11-28-2015 MAINZ, GERMANY

11-28-2015 MAINZ, GERMANY

Johannes Gensfleisch (“goose flesh”) was born in Mainz in ~1400 and resided with his parents at Hof zum Guttenberg.  Later, he changed his name to Johannes Guttenberg after his family home.  He was fascinated with the craft of printing and eventually, set up his own print shop.  He was a craftsman and inventor and soon came up with a way to create the letters and numbers from metals and assemble plates of “moveable type.”  He had many assistants and with their help created casts of the alphabet in small and capitals, numbers 0 to 9 and several punctuation marks, a total of 90 characters.  These were organized in wooden compartments on a large pallet.  The largest number of letters needed was the small letters and so the compartments for these were the largest and located in the bottom row.  It is said that this is where the expression “lower case” originated. 

The letters had to be carved and cast and set in plates backwards.  A space for the fancy capital letters at the start of paragraphs was a blank and those were hand drawn later by various artists.  The press that Guttenberg used was an old wine press that he modified and by inking the pallet and pressing a piece of paper against the letters, he was able to print a double row of 42 lines of print on both sides of the paper and thus his format is called B42.  In 1452, Guttenberg launched upon the project of printing the Bible.  It took 2 ½ years to print 180 copies of the Guttenberg Bible (in Latin), 1,282 pages each, and of these, 49 still exist and are worth tens of millions of dollars each.  I regret that I cannot include pictures of the artifacts in the Guttenberg Museum.  No photography was allowed in the vaults that contain a hand-written Bible and two of the original printed Guttenberg Bibles, encased in glass.

(The guide did not tell us this fable but I learned this in another old print shop:  The letters, of course, had to be set in the plates backwards and the “q” and the “p” were often confused.  This originated the expression, “Watch your p’s and q’s.”)

Flammlachs - wood fired salmon

After we toured the Guttenberg Museum, we cruised through yet more Christmas Markets in Mainz.  Well!  This time, we found a booth that was roasting whole pigs on a spit over a wood fire. 

Roast pig at the Mainz market

Another booth was roasting slabs of salmon nailed to wooden planks propped around the edges of a wood fire (“flammlachs”).  So today’s fare included hot roast pork on a brötchen, a pile of smoked salmon and a cup of glüwein.  Once again, we put the miles on our feet and were lucky to find a few things to take to our room just for fun:  brötchens, a chunk of soft mild cheese and links of smoked wurst.  A very friendly German stew from Lufthansa took our picture, smiled broadly and gave us a bouquet of mistletoe.  We’ll see if the “authorities” will allow us to carry that home!

Rudesheimer coffee

An optional tour was offered today.  The buses took us to Rüdesheim, a 45 min. ride, to visit the Christmas Markets and

Weihnachtmarkt Rudesheim

Rob Rudesheim Christmas Market

have dinner (sauerbraten, spätzle and blue kraut) followed by a cup of Rüdesheimer coffee, a specialty.  First, sugar and Asbach brandy (famous locally) is poured into the bottom of a cup and it is set aflame.  Then, the cup is filled with coffee and topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with shaved chocolate. Wonderful!  For the next event, 5 shot glasses are installed on a long board like a snow ski, spaced for 5 people who go up to the stage.  The glasses are filled with apple schnapps.  At the cheer, “Ein, zwei, drei!” all 5 people lift the board and chug.  All 5 are different heights but hopefully, the schnapps lands in your mouth! 

Chugging apple schnapps

This went on for quite a while… er… quite a few bottles of schnapps.  An oompah band performed, we danced the polka and the twist and had a wild and crazy party!  Much later in the evening, we collapsed in bed!

MS River Harmony

11-27-2015 KOBLENZ, GERMANY

11-27-2015 KOBLENZ, GERMANY

Compared to Cologne, Koblenz is a smallish city, population about 100,000 people.  Again a port city, located at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine Rivers, it was heavily bombed during WWII and the town was largely destroyed.  Much of what we see in Koblenz is buildings, bridges and streets are replicas.  The town folks have done a wonderful job of restoration and the buildings are quaint, artistically finished and so pretty.  The streets are uneven cobblestone and narrow, nevertheless, cars and vans drive both ways up and down the lanes and you need to squeeze up against the buildings to allow them to pass.

