Long, rambling tale of our Viking Rhine Getaway on the Mani 8/26/16

Monday, August 29 The Rhine Gorge and the Castles ...

I think this one is Klopp

Sun on the water, rocks and birds

This is Niederwalddenkmal, a monument located in the Niederwald landscape park, near Rüdesheim. It was built in the 1870/80s to commemorate the Unification of Germany after the end of Franco-Prussian War.

And we arrive at Rüdesheim

Monday, August 29 Rüdesheim

We weren't right in the town of Rüdesheim - but it was just a short walk

And there are swans!

Lots of swans!

This is the Viking Eir which was headed the other way. We rafted with it in Rüdesheim - one of the few times we were rafted and this was the longest.

A word of caution about the rafting if you're leaving the ship. We were on the inside, because the Eir was supposed to leave first. While we were on the walking tour, the ships swapped places putting us on the outside. I guess we were leaving before them instead. When you come back to rafted ships, make sure you are getting on the correct one! They do look alike!

Lots of other boats here also

There is a nice little park along the river here. Since the weather was so nice, there were a lot of people sitting on the benches or walking along the river

I think you're right about your picture being Ehrenfels. I took these photos of it two years ago from another angle.

Monday, August 29 Rüdesheim

I nearly forgot! As we were nearing the end of the castle section, but not at the dock yet, there was a demonstration of the Rüdesheim coffee. A concoction of coffee, a special brandy, sugar, whipped cream and dark chocolate. I could NOT miss this. My "buddy" who always seemed to be in front of me whenever I wanted to take a photo, managed to get himself selected to help with the demo - of course! Anyway, it was a fun bit of time and the coffee was very yummy.

My husband wasn't interested, so he hung out on the Aquavit Terrace. As I went back to join him, I saw that they had set up some German treats for teatime. Just the thing to go with my coffee.

Some more shots along the river here

Rafted with the Eir

We went for a walking tour of the town with Tatiana "Tatty" our Concierge. She is like the Energizer Bunny. She just goes and goes. She walked fast, she talked fast. I don't remember much of what she said!

She was all excited for the Music Box museum. Apparently it's a favorite of hers. She had gotten permission for a special tour after hours. I like music boxes, but not enough to spend a lot of time in a museum dedicated to them. I might have gone along, but I knew my husband would be bored and besides, I'd spotted the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop!

Now I love Christmas. I don't know if I want to do a Christmas Market cruise because I am not fond of cold weather. Something to think about.

If you do love Christmas and beautiful ornaments, put this on your list. I think there is another in Heidelberg. But it's a fabulous store. I could have spent hours looking at everything.

We really don't need any more ornaments. I have beautiful ones I don't use, because we've down-sized to a smaller tree. We used to get a live tree and you can put more ornaments between the branches because they aren't uniform. Plus we continue to buy Christmas ornaments :)

I found a cute cat one, and my husband found a train one. That's our theme pretty much - cats & trains. There was a 3rd level and I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything!

I was thrilled to find a crystal bells ornament that someone had given me, but it got broken in shipment. It was the exact same ornament that I've been keeping the pieces from because it was just so pretty. I got a replacement!

I worried about it all the rest of the trip and the flight home, but I'm happy to report that it survived nicely! I don't have a picture, but perhaps at the end, I'll take some pics of the things we bought. Mostly we bought magnets. They don't take up a lot of room, and they make nice memories of the places we've been.

We walked a bit more, then headed back to the Mani for dinner. We'd debated doing the German dinner, but my husband is a bit fussy with food, and we couldn't find out what they would be serving. We'd heard that there was only one selection and the $100 fee would be a bit much if either one or both of us didn't like the offering. As it turned out it was Sauerbraten - which we both LOVE - so I'm a bit sorry we didn't go.

Our usual table by the window was blocked by the Eir, and they had the curtains drawn, so we sat in the same section on the other side. With so many out on the dinner.

After dinner we walked back into town. From what I'd heard this place is really hopping at night especially along the Drosselgasse, but it was kind of quiet. Some of the restaurants were empty or getting ready to close. I was a little disappointed in that. I thought we could find a nice place and maybe have a drink or two, but no place really caught our fancy. We were going to take a different route back, but some of the other streets looked a bit dodgy and not well-lit.

Erring on the side of caution, we took the Drosselgasse back to the river walk. We looked at a couple of other shops - window shopping mostly. There were a few that were open. We were kind of looking for the special brandy that they made the coffee with, but we only bought a small bottle to taste. My husband is the brandy/cognac expert between the two of us and he said it was "okay." Nothing special. The coffee was very good, but seemed like a lot of trouble to make.

