03 November - Budapest, Hungary

This morning I woke up in Amsterdam and had an early start as I bade farewell to the magnificent SS Antoinette and headed out for the airport for my flight to Budapest. The flight was only a few hours and before I knew it I was in Budapest being whisked off to another beautiful Uniworld river boat, the River Beatrice.  

This ship is also a luxury river ship and I had a great cabin on the top deck and once again I was fortunate to have all the features associated with Uniworld, the plush towels, the French toiletries and the most comfortable beds complete with soft down-filled duvets and pillows.

When I arrived the cabins were not yet ready so they invited those who had already arrived to a sumptuous lunch onboard. I had a yummy Hungarian goulash with a lovely white wine, that really hit the spot.

When we got our cabins around 3pm I immediately unpacked and set my cabin in order. I decided to take a short nap before I headed out to Budapest in the evening.

Tonight I had a ticket to the Budapest State Opera house for a performance of "La Traviata" which I had been looking forward to for a long time. I had a box seat which was super!

There is nothing quite like attending a performance of a great opera at a world famous European Opera House. Just thinking of the history of those who sat before you hundreds of years ago, is quite overwhelming.

The opera house in Budapest stands as one of the most beautiful Neo-Renaissance buildings in Europe. When it was opened in 1884, the city shared the administrative duties of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with Vienna. In fact, Emperor Franz Joseph commissioned its design. Construction included the use of marble and frescos by some of the best artisans of that era. Designed by Miklós Ybl, one of Europe's leading architects in the mid to late 19th century, the Budapest Opera House quickly became one of the most prestigious musical institutions in Europe.

The Budapest Opera House is considered to be amongst the best opera houses in the world in terms of its acoustics, and has an auditorium that seats 1200 people. It is horseshoe-shaped and, according to measurements done by a group of international engineers, has the third best acoustics amongst similar European venues (after the Scala in Milan and the Paris Opera House). The statue of Ferenc Erkel stands in front of the Opera House. He was the composer of the Hungarian national anthem and the first music director of the Opera. The other statue in front of the Budapest Opera is of Ferenc Liszt, the well-known Hungarian composer.

We are not allowed to take pictures of the performance but I sneakily got one in but since you can't be obvious about it the shot I got was a bit dark and blurry but it stills gives you an idea of the grandeur of the stage.

La Traviata is a classic opera.... At one of her brilliant supper parties, the beautiful but frail demi-mondaine, Violetta Valéry, meets the well-born Alfredo Germont, and for love of him abandons her feverish life of pleasure. Alfredo’s father intrudes on their idyllic existence in the country and, although realizing her sincerity, persists in his demand that Violetta renounce Alfredo. 

Violetta determines to make the sacrifice and departs, leaving only a note for Alfredo. She appears at a ball in Flora’s house on the arm of an old admirer, Baron Douphol, to the fury of Alfredo. The two men play at cards; Alfredo wins consistently. Unable to persuade Violetta to go with him, Alfredo insults her and is challenged by the Baron. 

Violetta becomes ill, and all her friends desert her, leaving her virtually penniless. Alfredo at last returns. His father has told him of Violetta’s noble renunciation, and urged him to seek her forgiveness. Overjoyed at the sight of him, Violetta attempts to rise. But it is too late. As Germont and the doctor enter, Violetta dies in Alfredo’s arms.

After the performance I returned to the ship with some happy memories. 

The ship was docked in Budapest for the night and is scheduled to sail tomorrow night. 

The ship has a great self-serve coffee station which is open 24hrs. a day. You can get several kinds of coffee like Cafe Latte, Cappuccinos, Mokachinos etc and the best of all is the hot chocolate. I got myself one of those luscious hot chocolates and took it back to my cabin. It was a nice treat before bedtime.

After a hot shower I went to bed earlier than normal to be in top shape for the following day of exploring. 

02 November - Cologne, Germany

This morning we awoke in Cologne, Germany. This was the first morning of my trip that there was a good chance of rain since it was very cloudy. I have never been one to let the weather get the best of me so off I went on our designated tour.

Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city (after Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich), and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.

Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River. The city's famous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. The University of Cologne is one of Europe's oldest and largest universities.

Cologne was founded and established in the first century AD, as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium in Ubii territory. It was the capital of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and the headquarters of the military in the region until occupied by the Franks in 462. During the Middle Ages it flourished as one of the most important major trade routes between east and west in Europe. 

