A Full-time Life

OCTOBER!

 

 

I don't care how many pumpkin-flavored lattes are being sold at Starbucks this month -- to me the wonderful month of October is all about Fall color  .....

 

 

... And  apples.   October is definitely all about the apple harvest!   They are plentiful, ripe, and bursting with fresh-picked flavor.

 

 

 

 

 This  wheelbarrowful  on our favorite back-porch (at our daughter's and son-in-law's)  was just waiting for us to help ourselves.  We barely made a dent in the bounty -- and the trees (in the collage above) were still full and getting fuller.   

 

 

The reds and  golds of the season are everywhere -- even an ancient and long-abandoned lawn chair echoed the color scheme of the month!

 

Grateful for the beauty of everyday.

 

Linking this week the the following:  Thank you to all of the hosts.

NATURE NOTES;  MOSAIC MONDAY;  THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  COUNTRYSCAPES;

TUESDAY TREASURES; SAY CHEESE;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;   THANKFUL THURSDAY;  

SKYWATCH FRIDAY; and   FRIDAY  BLISS.

 

PROST! We visit KOLN (COLOGNE)

 

The Skirnr arrived at Koln at 9 in the morning, having left Koblenz at 3 A.M., according to our in-room daily newsletter.  We didn't notice the departure -- by this time in the journey (only a couple days from its end) we were quite used to the motions of the boat.  

We opened our balcony door to watch the landing and saw a Festival Beer Garden set up right across the sidewalk from our room.   People were already having fun (at just 9 in the morning) -- or maybe it was "still having fun"  from the night before, who knows?  

 

 

 

The top two pictures above show how our boat was docked here.  The rather steep gangplank that we walked to get in and out shows on the left.   The lower picture is the beer garden, taken from our balcony.     This docking point was great, because we were able to walk on that sidewalk right into the center of town.  (I think a few passengers might have gotten sidetracked on the way in, right there across the 'street'.  

 

 

We were looking forward to a nice long day in Koln.  After breakfast on board, we headed into town -- which was already hopping by that time in the morning.  We saw a coffee shop called Oma Jan's in the same building as Papa Joe's Bier Salon.  It was a little early to patronize Papa, but we enjoyed a pastry and coffee at Oma's.   (Those happen to be two German words I understand very well, as I've known a few couples whose grandchildren called them Oma and Papa.)        As it turned out, we would visit Papa Joe's later in the day.  

 

 

 

It was pleasant to stroll around the old town watching people .... we stumbled on a wedding right at the busiest corner of the pedestrian mall.   The happy couple had quite a few uninvited guests.   Everyone was waiting until the white "doves" were released.   Someone told me that a man has a business renting out these homing pigeons for events.  

 

 

 

I don't know the significance of the top statue but the bottom (uh, lower?) center gargoyle is said to be mooning a statue that is across the river -- that one is sticking its tongue out.   In addition to being a happening town, it seems Cologne seemed  a bit of an irreverent one. 

 

 

Irreverent in spite of the fact that the twin spires of the 14th-Century Gothic Cathedral dominate  the City skyline.     The Cathedral is one of the few buildings in the City that was spared allied bombs during WWII.    The City is quite a mix of old and new, with ancient Roman ruins right next to modern buildings.  

 

 

 

Ornate and imposing, the Cathedral also has beautiful stained-glass windows, which down't show well at all in this picture. There is a 500+ step tower which leads to a viewing platform (we did not climb it).    It holds an impressive  sarcophagus which is said to contain bones of the Magi (the three Kings who visited Baby Jesus).    

After viewing the Cathedral, we wandered back to the boat   for lunch (which we didn't really need) and a nap, which we did.  It was a  pre-emptive rest, because we had chosen to take an optional evening tour to explore Cologne's food and beer culture -- and we did want to start out wide awake!

 

Cologne is famous for its Kolsch beer.  By law, real Kolsch can only be produced here.  As we walked back to town, our knowledgeable tour guide (a young woman) provided very interesting history of Cologne's signature beer and explained that we would visit four authentic  German brauhauses.  Our first stop was Papa Joe's , the one we'd looked at when we walked around that morning.   As we enjoyed our first glass of Kolsch, we admired the hand-carved and life-sized  mechanical band.   Papa's is a jazz club, but the only music we heard was when the  "band" played traditional German songs.   It was probably too early in the evening.

