Nov 3 - Thanks T-Mobile

Just before we left for this trip,  T-Mobile announced their Simple Plan, which includes free international data and free phone calls if using wifi.  I switched to that plan, and am glad I did.  The data has been very useful for email,  maps and Yelp, as well as posting to this blog.

Nov 2-Charming Bamberg

Today's town is Bamberg,  which I had never heard of before.   It was a nice surprise.   One of it's 3 districts is a farming area whose products are sold in the town square.  It wasn't ever bombed, so it has quaint cobblestone streets and historic buildings. The city hall has outside walls covered with colorful murals and is in the middle of the river that flows through town.  Kayakers navigate a race course on the river next to city hall.  There are over 10 beer  breweries in this small town.  It is known for a beer with a smoky flavor.

City hall on the river

City hall murals

Brewery (middle building)- most of the people in front are drinking beer because the brewery is so crowded

Thoughts about Viking River Cruise

I have enjoyed our cruise.   Marge was had a bad cough for several days, missing some great scenery and food, so she might not agree with me. 

The food has been good,  on par with Princess food,  but not as good as a Crystal cruise. I do like the fact that beer and wine, which have been good, are complimentary at meals and that food portions are not large. 

Our fellow guests have all been very friendly.  I think the average age is a little older than us.  We haven't met any complainers,  and people are punctual.

The ship is only a year or so old and is well planned.  The staff have all been very friendly and helpful.  

I think some areas, like the German rivers, are meant to be seen from the river and Viking would be a good choice.

It would be great if the ship had bikes that the passengers could use,  but that probably wouldn't be attractive to many passengers.

Nov 1-cruising on the Main River

We left the Rhine and are now on the smaller Main River.  We again slide by picturesque old villages within a stone's throw of the ship.  

Marge has had a bad cough for the last couple of days,  and lost her breakfast right after she ate this am, so we went to a doctor at the next town,  Wurzburg. Fortunately the doc said her lungs are clear, and prescribed a cough med w codine. Marge thinks ships are not good for her health- in the middle of our first cruise,  9-11 happened, and she broke her leg on another, in Patagonia. 

Scene along the Main River

Oct 30 - cruising up the Rhine

There are more castles along the Rhine River than any other river because back then,  travel along the river was the easiest way to go.  The property owners along the river would charge travelling merchants tools to pass and got rich.  They would build castles to protect their land and to keep out foreign armies. 

The weather was cool but clear, and the scenery was engrossing-the river is lined with picturesque old towns, frequently dominated by a castle, usually on a hill above the town.

Oct 28 - cruising up the Moselle River

After breakfast we took a walking tour of the nearby town of Trier, the oldest roman town in Germany. The weather however did not cooperate, bringing rain and wind.
During lunch the ship started sailing up the Mosel river. The scenery is very pretty because there are many vineyards sloping down the hills to the river. Due to the onset of winter, some of the vines are starting to turn yellow. The water level is high, at or near flood level in many places, like a cup filled with water to just below the edge. It is mesmerizing sitting in front of the sliding glass doors in our cabin,  watching the great scenery slide silently by.  The river isn't very wide so the scenery along the river is almost as close as if we were driving down the middle of a very wide street.
The river is lined with cute little towns.

Colorful vineyards

Typical town

Oct 26 - Crepes in Montmartre

After breakfast this morningvein hg our tour started with a bus tour of the tourist sites in the city.  It was a nice refresher for us.   For lunch, we wanted to try Yelps top rated creperie,  Creperie Broceliande, which is located in the Montmartre area of the city.  We were fearful that it would be crowded,  but must have come at the right time because we got a table.   The food was terrific!   Best meal we have had here and at 21 euros, the least expensive.  We each had a savory crepe and a dessert great. My savory crepe was filled with a fried egg, potatoes, bacon and cheese. The presence of a fried egg is almost guaranteed to make a dish an instant hit with me.  Marge's crepe was filled with ham,  mushrooms and cheese. My dessert crepe was filled with bananas and chocolate while Marge chose lemon cream. All of the Crepes were made with buckwheat and were cooked very thin and crispy. Attached are some photos,  but they don't do the meal justice.

My Savory crepe

Marge's lemon cream crepe