Day 3 Koblenz, Rudesheim, Frankfurt

Is that the MS River Queen sailing away as I look out from the bus window??

Bright and early Tuesday morning we were on a bus with overnight bags packed!  It's true...the River Queen had an oil leak and it had to be repaired.  Optimistically we would only be in a hotel for one night but we packed enough clothes for 2.  We used our carry-ons but I saw some pessimists with larger bags.  

We toured today as usual but instead of going to the ship for the night we went to Frankfurt and spent the night in a hotel near the airport.  Of course all of it was complimentary and we didn't even have to handle our bags.  I have to admit dinner wasn't quite as delicious as on board.  We did get to travel on the Autobahn which is as reputed...very fast!  Buses have a speed limit but cars do not and I enjoyed watching the mercedes, audis, BMWs,  etc. fly by.  

As it turns out the ship needed a minor repair.  One of the bearing seals had broken and was quickly fixed so we only had to spend one night off the boat.  Well, considering this is a huge vessel and it had to be dragged right out of the water,  that was fast! Thank goodness because already it felt like home away from home onboard even though we had only slept there 2 nights.  We were very happy to get back on board and were warmly welcomed by captain and crew.  Truthfully we were hardly bothered by this mishap since we did the same tours as planned and even had a few extras added.  In the meantime what follows is what was a very fun but busy day! 

Baroque style.  Much lighter than gothic. 

 Michel took us on a walking tour of Koblenz a town at the junction of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.  It's history goes back to Roman times and Charlemagne but you have to know where to look to see evidence.  As with many European towns, years of war, invasions, fires and all kinds of tragedies took their toll.  I was amazed everywhere  at how beautifully restored the towns were.  

We had a lovely lunch at Weindorf (Winehouse) Restaurant in Koblenz before heading to the beautiful waterfront to wait for the bus for Boppard, a small town where we would board a touring boat to "cruise the romantic Rhine."  We would have done this tour on the River Queen but the the Loreley-Linie tour boat stepped up nicely and it was a fabulous trip.  

This scenic section of the Rhine River Valley was something to behold!  We navigated 65 km (40 miles)  of stunning landscape that has inspired poets, composers and painters.  We passed famous monuments and castles and our heads were spinning as stunning views were presented at every turn.  

Rik took to the microphone and described the castles, scenery and folk lore of the area.  The upper deck was quite windy but it was warm and the views from there were remarkable.  Drinks on the house! 

We were amazed at the vineyards in the most unlikely places.  The terrace walls looked ancient and maybe they are.  

I couldn't believe how the clouds were framing this castle!  It looks contrived and I couldn't help but think of a fairy tale. 

You can see vineyards in the background.  A touring boat reminded me of Ireland.  

Just another castle!  They seemed to be everywhere and each one has a story of course.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorelei

This "titular" woman distracted sailors as they tried to navigate this most narrow and dangerous section of the Rhine.  There is a great deal of folklore surrounding this section of the river.  The echo off the rocky cliffs causes the fast water to "murmur" and many accidents have happened here in the past especially.  I have to admit, as we headed through these narrows I was a little nervous.  Check out the history of this if you want.  

The water looks too shallow for a ship our size!  Rik informed us that at times River Cruises are disrupted by low water, broken locks or other mishaps.  So our situation with the leaking bearing seal seemed not too bad.  

John and I felt a little jealous as we passed by many "caravan" parks.  We saw many of them in our travels.  

Happy.  

Toll booth from the old days.   Every section of the river was controlled by someone. 

Rudesheim!  We pulled into this gorgeous little town.  We were supposed to go on a gondola ride to the top of the cliffs but it was cancelled due to wind.  Instead we went to the Music Box Museum.  No kidding!  It was entertaining to say the least and we saw things I had no idea existed.  I might have preferred the gondola but honestly I feel like I am in elite company after visiting this place.  

Now Rudesheim!  What a quaint little place and our first real experience in an authentic"medieval" town with narrow streets and half timbered houses. 

After leaving the Music Box Museum we had time to walk around on our own.   This often was the case after a tour.   There were included tours every day. 

Drosselgasse is a famous avenue in Rudesheim with shops and wine bars.   This town is in the Rheingau wine growing region.  

Just a beautiful window.  

Local entertainment at the Rudesheimer Schloss Restaurant

We had the famous Kaffee made with local brandy.  You would not believe how good this was.  It was complimentary  as part of our compensation for spending a night off the boat. 

Roses between the vines attracts pests away from the grapes.  What a gorgeous idea! 

Rik was a good sport to pose with us!  And he was #1 for sure.  He was an amazing cruise director who was unflappable.  No question was too small.  He is incredibly knowledgable and speaks many languages. 

From Rudesheim we took the bus to Frankfurt and spent the night at a hotel near the airport.  It was not a hardship at all.  We were thrilled when Rik announced we would catch up with the boat tomorrow and head to the port of Offenbach.  Now we were back on track and tomorrow we would tour Heidelberg from there.