GCT Romance of the Rhine & Mosel – Trip Review

Just a note related to free time in Bonn. It's a quick and easy train ride to Remagen - the Peace Museum in the remaining bridge tower is worth a visit.

Just a note related to free time in Bonn. It's a quick and easy train ride to Remagen - the Peace Museum in the remaining bridge tower is worth a visit.

 

That would have been a good side trip! It seems like we did lots of research before the trip but we planned our free time day by day. After leaving Bonn, a traveling companion found out that we could have visited where her uncle is buried. He died in WW2. I think family was able to tell her the town and folks at the Liberation Museum (the next day) were also able to help her.

 

(More later about Nijmegen and the Liberation Museum.)

Edited March 18, 2016 by Sapphire73

Just a note related to free time in Bonn. It's a quick and easy train ride to Remagen - the Peace Museum in the remaining bridge tower is worth a visit.

I was fortunate some years ago (2008??) to see the Remagen bridge tower. We were northbound on the Rhine and at maybe 4am I was stumbling in the dark back from the loo when it suddenly got much brighter around the edges of the curtain. I peeked out and the Captain had the tower spotlighted as we went by. I think I was the only passenger on the boat to see the tower in its one minute of spotlighted glory. It is often better to be lucky than smart:rolleyes:

 

Thom

That was certainly lucky!

 

I have read on CC before that captains point out the Remagen bridge at night. What a nice idea.

 

As a side note: the Remagen bridge is the most famous of the "three sisters". I have mentioned before in another thread that there are two more, one at Urmitz / Engers and one at Rüdesheim / Bingen (as you travel upstream). The stumps at Rüdesheim - you need to go out of the town and upstream along the Rhine - are still there. Like Remagen the bridge was not rebuilt. Urmitz was rebuilt in a different style and is still used daily as a railway line bridge for the regular service to and from Koblenz.

 

Thank you again, Sapphire73, for taking us along with such great pictures. I very much like Bonn and regularly see American and Japanese tourists standing around the Beethovenhaus. Bonn is a nice condensed place to shop in, not as hectic as Cologne, but then I am biased, I lived in Bonn for a short while.

 

notamermaid

Edited March 20, 2016 by notamermaid
aditional information

On my 2004 GCT Rhine and Moselle river cruise we had an included excursion to visit the Remagen bridge and its 's museum. We also visited the nearby walled village of Ahrweiler. This was one of my all-time favorite tours on a GCT river cruise. I'm disappointed they no long do it.

On my 2004 GCT Rhine and Moselle river cruise we had an included excursion to visit the Remagen bridge and its 's museum. We also visited the nearby walled village of Ahrweiler. This was one of my all-time favorite tours on a GCT river cruise. I'm disappointed they no long do it.

 

I would have enjoyed an excursion like that - even if it was an optional tour. Glad you were able to experience on your GCT cruise!

Hello rogerawhip,

 

Ahrweiler, a very nice place, I agree. It is an old town in the Ahr valley - the Ahr flows into the Rhine at Remagen-Kripp. Hence the short trip from Remagen. It is actually a twin town called Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. The valley is famed for its red wine and there is a railway line from Remagen that stops in Ahrweiler and further ascends into the valley. Highly recommended area for a land trip: http://www.ahrtal.de/en/bad-neuenahr-ahrweiler/

 

It is a pity GCT has stopped this, might be an idea for another river cruise company. German history in a nut shell: from Roman remains, medieval town walls, elegant spa town of 1900 and WWII site to abandoned Cold War bunker!

 

notamermaid

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Nijmegen, Netherlands

November 20 (Partly cloudy with some rain, high 49˚F)

 

We found our tour of Nijmegen to be an interesting blend of old and new. Our walking tour focused on older parts of the city but provided time to explore the shops before lunch.

 

It was interesting to see some school children looking for historical landmarks and making notes as we walked around. In fact, four of them politely asked our program director for assistance as he was interviewing a woman about her life in Nijmegen. (They were doing a special school assignment for school.)

 

Later in our tour, Nicolas bought herring at a food stand and invited us to try it. We had some free time to wander around but went back to the ship for lunch.

 

The highlight of our day was the optional tour of the Liberation Museum. We had two guides. One remembered watching the parachutes floating down from the sky. The other grew up in Scotland and his father served in the Pacific. The dioramas and primary source material provide a glimpse into what life was like during the occupation and then the eventual liberation. The guides and displays also brought home the difficulties encountered by the allied soldiers during their efforts to take the bridge and liberate the Netherlands.