Up until World War II the city had undergone several other occupations by the French and also the British. Cologne was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II. The bombing reduced the population by 95% and destroyed almost the entire city. With the intention of restoring as many historic buildings as possible, the rebuilding has resulted in a very mixed and unique cityscape.

We toured the town and visited the cathedral which is the center point of the city. This is also where the first "Cologne" fragrance was started. The signature name is 4711 Eau de Cologne. What makes 4711 Original Eau de Cologne so special is the careful selection of high-quality ingredients and essential oils. The exact composition is still a closely guarded secret. The conscious emphasising of the light and vitalising top note of 4711 Original Eau de Cologne gives it its characteristic and pleasant fragrance.

Unmistakable and incredibly practical – the 4711 Original Eau de Cologne bottle design has remained virtually unchanged for nearly 200 years. And with good reason: in 1820, the distiller Peter Heinrich Molanus invented a new bottle which has borne his name since that day – the Molanus bottle.

Of course I had to buy a small bottle since this used to be my late sister-in-law's favorite perfume. Besides the memories it brings, it is a wonderful light scent.

We had some free time in the Old town and I wandered it's charming streets for awhile and even though the weather was bleak, it was still warm and there was no rain which is always a blessing when strolling with a camera.

Once my little shopping was done I walked along the riverfront and watched some pigeons snacking in the park, they are oblivious to tourists walking by and act like we weren't even there. Several ships were docked along the waterfront and after taking some more shots even though the sky was quite gray, I returned to the ship for a hot lunch.

This evening was a gala farewell dinner since it was our last night on the ship. We feasted on foie gras, onion soup, lobster, shrimp and filet mignon...... 

After this great meal it was time to pack since it was an early departure for my next destination, Budapest! 

01 November - Koblenz, Germany

This morning we arrived in the 2000 year old town of Koblenz, Germany. It's situated in the picturesque landscape of the Rhine and Moselle and surrounded by four low mountain ranges. Its abundance of cultural monuments and historic buildings, its cosy lanes and narrow alleyways, the relaxed and happy atmosphere of its squares and river promenades make Koblenz a friendly town where its guests feel right at home.

The town owes its name to the Romans who named the ‘castle’ they constructed here around 9 B.C. “castellum apud confluentes.” This means "castle at the confluence of the rivers”. Visitors on the trail of Koblenz’ past, find themselves caught up in the history of a town which over the centuries was captured by the Franks, chosen as a place of residence by German prince electors, conquered by the French and fortified by the Prussians. A truly European place.

Fortess walls and towers, castles and palaces, monuments and parks paint a vivid picture of the town’s eventful past. Koblenz was conquered by foreign armies and has received princes, kings, emperors and presidents within its walls.

Today visitors from all over the world enjoy discovering the history and rich cultural heritage of this old town.

We strolled through the town’s historic centre with its narrow lanes and romantic squares and stopped for some shopping. Nowhere in Old Koblenz is far from the banks of the Rhine or the Moselle. Here you can stroll leisurely along the rivers watching barges and boats passing by.

Tasting the wines and savouring the specialties of this region is a unique experience, highly appreciated already by Thomas Jefferson and Queen Victoria in the 18th and 19th centuries. They offer a for example, a regional dish called “Deppekooche” (a potato casserole made of grated potatoes, bacon and onions) together with a young or dry "Riesling" – simply irresistible. There are also many beer gardens serving dozens of kinds of beer.

The highlight of the day was a cable car ride to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. This fortress, Europe’s second largest preserved fortress, was constructed between 1817 and 1828 in its present-day design; however, its origin dates back to the first century AD. The recent archaeological findings prove an ancient settlement in this area from pre-Christian times. 

The Conradiner Ehrenbert ordered to built a castle in around 1000 AD. The name of the fortress changed from “Ehrenbertstein” to “Ehrenbreitstein” during the course of time. In the 11th century, the castle came into the possession of the archbishops of Trier, who fortified it and made a series of additions and extensions.In the 12th century, the hilltop of the castle was enriched by the castle "Helfenstein" that later became the residence of the Earls.

By the order of the Archbishop, Richard from Greiffenclau, in the 15th century, the major expansion of the fortress was conducted in order to protect the buildings against artillery attacks. During the Thirty Years' War, the ownership of the Ehrenbreitstein Castle changed constantly. In 1797, the French troops besieged the fortress, but were forced to give up in 1799, due to starvation; in 1801, the French finally managed to destroy it.

