly flowing Weiss river which runs past the town. Right at the end of the main street stands the ancient church of the Holy Cross or Sainte Croix. Its oldest part dates back to the 13th century but I have a feeling that it was badly damaged during WWII as the stones of the facade do not look like they have been there for 1000 years. Yet the dimly lit interior had a magnificent altarpiece that must have been painted in the middle ages, as well as a crusader’s tomb. Some of the stained glass in the small windows looked old but other parts were new. We had some free time in Kaysersberg and I spent mine in the church. The Ramblers had just learned we had lost an old friend and it seemed appropriate to remember her in this simple but spiritual place.

The interior of the small Church of the Holy Cross, though dark, glowed in the dim light and was a very spiritual place to light a candale and pray for the family of our old friend.

Lest you think that my visit to Kaysersberg was totally serious, our little group of damp tourists spotted a patisserie not far from the church. Of course it was too good to pass up and we all bought pastries to munch on as we strolled along. The tables out front would have been inviting if the weather had been better. Soon it was time to head for our bus and our second stop at the village of Riquewhir. It was still raining and the cobblestones were slipperier than ever.

Who could pass up such an inviting display of appetizing pastries on a rainy morning?

Even though Riquewhir had kept most of its timber frame buildings intact during the battle of the Colmar Pocket, i didn’t enjoy it very much. Instead of the quiet main street of Kaysersberg, Riquewir’s main street was line with shops and wine tasting bars. Of course there were racks of stuffed storks in varying sizes as the stork is the official bird of the area, although not as plentiful as it used to be. Perhaps the falling birthrate of the area has sent the storks elsewhere as they are not nearly as busy delivering babies as they had been in the past. As for tasting wine at 11:30 AM on a damp, rainy morning, it had little appeal. To make matters worse for me, the terrain was hilly which made the cobblestones even harder to walk on. Thus I made my way slowly and carefully to our bus, and was happy to wait on board. Yet,overall the tour was a good one and I wouldn’t have missed it. When we lived in Metz for Study Abroad, we didn’t have much time to tour the countryside, and this was a delightful area.

Shiny slippery cobblestones going downhill was not the Rambler’s favorite walkway and after testing them out, I decided that I’d take my time and head back to our bus in a nearby parking lot.

Tonight we would have the farewell dinner, and by 4:30, the River Queen would be on her way to our last stop, Basel, Switzerland. There we would disembark but instead of heading home, the Ramblers had opted for extending our stay and seeing something of Switzerland as long was we were there. The first two nights we would stay at Les Trois Rois as part of a Uniworld extension and then on our own at a less expensive hotel down the street.

On to Basel!

European Union, Strasbourg

STRASBOURG, a city of contrasts

May 12, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

Many years ago, we spent a month in Alsace-Lorraine and planned to return in a timely manner, but life intervened and today we would visit this charming city for the first time in 20 years. While graced with many ancient buildings, Strasbourg is also the home of the largest glass building in Europe and is one of the three capitals of the European Union. The Parliament of the European Union meets here once a month in that amazing building. Because of its close proximity to Germany it was selected as the meeting place for many European Union organizations as well as the Council of Europe, which is not part of the EU.

Only part of the amazing glass home of the Parliament of the European Union viewed from the water. it was completed in 1999, the year after we spent a month in Alsace-Lorraine.

As we were scheduled to arrive in Strasbourg at 11 AM, the River Queen made a technical stop at Gambscheim, France so we could board busses for our morning tour of Strasbourg. This required an early breakfast as our pick-up time was 8 AM. Pretty sure there was some grumbling among the cruisers at the early start. I know the Senior Rambler was not happy about it. Being normally an early riser, it didn’t bother this Rambler as I was looking forward to seeing Strasbourg again after 20 years. We had two options, a walking tour or a canal tour. Naturally we chose the canal tour as the senior Rambler is never an enthusiastic walker tho he enjoys boats of all kinds.

Another ancient building viewed from the water. It was either the Custom’s House built i 1358 or the Old Butcher’s house dating from 1587. They look very similar and serve as museums.

This was another day when our destination was much closer by land than by water and it didn’t take long before our bus reached the boat landing in Strasbourg. Strasbourg is a city of two rivers as well as connecting canals. Although it is a major port on the mighty Rhine, the smaller Ill river also runs through Strasbourg and parallels the Rhine in several places. We would be cruising the Ill through and around the UNESCO historic center of Strasbourg. Because of its strategic location, Strasbourg has been the scene of many battles for territorial control between France and Germany, the latest in the 20th century. Catholic Strasbourg was controlled by Protestant Prussia in the 19th and parts of the 20th century. Thus there is a strong German influence in both its architecture, some of the later buildings were constructed for German occupiers. Perhaps Strasbourg’s shifts between German and French control resulted in a more open attitude towards religious beliefs. The city has both Catholic and Protestant churches and is also the site of the largest mosque in France.

The plaza in front of the beautiful Catholic Cathedral in Strasbourg, famous for it horological clock and beautiful interior was a busy scene that day. I was attracted to a group of tourists poised on their Segways in front of the Cathedral. I wonder if they went inside…

Morning is always a great time for a canal tour and we enjoyed the multitude of swans, the reflections of many buildings on the water and the sun evaporating the mist that rose from the water. The tour was a pleasant way to get an overview of Strasbourg’s varied architecture both historic and modern. However it seemed only a short time until our tour was over and it was time to head back to the River Queen for lunch. Those who wanted could either stay in the historic center or catch a bus back to there later on. The River Queen would not leave Strasbourg until 5:45 PM and Uniworld had scheduled a series of shuttles to and from the city and our mooring spot.