 

Toward the end of the tour, we entered a large room called the honorary dome. The perimeter is lined with books listing the allies who gave their lives in this part of the war. It was very moving to see a friend find the name of her uncle and learn exactly where he is buried.

 

My friend and I both purchased bookmarks embroidered with red poppies. She bought one for her elderly mother who lost a brother and one for herself. And I thought the bookmark would be a lovely way to remember my husband’s grandfather who volunteered in 1914 when he was 36 years old, serving in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force with a Field Ambulance in Belgium. (We visited the Flanders Field Museum in Ypres, Belgium later in our trip, but did not see anything like this bookmark there. I did buy a few books there though.)

 

Nijmegen Bridge, early in the morning

 

Angel by St. Stevens Church

Edited March 30, 2016 by Sapphire73

Thanks for your report.

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Kinderdijk, Netherlands

Morning of November 21 (Rain with some sun, high 44˚F)

 

I was looking forward to seeing the windmills at Kinderdijk. The weather forecast was not promising, and we were deluged with rain as we took the boat ride along the canal. The rain continued as we made our way inside one of the windmills. But then it stopped. I was able to walk along the windmills with hardly anyone else in sight. This was one of several advantages of coming here in November and the inclement weather we experienced that day.

 

As an aside, some might be interested in a book called The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum. It is a book for (older) children about a family in occupied Holland who survive the occupation while managing to help others (caring for a Jewish child until her mother returns after the war, helping a downed RAF pilot, etc.). It is here that I first read about the vanes of windmills being used to send prearranged messages.

 

We sailed for Willemstad at 11:30 am. More later about the afternoon and our tour of the Delta Works (at 2 pm).

 

Windmills in the early morning (before our tour)

 

Raining during our boat tour

 

After the Rain

 

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Willemstad and Delta Works, Netherlands

Afternoon of November 21 (Rain with some sun, high 44˚F)

 

I took a few photos as we sailed toward Willemstad (see below). Four of our group chose to go see the Delta Works on Saturday afternoon. As we got on the bus to leave Willemstad, we saw a crowd gathering nearby to welcome Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) and Zwarte Piet (black Peter). They were arriving by boat in advance of the feast of St. Nicholas (celebrated December 6). We caught a glimpse of the boat and the children waiting to welcome them. (As we traveled to the Delta Works, one of the program directors explained the traditions surrounding Sinterklaas and the controversy in the Netherlands over black Peter. He is from the Netherlands and his two children were eagerly awaiting Sinterklaas!)

 

The weather was pleasant as we entered the Delta Works visitor center, watched a film and then went into another room for the Delta Experience. This was an excellent panoramic 3D animation depicting how the North Sea Flood of 1953 impacted Zeeland. Over 1,800 people were killed in the Netherlands. (I rather wished we had been taken into the Delta Experience first and then seen the film as the 3D animation definitely gets one’s attention.) Then we were taken outside to make our way to the storm surge barrier. This was more difficult than one might think as we really struggled to walk into the wind to another building with displays showing how the storm surge barriers work.

 

The wind died down just enough to make it possible to go outside and views parts of the barrier before heading back to the ship for dinner. I might have skipped this optional tour but my husband was very eager to see the Delta Works. While I might not go revisit it, I was glad to have seen it.

 

Seen while sailing from Kinderdijk to Willemstad

 

 

At the Delta Works by the North Sea

 

Things I Packed to Stay Warm

 

We were traveling in November and knew that it might get chilly. At first it was warmer than normal and the sun was shining most of the time. But we also had some cold, rainy weather.

 

Layers purchased for this trip:

1. Scottevest Chloe Hoodie - fleece with 14 pockets

2. North Face Thermo Ball jacket

3. A windproof, waterproof jacket

4. Winter Silk tank

5. More Smart Wool socks

6. Lightweight gloves

 

Other Outerwear I brought with me:

- Fingerless gloves (New Zealand merino/brushtail possum fur blend)

- Fleece vest (for an additional layer)

- Knit infinity scarf (could double as scarf and knit cap)

- Tilley hat (for pouring rain)

- Travel umbrella

 

I have a travel vest from Scottevest that I often wear on the plane but I decided to buy the fleece hoodie for this trip. This worked very well for me as did the Thermo Ball jacket. Great layers. The Winter Silk tank was also a great layer to have when the weather turned colder. I brought the fingerless gloves to make it easier to take photos in cold weather. (So glad that someone recommended that I buy these when I visited New Zealand.)