Mask on museum below the clock

There is a story in Koblenz about a pirate, one Johann Lutter von Kobern, who pillaged the boats that traveled up and down the river.  Finally, the village folks captured and imprisoned the pirate.  He was found guilty of his crimes and was sentenced to hang.  As they paraded him down the streets to the gallows, he shouted at the villagers who lined the streets, “You should build a monument to me!  I will watch over your town and it will be good luck and good fortune to you!”  The monument the town folk saw fit to build to Pirate von Kobern took the form of a mask installed upon the town hall building.  The eyes move back and forth to symbolize the idea that he is keeping an eye on the town, probably sarcasm. 

Pirate Johann Lutter
von Kobern's mask

On the hour and on the half hour, he sticks his tongue out, possibly his way of expressing his opinion of the villagers who hanged him. 

We spent only enough time in Koblenz to take a quick stroll through the Christmas Markets, find a spicy sausage on a brötchen (hard roll) and a glüwein.  Then we hurried back to the ship.  We were admonished to be back aboard before 1PM.  On the shore excursions, we carry boarding passes when we depart the ship and when we return, we toss them in the box at the desk.  They do their best to perform a head count.  And then, they sail, with or without you and your boarding pass.  This may be the primary reason that they give each of us a map of the city before we go ashore.

Weihnachtsmarkt in Koblenz

Gluwein at the Koblenz Christmas Market

There was a reason why we sailed during the daylight hours today.  This section of the Rhine is bordered by many pretty villages, the requisite kirche (church) in the center and hundreds of castles up on the hills.  The crew spoke to us as we glided quietly down this stretch of the river, explaining the significance of the points of interest and, even better, important navigational maneuvers.  The Rhine area is famous for wine and foothills along the river are streaked with rows of grape vines and make the hills look like they are draped in corduroy.  We thought the castles stood high on the slopes as fortification and protection but in reality, they were simply monuments the inhabitants built to themselves, folks who became wealthy by harassing the commerce on the river in days past.  They strung ropes across the river and watched for ships from on high. 

Village and castle along the Rhine
taken from River Harmony's upper deck

Another village and castle along the Rhine

Village and castle, one more time

Then, they trapped the ships carrying goods and merchandise and small local armies forbid passage unless they paid a tax, which of course was pocketed.  And also they were required to allow the villagers first dibs on their wares.  So other than these castle assholes and a weird pirate, it was a lovely day of sailing in the sunshine.

At dinnertime tonight I added another fish to my list.  It is called, “pangasius,” a white fish of a texture and taste like flounder.  Rob had duck leg.  Forget it.  It is not possible for me to eat a portion of a cute little duck.  If you eat his legs, how does he walk around and swim?

Lindy, Capt. Marian Vieriu and Rob

 

2-26-2015 COLOGNE, GERMANY

COLOGNE, GERMANY 2-26-2015

Before I leave Holland (or the Netherlands), I have another story to tell you.  Here, Christmas is called St. Niklaas Feest, and happens on Dec. 6^th, not the 25^th.  On this day, ol’ St. Niklaas, in a long white beard, arrives in his robes styled like a Bishop, with a miter and scepter.  He is accompanied by his assistants who are called Zwarte Piets.  The assistants are not tiny elves but full-sized.  St. Niklaas arrives on a white horse followed by his “black piets” who carry sacks filled with treats (or coal, if you’re naughty).  The piets know which children have been good and give those treats, candy and cookies.  But, if you’ve been naughty, the piets might grab you and throw you in one of their sacks, so you better watch out, you better not cry.  He sees you!  The piets are black because when they visit the houses, they come down the chimney so they are usually covered with soot.  There are parades through the towns with St. Niklaas leading followed by piets, performers in black-face and big red lips, toting their sacks.  That is, until recently.  The locals have decided that black-face is incorrect and racist and so now, the zwarte piets are no longer zwarte.  They paint their faces orange or, wait for it, rainbow!  Political correctness run amok is now alive and well in Holland (or the Netherlands).

The boat sailed all night and made good time, arriving in Cologne 2 ½ hours ahead of schedule.  I ran

MS River Harmony

into the captain in the hall and asked, “You kicked in the turbos or what?”  He laughed and explained.  When the water is high (due to rain and snow melt), he can make good time because there is less technical maneuvering to do amid the big cargo barges, their tugs and other tour boats.  And although we were running against the current, the water is quite high now so, in a word, Captain Marian kicked some serious ass last evening. 

Chef Nicu - I like standing
next to this guy!

At 9AM this morning, it was time to attend stollen class presented by Head Chef Nicu and the pastry chef.  Nicu was very funny and I learned a lot.  For example, when kneading the dough, do not use extra flour, it makes the bread dry.  Also, do not knead on a hard surface but on a table cloth, for the same reason. 

