The Enchanting Town of Colmar

A year ago, in spring of 2023, I made an all too brief stop in the enchanting town of Colmar, France.  The stop was a half-day excursion as part of a Rhine river cruise. While the visit was not long enough to experience all that Colmar has to offer, it did allow me to get a glimpse into the city’s history, culture, and beauty.  And, as so often happens on a river cruise, it showed me that this is a place deserving of a longer visit in the future.

Colmar is part of the Alsace region of France, just across the border from Germany.  It has a blend of German and French style in its architecture, culture, and cuisine.  It also has a interesting history – from its medieval old town to the WWII battles that took place here.  History buffs may know that Audie Murphy earned his Medal of Honor in the Colmar battle and there is a memorial to his efforts nearby.

 Some highlights from my short visit to Colmar:

Storks have been nesting in this region for centuries as part of their migration pattern from Africa.  They build nests at high points in the city – tree tops, roofs, and church towers.  They are considered good luck (as well as fertility symbols).  Storks are everywhere in Colmar – the real ones, toy ones, and even chocolate storks!

Half-timbered houses are a prominent feature of the historic old town.  This can be explained by the fact the nearby forests provided plenty of wood for building.  The old-world homes are colorful and give the old town its unique style.

One area of the medieval old town is called “Little Venice” because of its canals.  The canals are lined with pretty houses, small bridges, and pretty trees.

Colmar is one of the prettiest towns I have visited along the Rhine.  The old town is atmospheric and charming (even on the rainy day of my visit). 

Parks host carousels, families, and storks.  Small squares throughout the city are filled with flowers and trees and ringed with cafes and shops.  And many of those shops display wonderful foods – German style pretzels and French pates and meat pies along with Alsatian wines – such a great combination of flavors!

 The Medieval architecture is wonderful but so are some of the newer (yet still old) buildings. Steepled churches, apartments blocks with curves and turrets, iron balconies, and interesting rooflines dot the city.

One of my favorite things are the ornate metal-work signs outside the shops.  They are fun and artistic representations of the businesses they promote.

The sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, Auguste Bartholdi, was from Colmar. A small replica of the statue can be seen when you enter town from the highway (but we drove by too quickly to get a photo).

The visit may have been brief, and rainy, but it was a wonderful introduction to this charming town.

Castles and Vineyards Along the Middle Rhine Valley

One of the highlights of a Viking Rhine River cruise is sailing the stretch of the Rhine between the cities of Koblenz and Rüdesheim. The day I sailed this stretch of the river (in early Spring) it was gray, windy, and chilly. But that didn’t stop me from standing along the rail on the open sun deck at the top of the ship.  That’s where the best views were! 

Burg Thurnberg is also known as Berg Maus - the “mouse” castle is just a bit away from the “cat” castle. The on-board narration explained the long-ago rivalry between the two owners.

 For about 4 hours the Viking Baldur moved slowly past breathtaking scenery.  There were steep vineyards, small medieval villages, steepled churches, and – best of all – ancient castles.   Some were ruins but others were remarkably well preserved.

The Lorelei Rock - we got close, but not too close when navigating this tricky bend in the Rhine

We also sailed by the Lorelei Rock which sits at the narrowest and deepest section of the Rhine. Legend has it that many sailors were lost here. Enchanted by the song of the Lorelei maiden they lost their way and crashed into the rock.

I didn’t hear her song that afternoon and luckily neither did our captain as we passed safely by the Lorelei without crashing into it. 

Our afternoon of sailing ended in the charming town of Rüdesheim where we had just enough time for a stroll through the streets of the Drosselgasse before returning to our ship for dinner. 

Marketplatz, Rüdesheim

 The Drosseslgasse is an area of narrow streets which wind through the oldest part of Rüdesheim.  The alleys are lined with half-timber houses, shops, wines cellars, pubs, and restaurants.  On the evening we visited there was jazz music spilling out of one pub, intriguing wines on display in a shop, and some really enticing aromas coming from the restaurants.   

Rüdesheim Caffe. (thanks to M. Bird for this photo)

 Rüdesheim is famous for both its wine and for Rüdesheim Caffe.  The coffee, laced with a local brandy and served in a fancy cup, is just the thing to warm up a gray afternoon. To make the coffee, brandy and sugar cubes are flamed before adding the coffee. Then it is topped off with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.  Delicious! We had an on-board demonstration of the preparation before arriving in Rüdesheim, with a tasting of course.  The specialty coffee cups - all curves and pretty patterns - were on sale in many of the local shops.  

