up the Rhine Germany

bus ride to Radesheim Germany

June 2 Sunday 2013 The boat arrived in Koblenz at 4:30 am breakfast is at 6:30 as we have a early walk of the city. Here the 2 rivers meet- Rhine and Moselle . First is the statue of Williams with his female spirit.(1890) An RV park is sitting in water as river higher than normal. We see a Doric cross Totonic corner . 87% of this city damaged during the war. A fountain showing 2 thousand years of history sits on the square. We stroll by many quaint shops ( closed on Sunday) and restaurants do not open until 10. We pass the Greek goddess of health Hygia. 3 ancient churches still remain in the fort area. The fort was clean and well kept. After lunch the boat leaves for the famous Lorley cliff. Opps BAD NEWS NO SHIPS are to sail on the Rhine river as water is to high and is still rising. After lunch they bring in a bus and take us on the Romance road to Radesheim. We pass many beautiful castles. We pass many flooded areas and see them preparing for 3 more meters of raisimg water to come tonight. They built raised sidewalks on the low areas of the town. There is a Harley Davidson meet here today so the beer gardens are busy. This is another quaint town. The highlight was Weber music museum with some amazing stuff. Old but working phonograph,gramophone and an 1888 doll instruments. WE return to the boat and have a very late dinner 8.30. We will see what tomorrow will bring    

travels along the Rhine

Cologne Germany

_Cologne an old town on the Rhine river was here even in the Roman times. A train bridge is close by they said 1 thousand trains cross daily . Love locks are attached to the rails with the keys thrown into the river. We pass the museum of moderian art and a museum of Roman history. We walk to the beautiful twin-steepled 13 century gothic cathedral. This church is still active with original stained glass windows and a swallow nest organ and beautiful ceramic tiled floors. We pass an archeological dig near the city hall the remains of a Jewish settlement. (1709) We also see the remains of a Roman palace. We see many German beer gardens very active. I stop at a Starbucks to post my blog before returning to the boat for dinner. The boat heads for Koblenz. I head to bed early again tonight.

Cologne Germany

Saturday June 1 2013

We wake up to a cloudy sky in Germany. We are cruising the Rhine river to Cologne Germany. One of Germany's oldest cities. Early coffee 6:30 and breakfast 7:30. I spend the rest of the morning downloading pictures and putting titles on them . Lunch is 12:30. We arrive in Cologne around 1.30 and are on a walking tour at 3. I go to Starbucks to post

Amsterdam

After an exhausting day with an overnight flight and dealing with Heathrow airport in London we arrive on our boat MS Amadeus. Too tired to unpavk tonight. Dinner is at 7pm. Absolutely delicious. I have the pike. We are too tired to attend the lifeboat drill and are in bed by 8pm. I didn't sleep on the plane as I watched The Life of Pi on the plane. Wow did I sleep. We got up at 5am.Time to put our clothes away before coffee at 6am. Breakfast was wonderful too . I had the shrimp omelet from a menue. There was also a huge buffet. 8Am we are on a bus tour of Amsterdam. A 700 year old city capital. We do a canal tour first cruising through the elegant grachten lined with stately homes. A leisurely-paced walking tour to the flower market and the Delft pottery factory.. Amsterdam has 800,000 people and 650,000 bikes. At 12 we are back at the boat for lunch. Here again a buffet and menue to order from. We tried to have a nap after lunch only to be lurched out of bed -we run aground as the wind pushes us as we wait our turn to go through the locks. No damage done. Dinner is not until 7pm. We tie up at Arnheim to pick up Dutch dancers for tonight entertainment. A fun pack sunny day