The senior Rambler was happy to head back to the River Queen but needless to say, I had determined that I would take the shuttle offered by Uniworld and stroll around the historic area by myself. I didn’t want to go too far however, as my sense of direction is not the best, and I had no desire to get lost in Strasbourg on my own. Carefully marking the pick-up point on my map, I strolled along the flower bedecked streets on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Then I spotted some workmen in an inflatable boat tied up along the canal wall. It was fun to watch them as they worked to patch the concrete canal wall both above and below the water. However anxiety about catching the shuttle back to the boat overcame me. I headed back to the pick-up point and spotted it fairly easily as there were a number of fellow passengers already waiting there. It was an unseasonably warm day and many had wilted quickly in the heat.

Despite the heat of the sun, these two worked diligently on the wall of the canal in the historic district of Strasbourg.

My early return made it possible for the Ramblers to stroll along the river where the Queen was moored. The docking space was called the Bassin des Remparts and seemed to be the home port of a number of live-aboard barges. This was not surprising as many of the barges that travel the Rhine and Danube are family operations. Often you will see laundry drying in the sun or a child’s playpen on deck. Many also have cars on board so they can get around when they are in port. We enjoyed our stroll as the good weather held and there were at least a dozen barges moored along the path.

We enjoyed our stroll along the river. Strangely we didn’t see anyone aboard any of the many barges tied up along the bank.

Tomorrow would be our last full day on the River Queen as we were very close now to Basel. This part of the Rhine continued to divide Germany and France and would do so almost to the border of Switzerland. However, something unexpected happened on our way to Strasbourg. The Ramblers noticed a strange sound coming from the River Queen’s engines, and then then she continued on her way at a somewhat slower speed. Before dinner we had our usual daily announcement about the next day’s tours from Tabea, our cruise manager. Then Captain Hendrick, our personable and accessible Dutch Captain, took center stage.

Captain Hendrick ruefully told us that one of the Queen’s engines was not working, but we would continue on to Basel according to schedule. The River Queen could manage on one engine but would not break any speed records. The Ramblers talked to Captain Hendrick afterwards and he explained that the engine would not be repaired until they got back to their home port of Amsterdam. Of course Amsterdam is a huge port and it would be easier to repair the engine there, but we didn’t envy the folks who would board the River Queen in Basel in a few days. Those who had cabins near the engines would have a somewhat noisier cruise as the remaining engine would have to work harder than usual, especially since the Queen would be traveling against the current back to Amsterdam.

One engine or two, the River Queen brought us safely to our next port on the German side of the Rhine where we would have a final days touring of Alsace Lorraine before we reached Basel.

Our charming Dutch captain Hendrick shared the news about the broken engine on the River Queen with the passengers at the evening cocktail hour.

Uncategorized

Speyer and a vinegar tasting!

May 1, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

We arrived in Speyer Germany around 8:30 AM cutting it pretty close as our bus for the tour of the Docktorenhof Vinegar estate was scheduled to leave at 9:15. However, we were able to board our busses with time to spare as they were able to pull up close to the River Queen docking spot.

The entrance to the Speyer cathedral with the huge cathedral bowl in front. We would get to see it up close in the afternoon.

Speyer is one of Germany’s oldest cities and started out as a Roman military outpost in the days of the Republic ca. 10 BC, it was then called Spira. Today it is a mid sized city of around 50,000 and boasts not only the largest Romanesque cathedral in the world but a museum that houses a large collection of airplanes and even a Russian space craft. We drove past the Technics Museum as we headed to the Vinegar Estate.

The 747 mounted as if it was in flight was interesting but too many steps up for us.

We thought it looked interesting and there was time to visit it in the afternoon, but we chose not to go. There were many steps to climb,if you wanted to enter the Lufthansa 747. The large plane was attached to a platform as if it were taking off. To reach it you had to climb a spiral staircase Alas, the Ramblers’ climbing days are mostly over, so we took a pass, although seeing a Russian spacecraft was intriguing.

The morning was overcast and drizzly as we drove through vineyards and fields to the small town of Venningen, population under 1,000, where the Doctorenhof Vinegar Estate is located. On the way, I saw a stork in a field, too far away for a photo from a moving bus, unfortunately. This part of Europe is famous for storks but this was the first I had seen and I was amazed at how large it was.

When we arrived at the Vinegar Estate we were given long brown hooded robes which we were expected to wear. Our group was a little surprised by this but we complied and were told this was to protect the vinegar “mother” which we would see before we went to the tasting room.

Here we are in our robes, we finally made it down the treacherous steps and into the passage to the tasting room

This was the part of the experience the Ramblers did not enjoy as we had to go down a series of stone steps with no handrail in semi-darkness. Fear of falling flashed through our heads but we made it safely down. If you have any difficulty with steps, I would suggest you skip this part of the tour. Although our group managed it without incident, I would hope they have another way into the tasting room. The mother bacteria wasn’t all that interesting to us, but from there we were finally ushered into the tasting room. here we were handed very unusual tasting glasses with extra-long stems. We learned that the special vinegars were distilled from premium wines such as Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Riesling and Pinot Noir and flavored with a variety of herbs and fruits. The result is a liquor rather than a vinegar, which presented as a most interesting and complex aperitif. The vinegars we tasted had fanciful names such as Angels kissing in the night, You are my heart’s delight and Balsam of St. Damien. The first two of these were classed as aperitifs while the third was considered a tonic. The Ramblers tasted them all. While we agreed that they had a great variety of flavors, the senior Rambler only like the first one, while I enjoyed them all.

