[Patz] European River Travel West 2

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We continue our European River cruise heading west from the Continental Divide towards Amsterdam. Still in Germany, we leave the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and enter Bamberg, on our way to Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

	Traveling west from Nuremberg, we crossed the Fanconian Alps and rose some 1332 feet above sea-level through a series of 16 locks. This canal was started by Charlemagne in the 9th century, greatly expanded in 1846 by King Ludwig I of Bavaria, and completed in 1992. The canal allows sea traffic to pass from the North Sea to the Black Sea. The Continental Divide marker (both photos) appears at Hilpolstein, the highest point on the canal. This marks the point where the river current changes direction (and our boat changed speed). Water to the west of the marker flows down to the North Sea while water to the east of the marker flows towards the Black Sea. The certificate was issued to document our crossing the continental divide, and although we made the crossing at 0830, champagne was served.
Heading west, Bamberg lies at the end of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. This old town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The left photo is of the classic old buildings that straddle the river Main. The middle photo is a detail of the art-deco wall of the Old Town Hall. The magnificent old abbey on the right now houses an old age home and a beer museum. canal Rhine Main Danube
	We arrive in Würzburg, the capital of Lower Franconia, called the "Pearl of the Romantic Road". The residential Palace (photo) was where the Prince-Bishop built his town house, considered to be one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Europe. This is now an elaborate museum which hosts concerts and art events. On the right is an 11th Century cathedral (Dom), reconstructed after WWII. "Wurzburg Cathedral"
Wertheim was my favorite stop on the River Main . It was a story book town with impressive 12th century ruins and beautiful half-timbered houses.
	The next stop was Miltenberg which has one of the prettiest town squares in Germany (left). The half-timbered house in the middle, the Hotel zum Riesen was built in 1411 and is the oldest royal guest house in Germany. It is still in use today as a beer garden, restaurant, and inn. And, a street scene on the right has us in front of the guest house. (Note: the prices on the signs are in Euros.) picture Jerrold Patz Naimah "Jerrold Patz"
We leave the River Main and join the Rhine at Rudesheim, the best known of the Rhineland's wine-villages. The first photo shows a panorama of the village and the Rhine River. The blue and white boat (near bank of the river) was our river hotel. The middle photo depicts a typical alley with its many wine shops and gardens. The right photo is an ancient knight's hall that now houses Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum.
	Coblenz (or Koblenz) is the city where the Rhine River (right) is joined by the Moselle River (on the left). This site house a large statue and park and is shaped liked the bow of a ship.
The Rhine is punctuated by scores of different, magnificent castles, each a different size, shape, and color. Some of the castles were fortifications, residences, toll booths, or a combination.
	This photo is of building #4711 in Cologne (Köln in German, derived from the Latin word 'colonia' meaning colony). When the French occupied the city, they were unable to understand the street names, they just numbered all of the buildings. 4711 is a very famous cologne for men and women, and the word 'cologne' is a toponym (a name derived from a place or region) for a fragrance that is not perfume. Such a fragrance was originally referred to as Eau de Cologne. On the hour, this elaborate clock depicts an army of marching soldiers and an officer on horseback; first playing the Marseillaise, then two German folk tunes. The middle photo is of the Cologne Cathedral, the tallest building in the world from 1880 to 1884. It still holds the record for the world's tallest Gothic spires. The right photo is of a neo-Gothic church next to the cathedral with our river boat in the foreground.
We ended our river cruise in Amsterdam, the city of canals, polders, cheese, and windmills. The first photo is a scene with houses lining the canal, the second is Naimah overlooking a major canal near Dam Square, and the third is of the Red Light District, an adult entertainment area and tourist magnet. For additional photos of Amsterdam and the Netherlands, click here.
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