 Our ship left Rüdesheim close to midnight, headed for a short stop in Speyer the next day. 

Speyer is where the Protestant Reformation began. It was here, in 1517, that Martin Luther presented his theses against the Roman Catholic Church.   The historic center of the city was full of beautiful architecture, monuments, the remains of a 13th century gate, and a remarkable Romanesque Cathedral which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

As in every stop, a local guide was provided by Viking. She gave us a good dose of history as well as interesting information about modern day Speyer. And while it just wasn’t possible to fully explore the city, we did manage to get a good sense of it between the guided walk and some free time for exploration. It’s a charming and beautiful small city.

Next stop on my cruise itinerary: Strasbourg, France. More on that in a future post.

One Day in Cologne, Germany

Cologne also has beautiful parks, green spaces, and walking paths.

Cologne (Köln in German) is a city of contrasts.  The city has 2000-year-old Roman roots, some ruins of which are still visible underneath the modern city.  Today Cologne blends the few Medieval structures that survived heavy bombing during WW II with reconstructed areas designed to look as they did before the war. 

Add to these the modern architecture of the post-war city and you get a snapshot of modern-day Cologne.

 Most of Cologne’s sights – including the Cathedral, the Historic Old Town, and the 12 Romanesque churches – lie on the west (left) bank of the Rhine River and within easy walking distance of the Viking ship dock just across the Hohenzollernbrücke (don’t ask me to pronounce it!) bridge on the opposite riverbank.   

Cologne’s Left Bank - the Rhine, the Hohenzollernbrücke bridge, the Cathedral and the train station are all found here at the edge of the Old Town.

The second stop on my Viking Rhine River Cruise began with a morning walking tour led by an excellent local tour guide.  The walk took us through the Old Town, past colorful tall houses, through small squares, and in front of the town hall with its tall clock tower.  We even had a chance to sample the two famous Eau de Colognes (perfumes) produced in town. The walk ended in front of the Cathedral with plenty of free time to explore it on our own.   

Cologne’s Old Town with its cobblestone streets, small squares lined with colorful buildings, shops, and cafes.

 After lunch, the rest of the afternoon and evening was free to explore on our own.  I appreciated that the cruise included a full day in Cologne as there was so much to see. Even with a full day, we barely scratched the surface of this complex city and I have lots of ideas of things to see - including museums, several historic churches, museums, and even a chocolate museum - on a return visit.

Cologne’s Cathedral of St. Peter

 Some highlights of the day we spent in Cologne:

The Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of St. Peter.   This is the most visited landmark in Cologne and for good reason.  Built mostly in the 14th century (but not completed until much later), It is one of the tallest churches in the world.  Its huge spires dominate the skyline of Cologne.  Those spires also likely saved the church from destruction during the war as the Allied pilots used them as they navigated into Germany on bombing raids.  The style is Gothic with flying buttresses and a forest of small spires on the exterior.  The inside is a wonder. Its towering height is full of tall columns, ribbed ceilings, beautiful stained glass, paintings and statues, detailed mosaic floors, and iron work. 

The most significant artifact in the Cathedral is the Shrine of the Three Kings (The Magi).  The shrine, located behind the main altar, holds a large gold covered sarcophagus said to hold the bones of the Three Wise Men. 

Historic photo of the destruction of Great St. Martin Church during WW II.

 The Great St. Martin Church.   With a one-day visit there wasn’t time to visit all 12 of the Historic Romanesque Churches, most of which were destroyed during the war and later rebuilt.  My friend and I chose to visit St. Martin’s, a beautiful part of the skyline of Cologne.   Smaller than the nearby cathedral, it has a central tall spire and smaller ones at each of its four corners.  There are 3 apses, giving the lower part of the church a clover-leaf shape.  Nearly destroyed during the war, it only reopened in the 1980’s.  The interior is simple with little decoration save for remnants of paintings on the columns and some mosaic floor tile. The starkness and quiet, along with the distant echoes of war, were quite moving.  Its location in the old part of the city, surrounded by colorful houses and small streets, gives it a very human dimension.