Our guide in the tasting room; it was filled with mysterious bottles and jars.

Unfortunately, Doctorenhof is not allowed to ship their vinegars to the United States, although they were willing to pack them in bubble wrap so you could put them in your checked baggage. The Rambler bought a few tiny bottles; as you might expect they are very expensive. This was a very unusual tour and one of the more intriguing places we visited on this trip. Recommend it highly except for the steps.

Our tour of the Vinegar Estate ended at noon but we were not scheduled to leave Speyer until 7 PM. As we had the afternoon free and the drizzly morning had cleared, the Ramblers decided to walk to the historic center of Speyer. Krista and Cliff, friends we had made on the cruise, asked us if we would like to share their taxi as Cliff felt it was too long of a walk for him. We happily agreed, and the senior Rambler climbed into the front as he was the tallest while Krista and Cliff and I would share the middle seat.

What I didn’t realize at first was that the taxi driver was a very large woman who had the driver’s seat fully extended. We asked if she could move it forwards but she declined. She was undoubtedly the least friendly person we encountered on the trip. Well, my artificial hips don’t allow me a lot of flexibility, and my legs are not thin, nor as strong as they used to be. When I stepped into the taxi, my right leg got stuck between the front and middle seat. It was really wedged in there, and for a while I struggled in vain to pull it loose. I looked pretty silly with one leg stuck inside and one outside the taxi. Of course, all four of us, myself included, were convulsed with laughter and this didn’t help.

The taxi lady just sat there glowering as we were wasting her valuable time. After a minute or two, I managed to move my leg and eventually climbed into the taxi, a small Mercedes station wagon, the vehicle of choice for taxis in Germany.

Sweaty and flustered, I sat next to Krista and Cliff, retired dentist and his niece, who had already become good friends. We had no trouble laughing about my predicament. The taxi lady drove like a fiend to the historic center of Trier, probably wanting to get rid of the crazy Americans who had hired her cab. Needless to say, no photos were taken of this mishap.

Our destination from the rear, it is an amazing place.

It was a relief to disembark from that taxi and we soon went our separate ways to places we had seen briefly on our way back from this morning’s tour. At this point the Ramblers wished we had just taken our time and walked to the historic center as it was not that far away. Speyer is one stop along the Rhine where the docking space is within easy walking distance of its historic heart. However, the River Queen was sailing at 7 PM and we didn’t want to miss our ship. We needn’t have worried, as we would get back in plenty of time.

Of course I had to visit the cathedral of Maria and St Stephen which has been the heart of Speyer for over 1,000 years. On one hand, it is a bastion of religion and the other a symbol of imperial power. It has undergone many interior changes through the centuries as the original austere Romanesque interior was adorned during the baroque era. Fortunately in recent years, these later additions were removed and now looks much like it did 1,000 years ago.

Unlike the rest of the churches we visited, the exterior and interior were very plain, none of the statues was painted and bright colors were absent.

The Cathedral Bowl in front of the west facade in front of the plaza
is part of a unique tradition you’ll only find at Speyer . The huge bowl used to mark the boundary line between the church’s property and the city. When a new bishop was installed, the bowl was filled with wine and everyone in the city could drink freely. This was done to improve the local attitude towards the new bishop.

It has been a long time since the cathedral bowl fulfilled these historical functions. But this beloved Middle Age custom continues to be observed in modern times. On special religious occasions, the cathedral bowl is again filled with wine. With a capacity of over 1500 liters, many citizens and guests are thereby able to enjoy a taste of the juice of the grape. The bowl was last filled at the 950-year anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral of Speyer on October 2, 2011.

The cathedral has many massive sculptures of emperors and saints both on its facade and inside, yet it is striking in its simplicity. Its recent restoration has left it looking like new construction as it has none of the colorful paintings or statues one expects. Both interior and exterior have white statues and two tone masonry colored walls. In the courtyard, there are a series of statues of ancient emperors and not far away is an elaborate sculpture of the Mount of Olives protected by a high wrought iron fence. The Ramblers had never seen anything quite like this. We learned that for centuries the sculpture had been the centerpiece of the cloister walk but both sculpture and cloister were destroyed in a 17th century fire. The cloister was never rebuilt but the Mount of Olives was reconstructed in the late 19th century.

The Ramblers were not sure why the Mount of Olives statuary group was surrounded by a forbidding wrought iron fence, but so it was.

After admiring the statuary and the historic center, we slowly found our way back to the ship. Tomorrow we would spend the day in France as our next stop was the city of Strasbourg along the Mosel/Moselle river. After a day and a half in France, we would head back to the Rhine and our last stop in Basel.

Eibingen Abbey, Hildegard of Bingen

The Rambler’s visit with Hildegard of Bingen at rudesheim

April 22, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

None of the stops on the Rhine are too far apart, even on the river, and much closer by land, so the River Queen arrived at our next port, Rudesheim, after lunch. The offered tour was of Siegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments, which is one of the major tourist attractions of Rudesheim. However, the Rambler had other plans. Going to a museum on a beautiful, hot, sunny day had no appeal. Besides, i had learned that Rudesheim had a strong connection to the amazing Abbess Hildegard, a 12th century physician, mystic, philosopher and musician. I hadn’t connected Rudesheim and Hildegard the last time we visited but now, armed with this new information, I was determined to visit her abbey on my own.

A youthful Abbess Hildegard surveys her Abbey with the Rhine at her back.

