Tulips, Castles & River Cruising: Part 4 of 4

We started Saturday morning taking a coach trip through the Black Forest with a local guide. The area is beautiful and would have been nicer had it not been so cloudy. There are many places to stop and visit, so my recommendation for this area would be for travelers to rent a car allowing for stops at will. We passed several stork’s nests near Gottenheim and Umkirch on top of this church and on these man-made poles, really amazing. They really believe in the power of a stork bringing fidelity, fertility and happiness to you. We unfortunately drove by some nice wineries in Glottertal but were unable to stop and sample the goods – if you love red wine this is the place to come.

The tiny village of Sankt Märgen has a beautiful church and the valley views are really something to see, with the fat dairy cows grazing in the pasture and the typical swiss mountain cottages,  it was still beautiful. The highlight of the morning was a stop at this old hotel of the stars where many famous people have stayed, and they have a cuckoo clock demonstration telling you a bit about the history of the clocks. And if that is not enough, there are Steinbech Nutcrackers, beer steins, and original Black Forest Cake for purchase. The main building is a cuckoo clock, at least one end of it, that we were able to watch at 12 noon in the rain – very cool to watch even if it was raining.

That night we had our cruise farewell dinner which was by far the best meal served. The entertainment with dinner was cruising thru locks, and it is amazing how fast you can rise up and we are still wondering how they manage to fit with such narrow free space on either side. Tight fit is a understatement.

Sunday morning, we departed Basel early for Lucerne. Upon arrival to the Palace Luzern, well before the normal check in time, we were happily pleased all our rooms were ready. With 180 degree unobstructed views of the lake, Mt Pilatus, Rigi and Lucerne, well appointed spacious rooms, unusually large bathrooms, and a welcome plate for fruits and chocolates – it was fantastic!

Making the most of our time we took a walking city tour of Lucerne with my favorite guide, Gabriele, stopping at all the key places like Thorvaldsen’s Lion, a tribute to the Swiss Guards fighting in the French Revolution, the Chapel Bridge with it’s incredible art in the rafters – originally build in 1330 but partially rebuilt after a fire in 1993.

The Swiss Transport Museum is a must for any car, train or plane buff and a easy walk. If you are a music lover, Richard Wagner spent many years here and there is a grand museum on the lake that is also within walking distance.

For Dinner several of us with a few local friends went to the trendy, art deco Montana Hotel with beautiful night cityscape views. The food is outstanding here and I heard from several people the Louie Armstrong  jazz bar is a must visit during the week.

Monday, we started with a walk to catch a lake cruise to Alpnachstadt with several stops along the way. The lake views are gorgous, and once you see them you understand why so many decide to live on the lake. Upon arrival in Alpnachstadt, we boarded the Cogwheel train to Mt Pilatus that in many spots is at 47% incline. The Mt Pilatus visitor center is at 7000 feet and we were lucky to have a decent view considering all the clouds and misty rain they have been having, but of course because it has been so cold there was no shortage of snow and ice. What I thought was interesting were the snow formations that had been blown in such a way they looked like feathers. With all the snow and construction the most hiking we could do was the basic loop sharing the dragon legend. Mt

Pilatus is a a hikers heaven with varying degrees of difficulty. We enjoyed a scenic lunch before our cable car and gondola ride to Kriens. The afternoon we enjoyed free time to explore more on our own, window shop the boutique shops in town,  people watch and sip a warm beverage. Our farewell dinner was lakeside at Jasper’s  where they went above and beyond in service to make the evening most memorable for everyone. A Swiss rosé was enjoyed with many people chosing chicken, trout or halibut for their main course.  It was an excellent finale to a great trip.

What is your favorite stop, site, city or experience on this journey?

Tulips, Castles & River Cruising: Part 3 of 4

Wednesday morning began with us docking in Koblenz to take an early coach ride to Marksburg Castle. Anyone who knows me, knows I am not the best morning person but this is so worth it! Getting there early before any other groups arrive is my best advice. It is a steep walk uphill to the castle with many stairs inside, so if you have any mobility issues this is not for you but the history and views of the valley are spectacular. It is the only castle that withstood 500 years of siege and when you see the walls you understand why.  It is amazing how the early people of the area built these huge, elaborate fortresses to provide the both the defense of the area as well as the comfort of the inhabitants.  Marksburg contained the most modern of luxuries for the era.

