Today we were up early for our Rhine River Cruise. We would board the boat in Rüdesheim which is less than a 1 hour drive away, and cruise up the river for 4 hours to Koblenz and then take the train back down to our cars.
The swans were really hoping for a tasty handout.
Here's our ship, complete with a little playground on the upper deck.
This is what the river cruises are all about: the many fortresses, palaces and villages built along the hillsides. Many of the castles we saw date back to the 11th century. There were also many vineyards along this section of the Rhine.
It was a very hazy morning and and we were hoping the view wouldn't be too obscured. Up on deck, it was chilly and windy.
Die Pfaltz, built at the beginning of the 14th century, is the only castle built in the middle of the river (for the purpose of levying tolls).
The little playground came in handy when the 4-hour cruise seemed to be 2 hours too long for the kids.
The Lorelei is a rock which soars some 120 meters above the water line. It is one of the narrowest parts of the river and a very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there. Lorelei is also the name of one of the beautiful Rhine Maidens who lured navigators of this river to their dooms with their alluring singing, much as the ancient Greek Sirens did. The name comes from the old German words "lureln" ("murmuring") and "ley" (rock) or "murmuring rock". The heavy currents, and a small waterfall in the area created a murmuring sound which was amplified by the special echo the rock produces and gave name to the rock itself. The murmuring is hard to hear today due to the urbanization of the area. At the very top of the cliff is a statue of the Lorelei herself.
OK, I'll admit it. I just couldn't resist giggling at this town's name, and neither could James, who repeated it several times during the day, albeit with a humorously strong American accent. "Hausen," by the way, means house.
James striking a rather Potteresque pose with a rather Hogwartseque fortress in the distance.
"I'm King of the World!"
This little blurb in the ship's menu caught David eye. "Family value special: For two adults and
one child." We had a big chuckle over that. What are the chances, here in Germany which has the second lowest birth rate in all of Europe and is below replacement level, of having a family special for 2 adults and 4 children?
Lunch break
Our journey ended at 2,000-year old Koblenz. This area, where the Moselle and Rhine rivers meet is known as German corner (Deutsches Eck).
In 1897, a monument to Kaiser William I, mounted on a 14 meter high horse, was inaugurated at the corner. The monument stood till WW II, when the statue was destroyed by US artillery. In 1953, the monument was re-dedicated to German unity. "Re-dedicated" seems to be code for rebuilt after having been destroyed.
These two cuties were born just three weeks apart.
The swans were really hoping for a tasty handout.
Here's our ship, complete with a little playground on the upper deck.
This is what the river cruises are all about: the many fortresses, palaces and villages built along the hillsides. Many of the castles we saw date back to the 11th century. There were also many vineyards along this section of the Rhine.
It was a very hazy morning and and we were hoping the view wouldn't be too obscured. Up on deck, it was chilly and windy.
Die Pfaltz, built at the beginning of the 14th century, is the only castle built in the middle of the river (for the purpose of levying tolls).
The little playground came in handy when the 4-hour cruise seemed to be 2 hours too long for the kids.
The Lorelei is a rock which soars some 120 meters above the water line. It is one of the narrowest parts of the river and a very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there. Lorelei is also the name of one of the beautiful Rhine Maidens who lured navigators of this river to their dooms with their alluring singing, much as the ancient Greek Sirens did. The name comes from the old German words "lureln" ("murmuring") and "ley" (rock) or "murmuring rock". The heavy currents, and a small waterfall in the area created a murmuring sound which was amplified by the special echo the rock produces and gave name to the rock itself. The murmuring is hard to hear today due to the urbanization of the area. At the very top of the cliff is a statue of the Lorelei herself.
OK, I'll admit it. I just couldn't resist giggling at this town's name, and neither could James, who repeated it several times during the day, albeit with a humorously strong American accent. "Hausen," by the way, means house.
James striking a rather Potteresque pose with a rather Hogwartseque fortress in the distance.
"I'm King of the World!"
This little blurb in the ship's menu caught David eye. "Family value special: For two adults and one child." We had a big chuckle over that. What are the chances, here in Germany which has the second lowest birth rate in all of Europe and is below replacement level, of having a family special for 2 adults and 4 children?
Lunch break
Our journey ended at 2,000-year old Koblenz. This area, where the Moselle and Rhine rivers meet is known as German corner (Deutsches Eck). 
In 1897, a monument to Kaiser William I, mounted on a 14 meter high horse, was inaugurated at the corner. The monument stood till WW II, when the statue was destroyed by US artillery. In 1953, the monument was re-dedicated to German unity. "Re-dedicated" seems to be code for rebuilt after having been destroyed.
These two cuties were born just three weeks apart.
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