But first a little about Rudesheim. There are actually two of them, but Rudesheim on the Rhine is the larger and often visited by tourists on river cruises. Around 10,000 live in Rudesheim, another UNESCO site, like Boppard, because of its proximity to the Rhine gorge. Like Boppard, it is surrounded by vineyards and has a wine museum housed in the ruins of an historic castle. The last time the Ramblers visited Rudesheim, we took the cable car to the top of a steep hill overlooking the Rhine. It is a fun ride as it skims over the vineyards and deposits its passengers near the Niederwald monument which I wrote about in an earlier post. The Ramblers encourage you to take the cable car ride, as it is fun. From there you can walk down a paved path, return by cable car or even hike through the vineyards to the historic area of town.

Rudesheim also boasts the Drosselgasse, a narrow and steep medieval street paved with cobblestones and lined with quaint houses, shops and taverns. There you might enjoy a Rudesheimer coffee, the town’s most famous potent potable, made up of coffee, Asbach brandy and whipped cream. The headquarters and tasting room of the Asbach company is in Rudesheim. I have read mixed reviews of the tour and tasting, but Asbach Uralt is worth a taste if you enjoy brandy.

Talk about an uncomfortable chair… from the Torture Museum

Another tourist spot that the Ramblers didn’t visit was the medieval torture museum. According to reviewers, it is a creepy place and here is a link if you are interested…
http://www.foltermuseum.com/index_us.html Somehow, looking at the ways people inflicted pain on others during the middle ages had no appeal, in today’s world that has enough bad things going on.

Instead I wanted to visit the Abbey of Eibingen which was founded by Hildegard even tho the current buildings are relatively new. I set off by myself as the Senior Rambler preferred to relax on board the River Queen. The Abbey is still home to cloistered Benedictine nuns who follow the thousand year old rule of St. Benedict. That means when you visit the Abbey, you probably won’t seen many nuns as most live a secluded life by choice. You may hear them singing in the choir loft, or perhaps playing the organ in the church. The Abbey has it’s own website which I wish I had found before my visit. It has everything you need to know about the history and current world of the Benedictine Abbey and even a series of meditations if you are so inclined. https://www.abtei-st-hildegard.de/english/

The ruins of the original Abbey destroyed after the area was secularized early in the the 19th century

When I checked with our concierge about how to get there, he strongly suggested I take a taxi, as the path to the Abbey was all uphill and it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside. I was glad that I took his advice as the Rambler would have been a sweaty mess by the time she got to the top. I quickly learned that Eibingen Abbey is a popular stop for pilgrim groups. A hardy group of hikers equipped with staffs and sturdy shoes, were heading towards the abbey on a hilly vineyard path as I arrived in my taxi.

Heading towards the welcoming entrance of the Abbey Church…

One word of advice for anyone who wants to visit the Abbey. If you take a taxi there, please ask the driver to return to pick you up, in perhaps an hour. Most of the people at the Abbey do not speak English and can’t help you. Uber may work, but i didn’t have the app at the time. Check Uber out before you leave or you may have a long walk back to your ship. On the positive side, you won’t get lost, just head downhill towards the river!

So why did I want to visit Hildegard’s Abbey? Hildegard was born in 1198, and died at 81, although she suffered from ill health all her life. her wealthy parents dedicated her to God as they probably thought she wouldn’t do much or live long. They were so wrong. Hildegard lived to inspire countless generations with her visions, her writing, her medical expertise, her espousal of correct eating, her music and her leadership. She dealt with saints and sinners during her long life. Although not canonized until recently, many have asked her intercession and she was recently declared a Doctor of the (Catholic) Church. When Benedict XV visited Eibingen and talked to the Benedictines about St. Hildegard, they responded that she had never been formally recognized as a saint despite her obvious sanctity. Benedict was quick to remedy this oversight and how she is formally St. Hildegard of Bingen.

The simple beauty of the interior, very different than most churches we visited in Germany, but also much newer. The organ is in the upper right hand corner.

The current Abbey was built towards the end of the 19th century when the nuns returned to Bingen. Most Americans are unaware that Germany was secularized at the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. Religious were forced to leave and the land was sold. The nobleman who bought the land let the historic Abbey become a ruin. Thus the church and complex was rebuilt when the Benedictine sisters returned. There is a detailed description of this period on their website. as well as photographs.

My first stop at the Abbey was its imposing church. Its design must have pleased Hildegard as it is beautiful in its simplicity. A steady stream of pilgrims entered to kneel and pray during my visit. While I was there, I heard the sound of an organ, and thought, how nice to have music, thinking it was a recording. Then I noticed a few of the pilgrims moving to the front of the church and looking up to to the right There one of the Benedictines was playing the organ. It was a special moment.

My next stop was the shop where the nuns sold their wines, crafts and whole grain foods for the diet that was first developed by Hildegard. She was an early proponent of a largely vegetarian diet which featured whole grains. Her thousand year old concept of eating to live is similar to those championed by vegetarians, vegans and diets which suggest eating a modest amount of animal protein and lots of vegetables. The most unlikely aspect of the shop was that often Benedictine nuns staff the wine tasting table in the store. That day, the tasting host was a lay person but a charming nun manned the cash register.

The Abbey is surrounded by its vineyards. You can see the Rhine in the distance where the River Queen was docked. It would have been quite a hike on a 90 degree day.

