Castles, Castles Everywhere .... and Koblenz

Monday, October 6

We wrap up this little canoe ride in Amsterdam but before we got there we had a scenic ride down the Rhine River where the countryside is loaded down with castle after castle, church after church.  Many of the castles were built as toll castles.  There are about 40 castles along this 40 mile stretch of the Rhine River.  So, that's a lot of tolls.  The whole area is .... you guessed it .... UNESCO World Heritage Site.  So glad, because this area is spectacular.

Biebrich Castle


Monument of Germania

Burg Ehrenfels

Another Castle, I forget its name

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle
(don't check my spelling!)

Another thing to note in this area is the abundance of vineyards.  This Rhine River area includes 4 major regions and include some of the most interesting steep and terraced vineyards you'll ever see.  The workers in the area have frequent issues with their backs because they stand at such awkward angles while working the vines.


Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland -
notice the vineyards and how they run

Beautiful town at
Assmannshausen Vineyard

Braubach


beautiful pastoral scene before coming into Koblenz

The little city of Koblenz is located at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. It is a very strategic location.  Koblenz is best known for the Deutsches Eck, a promontory and monument right at the meeting of the rivers.  The equestrian statue is of Kaiser Wilhelm I.

the meeting of the rivers at night
with the Deutsches Eck statue at its tip
(@https://www.germany.travel/en/cities-culture/koblenz.html)


the Deutsches Eck


Koblenz is also known for the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress which is a massive Prussian fortress built in the early 1800’s; the second largest in Europe.


The Ehrenbreitstein Fortress sits strategically above the Rhine

The fortress at night as we prepared to leave Koblenz,
postcard perfect, Vi says.


Situated in the heart of the Rhine and Moselle wine regions, Koblenz hosts many wine festivals and offers wine tours and features many wine bars and shops.

lots of campers along the Moselle River

One of many festivals


Our tour today began at 5:00 in the evening, a slightly different take on how we've been touring.  It was an overcast evening, but the rain mostly held off.


Our welcome wagon to Koblenz!

Basilica of St. Castor


our amazing guide, Maria



a most unusual sculpture...
so out of place in this town of antiquity


A walk through Koblenz is interesting and fun.  From a clock that has a face on it that rolls its eyes and sticks out its tongue on the hour to the memorial made of pieces of the Berlin wall to the home of the renowned Dr. Johannes Muller to bras that line the street (in recognition of breast cancer) to the spitting boy statue.  It is a fun and fascinating place.  

See the little man below the clock!
Augenroller (he rolls his eyes and sticks out his tongue!)

Old Town Hall


Berlin Wall Memorial


Breast Cancer - be gone!


Spitting boy fountain who "spits" on unsuspecting tourists!
(of course Vi played in the stream!)


As LeRoy had a cold and the rain had begun, Maria walked with us back to the ship, and we called it an early night.  Tomorrow is Cologne.  Hope the weather clears!




LeRoy and Vialula



Location: 56 Koblenz, Germany

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