In the year 1815, after the Vienna Congress declared that the Electorate of

Trier should be handed over to be ruled under the Kingdom of Prussia, King Friedrich Wilhelm III commanded the expansion of Koblenz to a fortified town and the largest fortifications in Europe were built. After the First World War, Ehrenbreitstein was intended to be demolished according to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles but luckily the Allied Military Control Commission in Berlin prevented them from doing this in 1922 after they had convinced the US American General Allen that the fortress no longer had any relevance in war times. American troops then occupied Ehrenbreitstein followed by French soldiers in the years between 1923 and 1929. Today it serves as a museum.

From the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, which rises 118 meters above the Rhine river, opens a fantastic view over Koblenz and the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle at "Deutsches Eck" , commonly called the German Corner.

Once the fortress visit was over we made our way back down by cable car once again and made our way back to the ship.

Dinner was excellent with cream of leek soup, filet mignon and French pastries for dessert. It was a long day and falling asleep in my comfy bed complete with feather pillows and a down duvet was a great way to end the night.

31 October - Rudesheim, Germany

This morning when I opened the drapes what I saw was fog but luckily it was not cold, about 60 degrees so that was good and again I was greeted with little ducks outside my window. After a full breakfast of smoked salmon, scrambled eggs with bacon and some strong coffee I was all set to face another exciting day.

Rudesheim is located in the heart of the Rhine river area at the southern entrance to the Lorelei valley, about 50 miles from Frankfurt. It is one of Germany's most Romantic cities to visit as it lies along the Rhine River decorated with an abundance of castles. This area on the Rhine is the narrowest and deepest part of the Rhine and this stretch of the river has about 40 castles and fortresses going back to the 1600's around the Thirty Years' War period.

To reach the center of town we traveled on a quaint little train which took a mere 10 minutes to reach our destination. Good food and music is everywhere. The Drosselgasse is a great place to eat and listen to some ump pa pa music. You can actually hear the music throughout the streets because it carries so far. The paths along the streets are narrow, but it's not a problem because everyone seems so happy to be there even on a foggy day.

Rudesheim, is at the foot of the Taunus Mountains and is a chief centre of the Rhine wine industry. It was first mentioned in 864. The Bromserburg, an early castle of the archbishops of Mainz, was rebuilt as a residence about 1200 and later belonged to the knights of Rudesheim; it now houses historical collections and a wine museum. Half-timber houses, narrow streets, and old inns give the town a medieval character. At the top of the Niederwald Height is a monument commemorating the founding of the German Empire in 1871. Rudesheim is also known for its brandy and Sekt, a sparkling white wine. Its location, architecture, and wines make the town a favoured stop along the Rhine for tourists. 

This town is very quaint with many small alleyways and cobbled-stoned walkways leading to many cafes and shops which sell beautiful items including their wonderful wines. Germany is also well known for its hand crafted miniatures. Since I have a miniature dollhouse I was intrigued to visit one of the small shops offering German made items and I was happy to find a beautiful armchair and a miniature porcelain German beer stein

After some free time in the town for sightseeing and shopping we headed back to the ship for lunch. 

In the afternoon we had an excursion for a wine tasting at the Schloss Vollrads Castle. The Estate’s landmark is the powerful tower. It was built on top of roman ruins and is surrounded by an idyllic pond. The Estate had been the Greiffenclau residence since the 14th century from where they had been managing the Castle as well as the Wine Estate. Its charming location in the midst of a beautiful countryside.

Schloss Vollrads is one of the oldest Wine Estates in the world. Wine sales have been documented as early as 1211 and ever since. Schloss Vollrads is surrounded by easy walking paths, a nature trail through the vineyards, and the Schloss Vollrads forest which is a nature reserve. 

We tasted several great Reisling wines produced on the estate and had a chance to visit the castle with it's many elaborate rooms. In 1684 the present two-winged manor house was built by Georg Phillip Greiffenclau von Vollrads near the tower. His son Johann Erwein erected the estate buildings around 1700, as well as boundary walls around the manor garden, and finally equipped the tower with a typical baroque roof.

In 1975 Erwein Matuschka Greiffenclau took charge of the property, which was heavily in debt. Although an important figure in the emergence of a new or rediscovered style of high quality dry Rheingau wine in the 1980s and 1990s, he was not successful in reorganising his estate. 