 

At the second stop, we enjoyed our Kolsch along with a traditional four-course German dinner.  Waiters carried  multiple glasses   in  one hand, while at the same time scooping up empties with the other.     We learned the special way to toast each other with the special Kolsch glasses.  "Prost" is the German word -- as we would say "cheers."  (You clink the bottom of the glasses, while looking each other in the eye -- otherwise it is bad luck.)

 

Beer Mat (coaster) 

 

Kolsch glasses are small, but we learned that they would be refilled  unless you remember to put the beer mat over it.  That is how you signal you've had enough.   Our (I guess unlimited) beer and food was pre-paid since we were on a tour, but normally, the waiter would make a hash-mark on the beer mat for each refill and that is how they know how to charge the drinker.    

 

Prost!  

There were two more tour stops -- at the last one, our guide told us the Brauhaus had been built on the site of Roman ruins --  there were  actually plexi-glass windows in a few places on the floor where you could see bones on the ground below.    I didn't really want  to think about that too much by that point.

 

(This picture has nothing to do with beer.)

Our group  had gotten gradually smaller as  the tour progressed, but we stayed until the end, arriving back at the ship around 10 p.m.  .... The boat left port at 10:30.    The picture above is shortly after we left, motoring past some of the  bright lights of  a more modern part of Cologne..

 

 

 We sat on our deck enjoying the still warm evening as we said Auf Wiedersehen to Koln  ...  and to Germany.  The next morning, the Skirnr would dock in the Netherlands, the fourth country we would see while on this cruise.

 

 

 

 

We had fun in Koln, but as we reflected, we were most grateful for all we had learned at every stop in Germany.  We enjoyed the country so much... perhaps more than I had thought we would.  I really knew so very little about it, even though both of us can trace part of our ancestry to that country.   

 

Linking this week to the following, with thanks to the hosts.  

 

ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  

TUESDAY TREASURES; SAY CHEESE;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; SIGNS SIGNS;   THANKFUL THURSDAY;  

SKYWATCH FRIDAY; and   FRIDAY  BLISS; 

 

 

 

 

 

CASTLES AND DUNGEONS AND WINE, OH MY

The next couple of days of our cruise were like a fairy-tale!    We had castles and towers and dungeons and beautiful views  ....   and lots of good wine!  (Okay, it was an adult fairy-tale.)

 

Morning view from the boat, Day 11

We woke to another beautiful day on the Rhine River.  Our port of call was Wertheim, the smallest of all the places we'd visited in Germany, but one with as much history as any of the larger cities. 

 

 

It was an important city because of its  strategic location at the  confluence of the Main and Tauber Rivers.  The City's royalty built  the Castle (middle picture above)  in the 12th Century, but it was captured and destroyed in the Thirty Years' War.  The ruins are still impressive.    It looks down upon the medieval town center and newer homes along the river banks.  

 

Wertheim also  has its own Leaning Tower.  (Can you imagine Rapunzel in the window up there?)  The noticeable lean is due to 800 years of flooding -- a hazard of the town's location on the river banks.  Markers on the tower and on many other old buildings show just how high the water has risen over the centuries.  (And as we all know from recent years, rising water levels and flooding still continue across Europe.)     

The tower was built in the 13th Century as a lookout, but it also served as a prison for drunkards and "quarrelsome wenches."   Food and water were lowered down to the prisoners who were kept in complete darkness until their release.  (Can you imagine anyone down there in the dungeon?)    

(Amateur photographer's disclaimer here:    I often need to straighten pictures with my editing tool and  I am honestly not sure if the lean on the tower picture is  the real angle or if part of it is due to my shaky camera hand.  I do remember that the lean was quite obvious to the naked eye.)  

 

From the boat -- Day 13

It was a short day in Wertheim -- we were back on the boat by noon and the Skirnr departed shortly after for the next stop.  Some of the more energetic passengers had taken an optional bicycle tour of the city and surrounding hills -- the boat stopped briefly along the way to pick them up.  

 Every single day of this cruise there were interesting sights from the boat  as we traveled, but the next day, which was almost all on the water,  was the most spectacular of all.   These pictures are just a few of the castles and some of the surrounding beautiful scenery that we saw  along this part of the Middle Rhine River.

 

 

We went back and forth between our stateroom balcony and the outside lounge upstairs, where we could see both sides of the river ... trying not to miss a thing.   The views were spectacular wherever we looked.    The program director of the cruise was in the lounge to give us some of the history of the castles we passed.    (Way too much   to include here -- there are many links  to Castles on the Rhine for more information.)  This area would be a wonderful land tour -- some of the castles are open to the public.   (Sigh.  So many beautiful places .....)

