1979 Rhine River Cruise (8/10/1979)

Friday, August 10, 1979

On the train to Koblenz we again got our own compartment and slept well. We woke up in time to view quaint villages we were passing along the Rhein/Rhine River. Lots of buildings with the wood beam-and-plaster look. And window boxes full of flowers, etc. Arrived in Koblenz a bit after 5:00, so decided to take the first boat at 7:30. On our short walk to the docks, we stopped at a grocery store to buy water, managing to explain through Kathy’s sign language, that we didn't want water with fizz. Fortunately most people speak English, so I haven’t had to use my rusty German sprinkled with Italian. We later realized this store must have opened before 6:00! While waiting for the boat, a jogger showed off by stopping and doing push-ups (bottom-ups?!) on a bench. We found peanuts to feed to a quacking duck, but my billowing bright orange poncho scared him away. Finally the boat arrived and we started our scenic tour down the Rhine in misty rain. With a written guide, we had some information about the castles we were passing and a lot of photos were taken despite the poor weather.

590 km marker across from Koblenz

Schloss Stolzenfels

Rhens

Marksburg

Spau

Monastery at Kamp Bornhofen, Burgs Sterrenberg and Liebenstein

Burg Maus/Mouse

Burg Rheinfels

Burg Katz/Cat

Lorelei

Oberwesel

Burgs Gutenfels (above) and Pfalzgrafenstein (on river)

Burg Stahleck, Ruine Wernerkapelle and Peterskirche

Lorchhausen with St Boniface Church and vineyards
Clemenskapelle in the saddle

Burg Sooneck

Burg Reichenstein

Burg Rheinstein

Assmannhausen

Mäuseturm

Rochuskapelle from the train

We got cold staying on the outside deck, so went into the enclosed restaurant for hot chocolate, running outside only to take pictures. It was a leisurely trip, and spectacular despite the weather. The tour ended in Rudesheim, just as the sun started peeking out. In Rudesheim we made a mad dash for the train station when suddenly the curb jumped up to trip Kathy!

While waiting at the train station, we saw a couple of cartons of glass bottles fall off a truck driving by. The driver stopped to retrieve the plastic cartons and used one to clear broken glass from the road. A station hand ran over to give the fellow a broom, which we thought was really nice. Then the station hand came out with another broom to help sweep, which we thought was really great of him! The driver even rescued one of the bottles of whatever to give to the folks waiting patiently in the car behind him. Northern Germany was an industrial, rather ugly, area with people with brusque manners. Coming into southern Germany and Bavaria, we loved the hilly countryside with quaint little towns.

We took the train from Rudesheim to Wiesbaden, singing good old American songs along the way. From Wiesbaden we took a train to Frankfurt, and with luggage in hand, proceeded to try to find a hotel in the rain. Prices seemed really high and no one was including breakfast. We were getting pooped and wet, so we took the first place offering breakfast with their only slightly outrageous price. We got cleaned up, did some laundry, and then went out to eat. One hotel clerk gave us a map and seemed to have us know that the major spot to see in Frankfurt was their main street of sex shops and porno theaters, and we were duly warned that men would make propositions. We left and had “no luck” on their main street, but found a Burger King for dinner. We explored the shopping mall under the station. We returned to the hotel to eat our dessert of goodies found at a delicacy shop, and to plan the itinerary for the rest of our trip. We hadn't been following a set itinerary, and were taking one day at a time. In the end we decided to continue that way! We slept well that night in beds with real feather-filled coverlets and feather pillows! Neato!
Next: Rothenburg ob der Tauber.