 

Planning to talk about camera equipment at some point, as well as places we visited in Belgium: Antwerp, Ghent, Ypres, and Bruges.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Sapphire73

Things I Packed for Photography

 

I wanted to keep my overall camera kit relatively light but also have some flexibility as to the kinds of photos I could take. Everyone will have different priorities, and I am just sharing what worked for me.

 

Cameras:

Canon 70D

Canon Powershot SX260 HS

iPhone camera

 

I rarely used the Canon Powershot, pulling it out in Trier because it was just too wet to use the Canon 70D. I used the iPhone more than the Powershot for casual photos.

 

Lenses:

Canon 28 mm prime (compact, good in low light, great walk around lens)

Canon 18-135 mm STM lens (moderate zoom lens)

Canon 10-22 mm (great for wide angle shots of landscapes and buildings)

Canon 70-300 mm (in case I want to really zoom in on something)

 

The lenses I used the most were the 28 mm lens and the 18-135 zoom. I was very glad to have the 10-22 lens with me and used it to photograph some buildings. I rarely used the 70-300 mm lens, but this was partly because it was easier to keep shooting with the 18-135 and crop the photo later than to switch lenses. (A 18-200 mm lens might have been a good compromise.)

 

Camera bag:

Pacsafe Camsafe V8 Anti-theft Camera Shoulder Bag

 

I highly recommend the Camsafe camera bag. It helped me carry my camera kit and access everything easily. I could fit the camera and 3 lenses (one on the camera body) inside the case. I carried a small point and shoot camera in one of the side pockets and a bottle of water in the other. There is a pocket on the back of the bag that can easily hold an iPad mini. I used it for the maps and other sheets they gave us for each port ("archiving" the old ones in a clear plastic envelope to bring home with me). I had planned to carry a small Pacsafe purse as well but was able to fit my travel wallet, kleenex, chapstick, extra memory card, extra battery, etc. in the front zippered section of the camera bag.

 

What I Didn't Bring

External flash

Tripod or monopod

 

I did not bother with a tripod or monopod except for a small gorillapod. If the light was very low, I went with a higher ISO and hoped for the best. It might have been nice to have a tripod to take a better photo of the Nijmegen bridge all lit up at night.

 

Processing the Photos

I shoot photos in RAW and jpg format. I used some of the jpgs to show our kids a few photos Thanksgiving weekend (we arrived back home Thanksgiving Day and had our family dinner the next day). And I process the RAW files in Lightroom and Photoshop Elements. Shooting RAW gives me some flexibility with the white balance, exposure, etc. and I enjoy doing the processing. But it takes time.

 

Hope this info is helpful to others!

Edited April 2, 2016 by Sapphire73

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Antwerp, Belgium

Morning of November 22 (Partly cloudy, high 43˚F)

 

We had a lovely walking tour of Antwerp, gradually making our way to the main square to view the cathedral and the guild houses. Our program director bought us pomme frites to sample and also Belgian chocolates, before leading us through a very old passageway into a courtyard. Here our program director, Nicolas, said good-bye and introduced us to his lovely fiancé. Then we dispersed to continue exploring on our own, or shop, or head back to the ship. We bought some chocolates and lace Christmas ornaments to take home.

 

After having lunch on the ship, the men went off to sample some beers and the women went exploring. This was our last night on board the ship, and so we enjoyed a delicious Captain's farewell dinner. Then off to pack. We were taking the post-extension trip to Bruges, so there are still 3 more days to cover.

 

[Note: Writing this far away from home so will probably need to link photos later, but I have added some photos taken in Antwerp and Ghent to the album.]

Edited April 15, 2016 by Sapphire73

I discovered this thread just a few minutes ago, wonderful photos!

I didn't expect to see General Patton's grave marker in the Luxembourg cemetery. I would have thought that he was buried in the United States, maybe Arlington.

Here's the rest of story about George's gravesite. http://www.wort.lu/en/luxembourg/general-patton-s-grave-and-how-luxembourg-nearly-lost-it-5319c601e4b03e321374f15d

 

The cemetery's Superintendent told this on our visit. BTW, she always referred to him as "George," never used rank.

