Amsterdam-Edam

Bus trip stopped at the town of Eden which is famous for cheese. Walked through town and saw unique house some learning due to subsiding land many years ago.

The last cruise day

Monday 26 October
So beautiful cruising in the afternoon. Sunny for a change. Houses very different much more modern.

Farewell dinner

Monday 26 October
Farewell dinner and captains cocktails.

Cologne Germany

Took a stroll through Cologne and view the filigree twin towers of the famous cathedral. Only tour which has been disappointing-not what we expected and guide had very little to show us-just the St Peters Cathedral which took over 400 years to build and the new and old Town Hall.  

High Cathedral of Saints Peter and Mary (called the Dom) is a Catholic Cathedral Cologne Germany.

Construction of Cologne Cathedral commenced in 1248 and was halted in 1473, leaving it unfinished. Work restarted in the 19th century and was completed, to the original plan, in 1880. The cathedral is the largest Gothis church in Northern Europe. Its two huge spires give it the largest façade of any church in the world

Cologne's medieval builders had planned a grand structure to house the reliquary of the Three Wise Men and fit its role as a place of worship.
Now enjoying another peaceful sail down the Rhine after another big lunch and wine.

 Funny way to grow bananas on a wire pole. Apparently it was a protest of some sort.

 St Peters Cathedral

 Hotel named after the Cathedral which they call the Dom

 Love locks on the bridge-thousands of them

 Old Town Hall (on the right) and New on the Left

 Houses were taxed by the width they were so they built them high and narrow

 Inside St Peters-beautiful windows

Marks burg Castle Koblenz

Arrived in Koblenz in the afternoon. Started to watch the Wallabies play Argentina but had to leave before half time. Cannot believe our second night of the boat was this night and we could not see the end of the game. Luckily we won any way. Jan stayed on the boat and was sending messages but we did not get them.
We delighted in the medieval ambience at Marksburg Castle, which has remained virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages. We ate a magnificent medieval feast, with an abundance of fine fare and quantities of free flowing local red wine.

  before dinner we went on a tour of the castle. Not sure how I survived the steep stairs made of rock. Saw the kitchen, bedroom, wine cellar, torture chamber and much more.

 Steep unlevel cobble stones and rock steps

 Weaving Loom

 Torture Chamber

 Ancient costumes back to be before BC

Suckling pig for dinner