Read this blog: The one where we pass through the Rhine Gorge Thursday 13th to Saturday15th July After returning to the boat in Rüdesheimer, where we had lunch, the boat set off for its journey further north up through the most picturesque part of the River Rhine. Here we are travelling through an area with many beautiful castles on both sides of the river. The Rhine Gorge is the name given to the 65km stretch of the river between Rüdesheim and Koblenz where it runs between steep rock faces up to 200m high. Historically many boats have capsized here on a dangerous curve in the river. The rational explanation is that the rocky riverbed coupled with unusual currents make this section difficult to navigate safely but locals have woven legends to explain the frequent tragedies. The Rhine Gorge still presents a hazard and the most recent shipwreck was in 2011 when a tanker carrying 2,400 tons of sulfuric acid capsized. One feature of the gorge is the Lorelei, a 132 m high steep slate rock formation which has had an amphitheatre perched on the top since the 1930s. There is a bronze statue called the Lorelei Statue which marks the […]
Monthly Archives: July 2023
Read this blog: The one where we cycle through a vineyard. Wednesday 12th July to Thursday [morning] 13th July 2023 Having travelled overnight again, we awoke in Speyer and started the day watching a local man fishing while we were eating our breakfast. But we failed to see him catch a single fish, only some seaweed as he gradually got further and further into the water. [His partner did not look as though they were going to go to save him if he fell.] We started by heading into Speyer on foot, to go to the Technik Museum, which has many different vehicles on display ranging from bikes, cars, planes as well as mock ups of Apollo 11. Jaime has commented that there are too many photos of the Technik Museum, but Robert insisted that he wants to show the vast array of vehicles. Be warned: the Technik Museum Speyer was opened in 1991 and contains more than 2,000 exhibits in a total exhibition area, both inside and outdoors, of over 150,000 m². So get ready! There was a row of Rolls Royce cars through the years. Jaime couldn’t really tell much of a difference between them but enjoyed the BMW […]
Read this blog: The one where we start our Rhine cruise Sunday 9th to Tuesday 11th July 2023 Earlier in the year Robert planned to accompany his mother on a river cruise along the Rhine in preparation for them taking a much longer trip in 2024. However, in May this year, his mother decided that, due to various health issues she would not be able to travel. So close to the departure date there was no chance of getting a full refund and she kindly thought to give her place to a deserving cause. Although Matilda felt she could have been a serious contender in this category, she had been allocated tickets in the public ballot for the Men’s Singles Final at Wimbledon. Such an opportunity might never come her way again and it was something she definitely wanted to tick off her bucket list. At the start of the year when she was offered the tickets she had agreed to go with our elder daughter, Ruth, who [unlike Robert] enjoys Pimms, tennis and strawberries and cream and was willing to pay for her own ticket. With two members of The Herd therefore already committed, the obvious candidate was our […]