River Cruising Water Cooler

[CPT Trips]

Sorry, two things immediately came to mind. 

 

 

[Daisi]

5 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Royal Canadian Mounted Police looking very smart heading up the Household Cavalry in the coronation parade.

 

If you ever get a chance and are back on this side of the pond, make sure you get tickets to the Musical Ride. We've seen it several times and still enjoy watching.

[Canal archive]

Another excellent excuse to put to DH to add to Vancouver Island to visit my cousin and Calgary for the stampede. We’ve done the Rocky Mountaineer, the Howe Sound,  Niagara Falls, Vancouver plus a few other touristy places. We have seen the Mounties musical ride at the Edinburgh festival but only on the telly. My Uncle and Aunt now sadly not with us emigrated to Canada when I was about eight, luckily we managed to visit whilst they were both alive he worked for Canadian Pacific all of his life in Canada.

[Canal archive]

Thank you New York. I don't think this link has copied correctly but New York thank you!

 

https://news.sky.com/story/coronation-latest-overnight-rehearsals-give-glimpse-of-what-to-expect-as-protest-group-reveals-its-plan-12810826?postid=5880673#liveblog-body

 

[notamermaid]

Just saying hello after a busy weekend that has not ended yet. I am cooking a longish dish. Got four minutes of coronation watching in. Reminded me of the scene with St. Edward's Chair in the film "The King's Speech".

 

Spend much of the weekend working or being annoyed about work (computer stuff). Hope I have calmed down before an extra shift on Tuesday. Those IT people can be glad we do not share a hallway...

 

Have a good week everyone.

 

notamermaid

 

[Ritabob]

Notamermaid, enjoy your dinner and the coronation.   We were able to watch it on board in the lounge, but the quality of the broadcast was less than perfect. YouTube has lots of highlights,  so I got my fix.

Tomorrow we will be in Volkach and the day after in Wurzburg. Is drinking wine on the bridge still a thing?

RB 

[notamermaid]

12 minutes ago, Ritabob said:

Notamermaid, enjoy your dinner and the coronation.   We were able to watch it on board in the lounge, but the quality of the broadcast was less than perfect. YouTube has lots of highlights,  so I got my fix.

Tomorrow we will be in Volkach and the day after in Wurzburg. Is drinking wine on the bridge still a thing?

RB 

Thanks. Drinking on the bridge? I cannot imagine the people in Würzburg ever stopping that tradition.  I was talking to a lady about well restored Würzburg Palace and its furniture only this afternoon. But most famous in the interior is of course the staircase by Balthasar Neumann with the fresco of Giovanni Tiepolo: https://www.residenz-wuerzburg.de/englisch/residenz/tour.htm

 

Enjoy the Main river.

 

notamermaid

 

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, Ritabob said:

Tomorrow we will be in Volkach and the day after in Wurzburg. Is drinking wine on the bridge still a thing?

 

I hope so! Send pictures of the festivities! This is us, almost 10 years ago, June 2013...

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by jpalbny

[ural guy]

Wurzburg: Also where The Three Musketeers was filmed, including scenes in the Residence.  We were told this by our proud friend, whose son Karsten was an extra in one of the scenes, although not with Orlando Bloom, to mom's disappointment.  

 

 

 

"The Three Musketeers is a Constantin Film AG feature film directed by Paul WS Anderson and starring a star cast. It was shot in Würzburg between September 13 and 23, 2010 . The filming took place at the fortress , the Old Main Bridge and in the area of the residence . Würzburg is intended to represent the metropolis of Paris. The film is said to have cost 80 million euros, was shot in 3D and was released in cinemas in 2011 . In addition to many Würzburg extras, the main roles are Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz and Milla Jovovich.

 

Since extras were needed for the Würzburg film locations, a casting took place in August 2010 in the Odeon Lounge . A total of up to 2000 extras were said to be needed in Würzburg, which led to long lines forming in front of the Odeon. Male extras over the age of 18 were particularly in demand. Striking faces were sought; Tattoos, piercings or dyed hair were not allowed to be seen."

