12-2-2015 STRASBOURG, FRANCE PART II

A fantastic, colossal piece of art stands in the Notre Dame Cathedral:  The Astronomical Clock.  It was constructed in the mid-1500s by three masters:  a mathematics professor, a clock maker and an artist.  As the works became worn, the clock went silent ~1588.  The 70-80 foot tall giant stood

Astonomical Clock

quietly until the 1800s when a young boy proclaimed, “Oh yeah?  I can make it work again!”  Later, he became a mechanical engineer and at the age of 61, after having studied the mechanisms over his lifetime, Monsieur Schwilgué spent the next four years making it run again.  That was in 1842.  So there were no good engineers in France, apparently, for 300 years.  This is a phenomenal machine.  It tells you everything you want to know and so much more!  The time of day, current location of the planets, month and day of the year, astrological sign, season, phase of the moon to name a few, all displayed in 3D while music boxes play as figures circle about.  A mechanical rooster crows three times to symbolize St. Peter’s denial of Christ and human frailty.  Just the base is 24 feet wide and more than 12 feet tall.  It is safe to say that this incredible piece of art that tells time cannot be worn on the wrist.

The beautiful old city of Strasbourg is heavily populated by irregularly constructed “half-timbered” buildings, meaning that they are fortified with wood beams geometrically arranged in the primary structure for added stability and support.  If the buildings were all originally straight, then we suppose that time and wear have taken their toll because now, they appear to be leaning against each other to remain upright.

Half-timber houses along the Ill River

Typical half-timber
construction

  They are stunningly beautiful and at this time of year, decorated by mad elves.  In the center of town, the 98 foot tall “Great Tree” grows proudly, now draped in sparkles, lights and ornaments.

The Great Tree in the
center of Strasbourg, France (or
Germany depending on the century)

  The many Christmas booths provide happy people with every imaginable trinket and glüwein, lights, music and laughter fill the air.

Lindy and the Monster Nutcracker

Rob trying to find wienerschnitzel
at the Bierstub

We searched about for just the right restaurant to have a midday snack.  When the menu read, “Wienerschnitzel mit pommes fritts,” Spouse had arrived.  So, at the restaurant au Gutenberg, Rob savored that while I was lucky enough to find a beer and escargots for myself.  Everything is written in French and German so between the two of us we can figure most things out and get our point across.  Later, we found our own way back to the tram and the riverboat in time to clean up for The Last Supper.  This evening, the entrée for me was a fresh trout filet stuffed with spinach and for Rob, chicken cordon bleu.  Rob’s dessert was warm chocolate cake drizzled with yet more warm chocolate.  And of course the wine flowed freely till we fell into bed exhausted.  In another day’s time, we will arrive in Basel, Switzerland, pack up, depart the ship and launch on the rest of our adventure.

Restaurant au Gutenberg

On a personal level, we have mostly remained healthy except for the sore throat I developed.  Lift me out of the desert and drop me in the cold and wet and bam, I’m sick.  Lots of “Emergen-C,” Sudafed and throat spray coupled with good nights of sleep in our comfortable room and I have beat it.  On another front, the heartburn that I get nearly every day at home has left the building.  This can mean only one thing:  I have not been getting enough bratwurst, brötchens, beer and glüwein at home.  Easily resolved.

I can’t believe, after months of planning, that the Christmas Cruise is behind us.  I am sad but extremely gratified and looking forward to the next phase of our trip.

12-2-2015 STRASBOURG, FRANCE PART I

We sailed lazily onward today almost as if gliding soundlessly on glass.  The river borders were green with tall grass and small trees and on the rocks nearer the river, the occasional fisherman. 

Quietly, beautiful big white swans drifted lazily along the shorelines, in pairs on the Germany side of the river, three or five on the France side, observes my spouse.

We docked in Strasbourg, France mid-morning.  Security is tight, they advised, which is a good thing.  For the first time ever, we were instructed to pick up our passports at the desk and carry them in a safe place on our person.  If an authority figure such as a policeman or military person were to ask to see the passport, you should be cooperative and produce it.  But not to just anybody, they warned.  So, feeling a bit intimidated, we tucked all important cards, money and passport in inside pockets.  Rob pinned his blue jeans pocket shut.  Then we were off to the tram to the city center.  They were correct, security is tight. 

"No.  No smile," she said.

Les soldats

There are cops everywhere eyeballing everybody, usually traveling in pairs (not like the swans).  There are large numbers of military personnel dressed in camo fatigues carrying rifles.  This is supposed to give folks a sense of feeling safe, I think.  For this chick, it just rattled my cage.  On to the city.