When in 1997 the principal bank decided on the declaration of bankruptcy, Erwein, who was then also the chairman of the VDP-Rheingau, took his gun, went to his beloved vineyards, and committed suicide. Since then, the estate has belonged to the Nassauische Sparkasse bank, which runs the manor house as well as the vineyards and a restaurant.

By mid-afternoon we headed back to the ship. This afternoon we sailed the most picturesque section of the Rhine and the cruise. Luckily the sun came out which made the viewing of the castles along this leg of our journey quite the spectacle. 

This day was truly magical and I have tried to capture some of it through my photography and although the true beauty can never be truly copied this gives a sense of the treasures for the senses found along the way.

As the sun set we had another wonderful gourmet meal onboard the magnificent SS Antoinette. As the night ended it was easy to fall asleep with great memories and the knowledge of more to come.......  

30 October - Speyer & Heidelberg, Germany

This morning the sun was out again as we docked in Germersheim (Speyer) Germany. We boarded the Uniworld motor coach which is a beautiful Mercedes Benz coach with panoramic windows. Off we went to visit the fairytale town of Heidelberg.

It's no secret that Heidelberg is a jewel among German travel destinations. Heidelberg is located in the Neckar river valley right where the legend-rich Odenwald (Forest of Odes or Odin) opens up towards the plains of the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg is home to the oldest university in Germany (est. 1386). With 28,000 students, the Ruprecht-Karls-University is one of Germany's larger academic institutions and boasts the full spectrum of an ancient academy, from Egyptian Studies to Computer Linguistics. The faculties for Medicine, Law and Natural Sciences are considered to be among the best in Germany.

During WWII, the city was almost completely spared allied bombings which destroyed many of Germany's larger inner cities. As a result, Heidelberg has retained its baroque charm of narrow streets, picturesque houses and of course the world-famous Schloss (castle ruins). Heidelberg's 147,000 inhabitants thus include not only 28,000 students at the university but also nearly 30,000 US citizens, almost all of them soldiers and their families. With hundreds of thousands of tourists flocking to the city annually, Heidelberg is truly a culturally diverse and international destination, despite its small size. 

Over the years, Heidelberg has attracted numerous artists, intellectuals and academics from all over Europe and has sometimes been referred to as Germany's unofficial intellectual capital. People who have lived and worked in the city include the poets Joseph von Eichendorff, Jean Paul, Goethe and Iqbal, scientists such as Bunsen and Kirchhoff, philosophers such as the founder of the "Illuminati" order von-Knigge, atheist Ludwig Feuerbach, architect Albert Speer, and many more. Mark Twain wrote in "A Tramp Abroad":

...Out of a billowy upheaval of vivid green foliage ...rises the huge ruin of Heidelberg Castle, with empty window arches, ivy-mailed battlements, moldering towers—the Lear of inanimate nature—deserted, discrowned, beaten by the storms, but royal still, and beautiful.

Heidelberg Castle is the most famous castle ruins in the world. Since the 19th Century the epitome of German romanticism for tourists from all over the world. The impressive ruins annually attracts around one million visitors. In the 16th and 17 centuries Heidelberg Castle was one of the most magnificent palaces in Europe.

It would be hard to imagine a more striking location: set against the deep green forests on the north flank of Königstuhl hill, the red sandstone ruins tower majestically over the Neckar valley. From its lofty position, the palace’s silhouette dominates the old town centre of Heidelberg. The rich and eventful history of Heidelberg Palace began when the counts palatine of the Rhine, – later prince electors – established their residence at Heidelberg. First mentioned in 1225, this was destined to become one of the grandest palaces of the Renaissance.

In the late 17th century, the palace was repeatedly attacked and ultimately destroyed by the French in the War of the Grand Alliance. These catastrophic events are commemorated in a spectacular fireworks display, held several times each year. In 1764, after some makeshift repairs, the battered palace was heavily damaged again: this time by the forces of Nature, in the form of two devastating lightning strikes. The once-proud residence caught fire – and was left in ruins.

