Monday 12^th September 2016

The ship docked in Rüdesheim at 7:00am.

We are now on the Rhine.

Hot again today, expected to be 29° but it felt much hotter in the sun.

After another early breakfast we left the ship and got on a choochoo train, which took us into the centre of the old city.

The old city is very beautiful with narrow streets with brightly coloured flowers in boxes on windowsills.  We went by cable car up to the Niederwald Monument, a 32 ton, 35 foot tall bronze statue completed in 1883 to commemorate the unification of Germany in 1871. The ride up was great; traveling high over vineyards and the view from the top was stunning. We got the cable car back down to the bottom and had a look through some of the small shops including yet another Christmas decoration shop. I think we have now finished completely redecoration our tree. Time for a sit down to sample the Rüdesheim coffee. It is started with about a ⅓ of a cup of Asbach brandy, (which is distilled locally) which is set light and stirred for about 30 seconds. The cup is topped up with coffee onto which a large dollop of thick whipped cream with shaved chocolate is added. Very rich and very delicious.

Back to the ship for lunch and e sailed at 1:45pm down the very picturesque Rhine Valley. There are many castles built high up on the hills overlooking the river and vineyards stretch from almost the rivers edge to the top of the hills, which are quite high. We lost count of the number of photos we took, save to say it is going to be a challenge trying to remember which is which.

The ship docked is Koblenz at 5:00pm.

As we are docked right in the main part o the city we decided to have dinner in a pub alongside the river before walking along the riverfront to see where the Mosel & Rhine Rivers meet.

Mechanical Museum

Status Commemorating Unification of Germany in 1871

View from  Rudesheim from the Statue 

In the cable car

View of Rudesheim

one of many Castles along the Rhine Gorge

River Gate on the Rhine