I then went outside to enjoy the beautiful view high above the Rhine but realized it was getting late and it was time to get a taxi back t o the ship. The Abbey has a little cafe which sells modest meals and drinks. I though surely someone there would be able to call a taxi. However, i got no response from the handsome young man behind the counter. A smiling older woman came to his aid. She gently explained that Patrick spoke little and understood no English. In fact the cafe was staffed by people with a variety of handicaps. She then told me that Patrick would love to have his picture taken, and so the photo you see below is a poignant remembrance of my visit and the kindness of the people who work and live at the Abbey. She then called a taxi for me and I got back to the River Queen with time to spare.

Patrick smiling proudly for his photo with his kind and caring boss.

I was so glad I visited the Abbey that beautiful day and recommend it heartily. Even if you are not religious, you will find it a place of peace, love and understanding.

On to Speyer!

Uncategorized

A brief stop in Boppard

April 11, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

After our morning in Bernkastel, we boarded the River Queen on a beautiful afternoon. It was a perfect day to enjoy the scenery as our ship cruised through the Rhine gorge. Our program sheet called it scenic sailing and it certainly was. This stretch of the Rhine is fairly narrow and castles dot both sides of the river. To make viewing easier, the cooks grilled hamburgers and German sausage on the Sun Deck. This was washed down with German beer, naturally, and sides included sauerkraut and German potato salad. If you haven’t cruised through this stretch of the Rhine, I heartily recommend it. Even if you are not on a river cruise, you can board a local ship that follows the same route. A cruise through the Rhine gorge was one of the week-end trips the Ramblers took on my Study Abroad experience in Alsace-Lorraine many years ago.

The River Queen docked in Boppard, the cliffs alongside the Rhine
and the bend in the river are clearly visible.

Because the River Queen traversed the gorge at an even slower speed than usual, we did not arrive at our next stop until the following day. I woke up early that morning and got up to look out our cabin window. I was just in time to take a photo of a beautiful sunrise. No doubt we missed many others, but when one is on a vacation, sleeping just a little later is not a bad thing. On the River Queen, as on most river cruise ships, they offer a morning exercise class at 7 AM, on the sundeck . I am not ashamed to admit that of all the cruises we have taken, I have never attended one of these classes and haven’t missed it. Of course the Senior Rambler has never met an exercise class he liked as long as I have known him. LOL

I enjoyed this beautiful sunrise as the River Queen moved slowly down the Rhine towards Boppard.

Boppard is a small town still inside the Rhine gorge, in fact it is directly north of Boppard that the Rhine makes its greatest bend. Because it is small and has relatively few attractions, few cruise ships stop there. This is a good thing, as there were absolutely no crowds as no other ships were docked while we were there.. Yet Boppard has been part of an UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002. The Rhine gorge area that encompasses the big bend in the river was then designated a Heritage site. The designation included towns along the its banks and Boppard is probably the closest. In addition, Boppard has been designated an official tourist village by the German government.

Like many cities and towns along the Rhine, Boppard has a long history dating back to Roman times. It was the Romans who would bring grapevines to the area and their vinous descendants still flourish today. Boppard began as a border outpost staffed by Roman troops whose duty was to keep out the marauding Germanic tribes and protect the farmers in their vineyards. However due to the gradually decline of the Western Roman Empire, the Germans had driven out the Romans by the end of the 5th century.
in the 5th century. In the middle ages, Boppard prospered and became a free city, often visited by German kings. However, during the next 500 years, it would change hands many times and often suffer the ravages of war. Boppard would be ruled first by the Bishop of Trier, then by the the Holy Roman Empire, next by Napoleon Bonaparte and finally by the Prussians. Today Boppard has town rights under the German state and is situated in the province of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The remains of the large Roman fort in the center of Boppard, close to the Rhine, is an open air museum , free of charge and worth a look.

Because it is quaint, pretty and well preserved, Boppard is popular with tourists. However its main attraction, especially for people who live in the surrounding area is the many vineyards and wineries found in the area. Thus Boppard has a large complement of hotels for a town of its size as well as many restaurants. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try any of them, even for a coffee and cake, as our guided walk was scheduled only for an hour, from 9 to 10 AM, and then it would be all aboard for our next stop at Rudesheim. The Ramblers love these stops in the smaller towns along the rivers of Europe, be they in Germany, France , Austria or Hungary. They have a slow pace that is appealing to us, used to the faster pace of suburban life in America.

The Romanesque Carmelite’ church dates back to the 13th century,. It is a short walk from the Rhine.

This particular small town has two medieval churches worth visiting. The oldest is St. Severus, very impressive inside and out. The second is the Carmelite Church, very plain on the outside without even a tall bell tower as was common at the time. The interior, however, is very elaborate and a total surprise. Although the Carmelite Church was once attached to a Carmelite monastery established in the 14th century ,but long since dissolved. One of the monastery buildings is now the town hall of Boppard. Although St. Severus was the parish church of Boppard, it seems that the wealthy people of the town preferred to attend the Carmelite Church and used their money to pay for elaborate altar pieces and other adornments of the interior.

With two high towers and imposing appearance, St Severus
dominates the skyline of Boppard.

St. Severus has its own charm however. Its construction started in the 12th century and finished in the 13th. Like many other medieval churches, it was built on the site of an earlier one that dated to the 6th century. St. Severus has a tall plain interior with a high overarching ceiling and relatively few statues. It does have some early medieval frescoes that were lovingly restored a few years ago. I was struck by the beauty of a small medieval statue of mother and child ant stopped to light a candle and say a prayer or two.

The ancient statue seemed to glow from within as I knelt to light a candle.