 Love locks on the Hohenzollernbrücke.   This long bridge serves as both a pedestrian bridge and a railway bridge.  It connects the broad pathway on the right bank to the old town on the left.  The bridge is full of love locks placed there by hopeful couples.  The locks are of various shapes, sizes, and colors.  Some look very old and some are shiny and new.  There are so many that the city is worried about the weight they are adding to the bridge! 

The nicest part about strolling across the bridge are the wonderful views of the city skyline, including the Cathedral and the nearby church of Great St. Martin.

Eau de Cologne.   Perhaps the most famous product of the city of Cologne is a type of perfume which bears the city’s name.  The history of Eau de Cologne has an interesting Italian twist.  Giovanni Farina, born in Italy but a resident of Cologne in the early 1700’s, developed a perfume which, in his words, had the scent “of a spring morning in Italy, mountain narcissus, and orange blossom just after a rain”.  He named it after his adopted city of Cologne and founded both a much loved scent and a family dynasty.  Today the 5th generation of Farinas produces the citrus scented Eau de Cologne that bears their name. Of course, he had some competition - a few years later a local German man produced a similar perfume and even tried to market it under the Farina name.  Legal battles ensued, were won by the Farina family, and the name of the other perfume was changed.  Today that second perfume, re-named 4711, is equally famous. 

Our guide brought along samples of both for us to test. Which was my favorite? It was the lighter, fresher scented Farina Eau de Cologne.

 Local Beer.   I am not much of a beer drinker, but I still found the beer culture in Cologne interesting, especially in the way that it is integral to the local identify.  The beer produced here is called Kölsch and it is served in the many brewpubs in town.  Production is regulated and only beers produced in and around the city, according to set standards, can be called Kölsch. 

The pubs have an old-world atmosphere. The waiters wear traditional costumes as they carry round trays of beer in narrow glasses called stanges.  The servings are small, around 6 ounces, but are automatically refilled when empty!  To stop the refills, the coaster is placed on top of the glass. 

We made a quick stop at a traditional brewpub - Peters Brauhaus (pictured above) - to have a look around. It was much too early in the morning for a beer, but fun to see the inside of this historic brewpub.

It is impossible to miss the importance of beer culture in Cologne. Look closely and you’ll find small gnome-like carvings of Köbes (waiters who serve the Kölsch) outside some of the pubs. Viking offered an optional excursion for a dinner in a local brewpub for those passengers who wanted to experience the culture first hand.

The Viking ship Baldur left Cologne at 10pm, headed for the dock at Braubach and visits to Koblenz and the Marksburg Castle. More on those stops in a future post.

The Windmills of Kinderdijk

A river cruise along the Rhine River, from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Basel in Switzerland, passes through beautiful scenery and stops in fascinating places.   Over the next weeks I will write about some of those stops, beginning today with one of my favorites – Kinderdijk.

The Viking Baldur sailed out of Amsterdam at 11 pm on day one of the cruise and arrived in Kinderdijk the next morning just after breakfast.  It was an easy walk from the spot where the boat docked to this unique UNESCO Heritage site, famous for its 19 historic windmills.

 Any visit to Kinderdijk begins with the story related to its name which means “Children’s Dike” in Dutch.  The story goes something like this – way back in the year 1421 a huge flood brought destruction and many deaths to the area.  A little boy went to check the dike (not the famous Hans Brinker but a different boy altogether).  The boy found a cat atop a cradle floating in the flood waters.  Inside the cradle was a baby girl.  And so, we have the name Children’s Dike.   Another version of the story pre-dates the flood and is a bit more specific.  The baby was named Honigje. She had been cared for by a midwife and her cat named Dubbeltje. It was this cat who saved the baby from flood waters.  The legend was explained in the Viking Daily, an on-board newsletter provided each day with tidbits of information about the various stops along the cruise.

Viewing the windmills from a small canal boat was an optional excursion at this stop.

The local tour guide for our morning at Kinderdijk was a very tall Dutch gentleman who had grown up in the area.  If you’ve never experienced Dutch humor and frankness, then I will simply say that it is an added bonus during the visit.  We all had a laugh when he warned us about not stepping in goose droppings by saying “watch out, there’s a lot of goose sh*t around”.  Oh, those plain-spoken Dutch! We tried not to laugh, really we did, but it was impossible!