So we came back to the Mani, had a nightcap from the bar in the lounge and headed back to our cabin for some TV - I fell asleep!

Next up Manheim and the Heidelberg excursion. I'll cover this in another post since it's a different day. But it's time to make dinner, and I've cats to feed, so I'm taking a break. Hopefully this will hold you for a bit!

I think you're right about your picture being Ehrenfels. I took these photos of it two years ago from another angle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks that does look like the same one. I was trying to match them with the pictures in the book I got in Marksburg.

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Thank you so much for your detailed review of your trip. I am joyfully following along. You are right about Burg Klopp and the Mäuseturm at Bingen. For me, the most gruesome tale of all the legends.

I have been to Rüdesheim a few times but never to the Käthe Wohlfahrt shop. Must have a look next time. Cats and trains!!! You are just my kind of people. I grew up with cats and now that I have none of my own I adore the neighbour's cats. I wonder if I am the only woman in Germany who has model trains from Britain standing on her window sill. :D

notamermaid

I am really enjoying your review. thank you so much for spending the time to write it.

Thank you so much for your detailed review of your trip. I am joyfully following along. You are right about Burg Klopp and the Mäuseturm at Bingen. For me, the most gruesome tale of all the legends.

 

I have been to Rüdesheim a few times but never to the Käthe Wohlfahrt shop. Must have a look next time. Cats and trains!!! You are just my kind of people. I grew up with cats and now that I have none of my own I adore the neighbour's cats. I wonder if I am the only woman in Germany who has model trains from Britain standing on her window sill. :D

 

notamermaid

I don't know why some posts just won't quote. I tried yesterday, and thought well I'll wait - still won't quote. Had to do the manual one.

Glad you are enjoying! We sure enjoyed the trip. The Mäuseturm story is a gruesome one!

The Käthe Wohlfahrt shop was wonderful! I could have spent hours and a lot more money :D

Oh - yes cats and trains! We are both cat people. In fact, I'm caring for 4 in my yard. The Mom, brought her kittens and they stayed!

My Dad loved trains. My husband loves trains and my late brother-in-law was an engineer for the Burlington Northern & Amtrak. I'm surrounded - I gave in :)

Oddly enough, my husband has a train layout in our basement of Märklin trains. His uncle started him on them when he was stationed in Germany while in the US Airforce. We were keeping our eye out for toy stores to see if he could get something to take back, but we didn't see one. I told him to do the research before - but he didn't :rolleyes:

We probably would have needed to buy another suitcase to get his purchases home!

Kath,

My husband and I have been enjoying your recap. We did that cruise (in the opposite direction) with our two early 20's sons. We have a blast with them, and while the ship was docked very late in Rudsheim, our sons went off and partied with the crew. Unfortunately, they missed the castle portion of the Rhine. (The crew promised us they'd get the guys back on board and not leave them behind...);) (But they didn't stop them from getting so hammered their hangover came before scenery!)

Don't hesitate to take a Christmas Market cruise. December in Europe is much more mild that northern US. We've done several (and getting ready for another!) and honestly, it's never been much colder than the mid-40s. We had one day on the Danube between Vienna and Melk that was completely socked in fog and we couldn't see the Wachau Valley (our poor cruise director was beside himself...it was apparently clear about 30' up from the river but at our altitude--PEA SOUP) But we've never had snow or ice or bitter cold. (And we're from MN and know cold. )

Ironically, when we were Rothenburg ob der Tauber, home of Kathe Wolfhart, we asked if there were any stores in the United States. Why yes! There is ONE! In Stillwater MN! (about 90 minutes from us.) HAHAHA. I chuckled as I checked out with $$$ worth of ornaments I was going to haul home...that I could have bought in MINNESOTA. But I'd highly recommend the Danube Waltz Christmas Market cruise. It's fabulous. Fun. A great mix of different cultures (Budapest! *swoon* Vienna! Salzburg! Linz! Bratislava! Passau!)

Hello Baileyfish,

what an evening to remember for your boys. The can come back in later years to see the castles, but they are unlikely to "have a blast" with a ship crew again. :)

So odd that you should be finding out the shop is near home when standing in Rothenburg! There are actually a few shops, but still only one in the US: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Berlin, Heidelberg, Rüdesheim, Bamberg, Nürnberg, Oberammergau, Riquewihr (that is in Alsace/France), Bruges (Belgium), Stillwater (US) and York (England).

notamermaid

Hello Baileyfish,

 

what an evening to remember for your boys. The can come back in later years to see the castles, but they are unlikely to "have a blast" with a ship crew again. :)

 

So odd that you should be finding out the shop is near home when standing in Rothenburg! There are actually a few shops, but still only one in the US: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Berlin, Heidelberg, Rüdesheim, Bamberg, Nürnberg, Oberammergau, Riquewihr (that is in Alsace/France), Bruges (Belgium), Stillwater (US) and York (England).