[notamermaid]

Many years ago I was staying with people who had rented their house to a film crew for a TV series (one episode). I talked to the props guy. Fascinating. We were in a room away from filming and told to be absolutely quiet (no talking, no moving of objects or walking about) when they shouted "action". Saw the production on TV much later. That felt kind of weird.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

My uncle was I suppose you’d call him a general handyman and worked at Pinewood Studios as I think it’s called a stage rigger he went on location with several films including Where Eagles Dare in which he was an extra - unspeaking guard in the alpine lift, his stories were legendary but he always absolutely refused to let me get involved. My wonderful Uncle Fred.

[sharkster77]

A question for the gang----

 

We are starting a rail tour of Switzerland next week.  We spent a couple of days in Lucerne after our Rhine cruise 4 years ago, and the continental Europe plug adapters we had (2 round prongs) worked just fine.

 

Our tour director contacted us today and one of her recommendations is that we get 'Switzerland plug adapters', as they are supposedly different from the European ones.

 

Has something changed since 2019, or will our mainland European plug adapters still work?

 

If anyone has an answer, it's this board!  Thanks in advance

[Host Jazzbeau]

30 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

A question for the gang----

 

We are starting a rail tour of Switzerland next week.  We spent a couple of days in Lucerne after our Rhine cruise 4 years ago, and the continental Europe plug adapters we had (2 round prongs) worked just fine.

 

Our tour director contacted us today and one of her recommendations is that we get 'Switzerland plug adapters', as they are supposedly different from the European ones.

 

Has something changed since 2019, or will our mainland European plug adapters still work?

 

If anyone has an answer, it's this board!  Thanks in advance

As with most things, the answer is complicated.

 

Switzerland uses Type J, a 3-pin grounded socket.

https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/

 

But as you can see in the picture [and more importantly in the description], the outer two pins are the same as the ubiquitous European Type C, 2-pin non-grounded socket:

 

So, as long as your device doesn't require a ground [i.e. has only 2 prongs, not 3] and can take 220V power, you are good with a type C adapter.

 

My old MacBook had a 3-prong power line which always made me wary when I could only find 2-prong sockets – although nothing bad ever happened.  Thankfully my new MacBook Pro, my iPhone, and my camera battery charger all have 2-prong plugs so I am able to use Type C adapters in much of the world.

[jpalbny]

But type C is not the only European plug.

 

If you have a European device (or adapter) with a type E or F plug, it's NOT going to fit into the Switzerland type J socket.

[sharkster77]

Thanks!  We will only be using  phone/tablet chargers, and a dual-voltage curling iron iron (nongrounded), so looks like we should be OK with our Type C's.

 

Also our adapters are small, so they should fit into recessed outlets OK.

[Kristal Blade]

On 5/7/2023 at 7:38 PM, Ritabob said:

Notamermaid, enjoy your dinner and the coronation.   We were able to watch it on board in the lounge, but the quality of the broadcast was less than perfect. YouTube has lots of highlights,  so I got my fix.

Tomorrow we will be in Volkach and the day after in Wurzburg. Is drinking wine on the bridge still a thing?

RB 

I think you will have been to Wurzburg now and have realised drinking on the bridge is still a big thing! We were there last month and it was heaving on a Saturday afternoon.

[Ritabob]

Lots of people on the bridge,  so the tradition  is going strong.  Sitting on the top deck of the ship drinking wine while going under the bridge was waaay better.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Slightly off topic, but I just posted the review of a wonderful trip we took to Patagonia in January:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2936503-review-of-odysseys-unlimited-patagonian-frontiers-trip-with-stella-australis/

 

[ural guy]

On 5/11/2023 at 2:48 AM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Slightly off topic, but I just posted the review of a wonderful trip we took to Patagonia in January:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2936503-review-of-odysseys-unlimited-patagonian-frontiers-trip-with-stella-australis/

 

Jazz-  this is exactly on topic in this thread....thanks for making it!