 The visit began in the gift shop where a model of the area provided an explanation of how the windmills worked together to pump water from the below-sea-level lands up to the drainage canals.  This was also made clear by the fact that our ship, which was docked on the river, sat well above the lower lands of Kinderdijk.   Attached to the gift shop building was an area with old tools along with huge mechanical equipment – pumps that later were added to make the process of moving water much more efficient that doing so with the windmills alone.  Of course there were also souvenirs to purchase.

 A small educational building provided a chance to listen as our guide demonstrated the wooden structures used in the oldest windmills.

At Kinderdijk the windmills date back to the 1700’s, among the oldest in the Netherlands.  Our guide also discussed how the windmills work and the changes that occurred over time as construction changed from wood to iron. This brief introduction made the next stop, a visit to the interior of a windmill, much more valuable.

The windmills at Kinderdijk functioned to keep the land from being submerged. They also provided a home for the keeper of the windmill and his family.

The day of our visit was quite cold and windy. Despite that, the small home inside the windmill was cozy.  The table sat beside a pretty window, the wood stove stood ready to cook a meal, and the china cabinet was full of pretty painted pieces.  The bed, tucked inside an alcove in the single main room of the home, looked warm and inviting.  There is something intriguing about the glimpse into a very different way of life that a visit to a furnished home provides.  

 The more adventurous in our group climbed the ladder into the upper workings of the windmill while some of us kept our feet on the ground exploring the big wooden wheels that drove the windmills and seeing the sails (blades) of the windmill from below.  

An interesting tidbit – the position of the sails also served to send messages, including warnings of imminent visits from Nazis during World War II. 

This early spring cruise was a bit too early to see the famous Dutch tulips of the area.  Instead, there were lovely yellow daffodils in bloom, tall graceful grasses, budding trees and some pretty dramatic skies. 

 The windmills of Kinderdijk made for a perfect first stop on this week-long cruise.  Coming up, stops along the Rhine in Germany and France.

A Rhine River Cruise with Viking

There are castles to be seen when cruising the Middle Rhine Valley.

Say the word “cruise” and you are sure to get a reaction.  Some people love cruises and plan most of their vacations around an ocean or a river voyage.  Others swear they aren’t “cruise people” and would never book one. I fall somewhere in between.  I enjoy independent travel that immerses me in the culture of a place and allows me to do my own thing at my own pace.  Most of my trips will be independent ones. Planes, trains, and cars usually get me where I want to go.

Still, it can be fun to explore some areas on a tour, especially places where one doesn’t speak the language or those that don’t draw us in for a longer stay. And spending a few days on the water can be a relaxing way to vacation.

I am not a fan of those huge ocean-going ships, both for environmental reasons and because the idea of a floating city with thousands of people doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t need casinos, pools, or glitzy shows when I travel either. As for evening gowns and formal nights - forget about it! Smaller ships offering well curated but casual experiences and meaningful cultural insights are more my style.  I have found that river cruises provide just the right balance. And I have really enjoyed sailing with Viking.

Quaint villages, green landscapes, and calm waters along the Rhine.

Cocktails in the Viking Baldur lounge - a great way to catch up with friends old and new.

The Viking longships, which cruise the European rivers, are relatively small. They carry just under 200 passengers. This allows the ships to dock close to city centers and right alongside small villages. Getting on and off the boats is a snap and allows for either joining a guided walk or for independent exploration in the towns along the river.

A river cruise is also a great way to travel with a group of friends. The choices of activities allow each group member to select different excursions and the layout of the Viking longships provides plenty of space to cozy up with a book or a drink or a deck chair. But then there is plenty of opportunity to spend relaxed time together on board - at meals, in the lounge, over a card game, or socializing in one of the outdoor spaces.   

My recent cruise with Viking, along the Rhine River, gave me the chance to spend a week with friends from New Mexico. We met up in Amsterdam and spent time catching up and sharing a week of fun explorations as we sailed from Amsterdam to Basel along the Rhine river.

Sunset along the Rhine as seen from the Viking Baldur during an evening of sailing.