 

notamermaid

Notametermaid,

I know, my favorite travel memories have more to do with people and events rather than scenery! (That one time in Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua, aboard an English sailboat drinking overproof Cuban rum...) :-)

I've done ancestry and my Mom's family, for several generations, lived in Riquewihr! Also a line for several generation in Niedermorschwihr! Now I can go back and visit the rellie's old stomping ground AND shop!

Tuesday, August 30

From the Viking Daily ...

Today's Weather: Partly Cloudy 59-80° F

Café Breakfast: 6:00-11:00 AM at the coffee stations

Continental Breakfast: 6:00-11:00 AM A selection of beverages & breakfast items on the Aquavit Terrace.

Restaurant Breakfast: 7:30-10:00 AM a few more items on a buffet than on the Aquavit Terrace, plus some dishes cooked to order.

10:00AM: Welcome to Mannheim

The included shore excursion for the day was a tour of Heidelberg - the town and the castle.

We went to England decades ago with some friends of ours. We enjoyed doing things with them in the US, so we neglected to ask how they liked to spend their vacation time. As I did with this trip I researched like crazy. I had a list of castles I wanted to visit, and other places to see. Their idea of vacation was to sleep late, have leisurely breakfast, drive around a bit, shop, eat dinner and call it a night. I can do that at home! After about the third or fourth castle, he said, "if I see one more castle, I'm going to go crazy!" I kept thinking of him all throughout this trip!

You could also stay on the ship, sail down to Speyer and spend your day there. We opted for Heidelberg. The castle is mostly in ruins, but, hey - it's a castle and I'm on the Rhine!

Actually, Heidelberg is on the Neckar, but that's a minor detail!

This was one of my favorite excursions on the trip. The castle was beautiful with spectacular views of the river, and the city was lively with students returning to the university there, and it was just one of those iconic places Viking talks about in their TV ads.

As usual there were buses waiting for us. There were 2 groups on our bus. I think that's the way it was for most of the other buses as well. I keep hearing on Cruise Critic that Viking's tour groups are so big, but I didn't feel that way. The number of people always seemed manageable and with few exceptions (that guy who was attached to me some how!) I didn't have too many in my way, or things I couldn't see.

The buses were on the other side of this lovely riverside park

The bus ride wasn't too long - maybe 20 minutes or so to reach the city. Heidelberg has lots of pedestrian walking streets, so the bus had to wind it's way through. We got a nice preview of things to come.

Once the buses reached the place they could park, we had a short walk to the castle grounds. Uphill, of course - these castles are always up a hill!

As they often did, the guide pointed out toilets. They don't say bathrooms,because you're not bathing there. And they don't say restrooms because you aren't resting there either. Just toilets. We had a toilet break and met up with the group again at this gate.

This woman in pink with the hat (below) shared my interest in taking unusual photos. We had several nice chats and tried to stay our of each other's way. We both had issues with my "buddy."

In case see the word Schloss - that's what Germans call their castles. I always thought it was more of a manor house, but apparently it covers castles as well.

Some detail from that arched gateway

It's amazing how these carvings have stood the test of time.

I'll move along to a new post, and leave you with one of those awesome views

Tuesday, August 30 Heidelberg

The castle is a combination of several buildings surrounding an inner courtyard, put together with a haphazard look. Each building highlights a different period of German architecture.

The castle has a history almost as old as the city itself. The first parts of it were constructed around 1300, but it wasn’t before Prince Elector Ruprecht III (1398 – 1410) that the castle was used as a regal residence. Until it was destroyed by lightning in 1764 leaving it permanently uninhabitable, the castle was the residence for most of the Prince Electors. In 1800, Count Charles de Graimberg began the difficult task of conserving the castle ruins. Up until this time, the citizens of Heidelberg had used the castle stones to build new houses.

I'm most grateful to Count de Graimberg that we still have a castle to visit. Heidelberg Castle sits 300 feet above the city, and it seems like all the buildings have red tile roofs. I found the combination with the blue green water of the Neckar simply spectacular.

So I'm going to let you just enjoy that view.

Trying out my panorama setting here

And this is the old bridge

It was killing me to know that Mad Ludwig's Castle - Neuschwanstein was also on the Neckar, but too far away to visit.

Another panorama from a different viewpoint

This is a lock set up

And out over the town

This is excursion is worth it for the views alone!