The 19th century brought a new wave of admiration: a sight both terrible and beautiful, the ruins epitomized the spirit of the Romantic movement. Heidelberg Palace was elevated to a national monument. The imposing edifice and its famous garden, the Hortus Palatinus, became shrouded in myth. The garden, the last work commissioned by the prince electors, was never completed. Some remaining landscaped terraces and other vestiges hint at the awe-inspiring scale of this ambitious project. In the 17th century, it was celebrated as the “eighth wonder of the world”. While time has taken its toll, Heidelberg Palace’s fame lives on to this day.

After the castle visit we had free time to wander this fascinating little town and this is always my favorite time when I can get lost in the small narrow cobbled-stoned streets filled with cafes and quaint little shops brimming with every imaginable chocolate treat, pastries, souvenirs and the aromas of coffee pouring out of every nook and cranny. 

I stopped and bought some souvenirs which I couldn't resist and after walking around taking pictures I stopped at the sweetest chocolaterie cafe and had an amazing cappucinno with an apple streusel..... a thousand calories I am sure but well worth it.

While I was having this mini feast I was happily surprised to see a young man step up to an old piano and play the most wonderful classical music, this was a perfect backdrop to my already great cafe experience.

 
I continued walking around this little town and near the square I found a street artist selling some amazing small paintings, drawings and sketches of the town which he had made himself. I love miniature sketches and the artist was so endeariing. We chatted for some time about the city and he gave me some great stories about the town and life as a street artist.

After looking over dozens of small sketches I finally settled on a favorite one and he was oblidging in letting me take his picture. It was finally time to leave this fairytale town and return to the ship. I left with fond memories and tons of photos so it was a wonderful day!

29 October - Strasbourg, France / Black Forest, Germany

This morning I got very lucky again with the weather, it was in the 60's and sunny. After breakfast we headed out to tour Strasbourg, France.

Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking, explaining the city's Germanic name. Strasbourg's historic city centre, the Grande Île was classified a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988, the first time such an honour was placed on an entire city centre. 

The city is chiefly known for its sandstone Gothic Cathedral with its famous astronomical clock, and for its medieval cityscape of Rhineland black and white timber-framed buildings, particularly in the Petite-France district or Gerberviertel ("tanners' district") and in the streets and squares surrounding the cathedral, where the renowned Maison Kammerzell stands out.

The tour today was by canal cruise around the city and it was a great experience sailing along the narrow canal with small ducks and swans following alongside. It's picturesque "la Petite France" neighborhood looks like something straight out of a fairy tale book, a riverfront neighborhood with timbered buildings accented by colorful flower boxes.

After our canal cruise we visited the famous Notre Dame cathedral. Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame is known as one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in Europe. The Cathedral stands on the exact site of a roman temple built on a little hill above the muddy ground. The first version of the church was starting to be built during 1015 by proposal of Bishop Werner von Habsburg, but fire destroyed most of the original Romanesque building. By the time that cathedral was being renovated (at the end of the 12th century, this time with red stones carried from the nearby mountains of Vosges), the gothic architectural style had reached Alsace and the future cathedral was starting to develop all characteristics of gothic aesthetics. The project of the first cathedral in Alsace was handed to craftsman and stonemasons who had already worked on the also famous gothic cathedral in Chartres.

The cathedral has many treasures: stained glass windows dating from the 12th to the 14th century, the St. Pancrace's altar (1522) from Dangolsheim, the 17th-century tapestries forming the Virgin's wall covering purchased in the 18th century, and finally a very popular curiosity, the astronomical clock set up in its own 17th-century case decorated by Tobias Stimmer and using an 19th-century mechanism devised by Schwilgué.

The presence of an organ is attested as early as year 1260. The bomb shelling of 1870 and 1944 caused some damage of the Cathedral, but after a few renovations and the replacements of missing statues, the Cathedral regained its original look.

We returned to the ship for a buffet lunch and afterwards I set off on a long awaited excursion to the famous Black Forest region of Bavaria, Germany.

A good 200 kilometres long and 60 kilometres wide, the Black Forest is not only one of the most varied, but also one of the biggest and best known holiday regions in Germany. The Black Forest maids, Black Forest farms, Black Forest gateau, Bollenhut hats, cuckoo clocks - the Black Forest embodies everytThe Romans found it harsh and rather impenetrable and the region took centuries to populate and even then was considered an oddly backward part of Germany. Inevitably the Black Forest first rose to commercial prominence for its timber, and forestry naturally spawned woodwork – giving farmers something to do in the winter – and so the famous cuckoo-clock industry, the associated precision engineering, and the manufacture of musical instruments followed. All these continue to provide jobs, though the regional mainstay is now tourism, which continues year-round thanks to skiing and spa facilities.hing that one might expect of a German picture book holiday.