One of the many castles in the Middle Rhine Valley

 Another advantage – no packing and unpacking!  My roommate and I settled into our cabin on day 1 and visited 4 countries in 8 days without ever having to pack and unpack again.  And though that may sound like a lot of places in a short time frame, the time spent sailing from one location to the next was either during meals on board, in the evenings during social hours in the lounge, throughout the night, or on days when the passing scenery was so spectacular that watching from a relatively slow-moving boat was wonderful. 

Each day is different on a river cruise. There are new cities to explore, led by knowledgeable local guides.  Stops includes an introductory walking tour followed by free time to explore on your own.  There are slower paced groups for those who might want a more relaxed pace with less standing and more opportunities to sit awhile. All of the general walks are included in the cost of a Viking cruise along with some optional, reasonable priced, excursions as well.

Rudesheimer coffee served in traditional cups was an afternoon treat after an on-board demonstration of how to make it.

On-board activities link to the places visited and include history and cultural information about the various regions, demonstrations of local crafts or cooking, and port talks which highlight the interesting things to see in each town. 

On the Rhine cruise we made Rudesheimer coffee on the day we stopped near that city (yum).

The chefs also gave a cooking demonstration, showing us how to make an authentic French Flammkuchen, a type of flat bread with toppings (but don’t call it pizza!) as part of our stop in Strasbourg.  The chefs were assisted by a volunteer passenger and everyone received a copy of the recipe to take home. The demonstrations was followed by a tasting - delicious!

Pretzels and beer kicked off a night of German themed dishes.

The meals also reflect the food of the regions we visited.  German night was a highlight on this voyage.  No worries though – if the local cuisine doesn’t appeal there are always some standard options available including salmon, steak or chicken. There are always vegetarian choices as well. Wine and beer are included at both lunch and dinner.

I enjoyed tasting the local delicacies – even raw herring at breakfast.  That was part of the fun as were the daily descriptions of dinners given by the head chef.  Good food, from sumptuous breakfasts complete with a made-to-order omelet bar, to tasty lunches and beautifully presented dinners, added to the enjoyment. Getting to know other passengers at meals was an added bonus. Our cruise companions were an interesting and well-traveled group.

Oh - and did I mention deserts? Servings were modest enough to encourage even the most calorie conscious to indulge!

 The Viking longships offer a range of cabins – from small cabins at the water line, to larger cabins with balconies, and a few large suites.   Of course, there is no reason to spend a lot of time in one’s cabin.  On board is a library, a bar / lounge, an outdoor terrace at the front of the boat, and an open upper deck. The upper deck has lounge chairs, a walking track, a small putting green, an herb garden and fantastic views.

A view from my stateroom balcony, near Cologne.

A few general things to keep in mind when planning a river cruise. First, pack light.  There are no formal nights.  Days are quite casual and there is no pressure to wear a different outfit every day - mix and match is the way to go.  A few scarves work wonders to dress up or modify an outfit.  Men don’t need ties or jackets.  Dinner dress is “nice, casual”.   Slacks and shirts or sweaters work for cooler season cruises along with rain gear.  Capris, slacks, sundresses, lightweight shirts in summer. Walking shorts are ok for excursions but discouraged in the dining room.  As for shoes – comfortable walking shoes are a must, leave those heels at home!

 If going all carry-on on an overseas flight works for you then that’s ideal.  If not, then a small carry-on with a change of clothes and anything essential is a must.  It never fails that on any cruise there are passengers whose bags are delayed, sometimes by several days.  This is an airline issue, not a cruise company issue.  But without at least one change of clothes, essential medications, and toiletries, a trip can be ruined. Placing an Air Tag device in checked bags is helpful for locating lost luggage.

Amsterdam, where the Rhine River Cruise began. This part of town was within walking distance of the ship dock.

It is best to arrive in the departure city at least one day, preferable two, ahead of a cruise. Between flight delays, European strikes, and cancelled flights, arriving a couple of days early is good insurance that you won’t miss a day or two of a cruise.  The ship does not wait for late arriving passengers! Plus, those departure cities are fun to explore. The two days we spent in Amsterdam before my recent cruise was a great way to begin the trip. 

While the ship itself is a wonderful part of the river cruise experience, the real stars of the voyage are the cities along the way.  Over the coming weeks I will post more about each of the cities we visited. Lots of photos to come !

Note:  I am not affiliated with Viking Cruises in any way and was simply a paying passenger on this cruise.