And on to our tour of the Castle itself

Tuesday, August 30 Heidelberg

There was a glitch and the previous post got duplicated. I hope this works

I'm not sure what some of these images are, but they are the outside of the castle just past the Elisabeth Gate, which was built in 1615 as a present from Elector Frederic V to his wife Elisabeth Stuart, the daughter of King James I of England.

I wondered where these stairs went - I didn't dare to find out!

This was house just outside the castle grounds. Nice place!

What's left of a moat

Constant maintenance and repair

IIRC - this is the tower from the main entrance

Oh Baileyfish,

what a lovely place to have ancestors from!

Sorry to get in your way of reporting, Cyperkat. Great photos of Heidelberg. That difference between Burg and Schloss is a tricky one. When I hear castle I always think of that old stuff, and tend to regard Schloss as more of a grand mansion/manor house and want to call it a palace. But the distinction somewhat lies in the purpose of the building, something to do with power and sometimes clerics. Then it is a palace, but I still mix them up and find it odd to call two similar looking architecturally grand edifices a Schloss, but should translate one as a castle and the other as a palace!

notamermaid

Tuesday, August 30 Heidelberg

So here we come up to the main entrance

This is the gate

And some of that detail I love to capture

Some gardens and I think part of the moat just after the gate

And an interesting clock

And we enter the main courtyard area

I've got to take a bit of a break, but I should finish at least the castle today

Okay - I'm back, so moving right along ...

Tuesday, August 30 Heidelberg

And this is our first look at the Ottheinrich Building

It is heralded as one of the most beautiful and earliest palace buildings of the German Renaissance. Magnificent sculptures adorn its façade, and in the interior, fascinating witnesses to the high quality décor have been maintained.

The original four-story building housed living areas, an audience room, the so-called Herrensaal (Knights' Hall) and a large ballroom - the Imperial Hall. Artistically designed door jambs, colonnades and a mighty sandstone fireplace bear witness to a once magnificent setting. Elector Ottheinrich (1502-1559) ordered the construction of this magnificent building during his brief period of rule between 1556 and 1559. His successor Friedrich III completed the palace ten years later.

This is on the left side as you enter. I think our guide told us this section was where the women waited when the men went off to war, or there was fighting at the castle. I could pay close attention or I could take photos. I couldn't seem to manage both and the photos usually won out. I figured I could Google the rest when I got home, but I can't seem to find anything about this particular section. I think it was one of the older parts, though. (and why couldn't I have and skies that blue in the Rhine Gorge!)

The windows and then some of the carvings

This carving is in the middle of the windows in the longer shot

Another shot of the courtyard

This is my best shot of the wall to the left

Tuesday, August 30 Heidelberg

The view through the empty windows of the upper story into the blue sky is an amazing site. The once double-gabled roof was damaged when the palace was blown up by the French in 1693 and was then destroyed by lightning strike in 1764. Only the ground floor was secured with a roof in the 20th century. The original sculptures from the facade have been preserved in the halls and can be admired up-close on special guided tours.

I was going nuts with the detail here

This is from some detail on the center carvings (above)

This is the Ginko Tree from which Goethe gave a leaf to Marianne von Willemer as a symbol of friendship. The poem he wrote was published later as "Suleika" in West-östlicher Diwan. The Ginkgo, planted in 1795, that Goethe lead Marianne von Willemer to in September 1815, is no longer standing today. Since 1928 the Ginkgo tree in the castle garden was labelled that it was "the same tree that inspired Goethe to create his fine poem". The tree was probably still standing in 1936.

This is one of the many details on the large facade that you see in front of you when you enter

This is the top of one of the 2 peaks - I'm thinking dormers but that would be in Cape Cod.

And the fanciest drain spout I have ever seen. I have to get these for my house!

Tuesday, August 30 Heidelberg

Sculptor Sebastian Götz from Chur and master builder Johannes Schoch created the fantastic series of figures on the Friedrich Building in three to four years at the beginning of the 17th century. The final sculpture on the right-hand side of the bottom row depicts the commissioner of buildings Friedrich IV. He is in a line with the other rulers of the important Wittelsbach dynasty, represented in the same row by his grandfather, father and uncle.

I don't know if I got him, but I did get the guy on the upper left. The guide mentioned who he was, but she said you could see him. You can with a zoom lens, but now I forgot who he was.

These are the other guys. I love the pants! I think this is Friedrich IV.

Selected representatives of the first members of the house Wittelsbach on the Rhine can be found on the second row, including Elector Ruprecht I, the founder of Heidelberg University, and book-loving Elector Ottheinrich who loved to build. On the third row, the emperors and kings who were born of the Wittelsbach dynasty are depicted. The top position on the façade is occupied by the „fathers” of the dynasty, such as Karl the Great and Otto von Wittelsbach.

