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Autumn is here and I hope you enjoy the nice weather.
It’s been three weeks since Evie’s Travel returned from our long-awaited Rhine cruise. We started our 11 day trip at the end of August with the Jewels of the Rhine river cruise which included the Netherlands, Germany, France and Lucerne in Switzerland. This cruise included seven nights on the Rhine with the last two nights in the beautiful city of Lucerne.
Image from Strasbourg, France. Photo provided
From the USA our night flight took us to Amsterdam, where we enjoyed the 700 year old city with picturesque canals and world class museums. We had time to visit the Anne Frank House and explore the canals. Some opted for a 25-kilometer guided bike tour through the countryside. The next morning we were able to relax on a canal tour through the medieval city center.
It was clear early on that everyone in Amsterdam owns at least one bicycle. We learned to respect the bike paths as they claim the right of way.
It was seven nights on the Rhine until we reached Cologne, where this city becomes famous for one of the oldest and most famous Gothic cathedrals. We spent a lot of time looking at the master thesis.
Next we went to Koblenz, Germany, a city with 2,000 inhabitants in the spectacular Rhine Gorge. We passed countless medieval castles and vineyards that line the banks of this section of the river.
Our next stop took us to the medieval city of Heidelberg. This was the home of the 1972 Summer Paralympics. Another delightful area, we used sightseeing tours through this medieval town and by coach with local narrators, using comfortable and quiet Mercedes-Benz buses to transport ourselves.
Bicycles were also available with guides to ride around with us.
On the 7th day we were docked on the other side of the river from Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace in France. Known for its medieval black and white half-timbered buildings, baroque sandstone buildings, canals and river locks, the main attraction of the city is the cathedral, which dominates the main square. This Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg is considered to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. Construction began in 1015 and was completed in 1439.
The natural beauty of Europe was all around us when we set out on our next adventure, the Black Forest in southwest Germany. This mountain range consisted of fantastically shaped trees. It is also known for its Black Forest cake, which dates back to the 14th century. A local chef demonstrated this heavenly chocolate cake to us in many layers, complete with layers of dark cherries and brandy or rum to flavor it in between layers. It is rounded off with a little whipped cream. Each of us received a generous piece of this heavenly dessert. In addition to other German specialties, cuckoo clocks are also handcrafted here.
The houses built in the Black Forest were very rustic and embedded in the hills.
The highlights of the trip were many as we could sit outdoors on the top level of the ship and watch the endless landscape.
Coupled with the food, entertainment, accommodations, and great weather, it made us forget Austin and Minnesota a little.
Then we got off the ship and moved to Lucerne for our two day adventure. We were all overwhelmed by the beauty of this city and the parks. Locals enjoy their time on their manicured lawns, and there are bicycles all over town. Locals woke up and spent time strolling around the Reuss that flows through their town. We spent our lunch break on the brick walls near the blue-green water. We took a gondola ride to the top of Mt Pilatus which is 7,000 feet high which was a highlight of our stay.
We all agreed that a return visit would definitely be on our wish list.
We bid goodbye to Europe and returned home with memories of our life-enriching experiences.
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