Making stollen

Mom used to make stollen I know, but I don’t think she used crushed almonds nor did she soak the raisins in rum, that I remember.  It turned out very good so I guess now I have another experiment to perform at home.  But I’ll use pecans and try soaking some dried blueberries in rum along with the raisins!

Afterward, we were off on a walking tour on the cobblestone lanes into Cologne, about 2 miles to and fro, peering into the shops, admiring the old architecture and ending up in front of the Cologne Cathedral.  It is breathtakingly huge and beautiful.  The construction of this monster began in the 1200s and took 600 years to complete.  (Sounds like Boeing.)  During WWII, although most of the city was obliterated, the Allies took particular care not to bomb near this spectacular landmark.  The cathedral is the final resting place of the Three Wise Men. 

Cologne Cathedral

Tomb of The Three Wise Men

You can view the elaborate gold tomb that holds these relics.  This is all “in theory,” of course, since no one knows the DNA of the Three Wise Men, but Cologne owns this lore and there ain’t no fuzz on it.  (We do know that the Three Wise Men (and the camels they rode in on) arrived late, Jan. 6^th, to the birthday party at the stable in Bethlehem because they refused to ask for directions.  Wise men, indeed.)

Cathedral Christmas Market

Cologne is the first of the Christmas Markets featured on this trip.  Let the festivities begin!  Lunch on the ship?  We think not.  A hot bratwurst on a crusty bröchen and a hot cup of glüwein, please.  What is glüwein, you ask?  It is a hot drink of spices, cider and wine.  You can also add other superchargers, such as rum or amaretto.  It is everywhere in the marketplace.  It warms the fingers, tummy and soul and puts a “glow” on the cheeks, as the name suggests.  Since it was in the 40s, the glüwein was most welcome!  Much more to come on the Christmas markets!

Rob at the Weihnachtsmarkt

Gluwein!

Happy Thanksgiving!  The good River Harmony crew decorated everywhere with American flags and served us a traditional turkey dinner this evening and pumpkin pie for dessert!  Thank God the founding fathers changed their minds about making the turkey our nation’s symbolic bird.   What would we have eaten on Thanksgiving, eagle?  Gross!  Probably tastes like dead fish!

Thanksgiving Day in Yurrup 

11-25-15 Nijmegen, Holland

NIJMEGEN, HOLLAND 11-25-2015

We had enough frequent flyer miles to fly first class on our Delta 767.  The cabin is spacious and our seats had every adjustment up to, but not including, upside down.  When cocktails, appetizers and three course meals drew to a close, it was lights out.  The seats articulate and fold all the way down flat with your feet extended into the space where carry-ons are normally stowed under the seat ahead.  Later, when they awakened the passengers for breakfast, we had slept maybe an hour and a half or so.  By the time we disembarked in AMS, were gathered up and bussed to the ship and settled into our suite, I was so jetlagged and exhausted that I was dizzy.  We tried to nap but I didn’t have enough energy to fall asleep.  Finally, later in the afternoon, we managed a couple of hours of nap time to recharge our batteries and after that, we made it to evening.

Rob on the stairway with Santa

Harriet and Allen Lewis live in Boston.  They own this cruise line.  The MS (Motor Ship) River

Harmony dining room

Harmony is a beautiful old ship built in 1999 and detailed in dark wood, brass and lighted crystal chandeliers and sconces.  The addition of sparkling Christmas decorations reflects and creates nearly a fairyland.  It is hypnotic.  Our room is a bit small but it has floor-to-ceiling windows and a step-out balcony.  There is a table in the center of the room and sofas along each wall that are actually twin Murphy beds furnished with big fluffy pillows and down-doobie-down-down doovays.  During the dinner hour, the room attendant folds down our beds and places a mint on our pillows.  The staff is polite and friendly in the extreme and the experience is really luxurious.

Our stateroom 408 with
jetlagged occupant

One of the choices at din din last night was a fish called, “klip.”  We are not familiar with this fish and so, of course, we had to try it.  It tastes a little like cod, white and tender and flaky.  So now, we have another fish to add to our list.