 

 

We arrived at Koblenz, the next port of call,  around 4,  and quickly boarded a bus for an excursion through part of the surrounding Moselle wine country.  Grape vines grew everywhere -- on steep terraces, on hillsides,  in front of castles, on railroad right-of-way, and in spaces between more ordinary homes.  We ended up at a small country winery, where we enjoyed hearing from the owner about this wine making region  and his family's long history making wine.   And of course we enjoyed an excellent  tasting experience before heading back to the boat for a 7 p.m. dinner, featuring (as usual) good food and (more) local wines.   

 

 

A beautiful ending to the fairy-tale.

 

 

Linking this week to the following:  Thank you to all of the hosts.

 

ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  COUNTRY SCAPES;  TUESDAY TREASURES; SAY CHEESE;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY; and   FRIDAY  BLISS; 

 

TRANSITION SEASON

 

It's just beginning to feel like Autumn here in Eugene.

 

 

These colors showed early last week on a short walk from our home to the Willamette River.  That day was warm -- shirt-sleeve weather; screen-door breezes when we got home.     But yesterday we had to turn on heat.    Summer is now officially over!  

 

Washington Park, Portland

Last weekend, we traveled to Portland for a short getaway in the big city.   We hadn't really seen much Fall color here at home by that time.  Portland was a little ahead.     I like watching the seasons change!   Summer to Fall is really the only big change we see these days, because we don't notice a whole lot of difference while we're in Florida.  

 

 

Washington Park, in Portland, is home to the Portland Zoo, the Japanese Garden, an arboretum, acres of hiking and walking trails, and a beautiful rose garden (Portland is known as the City of Roses).  Although so late in the season, the blooms still put on a beautiful show for us. 

 

 

We traveled to Portland via Amtrak and stayed downtown, where we walked (a lot).   We  used the City's excellent public transportation system to get to the Park. It was surprising to us that there were so few people on the square (living room?) downtown.  Especially compared to those where we hung out on our Europe trip  (or even more recently in Seattle.) 

 

 

 Grateful to be here for all the changes that make life so interesting.

 

Thank you to the hosts of the following sites where this post is linked:

 ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS;

THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  

TUESDAY TREASURES; SAY CHEESE;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; 

SIGNS SIGNS;   THANKFUL THURSDAY;  

SKYWATCH FRIDAY; and   FRIDAY  BLISS; 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WURZBERG (on the MAIN RIVER)

 

Marienburg Fortress

on the Left Bank of the Main River

 Wurzburg is located  on two banks of the Main River in the Franconia region of Germany.    We had the above view from near where the boat was docked.   Franconia is known for its wine and Wurzburg is  home to Germany's oldest and largest vineyard.  (That is a different vineyard in the picture above --  the city is surrounded by them.)        This 13th-Century Fortress  was originally a Celtic fort and then was expanded into a  Baroque residence of bishops .                                                              

 

Two sides of the same sculpture

Our ship-board guide said Wurzburg's pedestrian zone had the best shopping in the region.  We didn't really shop, but did enjoy seeing this  sculpture by Mia Weiss.    That is two views of the same sign -- from each side.   (I'm sorry I didn't measure my steps better; obviously I was closer to the Love side.)    Here's what I found out about it by searching the net:

Since May 2019, several LOVE HATE sculptures by Mia Florentine Weiss have been travelling as ambassadors through various cities in Germany and Europe in support of democracy and humanism in order to strengthen the European idea according to the maxim MAKE LOVE NOT HATE!

The LOVE HATE ambigram by Mia Florentine Weiss, a larger-than-life-sized sculpture in public space, in its mirror-image reading, confronts the extremes of human emotions with each other and animates the viewer to question his or her own point of view by changing his or her perspective.    The mobile LOVE HATE sculpture by Mia Florentine Weiss was to be integrated into a cultural event as a highlight at the respective locations. With the participation in the art action #LOVEUROPE every city commits itself to love for Europe according to the maxim MAKE LOVE NOT HATE!

   

 

Bishop's Residence on the Right Bank of the Main 

 

The Wurzburg Bishops' Residenz  (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is on the other side of the River from the  Fortress.  (Those Prince-Bishops owned a lot of real estate in Germany.)    This one is massive (I was unable to get a picture of the entire structure).    It is a monument to the ways the royalty used their power (and enormous wealth.)    The palace was built between 1720 and 1744.   