During the midday, we cruised through the most concentrated section of castles on the Rhine River. Back in the day, ships were required to stop and pay taxes at each castle on the Rhine. In many areas, the ship was required to stay for a few days in the nearby town in order to proceed further along their way to continue selling their wears in the next village. We saw a “small” castle in the middle of the river whose sole purpose was to collect the taxes.  This picturesque area has been shown in many photos and postcards illustrating the beauty of the area.

Our ship arrived in Rudesheim, an area that is rich in wine vineyards. Rudesheim is also known for their special coffee beverage.  It contains coffee, chocolate and a local brandy called Asbach Uralt. – which we got to see a demonstration on how to make this drink as well as taste it.  The group had a dinner and “show” at a local restaurant on the famed Drosselgasse. Our group was involved in the entertainment with selected members doing shots of schnapps with five other persons at the same time from glasses attached to a long board.  They all had to drink at the same time so nothing was spilled.  Others played musical instruments for everyone’s enjoyment.

During the night we made our way to Heidelberg for a visit to the Heidelberg Castle.  The city has always been known for the creation and involvement of the university, the oldest in Germany.  The city center was great to walk through but unfortunately it was a holiday and most stores were closed.  We were able to have a great lunch at a local place before heading to Speyer.  As you cross the bridge over the Rhine from Heidelberg into Speyer you get a glimpse of the imperial church.  The spires’ can be seen for miles.  The church contains the remains of 8 German kings, several members of royalty and Arch Bishops.  This quaint village is not that big but nice to visit the numerous churches, its main street of shops and restaurants or enjoy their parks.

Friday morning, we arrived in Kehl where the group took a coach to Strasbourg. The old town is a bit touristy but nice visit beyond the main streets. The cathedral is huge with the most amazing clock inside.  For those with the stamina you can climb to the observation deck to see views all around. Walking around the city, you can see the German and French influences in the architecture, the language and the food. To me the most amazing sight had to be the many nests of storks with their babies along the Boulevard de L’Orangerie. Strasbourg feeds, cares  and  provides nice nests for them – it is good to be a stork in Strasbourg.

What has been your top pick for part 3? The Marksberg Castle, Rhine River castles, Ruidesheim's vineyards, Heidleberg's castle and university, or Strasbourg's stories and cathedrals?

Tulips, Castles & River Cruising: Part 2 of 4

Amsterdam has the motto "live-and-let-live", if you have not been – you need to visit at least once in your life. On Friday, the group started the morning off to the Keukenhof Gardens to see the tulips – a can not miss, only open for 6 weeks each year.  It is truly a floral rainbow of beauty like none I had ever seen. Once inside the park, it was an explosion with all of the varieties and quantities of tulips and other flowers. We could have spent all day there and not seen it all. Even though the weather was a little brisk with sprinkles, the park was still packed full of people enjoying the beauty.  An interesting fact was the workers cutting back the blooms from what we thought were perfectly good flowers.  We were told that they do this as the season starts to close to help preserve the bulbs.

After a short drive from the Keukenhof, we arrived in the quaint town of Zaanse Schans, a historic windmill village.  We spent time looking around and went inside an active windmill that was making oil from peanuts.  The process was very interesting to watch, no modern technology just good old fashion know-how and common labor making up to 100 quarts of oil a day from nuts and seeds. Two additional mills that were open but not active, a lumber mill that made planks from logs and one that grinds dyes.

After a brief stop for lunch in Edam at the Dam Hotel across from City Hall, the group then enjoyed learning how cheese is made and tasted several types. Of course, cheese has been a very popular dessert option each night as there is nothing better than fabulous cheeses from the Netherlands.

The official welcome dinner at Het Tuynhuys was fantastic. The group enjoyed a three-course meal with wine pairings. Seafood, Lamb, and Duck were the best of what we tried that evening.

