Koblenz and Rüdesheim, Germany

Arrived in Koblenz at 8a. Almost overslept for the walking tour.  Cold this morning, low 30's.  Shops were all closed for Christmas, but it was still a good tour.  Great guide with lots of poems and stories.  loved the one about "Peppermint."
  

X marks where the boat was docked

There were fountains all around most of the downs that were designed for dogs (and other animals, I suppose) to drink from. Dogs were well behaved and well trained, but very different from "American" dogs. The dogs in Germany were not friendly.  They walked near their owners and even when passing close by showed no interest in anyone.  Their tails did not wag and they didn't look at anyone  just straightforward, strictly business, like their owners.

This is the Schängel Fountain in the courtyard of the present Town Hall of Koblenz and is surrounded by beautiful Renaissance and Baroque buildings.  It was built in 1940, dedicated to the poet Josef Cornelius, and took its name from the French "Jean," that means young boy. 

The Deutsehes Eck (German Corner) where the Rhine and Moselle meet.. From 1953 to 1990 it was also called the Denkmal der Deutschen Einheit (Monument to German Unity).

one of the old grave markers that has been moved and mounted to a wall of the church

Not as old as most of the other statues and buildings.  It was created in the late 1800's to honor a local old woman.  They called her "Peppermint" because she sold peppermint candies.  She had lots of cats and dogs but was never very well off financially because she also liked her brandy.  One day she was in the cathedral praying to God for a little money to feed her cats and dogs when a priest overheard her. Pretending to be God, he told her that if she spent less on her brandy she wouldn't have the problem of feeding them.  knowing that it was the priest speaking and not really God, she basically told him where he could go and that old women needed their brandy.

This is a fountain in the Görresplatz that tells the story of the city of Koblenz.  The base is an overflowing rowboat carrying barrels of wine. Each stage of the city's existence is stacked on the one previous, sort of like a totem pole.  It shows the town being sacked by the Franks, and destroyed by the Thirty Years War and both World Wars.  On the top is the city as it is today.

This clock has the face of a man who in the 1600's was arrested for not paying taxes and put in prison.  at his sentencing, he stuck out his tongue at the town council.  the eyes move left and right every few seconds, but on every hour he sticks his tongue out.

A mural painted on the wall.

Pieces from the Berlin Wall

 

Burg Pfalzgrafenstein near Kaub. It was a customs post built in the 14th century.

Left Koblenz at noon and cruised upstream to Rüdesheim.  While we cruised, there was a "Fruhschoppen" lunch and market, with crafts in the lounge. Learned to make paper and ribbon stars from one of the crew, a wonderful lady named Ursula from Slovakia.

I was freezing!!!!! Only able to stay outside for just a few minutes!

Schönburg

Boppard

Cheesecake! Covered with marzipan!

Arrived in Rüdesheim too late to see the Mäuseturm (Mouse Tower) I remember from childhood, the one mom painted a picture of.  It was a point of taxation built by Bishop Hatto of Mainz and Castle Klopp. It later served as a signal tower to warn the passing river traffic of Bingen Hole and the treacherous reef.

The picture Mom painted sometime between 1969-1972

Dinner tonight at a wonderful restaurant called Hannelore's.  Mushroom soup, stuffed duck, potato dumplings, red cabbage, a wonderful red house wine, and cinnamon ice cream for dessert.

Me, Bill, and Ruth

some of the friends I made on the cruise. L-R Marsha, Paul, and Emmalynn, who had a massive heart attack and died two weeks after she got home from this trip.  She had been a teacher for her entire career and had never flown on a plane before this trip.  When she retired from teaching, this trip was her reward to herself.
Lesson to take from this:  Carpe diem.  Seize the day. Don't wait to enjoy life.