No pictures were allowed  inside sadly.... we even had to check our bags at this palace.   The inside was breath-taking.  We remember the famous grand staircase with  the largest ceiling fresco in the world (it is called "The Four Continents -- all the artist knew about at the time).  From the Staircase, we entered the Imperial Hall which had marble and gold decorations and more frescoes by the Venetian painter Tiepolo .  (Disclaimer:  I remember his work, but certainly had to research for his name.)   

There were also beautiful formal gardens and we enjoyed strolling  around the grounds.

 

Kappele Baroque Masterpiece Church

Just a couple more "ordinary" churches photographed in passing .... I couldn't even begin to  show every photo-worthy structure in this City.

 

Neumunster Collegiate Church

 

We had a nice long day in Wurzburg, plus the boat was conveniently docked within walking distance of downtown.   This made it an ideal location for us to fill a regular prescription that Bill needed.  Finding out how to do that was an adventure in itself.   From the helpful local pharmacist we learned the location of a walk-in clinic where he could visit a Dr and (hopefully) get the necessary local prescription.  ... And it worked! 

  

 

High-school German (from oh, so many years ago) gave us the basic gist of this sign:   "Dear Patients:  We don't necessarily see patients in the order in which they enter.  Thank you for your understanding."     But Bill was seen quite promptly and while waiting we visited with local people -- this definitely wasn't a tourist place!   In fact, they really had no way of dealing with people who weren't on the national insurance -- they had no way to accept credit cards and no change.  We ended up paying almost nothing -- and the office manager smiled and was more than pleasant all through the transaction.   We went back to the same Pharmacy and the prescriptions were ready promptly.

Routine errands, made interesting by virtue of our being in another country.  We were impressed by  -- and grateful for -- the efficiency and caring of the staff at the clinic and the pharmacy.  And interested in comparing both to our country.

 

 

It was a beautiful walk along the river back to the Viking Ship Skirnr, our home-away-from-home for this trip. We made it in plenty of time for departure to the next stop.

 

 

 

Linking this week to the following:  Thank you to all of the hosts:

 ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS;

THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;   COUNTRY SCAPES;  

TUESDAY TREASURES; SAY CHEESE;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; 

SIGNS SIGNS;   THANKFUL THURSDAY;  

SKYWATCH FRIDAY; and   FRIDAY  BLISS; 

BEAUTIFUL BAMBERG

Bamberg really was the prettiest town!   

Founded in 902, the many historical churches and  homes mean it still looks like a medieval city.   It's almost like the whole town is an historic work of art.

  

Alte Rathaus (old City Hall)

In the 14th Century, the citizens of Bamberg wanted to build a city hall that served both sides of the town, which is divided by the Regnitz River.    Their solution was to build a bridge across the river and place the Rathaus (town hall) on a man-made island in the middle.  

 

 

Baroque and rococo touches were added to the building in 1746.  The pictures above are the same building -- this part of it is slightly visible in the very first picture  in this post -- on the left corner from the half-timbered part of the building.   From this location, there are beautiful city and river views.  

 

 

It  is probably no surprise to anyone that most of my pictures include river views.  

 

 

Lots of water and boats.  Bamberg has been called "Little Venice".       

 

Heller Haus

 This building  was the birthplace of Joseph Heller, a historian and art collector.  I really don't have much more information about him, but the building is so pretty.  It looks like it is made out of Wedgewood pottery -- or sugar icing!    The statue on the end of the bridge in front  of it is  Queen (and Saint)  Cunigunde, the wife of one of the Holy Roman Emperors and a patron of Bamberg.     

 

 

Another mystery  -- this three-dimensional sculpture  is on a wall on the Mager Building in the old town.  I don't know the significance, but was fascinated by it.

 

Original Schlenkeria Smoked Beer. 

There has to be something silly about every stop -- in Bamberg for us it was trying this strongly smoke-flavored beer at the historic brewery tavern that is its birthplace.    I'll just say that 'trying' was the operative word (for both of us).   Definitely not 'finishing'.  

 

 

These pictures are from our balcony, shortly after we re-boarded the Skirnr.   This was the most bird life we'd seen from the boat.    There were geese, ducks and ducklings,  and several swan families.    It was the perfect ending  to this beautiful day.

 

 

Linking to the following this week with thanks to the generous hosts:

  ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY;  THROUGH MY LENS;  OUR WORLD on Tuesday;  TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS;   TUESDAY TREASURES ;  SAY CHEESE;     MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;  THANKFUL THURSDAY;   SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   FRIDAY  BLISS;   and   SATURDAY CRITTERS    

 

NATURAL WONDERS -- closer to home

 

Cape Flattery

It's time for some more recent travel pictures  -- and definitely time for some pictures of our beautiful natural world.  Toward the end of last month, we went on a ten-day road trip to Washington State.   The next two shots are from the new Point Defiance Aquarium in Tacoma.