[notamermaid]

Yesterday I was shopping in my local supermarket and when I stepped past the lady at the checkout to collect my wares I nearly bumped into a pile of beer bottles neatly stacked in six-packs and surrounding box construction. I just thought "How unpractical, why are they doing this now?". Then I read the small sign saying "For Father's Day. Every father may take a bottle for free." What a nice touch. The Saturday before Mother's Day every mother could take a red rose, I had not expected them to do anything for Father's Day. It has been a lovely warm and sunny day today, so perfect for any activities a father may want to do.

 

It is also Ascension Day of course in our Christian calendar and in Germany that is a public holiday. People around here often use the combination of public holiday on a Thursday with weekend to create a very long weekend bridging the Friday and taking that day off work. As I work in tourism I cannot do that. If I could convince "ze big boss" in my company to employ one more person I may be able to do it next time...

 

Have a good Friday and weekend.

 

notamermaid

 

[Kristelle]

thats a nice gesture.

 

Dog club  I am in has a big cake every Mothers and Fathers day and free slice for all members after training.

[rcaruso]

On 5/7/2023 at 1:38 PM, Ritabob said:

Notamermaid, enjoy your dinner and the coronation.   We were able to watch it on board in the lounge, but the quality of the broadcast was less than perfect. YouTube has lots of highlights,  so I got my fix.

Tomorrow we will be in Volkach and the day after in Wurzburg. Is drinking wine on the bridge still a thing?

RB 

Oh yes, we were just there the end of April---get a glass of Silvaner (dry white) or an Aperol Spritz, you pay for the wine and deposit of the glass.  Bring the glass back and you get your deposit back.  It is crowded on the weekends.  But, I see you have already been!  I hope you enjoyed!

 

[Daisi]

I never realised your Father's Day was ahead of ours as well.  We celebrate in June, but this weekend is what is commonly called our May 2-4 (our cases of beer come in packs of 24, called a 2-4) to celebrate Victoria Day. 

 

@Canal archive (and any others from the UK), do you just get a bank holiday this weekend, as I don't think you celebrate Victoria's Birthday do you?

 

Enjoy what you can of your weekend @notamermaid, we had a very cool week, but looks like it's going to warm up to 20 so should be nice.....now if only we can get rid of some pesky mosquitos!

[notamermaid]

2 hours ago, Daisi said:

Enjoy what you can of your weekend

Thank you, will be good. Actually changed a shift with my colleague (her request) so I now have the shorter one.

 

Lots of small things happening on the Rhine, as always, not that much that is noteworthy for the Rhine thread. Things like excursion boats changing ownership, a few mishaps, new modern barges and tankers, etc. Next unusual thing will be a Viking ship - nooo, not those - a real one. I mean a real newly built one, a replica of one they found in Norway. Info over there in the thread when I find time.

 

Oh, hang on, forgot, there is something newsworthy, a river cruise ship christening in Cologne. Info coming in another thread.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

It has been a busy weekend. I met (through my job) a couple from Texas, German by birth, they emigrated when they were younger. A fun conversation that I really enjoyed. It was International Museum Day on Sunday, which means museums have special offers, displays and sometimes demonstrations. I have been told that Sayn near Koblenz had a smithy demonstration. A very dear person went to see it and told me that she heard American English from a family. Unusual for a small museum, but then, it is close to Koblenz.

 

I have also been able to intensify research exchange with a new recent contact. Great for learning about local history and a project I am working on. It is like opening a human archive, memory of years past that I do not remember because I was too young. The gentleman has also collected photographs and postcards, we have quite a bit to talk about in the coming years I think. 🙂 He made me remember how much the US-Americans were present along the Rhine around Koblenz both after the First and Second World Wars, we briefly talked about the post-war years.

 

Oh, and the excursion boat "Carmen Sylva" that sank in Brohl harbour is still a matter for the courts. It was supposed to be auctioned off but then sank. The cause has still not been established so the ship's fate has not been decided. I do not have much hope for this once splendid vessel.

 

notamermaid