Saturday started with a three and half hour walking tour of Amsterdam. Our guide, Antoinette, showed the group many interesting, historical sites along our walk. She explained the many different aspects of the way homes were built, the important meaning of the door width for tax purposes, and the architecture that makes them each very distinct from each other like the six different types of gables – point, bell, step, spout, neck and cornice.  We visited two homes – Museum Van Loon and Geelvinck House that are now museums showcasing the look and feel of how people lived in the 17^th and 18^th centuries as well as their amazing courtyard gardens. One of the interesting things about Amsterdam is when you walk down the street you might think that there is very little vegetation or gardens.  In fact, almost every house has a lovely garden on the backyard many could be on the cover of a magazine.

With the afternoon free for the group, a few of us enjoyed lunch at a quaint little place called Seasons with Dutch type of food but there was something for everyone. One of the owners, Peter, served us with assistance of his adorable black spaniel, Roxy. Dinner was on your own but several of us went to d’Vigff Vlieghen (The Five Flies) located in five 17^th century buildings. If you are seeking excellent service you will not be disappointed here as the staff ensures you like what you order. They offered a 3, 4, 5, and 6 course option with wine pairings but we all choose the ala carte menu and ordered single type of wine.  Each course was more unique and delicious than the next.

Sunday, we started with the best of intentions to see Muiderslot and drive along the river Vecht but two things prevented this plan: Muiderslot did not open until noon which was unexpected and the Giro d’Italia’s path blocked many areas of our scheduled drive. Improvising we visited Vollendam that has an incredible view of the sea and then on the way to the ship we stopped at Gassan Diamond – because who does not need to learn more about diamonds?!  The tour is fun and informative but the best part was where they show you individual stones and box upon box of jewelry.

In the afternoon, we checked into our cabins on board the Viking Sun.  Key things to know about Viking is:

• there is no room service – some people were not aware of this fact
• many people on board are first timers – so don’t be bashful mix and mingle
• the cabin has a closet that is 30” wide with 2 shelves on top and shelf on bottom, 3 standard clothes drawers and 2 sets of shelves with doors
• the cabin also has 4 plugs – one on either side of the bed and 2 by the dressing area and desk.  There is one plug in the bathroom for razors
• cabins on deck A & B have french doors that open and let in lots of light but when docking can let in fumes if not closed
• the bath room is not huge but has ample cabinet space, although if you are taller than 6'3" you will need to walk with bent legs in said bathroom area
• the luggage is stored under your bed which is raised in such a way that you will fit 4 standard pieces of luggage with ease
• the safe is slightly larger than many hotels safes fitting my laptop, two cameras, assorted bags of stuff with space to spare
• if you like to drink soda or alcohol then consider the beverage package – they have very happy bartenders and well stocked bar
• if you are prone to seasickness this is a good cruise option with the movement being very negligible

We cruised through the night to arrive on Monday in Dordrecht, where the group visited the UNESCO site of Kinderdijk after breakfast. This site has 19 working windmills that people still live in today. The Netherlands had at one point over 9000 active windmills, now they only have 1000 remaining.

On Tuesday, we arrive in Cologne early and set off on our walking tour of the old city in small groups with a local guide. He explained the people in Cologne are very familiar with each other – keeping that small town feel.  This is not something you will find in other German cities. The cathedral  – a must visit in Cologne, may not be as wide as the Duomo in Milan but we were told it is taller. It was very impressive that it survived the war when almost 95% of the city was destroyed.

No trip is complete with out a traditional German meal or two, so we stopped for lunch at Peter’s Brauhaus and it was very filling! Potatoe Soup, Schnitzel, Kraut, and of course Kolsch beers. Don’t be fooled by the waiters kidding you if you ask for water or tea – they have a great dry sense of humor and they love to kid locals and tourist equally. Another fun stop many people made was to the chocolate museum where you not only learn about the history of cocoa but taste too! The evening highlight outing was a Brauhaus Tour and tasting at each stop.

Which is your favorite stop Keukenhof Gardens, Zaanse Schans quaint village, Gassan Diamonds, Edam Cheese tasting, Kinderdijk Windmills, or the Cologne Cathedral?