2022 Trip 5: Viking Grand European River Cruise Sept. 13-14

On the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. September 15,2022

This section of our trip focuses on castles, churches, and cruising. We have left the Netherlands and for two days have been on the Rhine River. This afternoon we passed through Kaub Germany with 20 centimeters of water between the riverbed and the bottom of the ship.

Kaub has historically been the location of greatest concern during periods of drought and low river levels. We saw sandbars in the river several times. I noticed that like the Mississippi River in the late 1800s , the Rhine in the Kaub area utilizes rock/stone structures in the river to force the current into the main channel. Yet in the famous Lorelei area, the river narrows considerably and deepens dramatically.

Yesterday, Tuesday, we stopped in Cologne Germany. In order to keep to a schedule, the ship stops prior to the city. Passengers then board buses for a 20-30 minute ride into Cologne. We spend several hours in Cologne while the ship continues at its slower speed and arrives in Cologne later. Archaeologists have a field day here as the city is built on top of ancient Roman walls, fortifications.and structures.

Chris and I went on the walking tour of Cologne where its Cathedral is the primary point of interest. The Cathedral was spared the level of massive destruction levied on the city during WWII. After the war, the reconstruction style was “concrete blah” (my words). Thus this bustling, modern city is not much to look at. The two museums that were on our personal list to visit were not open. We passed on the opportunity to sample the local beers and took a nap during the afternoon.

During the night and early morning hours we continued cruising. Our next stop was Marksburg Castle, one of the best preserved castles in Germany. Its fortifications protected it for hundreds of years and its lack of strategic significance spared it during WWII. Portions of the castle date back over 600 years.

Then, the Middle Rhine castles. We took up seats on the sun deck and admired the castles sprinkled among the bluffs, vineyards, and small towns. Cloudy skies and then rain could not eliminate the amazement one feels going through this stretch of river and thinking what it must have been like living here in a previous time.

The day ended as we left the Rhine River and began our journey on the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal.

Ed and Chris