As the setting of countless Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, the Black Forest happily plays up to its image as a land of cuckoo clocks, cherry gâteaux, outlandish traditional garb, hefty half-timbered farmhouses and hill upon hill of dark evergreen forest. But even brief exploration soon reveals more of the character of a region that’s part of the state of Baden-Württemburg but was shaped as much by its history as a long-disputed borderland between Germany, France and Switzerland – and where something of each is in evidence.

Since this area is famous for cuckoo clocks we stopped at one of the longest established shops, the Black Forest Cuckoo Clocks where they have one of the biggest cuckoo clocks in the world. 

The shop is amazing and after a wood carving demonstration we were treated to the famous Black Forest Cherry cake...OMG this must have had 2000 calories! Fabulous....

We also had a delicious cherry wine made in the village....yummy.

We continued on to the open air farmhouse museum which was really interesting. It is a small village with original farmhouses intact from the 1700's complete with stables and farm animals. Very rustic and charming.

After a scenic drive back to the ship, it was time for a short nap to recover from my day of adventure. Dinner was wonderful and I made it an early night back to bed.

28 October - Breisach, Germany- Kayserberg & Riquewihr, France

Today I had an early morning start. When I woke up we were docked in Breisach, Germany. When I pulled the draps away to my surprise and amazement I found  a welcoming party of gorgeous swans swimming past my balcony!  OMG they were so beautiful, there were dozens of them along the river, what a nice start to the day.

After a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and blueberry pancakes off I went to join the tour.

Situated along the Rhine River on the French and German border lies the city of Breisach. Home to Europe's largest producing wine cellar and the beautiful late Gothic cathedral, St. Stephansmünster.

We drove from Breisach onto what they call the wine route because of all the vinyards in this area. 

Our first stop was Kayserberg...what a quaint medieval town this is! It's in Alsace, France where they produce some of the best wines in the world.This is also the birthplace of Albert Schweitzer. Everywhere you look there are half-timbered houses with window boxes brimming with flowers and as you walk around taking in all the visual sights you are engulfed with the tempting smells of home made pastries and fresh brewed coffee, hard to resist. The narrow cobble-stoned streets are dotted with small shops of all kinds and there are dozens of enticing cafes along the route.  

After spending some time here we continued our journey to Riquewihr, France. Once again we are thrilled to find a small town which time has forgotten. The shop signs are fabulous here with wrought iron depictions of the kind of shop it is, so charming.

Situated between the peaks of the Vosges mountains and the Plain of Alsace, Riquewihr is a medieval town right in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards, classified among the most beautiful villages in all of France. Alsace historically was part of the Holy Roman Empire and the German realm of culture. Since the 17th century, the region has passed between German and French control numerous times, resulting in a cultural blend. Germanic traits remain in the more traditional, rural parts of the culture, such as the cuisine and architecture, whereas modern institutions are totally dominated by French culture.

For centuries this magnificent town has managed to combine the quality of its architecture with the quality of its world-famous  wines, from where it gets its nickname «The Gem of the Alsace Vineyards».

I had resisted any edible temptation for the longest time but when I stumbled upon a shop making fresh macaroons in all flavours, I caved and walked into this marvelous small enclave and bought a bag of chocolate and vanilla macaroons.....OMG heaven!!!

Alsatian cuisine, somehow based on Germanic culinary traditions, is marked by the use of pork in various forms. Traditional dishes include baeckeoffe, flammekueche, choucroute, and fleischnacka. Southern Alsace, also called the Sundgau, is characterized by carpe frite (that also exists in Yidish tradition).

The stork is a main feature of Alsace and was the subject of many legends told to children. The bird practically disappeared around 1970, but re-population efforts are continuing. They are mostly found on roofs of houses, churches and other public buildings in Alsace. You can buy many items with storks on them here, of course I picked up a cute small fuzzy replica for myself to bring home.

In my free time I stopped and enjoyed a glass of the famous Alsace wine with some shipmates and then we headed back to Breisach to reboard the Antoinette. Tonight was the Captain's Welcome Aboard cocktail party and gala dinner where the Champagne flowed and the filet mignon was delectable. A good night's sleep was a well deserved event...yawwnnnn.