Rhein River Experience

We were docked in Ludwigshafen, Germany when we woke up this morning. We departed on motorcoach to Heidelburg.   I signed up for the hiking tour, so my group had a brief tour of city and then we hopped on the funicular (cog railway) to go to the top of Mount Konigstuhl.   view from half way up the moutain Funicular We saw three small deer final stretch of funicular to the top There is a hotel at top with a commanding view of the Neckar River and town of Heidelberg.   We hiked through the forest on a steep grade.   The area reminded me so much of the Pacific Northwest.   It was misty and rainy which added to the feel.   Many of the plants were similar to what we have at home.   There were large stone markers that were dated 1907 that showed which way to go on the many trails.   At one point there was steep stone walk way leading up to the woods.   About halfway down we came to the Heidelberg Castle.   Half of it was falling apar...

  We started the day docked at Koblentz, Germany. The name Koblenz means confluence and the name is appropriate since the Moselle River joins the Rhein at this point.   The town is overshadowed by the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.   It is across the river from Koblenz.   We broke up into small groups and our guide walked us around town and told us of the history of the area.   Explaining first that Koblenz is in the middle of Europe. The river here is lined with Sycamore trees that were planted at Augusta, who was a wife of Kaiser Wilhem I.   The area is called Augusta Promenade.   Our guide explained that this part of the Rhein floods and pointed out a wall marking the severe floods in the past.   flood markers The Brothers Grimm wrote many of their fairy tales about things they experienced in the Koblentz area.   In the park around the rivers was a memorial with three large panels that were a part of the Berlin Wall.   One portio...