Back in the sunlight again, we continued our leisurely walk along the river walk, admiring the variety of well kept medieval and more recently built homes that looked out on the Rhine. Not all the houses were kept to a high standard. We spotted a few that would easily fall into the category of fixer upper in the US.

The people who live in Boppard obviously love flowers as most houses sported both boxes and pots of brightly colored blooms. It was early enough that the town gardener was still at work watering the plants in boxes that lined the promenade.

The village gardener was hard at work watering the flowers that lined
the Rhine with his portable water supply and hose.

Unfortunately soon the hour of our village stroll was almost up and we headed back to the River Queen, as the sailors were ready to cast off for our next stop. We would be in Rudesheim that afternoon for a very different kind of adventure.

Uncategorized

A beautiful Morning in Bernkastel

March 19, 2019 1954 Leave a comment

After an afternoon sail along the green banks of the Moselle/Mosel River we arrived in Bernkastel around 7 PM. The Ramblers spent the afternoon on the top deck enjoying the scenery while the River Queen’s pastry chef orchestrated a demonstration of apple strudel making. Since I have made more than one myself, the scenery had more appeal. They do a good job though, stretching out the dough rather than cheating and using puff pastry. We could have strolled around in Bernkastel after dinner but instead spent a leisurely evening in conversation in the lounge.

The Mosel was so still that the buildings of Kues across the river were clearly reflected in the blue water.

The next morning the river was very still and reflected the quaint houses on the other side of the bank. It looked to be another warm and sunny day. We were scheduled to take a stroll through the picturesque village of Bernkastel and then visit the famous winery, Dr. Pauley Bergweiler. The winery tasting room was an easy walking distance from our dock in town. The Gentle Walker’s guide this morning was a personable Australian Ex-pat who obviously enjoyed her job. We set out a a modest pace which the Ramblers appreciated. Yes there were cobblestones but not particularly lumpy ones. As it was fairly early, Bernkastel was not crowded with groups from other boats. This sometimes happens, and smaller villages like Bernkastel are often congested as the medieval streets are fairly narrow. However tourists must share the pavement with delivery vans in the morning. Fortunately we had no problems navigating Bernkastel which is joined with the village of Kues on the other bank of the Mosel. Kues was the birthplace of Nikolaus von Kues (Cusanus) a medieval philosopher and mystic, cardinal and scholar. His heart is buried in the chapel of St. Nikolaus-Hospital which he founded in the 15th century as a hospital and care center for the sick and aged. The hospital library contains an excellent collection of rare and ancient books and amazingly still functions as a retirement home after over 500 years. Wish we could have visited the hospital, not only because nearby is a wine museum and tasting room,(the Weinkulturelles Zentrum) which offers 150 varieties of wine to taste, hopefully not at one time!

Nicholas von Kues, medieval scholar bishop

The narrowest and oldest house in Berncastel. The equally narrow cobblestone street eventually ends at Landshut Castle.

As we walked along the narrow main street of Bernkastel, we passed many gabled timber-frame homes dating to the 1600s, as well as the oldest, the narrow house called the Spitzhauschen or Pointed House which was built in 1416. Similar homes also surrounded the market place which was of course paved with cobblestones and slowly angled upward. The road would eventually turn into a steep 1/2 mile path which ends at the ruins of Landshut Castle. The castle was built in the 9th century and served for a long time as the summer residence of the Archbishops of Trier but was destroyed by fire in 1692.. Today it is an interesting ruin with a great view of the river and the vineyards surrounding the Mosel. Not fancying a steep 1/2 mile uphill climb, the Ramblers did not visit Landshut. Later we learned that there was a little bus that took visitors to the top, and even a beer garden to visit next to the castle.

Landshut Castle looked like an interesting ruin, but we didn’t have time to hike up the steep pathway to investigate for ourselves.

Instead the Gentle Walkers followed our guide through the ancient Graasch Gate of Bernkastel and onto the main plaza and fountain. The coat of arms of the town is visible above the gate entrance; of course they feature a black bear although there are no black bears in Europe. We especially like the fountain on which several bear cubs playfully gambol which is in the center of the Platz am Barenbrunnen or the Square at the Bear’s Fountain.

The Barenbrunnen or bears’ fountain added a charming touch to the square.

We then headed towards the the famous wine cellar of Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler for a wine tasting. The winery is surrounded bu a high fence and entered through a beautiful pair of bronzed gates. The current owner of the wine estate, Dr. Peter Pauly, has a PhD in agricultural science and is descended from two families who have been making wine since the 12th century. He took over from his grandfather Zacharias Bergweiler while still a student, This was not an easy task as his grandfather had been one of the most respected vintners on the Mosel. However Dr. Pauly has been up to the task, as their Riesling wines in particular, are known world wide. These grapes are grown on steep, difficult to cultivate river valley hillsides.

After walking through the reception area, we headed to the cellar where the Dr. Pauly expert awaited us to lead us through our tasting. Although the Rambler is not much for drinking wine at 10 AM, the tasting was interesting as we learned not only about the varieties of grapes used but also the history of this very famous winery. Its vines line the steep slopes leading down to the Mosel.

In Dr. Pauly cellar, where we tasted a variety of their wines with our friends from the River Queen.

Afterward we had some time to wander around Bernkastel on our own and eventually found our way to outdoor seating of a small restaurant on the bank of the river. There we enjoyed a tasty apple cake with a substantial dollop of whipped cream and a strong American style coffee. Our morning in this delightful town offered all the best of river cruising, an interesting tour as well as time to enjoy the small town on our own. On the way back to the boat, we noticed an American style three wheel motorcycle, a perfect photo op for me with the Senior Rambler

Fortunately we made it on board with plenty of time as the River Queen would soon be on the way to our next stop, Boppard.