Strasbourg was an independent city in the early 1200s.  Then, France decided it wanted Strasbourg and so in about 1400, conquered it.  Roughly 100 years later, Germany decided it wanted Strasbourg and overtook the city.  The French stole it back during WWI.  Then WWII happened and Germany conquered Strasbourg once again.  This time they were serious.  They not only confiscated Strasbourg but they got all Hitler-y and established some serious Nazification.  A concentration camp was established outside of town, the entire city was draped with swastikas and ordinary folks were encamped for the slightest infraction.  German was the language.  Off to the concentration camp you went if you spoke French.  Or wore a beret.  Or whistled “La Marseilles (French national anthem).”  The French can, at last, thank America for kicking Hitler’s ass, rescuing and returning Strasbourg to France.  (Pay backs.  If it weren’t for the French, we’d be speaking the Queen’s English and paying a tax on tea and stamps.  The French do occasionally come in handy.)  They say the town folk here keep two sets of car license plates handy, German ones and French ones, because you just never know.

Notre Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral is the centerpiece of the city. 

The centerpiece of the city

Notre Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral
and the Rose Window

It is an enormous structure, about the size of Delaware.  The first block of stone was laid in the year 1015 and the very tip of the highest spire at 460 feet in the sky was finished in 1439.  They aren’t really sure of the origination date but if it were to be true, the cathedral celebrates its 1,000^th birthday this year.  The detail of the sculpture on the exterior structure is breathtaking and impossible to describe in words.  Just the eloquent rose window is an incredible sight, maybe 75 feet in diameter.  I can’t imagine the construction of such a thing and how stable it has been over the centuries, how it has withstood the elements and the weight of the surrounding structure.  I’ve decided I want one just like it in our Pahrump house but we may have to raise the roof and I may need to go buy a little more glass.  It would take me weeks to assemble a rose window!

Rob before one of the entries to ND

-Strasbourg to be continued-

 

11-30-2015 HEIDELBERG, GERMANY

11-30-2015 HEIDELBERG, GERMANY

We are actually docked in Speyer and there are two excursions, today.  We opted to travel by bus to Heidelberg which was recommended by some of our seasoned shipmates.

Heidelberg Palace is a massive, majestic structure to behold.  Built of red sandstone beginning in the early 1200s, it has been established as a protected monument and some consider it the “eighth wonder of the world.” 

Wing of Heidelberg Palace

It housed, at various times over its functional life, kings (elected), emperors (selected and crowned by the Pope), queens, knights for offense and defense, a “house of ladies” (chicks trying to get picked up by nobles), a 58,000 gallon cask of wine

Rob atop 58,000 gallon wine cask

and of course servants galore.  At times, the occupation numbered 50-200 persons.  Striking by comparison, down the hill and along the river from the palace, villagers lived in cramped, humble quarters below the towering palace.

View of Heidelberg from the palace

Approaching the palace, you first see “The Love Gate.”  It was constructed with devotion by Ludwig for Elizabeth Stewart as a surprise.  She was to see this gate from the window of her private quarters and know at all times of his adoration.  Ludwig was very proud that he had built this gate in 24 hours.  The problem is that the ornamentation on the front side of gate faced away from Ms. Stewart’s window, so all she saw was the flat, plain back, which apparently just ruined her day.  She ordered that the architect of the gate have his head chopped off.  Bitch.

Back of "Love Gate"

Front of "Love Gate"

Moving along, a bridge crosses the moat.  It was not filled with water but pissed off wild boars.  Of course, there were no toilets or garbage disposals in the palace and so all waste was thrown into the moat as well.  And so the aroma, “eau de moat,” is a sensory delight one can only imagine.  Nevertheless, the inhabitants of the palace thought they were tray sheek.

Aromatic moat

The palace and the village lie at the foot of Heiligenberg Mountain (Holy Mountain) on the banks of the Neckar River.  Over time, the name Heidelberg evolved.  “Berg” means “hill or at the base of a hill” and “burg” means “fortified” as with a fort and a wall surrounding the town.  Heidelberg is now mostly a college town.  They even have a student prison, which probably doubles as a chemistry lecture hall, in my opinion.  Just sayin.’

Some other miscellany I learned today:

The Krauts think Obama is really “nice” and “cool.”  On the other hand, when asked about Merkel they say, “No comment.”  Exactly back-asswards.  Then they said, “We don’t have to go into detail about Bill Clinton.”  They got that part right.

The folks pay up to 8% in tax to belong to a religion and a Church.  If you become a Catholic, say, this tax is deducted from your paycheck whether you like it or not.  If you decide to quit being Catholic, it is nearly impossible.  Change your mind about paying a tax?  I think not.

For lunch today, we had maultaschen.  It looks a bit like large ravioli that they call “pillows.”  Originally, there was one day in a month and many days during Lent that were fast days, i.e. no meat.  So the folks created a mixture of things usually spinach, spices and various ground meats and wrapped this in pastry so nobody would know that they were eating meat.  We call this spiritual dedication.  They must have thought as I do:  “If God had not wanted us to eat animals, He wouldn’t have made them out of meat. (Especially deer.)”

Weihnachtsmarkt Heidelberg

Gluwein at the Heidelberg Christmas Market

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.