April 1 - Crusing the Romantic Rhine

Nothing like having to pass through the pub in order to get to church...such is the case with the building with the flag in front of it. Not an idea that caught on apparently as it was the only one I saw on my travels.

Woke with a sore throat to a grey and chilly day to sit back and cruise the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The 40 mile (65 km) scenic section has also been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features bucolic landscapes dotted with castles - medieval ruins to ones still functioning as hotels and hostels. Terraced vineyards passed by on steep, steep slopes you would think impossible to cultivate, yet they produce many tasty German Reislings.
It was beautiful to see as we quietly cruised, birds singing, the sun eventually shining, snapping pictures at every turn. Rik, the cruise director, introduced each castle and entertained us with the legends associated with them...from feuding brothers, to a miserable Bishop who hogged all the food and production of the workers while they were starving. He was eaten by mice whose population started at one and doubled each night as a warning for him to change his ways, which when he refused to change resulted in his mousey demise. And there are tales of each town's taxes for river traffic along the way and the torture of those who refused to pay...for example people put hanging in baskets off the castle wall, sitting there as skeletons when they starved to death and serving as a constant reminder to pay up or die.

This is one of the "toll" fortresses on the river, where they could see the merchant ships coming and going, take their taxes for their stretch of river and thus keep the castle on the hill and the village below.

We stopped at Bacharach, a small village of 800, to take a walking tour through its many historical, well preserved remains, including medieval walls, charming timber frame houses, cobblestone streets and of course, the winery tour and tasting of the local Reisling. The village in old days was a vibrant trading centre but now is dependent on tourism April until the end of October and ours was the first cruise in for the new season. Come May the streets are jam packed according to our guide.  We enjoyed our peaceful stroll and the tasting (which was actually three full glasses of wine).  After a late lunch we continued Castle cruising on our way to Mainz.  (By the way, the engine was repaired overnight, so it was full speed ahead)

Medieval walls of Bacharach - very thick.

After our day of fresh air (and several glasses of wine) all the passengers were looking forward to the 'Epicurean Adventure' special evening meal with wine matching through each course.  It was delightful (not that I am a gourmet or wine tasting expert) and after a new wine with each course (another four or five glasses that I am sure they kept topping up every time you turned your head), I joined a few other tipsy people who opted to make it an early night.  I did manage to stay awake long enough to watch/listen to the classical pianist special one hour concert in the lounge...then it was off to la-la land.

A famed composers home in Bacharach...where he sat looking out the window, drinking wine and finding his muse to create.

My favorite castle...doesn't look like a princess and prince could appear at any moment?