An unusual sight in Berncastel, an American style three wheel motorcycle, much modifies.

The Holy Robe, Christian relic, Trier's Roman past

Trier, still Roman at heart, after all these centuries

February 5, 2019 1954 1 Comment

The Ramblers first visited Trier twenty years ago while I taught in the Study Abroad program at Kennesaw State University. Although teaching in Study Abroad is by no means a vacation for the teacher, we did have the week-ends free. This allowed us to see a good bit of the Alsace-Lorraine countryside in the little Peugeot we had rented before leaving the US. One week-end we decided to head north and cross the border into Germany. Since the EU was already operational, we didn’t have to show our passports but simply drove across the border into Germany where so many lives had been lost in 1944-45,

I know I took some photos in the dark days before digital cameras, and they are around somewhere but unfortunately I haven’t found them yet. It would have been fun to compare then with now. This time, we would see the high points of Trier with our guide and then have some free time to wander around the city on our own. Our bus left at 8:30 AM and we wouldn’t have to get back to the ship until 1:00 PM.

There have been settlements in Trier since the third millennium before Christ, and the Roman Emperor Augustus founded a thriving city here in 15 BC—making it Germany’s oldest city. Ancient Trier was both a scenic and strategic location—being situated on the Mosel River helped the city to control all commerce coming to and from the Mosel and the Rhine River. It eventually grew into a proper Roman city of great wealth and importance. In fact, the post ultimately became known as Roma Segunda, or Second Rome, for its opulence. (Today Trier has a little more than 100,000 inhabitants.)

The two UNESCO Historic Site church buildings which we had come to see.

Eventually, surrounding Germanic tribes posed a large enough threat for the Romans to build a city wall around AD 200. It was four miles long and originally had five iron gates. They hoped to protect Trier’s center from the invasions that inevitably began in AD 275.

Over the centuries, Trier would face invasion and turmoil again and again. From 1797 to 1815, the city was occupied by Napoleonic France, which led to the city’s cultural and financial decline. After passing into Prussia’s hands in 1815, the city experienced rapid growth once more, until it was occupied by the French once again during World War I and later substantially damaged during World War II.

The most visible Roman structure in the historic area is the dark and somewhat forbidding Porta Nigra or Black Gate. It absolutely can’t be missed, so it has become a prominent meeting point for tourists and locals as it really stands out. As I waited in the open square in front of the Porta for our group to re-assemble that morning, we were treated to a concert by a local student choir.

Here is our little group standing inside the famous Porta Nigra gate.

The Senior Rambler decided he wanted to stay on board that morning so I was on my own. Luckily the historic area of Trier is easy to navigate, so there was no danger of my getting lost.

I had read that the Holy Robe, a relic venerated for centuries by Christians was enshrined at St. Peter’s Cathedral. It is believed to be the seamless robe that was worn by Christ on the day he was crucified. Since I love all things medieval, I was happy to see that our group of Gentle Walkers was heading towards the amazing double cathedral which includes the Dom or Church of Saint Peter and the Liebfrauen Kirche or the Church of our Lady, They are connected by a cloister and make up a large and imposing double church.

One building that is next to the historic center that I would have enjoyed visiting was the Aula Palatina, better known as the Basilica of Constantine probably built by Constantine, ca. 310 AD. Of course it is a UNESCO World Heritage site but, as I learned, most of the current building is a reconstruction. Still it would have been worth seeing.

The building has an early Roman feel with its flat roof and absence of a tower or spire.

At times both a basilica in the Roman sense, that is, a public building, and a palace, the Aula Palatina became the residence of the Bishop of Trier during the Middle Ages, it currently serves as a Protestant Church. By the 19th century, Constantine’s Basilica had fallen into disrepair. The Prussian government restored its exterior to its Roman form, and then turned it over to the Protestants. Unfortunately the much of the basilica burned during an Allied air raid in 1944. When the Germans restored it after WWII, they did not re-create the interior decorations which had been restored by the Prussians in the 19th century. The interior has a stark, Protestant look, almost modern in in its simplicity.

The interior certainly would not have looked like this during the Middle Ages. However the rounded nave is very characteristic of Roman or later Romanesque architecture.

So much of medieval Germany was destroyed during WWII that the Germans became restoration experts and it is sometimes hard to tell new from old, especially when original material was used.

As I walked along the large open heart, the marketplace-plaza of historic Trier, I couldn’t help but notice the tall medieval buildings built on each side, interspersed with shops. One, I learned later was the birthplace of Karl Marx. Right in the middle of the plaza was a perfect site for a market and so we had to dodge vans unloading flowers, fruits and vegetables and items of clothing with which the shopkeepers hoped to attract both tourists and locals.

We carefully strolled through the market on our way to the Dom dodging people and vans.

Our guide pointed out various sites and explained a little about the churches as we walked through them, but our guided tour this morning was not very long. It seemed we would have quite a bit of time to ourselves in Trier. The only caveat was that we had to be back at the Porta by 12:30 as our boat was sailing at 1:00. Our first stop was the Dom of St. Peter. It is the oldest church in Germany. Construction of the Dom dates to 1270, although the nave was built of Roman brick (hard to see now) which dates to the 4th century AD. Additions were built over the centuries in the style of the time, but the Church still has an essentially Romanesque feel. It is darker and more solid than the Gothic Church of our Lady next door. Trier was heavily bombed during 1944, and the cathedral suffered quite a bit of damage. It would take a few years before it reopened but is today, a working parish of the Catholic Church.