The captain sailed all night and we passed through a few locks.  During our safety briefing, the captain explained that if we are the type that likes to watch the ship go through locks, please do not lean out to look down.  The walls of one of the locks are 38’ apart and the beam of the harmony is 36.5.’  That means we enter the locks with a shoehorn and a generous 9” to spare on either side of the ship.  Hanging one’s head over the side could possibly be hazardous to your health.  During the night, the ship glided through the water almost imperceptibly but on a couple of occasions, there was a “thud!”  I didn’t jump up to look but my guess is the lovely boat bumped into the walls of the locks so I guess I’m glad I wasn’t sticking my head outboard.

We are docked today in Nijmegen (pronounced nigh-make-in), Holland.  Er…the Netherlands?  I am not getting a straight story on the difference between all these countries.  They get pretty cranky about it, so it is safest to simply not mention anything.  We took a walking tour this morning and it was biting cold and raining and we desert rats did not appreciate it one bit.  (In fact, it has been raining since we landed.  This area of the world has an average of 230 days of rain per year.  Good grief.)  During the Nazi occupation, all the Jews in this town were eliminated. 

Weeping woman & plaques

There is a monument of a weeping woman in the town and plaques with the names of every one of them.  The cold gray drizzle added a quiet sad note to this encounter, as if the skies were weeping as well.  Nijmegen was pummeled pretty badly during WWII and much of the town destroyed, partly I assume because it is a port town built at the confluence of the Rhine and Waal Rivers.    The citizens rebuilt the bombed out town and so it is a mix of very old architecture adjacent to more modern structures. 

Typical cobblestone street in
Nijmegen

St. Stephen Cathedral

The construction of St. Stephen Cathedral was begun in 1200 and was completed 400 years later, presumably not by the same crew.  The streets are narrow cobblestone and rock and very slippery.  We were cold to the bone when the tour ended and we were happy to come back to the ship, sip a hot chocolate and thaw out.

INTRO YURRUP CHRISTMAS TRIP 11-23-2015

INTRODUCTION TO THE YURRUPEAN CHRISTMAS TRIP 2015

Last Summer, while on the quest to find something special to do to celebrate our anniversary, Rob and I came across a river trip the cost of which was absolutely too good to be true.  (People celebrate getting married?  Seriously?)  Since Yurrup at Christmas has been on Lindy’s bucket list for decades and Rob never minds the occasional trip abroad, we could not refuse.  The riverboat departs Amsterdam on November 24^th and sails down the Rhine to Basel, Switzerland stopping at the “Weinachtsmärktes” along the way until we disembark on December 4^th.

Airline tickets were another matter and we struggled to find arrangements out of Vegas.  Finally, we gave up and tried LAX.  Turns out there are a bazillion flights from LAX to AMS and it’s not entirely inconvenient for us, only 250 mi. from home.  A big upside:  our friend, Craig, opened his Huntington Beach home and parking to us and thus it all fell nicely into detent.

1640 NOV. 15, 2015

This girl cannot imagine that Christmastime at the homestead would pass without celebration.  So in August, the green flag waved and I was off like a prom dress.  On our long list were presents, wrapping and packing to ship, cards and decorations along with preparations for the trip.  A turkey even got brined, vacuum packed and frozen along with the dressing and gravy.  And there you have it and here we are on Day 1 of this adventure with Christmas all ready to roll at 1640 when we get back.

Down the river after some time, we stop in Strasbourg, France.  Or maybe not.  The Muslim problem?  We are a bit apprehensive but the Grand Circle Cruise Lines staff assures us that all is well and frankly, I don’t think France has a corner on this particular market.  A little more complicated is our 11 day car trip after the cruise that we tacked on to visit 5 more German cities.  We invited SEAL Team Six to join us but so far, they haven’t gotten back on that.  And of course, all points east of the Atlantic Ocean are gun-free zones (well, except for the murderers), so that leaves us a little, shall we say, empty-handed.  Rob rented an Audi.  I would have rented an M1-A1.  Slower on the autobahn, true, but the Audi doesn’t have a turret.  Anyway, our destiny is in the hands of those above our pay grade. 

There is this wise man, you know who I mean, he’s bald and he wears a sheet and sits on a pillow and says heavy stuff.  I think he’s the Karmann Ghia or something like that.  He said, “If you are depressed, you are living in the past.  If you are anxious, you are living in the future.  If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” 

OK, what he said, but I do have a question.  What if in the present, your house is burning down, your riverboat is sinking or your airplane is being hijacked.  It’s OK to feel a little anxious, in these cases, right?

So, with all these preliminaries documented, we are packed and Craig delivered us to the curb at the terminal.  Let the excitement begin

THE SLEIGH DELIVERS US
TO LAX O'DARK THIRTY