Today is Castle Day!
Due to a suspected problem with a bridge underpass, we are behind schedule, but we can't miss the real highlight of the trip - the Rhine Valley, a 41 mile section of the river upstream from Koblenz that boasts more than 20 castles or ruins. Many of them were built not just for defense but to collect custom money from boats on the river.
We had one of the best weather days ever on our cruise -- sunny and warm. Everyone was on the top deck sunning and waiting for the castles which we didn't get to until after lunch. Here are passengers on the top deck who can reach the bridges we pass under.
First we had to return on the Moselle to reconnect with the Rhine at Koblenz. Here we have a view of the German Corner with the statue of William I who was the first emperor of Germany after formation in 1871. In the background is Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.
Now the castles begin. Some photos - not all good because one really is not very close to them from the river, but enough for a good sample.
I'm just going to list them with the name on top.
Stolzenfels Castle
Marksburg
The castles were interspersed by some lovely villages such as Boppard
Sterrenberg and Liebenstein Castles, built by 2 brothers who fought over a woman
Maus Castle
Rheinfels Castle
Katz Castle
The famous Lorelei Rock.
Located at a part of the river with particularly strong currents, it was often the demise of many ships. Consequently, many legends evolved - one such is that of a lovely young maiden Lorelei whose beauty was so bewitching that she caused sailors to wreck. The modern taming of the river has made this passage less treacherous, but the myths persist.
Schoenberg Castle (on hill)
Gutenfels Fortress and Pfalzgrafenstein (toll booth in foreground)
Stahleck
Nollig Ruins
Heimburg
Sooneck
Reichenstein
Rheinstein
Ehrenfels Castle
Klopp Castle
The castles continued until late afternoon. We had an early dinner because we are arriving in Rudesheim (which we should have reached early afternoon, with castles in the morning), but we have an off-boat evening activity - the only one on the cruise.
They loaded 150 people on a little choo-choo for a tour of Siegfried's Music Museum. When we got to the museum, the power went off in the entire city. So they loaded us back on the train to the boat. Some stayed in town and said the power returned in less than an hour, but most of us did not want to find our way back in the dark. Such a disappointment and no Plan B on the boat.
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