Only one of the massive Baroque altars in St. Peter’s Dom.

Although the interior, while impressive is lacking in color., many of the statues have an exuberant Baroque feel which lightens up the church. As soon as our tour ended, I returned on my own to the side chapel that contains the Holy Robe, purportedly the robe worn by Christ on the day of his crucifixion. More about this later. Unfortunately I found that the entrance to the chapel which holds the Robe is up a long and steep flight of stairs Fortunately there was a handrail and I was determined to achieve my goal. I felt a touch of disappointment though, when I reached the the chapel entrance, somewhat hot and sweaty, because the door was locked..

Unfortunately , you can’t see anything of the Holy Robe , as it is tucked away in a case inside the chapel which is guarded by a serious set of iron bars. It has been on view many times since the 1500s but not recently.

After climbing multiple stairs, this was as close as I got to the Holy Tunic.

The Robe was last exhibited in 2012, and processed through the city by an ecumenical group of Catholics and Protestants numbering over a million people who waited patiently to view the relic. The Robe has not been tested with modern methods to determine its age. However, through the centuries, the fabric has deteriorated and in the 19th century it was given a rubberized coating to protect it. Of course, this only made its condition worse. If thoughts generated by the ancient garment, and it is old, are positive, why not appreciate it for what it is thought to be? The earliest recorded history of the Trier Holy Robe places it at St. Peter’s Dom in 1196. Tradition holds that it was brought from Jerusalem by St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, in the fourth century. It has never been scientifically dated, and many believe it dates only from medieval times. There are several other churches that claim a version of the Holy Robe. One is a monastery in France and the others are Orthodox Churches in Georgia, St. Petersburg and Moscow.

The Holy Robe when it was displayed for the faithful in Trier. in 2012.

According to the Argenteuil tradition, the Byzantine Empress Irene made a gift of the seamless robe to Charlemagne around the year 800. Charlemagne gave it to his daughter Theocrate, abbess of Argenteuil, near Paris, where it was preserved in the church of the Benedictines. In 1793, the parish priest, fearing that the robe would be desecrated in the French Revolution, cut the robe into pieces and hid them in separate places. Only four of the pieces remain. They were moved to the present church of Argenteuil in 1895.

The earliest document referring to the robe at Argenteuil dates from 1156, written by Archbishop Hugh of Rouen. He described it, however, as the garment of the child Jesus. There has been long-running argument over what the Argenteuil cloth actually was. The supporters of the Holy Robe say it is was never the seamless robe worn by Jesus during the crucifixion, but the garments woven for him by the Virgin Mary and worn his entire life. Advocates of the theory that the Argenteuil cloth is the seamless robe claim that the Trier robe is actually Jesus’s mantle. Since the Argenteuil garment is now in pieces, it would be very difficult to reconstruct the original garment.

Orthodox tradition also venerates a Holy Robe of their own in Georgia. It was supposedly brought to Georgia by a Rabbi who had bought it from a Roman soldier after the crucifixion. Since the 17th century it has been buried beneath a monument inside an ancient cathedral, and is obviously not able to be seen. There are also several other robes that at venerated at churches in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

After lighting a candle and saying a few prayers in this imposing and spiritual place. I found my way out of the Dom and into Our Lady’s Church next door.

Our Lady’s Church, equally impressive, but much brighter inside than St. Peters.

the Liebfrauen Kirche has a very different look, as it was built in the Gothic style. Its many stained glass windows bring in light and color. It is also interesting because the church itself was built in a round cruciform shape, very unusual. The interior shape is not readily visible from the exterior but once inside you can see that instead of being oblong, as churches usually are, this one is round.

Finally leaving the Church complex behind, I slowly headed back to the Porta Nigra to meet up with the rest of the Gentle Walkers. If only I had realized it, the Aula Palatine was located just around the back of the massive St. Peter’s Dom.

It is not surprising that I didn’t see the Aula Palatina lurking behind these two massive churches.

Along the way I noticed what looked like road construction. However, the sizable dug-up area was covered with canvas. This I had never seen anywhere before, so I walked over to take a closer look and found, not surprisingly, what had been uncovered was the remains of Roman pavement. Hopefully the authorities had stopped the construction to think about what they were going to do with all this antique pavement after they made their discovery.

It is not surprising that they would find Roman bricks underneath the pavement of the historic center.

Trier is a pleasant place for walking, there are tourists of course, but you do not see the pulsing crowds that are found in cities like Heidelberg. Soon I spotted a few of my fellow walkers hanging about near the double gates of the Porta. There aren’t too many places to sit down so my friends were perched on bollards and walls while they waited for our bus. We enjoyed the performance of a school choir which had set up in front of the Tourist Information Center They made the time pass quickly. Soon we were headed back to the River Queen, to continue along the Moselle towards Strasbourg. Our next stop would be the charming small town of Bernkastel where we would dock overnight.

Georgia Rambler

What do you mean you can’t get there from here? The Ramblers run into trouble on the Deutsche Bahn

Conquering Mt. Pilatus after visiting Lake Lucerne

Basel, the city of frescoes and fountains

Alsace village day in the Rain

STRASBOURG, a city of contrasts

Speyer and a vinegar tasting!

The Rambler’s visit with Hildegard of Bingen at rudesheim

A brief stop in Boppard

A beautiful Morning in Bernkastel

Trier, still Roman at heart, after all these centuries

Ramble the world with us