The Alsatian Wine Route–Kaysersberg, Riquewihr and Colmar --- France

Today our tour brought us through the Alsatian Wine Country.   Rolling vineyards and flower decked villages, the Alsatian Wine Route winds its way from North to South below the wooded foothills of the Vosges.  The route runs through quaint villages with narrow streets of half timbered houses with flower decked balconies, clustered around the church steeple.
Our first stop was the village of Kaysersberg.   Kaysersberg is located at the entrance to the Weiss valley which links Upper Alcase to Lorraine.   Apart from trade and craft industries, Kaysersberg exported its wines across the Rhine.
Perched atop the steeple, you can see a large nest with a stork.  Our guide informed us that the storks come back to the same nest each year to lay their eggs in March.  They stay until the babies can go out on their own, around August, and then they go back to Africa.   They mate for life.

Our next stop was a picturesque village called Riquewihr.  This tiny quaint village had homes dating back to the 1500’s.   Here we enjoyed lunch of a traditional dish.   A thin crust topped with sour cream, onions, bacon and cheese.  We ate in the restaurant “Au Dolder” in the courtyard.   Also enjoyed some local Riesling.

The last stop was Colmar, which was much larger than the previous two villages.  Our guide brought us on a walking tour to the Musee Bartholdik, the birthplace of Statue of Liberty sculpter, Frederic Bartholdi.
Tonight we had the Captain’s Dinner and packed to disembark the ship in the morning.
We were told that there was a strike by the lock workers, so we would not disembark in Basel.   We would disembark in Kehl and then be bussed to Luzern.  This worked great for us since originally we were going to take the train from Basel to Luzern.  Saved us $$ too.   

Strasbourg, France

 

Another sunny day – low 70’s.   Early tour today.  8:15 AM bus brought us into Strasbourg town center.  Strasbourg is situated halfway between Paris and Prague.   This Alsatian town is known as the “crossroads of Europe”.   We were first taken to the canal cruise boat where we boarded for our 1 1/2 hour tour.   We also went through a “lock” which was very interesting.   We passed many beautiful bridges and also saw the building that houses the European Parliament.   Strasbourg is a French city with a German flair.   After the tour, our guide continued our walking tour to the Cathedral of Notre Dame which was built over 3 centuries between the years 1176 and 1439.   During the Middle Ages, its 469 foot spire was Europe’s highest.   During World War II, the magnificent stained glass windows were stored in the salt mines of Heibronn.  After the tour, we had some free time to stroll the cobblestone streets and sat in the square sipping cappuccino and eating crepes while street musicians played French folk music.

Speyer and Heidelberg, Germany

This morning we met our guide and headed out for a walking tour of Speyer. The Speyer Cathedral is the second largest Romanesque building in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is laid out in the form of a Latin cross. The Emperor Conrad II ordered its construction around 1030 with the aim of creating the largest church in the Western world. Outside of the cathedral, we saw the cathedral bowl which is located in the square. With a capacity of 411 gallons, it was filled with wine by newly elected bishops for all of the townspeople to drink. This tradition still holds true today.

Around 1090, the Bishop of Speyer established a Jewish settlement right next to the cathedral. The focal point of the settlement was the Jewish Courtyard, the center of worship and the location of the men’s and women’s synagogues, as well as the mikvah (ritual bath).

After the walking tour, we returned to the ship for lunch and then boarded a bus to Heidelberg, a preserved Baroque city nestled on the Neckar River Valley along Germany’s Castle Road. Our tour began with a walk up to the Heidelberg Castle ruins into the castle’s courtyard. After the castle visit, we boarded the bus again and rode down to the Old Town, where after a walking tour, we had some free time to roam around.

Tonight we enjoyed a special “epicurean” dinner. The chef explains each course and pairs a wine from the region. The wine served every night was excellent. Each evening, depending on where we were, they would serve one white and one red from the area that we were visiting.

Cruising the Rhine, Rudeshein

Departing from Koblenz after breakfast, we sailed along one of the most beautiful sections of the Rhine River, the scenic 40 miles of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rhine River Valley between Koblenz and Rudesheim features a stunning landscape. We were able to see vineyards, small quaint towns and numerous castles. Hildegard, our cruise manager, did a commentary on each of the castles including the history and some interesting folk stories. The weather today was cool and cloudy with some drizzle.

While we were cruising this area of the Castles, onboard, we celebrated an old German tradition called “Freuchoppin” sp? sp? In this tradition, wursts, saurkraut, pretzels and beer are served in the morning, soon after breakfast.

Of course, we had our regularly scheduled lunch afterwards. The food on this ship has been exceptional.

Arrived after lunch at Rudesheim. This is probably the most famous wine town in the world. Located at the southern entrance to the fabled Valley of the Lorelei, it is the center of the wine industry. After walking along the Drosselgasse (the shopping street), we took the cable car above the vineyards to the top of the mountain.

We then met the bus to take us to Castle Vollrads, a 14th century wine estate for a wine tasting. Accompanied by a local wine expert, we were able to sample three wines in three different locations in the castle. Later, we wandered through the castle and the grounds, although it started to rain so we couldn’t walk around as much as we would have liked.

Koblenz, Germany

Koblenz is a Medieval town that lies at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine rivers.   Our walking tour brought us through the charming narrow alleys and streets of this small village.  The 13th century basilica, Church of Our Lady, sits at the highest point in the town, while St. Castor’s Basilica is considered the oldest and largest church in the area.   We have been very impressed by the quality of the tour guides.  

Koblenz is also known for its whimsical and amusing fountains, including “The Spitting Boy”, which interestingly enough, is located outside of the town hall where the “civil servants” have to walk past and try not to be a victim of the statue.

At the German Corner, you can see a panorama of the rivers’ confluence as well as one of the largest of the Rhine River fortresses – Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.    

Later in the day we had a chance to visit the wheelhouse and talk to the Captain.  

Dinner this evening was served alfresco style on the top deck.   Afterwards we enjoyed a local duo in the lounge.