Edited April 15, 2016 by CPT Trips

CPT, thank you for sharing this link. We heard a variation of this from a new superintendent but it was essentially the same.

 

We've been away for a conference in Stockholm but heading home now. Will try to finish up this review in the next few days.

BTW, 2 of the people who traveled with us are repeating this trip next autumn with relatives (who also like GCT). Great itinerary!

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Antwerp, Belgium

 

Here are some photos to go with the earlier review of our day in Antwerp:

 

First View of Antwerp

 

Close Up of the Cathedral Tower

 

Last View of Antwerp

That's basically the same story we got from the Superintendent....and like so many others, I just assumed that Gen Patton was buried in Arlington....when you were there did they have all of the veterans in the group lay a wreath at the Memorial? That was the moment that moved me to tears....taking a picture of my husband with all the other Veterans mostly from Viet Nam...and it was so easy to pick out the wives because we were all crying with pride.

When you were there did they have all of the veterans in the group lay a wreath at the Memorial? That was the moment that moved me to tears....taking a picture of my husband with all the other Veterans mostly from Viet Nam...and it was so easy to pick out the wives because we were all crying with pride.

 

What a great idea! They didn't do that when we were there, but it was moving nonetheless. Sounds like a very special moment for you and the other wives of veterans.

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Day 1, Bruges Extension - Ghent, Belgium

Morning of November 23, Partly cloudy, high 43˚F

 

The dining room was very quiet during breakfast as the majority of the passengers had already left for the airport. It was a chilly morning, and it was a bit slippery on the sun deck where we disembarked. We enjoyed a lovely bus ride to Ghent, Belgium. There was frost on the ground as we passed small farms and little towns along the way. I tried to take photos through the darkened windows of the bus - to remind me of what I saw.

 

When we arrived in Ghent, a local guide gave us an interesting tour. Then we had some free time to explore on our own. My husband and I found a lovely place to eat lunch by one of the canals. We sat outside, but had blankets and portable heaters to keep us warm. The food was delicious. After lunch, we had a little time shop and explore another part of town before heading back to the meeting place. And then on to Bruges.

 

We were a very small group on this post-extension to Bruges, Belgium. Perhaps this was because we were flying home on Thanksgiving Day. Or because the weather was a bit colder this time of year and the daylight hours were shrinking day by day. Fortunately, GCT put us up in a wonderful hotel in Bruges. It was an easy walk to the center of town with its shops and fine restaurants. The breakfast was an ample buffet, and there was a cozy bar that spilled over from one lounge area to another and another. But more on all of that later.

 

A Street in Ghent

 

Reflection

 

Along the Canal

Edited April 27, 2016 by Sapphire73

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Day 1, Bruges Extension - Bruges, Belgium

Evening of November 23, Partly cloudy, high 43˚F

 

We arrived in Bruges and checked into our hotel, Grand Hotel Casselbergh. We had a quick stroll into town with our program director, then everyone went their own way. We looked for a place to have dinner and strolled by the Christmas Market. (It was partially open and featured a skating rink in the center.) We ended up choosing a small restaurant near our hotel, and our meals (Moules Frites and Flemish Carbonades) were excellent. (I forgot to mention that I tried the Gentse Waterzooi for lunch in Ghent and thought it a great choice.)

 

Evening Stroll in Bruges

 

Christmas Market

 

Carriage Rides

GCT Rhine & Mosel – Day 2, Bruges Extension - Bruges, Belgium

Morning of November 24 (Rainy and cold)

 

Our first full day in Bruges was cloudy and cold with rain off and on. Our walking tour started at 9 am, and our local guide adjusted the tour because of the weather. We saw most of the highlights including Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child. And we had a demonstration of lace making. But we were all happy to stop at a place where we could buy hot chocolate (or sample one of the local beers). Then it was time to find a place to get some lunch before gathering for our trip to Ypres.

 

Michelangelo's Madonna and Child

 

My Husband Wanted to Try Westvleteren

 

Motorcycle Outside

 

Hoping to wrap up this review soon as we traveled back in November! (Unless folks stopped reading long ago....)

Edited May 26, 2016 by Sapphire73

Hoping to wrap up this review soon as we traveled back in November! (Unless folks stopped reading long ago....)

 

No worries about that! I know how time consuming these reviews can be. Glad you're still working on it, and still looking forward to each installment. It's not too late unless you've already done another trip...