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Thursday, July 17, 2014

Great Journey to Europe – Part VII



Following our riverside watch this afternoon, we had dinner with Jerry & Ginger Leininger plus Lee & Joanne Billingsley. Great stories told all around.

By 9 PM, the Amadeus Elegant had docked and a large group of us decided to stroll into Rüdesheim (Germany) and scout out the area for tomorrow’s free timeplus we just might find a pub that was still open and serving. Joining us on the walk were: Lee & Joanne Billingsley, Jerry & Ginger Leininger, Buddy & Carolyn Morgan, Dave & Joyce Rencurrel, plus Cathy & Jan Lively. We came across bars, restaurants and shopsas many as you could ask for and all very nice and as quaint as they could be.

The group eventually got split up but we crossed each other again and again over the next hour or so. At the top of the initial road we followed in town, we came across a “torture museum” and added it to our list for tomorrow. While standing outside it on the street, they began to close the shutters on the second story and startled us with the noise.

Heading down the street, we came upon the “Christmas Shop” and the ladies noted its location. Most of these places were closed but there were still some bars operating.

One bar in particular, we watched through the windows as there was a crowd to get through the door, had an interesting activity taking place inside. This one guy wearing a horse-head mask-fixture was dancing around the room while being led by another guy (looked to be for safety more than anything else) while everyone in the place danced about and sang at the top of their lungsthe dancers even included women on the table tops!

Eventually, we made our way back to the boat only to be rained on as we awaited the train gate to raise as we departed the town proper.

The next morning at 0845 we loaded the wine train for a vineyard tour. This was a real disappointing as we were “trained” through a vineyard with no stop for explanation and eventually brought to a wine cellar in town for our 0900 morning “wine tasting”just a bit early for the most of us. But, all things considered, the guy giving the lecture was hilarious and the wine wasn’t bad. His palaver kept us in stitches.

 
Wine cellar for tasting treat!

 
The Wine Guy with a healthy gift of gab!

 
 My wine tasting glass ready for the next round!

Once the tasting was complete, there was very little time to walk the streets we had scouted last evening. Had most of known what we were going to spend time doing this morning, we would have foregone the train trip and wine tasting and just headed into town on our own, As it was we ran out of time very quickly.

Be assured, if you have the chance to visit Rüdesheim Germany, take that chance and spend as much time in this quaint and beautiful little village as you can afford to doI guarantee you, you will not be disappointed.

 
Home in Rüdesheim Germany



 

W J Hill (Class of ’68 and College Station), Tara Voskamp (our A&M Host & from Bryan), Giesela Boelhouwer & Juliane Heynen (University of Saskatchewan travelers from Calgary), Jerry & Ginger Leininger and Billy Martindale (Class of ’66 & Dennison)


(These guys are waiting on shoppers at the Christmas Shop)

 
 Narrow streets loaded with shops, restaurants, and bars

 
 Carving shop where I (finally) picked up a few souvenirs

By noon, we are back on the boat and headed down the Rhine for Koblenz. On the way we are passing more castles and small and neat river village after river villages with their great riverside shops and housing areas plus some nice village churches. Above them all are row after row of vineyards.


 
 Castles along the Rhine
 
 More Castles
 
 Churches everywhere
 

 
 Homes and villages along the Rhine

 
 Castles and Villages
 
 Churches and Castles
 
 Check out the Vineyards on the hill sides (very Typical)

 
Thought I would like to live in Oberwesel!

Really nice area and what views! Coming up is the Loreley passage and the city of Koblenz.

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