I'm guessing that this is Karl the Great. I remember the "Great" part!

He's cute!

Okay - that's enough guys! Now on to the World's Largest Wine Barrel

Tuesday, August 30 Heidelberg

I think this should get me through the winter!

The people in this photo should give you some idea of the size

You could go up this spiral staircase and walk around the barrel. I think you could go underneath, but I didn't. I was losing our group again, and I wanted to get a shot of Elector Carl Philipp, court jester Perkeo. He entertained court society with his jokes and frequent puns. His ability to drink is legendary and is the subject of many an anecdote. As a painted wooden figure, Perkeo still has an eye on the Great Barrel today.

This is Perkeo

They had a wine bar, but we didn't have time for tasting any here

And I'm leaving you here for a bit with a shot of the Portcullis - don't want to get caught under that!

After this we went back outside for some more scenic views, which I shared earlier, and then we headed back to the buses.

They took us back into the City of Heidelberg itself and dropped us off by the lock I posted earlier. From there we had a walking tour of the town

Later ...

Kath,

 

My husband and I have been enjoying your recap. We did that cruise (in the opposite direction) with our two early 20's sons. We have a blast with them, and while the ship was docked very late in Rudsheim, our sons went off and partied with the crew. Unfortunately, they missed the castle portion of the Rhine. (The crew promised us they'd get the guys back on board and not leave them behind...);) (But they didn't stop them from getting so hammered their hangover came before scenery!)

 

Don't hesitate to take a Christmas Market cruise. December in Europe is much more mild that northern US. We've done several (and getting ready for another!) and honestly, it's never been much colder than the mid-40s. We had one day on the Danube between Vienna and Melk that was completely socked in fog and we couldn't see the Wachau Valley (our poor cruise director was beside himself...it was apparently clear about 30' up from the river but at our altitude--PEA SOUP) But we've never had snow or ice or bitter cold. (And we're from MN and know cold. )

 

Ironically, when we were Rothenburg ob der Tauber, home of Kathe Wolfhart, we asked if there were any stores in the United States. Why yes! There is ONE! In Stillwater MN! (about 90 minutes from us.) HAHAHA. I chuckled as I checked out with $$$ worth of ornaments I was going to haul home...that I could have bought in MINNESOTA. But I'd highly recommend the Danube Waltz Christmas Market cruise. It's fabulous. Fun. A great mix of different cultures (Budapest! *swoon* Vienna! Salzburg! Linz! Bratislava! Passau!)

Sorry your sons missed the castles, but I suspect they would say they had a better time with the crew!

I have a Christmas Market cruise on the back burner. We'll see. We want to do the Viking Ocean West Indies Explorer and the East Coast Explorer from Montreal to NYC. And I have my eye on the Castles & Legends. Please do let me know how you like it. Are you visiting Mad Ludwig's Castle? It's a bucket list thing for me.

LOL - over finding that you and a Kathe Wolfhart store close to home. I think my in-laws might have sent that crystal ornament to me, and that's probably where they got it. They used to live in CO and the traveled around quite a bit by car.

Sorry - about the fog in the Wachau. I think I'll stop complaining about the few clouds during our Rhine Gorge transit!

Loving your review Kath, especially all the detail in the pics. One of the best things for me was the invention of digital cameras!

On a side note, I had to go to our local Dutch store to get some Spatzle for our Sauerbraten I'm making and found your klompen slippers. Guess we don't have to get them in Amsterdam, so that leaves me more $$ to spend at the Christmas stores.

Loving your review Kath, especially all the detail in the pics. One of the best things for me was the invention of digital cameras!

 

 

 

On a side note, I had to go to our local Dutch store to get some Spatzle for our Sauerbraten I'm making and found your klompen slippers. Guess we don't have to get them in Amsterdam, so that leaves me more $$ to spend at the Christmas stores.

Thanks! I love Spatzle! We had a neighbor who used to make it - so good!

LOL about the klompen slippers. My husband decided he really liked them, so he found a place to order them on the internet [emoji3]

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Thank you so much for all the information and pictures from your trip. Please finishing posting as we take this same trip with Viking in May. My very first cruise. Thanks again

I have to apologize again. I do mean to finish this. I'm writing it up in a Word Doc, so I can read it myself! I got all caught up in the holidays and then January went zooming by!

Plus we booked the West Indies Explorer on Viking Ocean, so now I'm in research mode again, as well!

Perhaps I'll use Super Bowl weekend since I'm not into that whole thing :)

Please be patient! I will finish!