 

 

These are straight from the camera shots -- the jellyfish tanks had the best lighting ever.  

 

 

The jellies were almost hypnotic!   

 

Seattle  Spheres 

 

The Spheres are workplaces for Amazon employees in downtown Seattle.  Seattle's a pretty amazing city anyway, but it is jaw-dropping to come upon these spheres in the middle of it!    (Read about them here.)

 

After great visits with family in Tacoma and Seattle (and as usual for me, too few people pictures) we  drove North to the very tip end of the Olympic Peninsula.   

 

 

These pictures aren't in any particular order  -- just a little taste of what we saw along the way.

 

 

Bill got to indulge in his love of mountain driving on the way to the Makah Reservation at the tip of the Peninsula.     I  got to enjoy a hike through the forest  (on a sometimes iffy board walk).  Beautiful forest views along the way and of Cape Flattery once I reached the top.  

 

 

Roses and hollyhocks -- and hollyhocks and roses!

 

On our way home again, just a little way into Oregon, we stayed at an RV Park in Netarts.  It really was a pretty place  -- with gardens to wander through, the ocean across the street -- and (important to those of us who do old-people camping) a very easy drive to good restaurants.

 

    These lazy elephant seals just across the street from our spot were quiet neighbors. 

 

Olympic National Park

 

Grateful to visit with family -- for the interesting places they showed us  (and this post was just a tiny taste  of those)  -- and for the beautiful natural places we saw when we took the long way home.

 

Linking this week to the following:  Thank you to all of the hosts.

 

SATURDAY CRITTERS;  NATURE NOTES;   ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY; MACRO MONDAY   TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; THROUGH MY LENS;  OUR WORLD on Tuesday;  COUNTRY SCAPES;     TUESDAY TREASURES ;  SAY CHEESE;    MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;  THANKFUL THURSDAY;   SKYWATCH FRIDAY; and  FRIDAY  BLISS;      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NUREMBERG (Day 9)

Our tour  guidebook said that our visit to Nuremberg would be a complex and intriguing excursion.     I can't think of a better way to describe this beautiful city.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

  Nuremberg -- old and new 

 

World War II reminders were everywhere on this trip but nowhere more so than here.  That's what we expected to see and learn more about.    Prior to and during WWII, Nuremberg was the site of the huge parade grounds where Nazi rallies and military drills  were held.    Recently, after much debate, a decision was made to preserve  these grounds as a reminder of the country's dark past.  (The grandstands are deteriorating badly and the debate was whether to demolish or repair.)  

 

 

On the day we visited, part of the infamous site  was being used as a temporary campground -- if I understood correctly, many visitors were in town to attend a rock concert.  I'm not sure what to think about that  use, but maybe happy vibes are good.      On the lower left is one of several picture the tour guide showed us as our bus passed the parade grounds.        On the right is my picture of the same grounds.    It was easy to imagine the real and terrible events taking place as we viewed both pictures.    

Our tour guide was excellent --   respectful and knowledgeable.  We did not walk around at this stop, but stopped several times for pictures and  presentations.    

 

 

Imperial Palace

  I was so sure that this tour would be all about World War II that the rest of what we saw and learned surprised me.  The part I did not expect started at the top of Castle Hill, where our the walking tour began.       This is the Imperial Palace, a symbol of the City.    During the Middle Ages, every Holy Roman Emperor  stayed here at some time.   Nuremberg was a walled city with this safe fortress at the center.

Much later in time, the Palace also served an important purpose.    Shortly after  WWII began, an art storage depot was established in the ancient cellars under the Castle.  In this way, the City's most important art treasures survived the heavy air raids intact.  

 

 

 

Although air raids destroyed most of the medieval city walls, around three miles of them with original gateways and watchtowers still remain.                                          

 

 

From the top of the hill we walked toward the City's Old Town.  We had a short guided orientation ending in the Town Center....

 

 

Der Schone Brunen

(The Beautiful Fountain)

.... at this ornate Gothic fountain  which dominates Market Square.  The Fountain is an early 20th Century  replica of the original  built in the 1300s.  It depicts figures from the Holy Roman Empire and the Church. 

We then had some time to explore on our own.   

 

 

We did some window-shopping in the Market Square.     Nuremberg was once known as the toy-making capital of Europe -- mostly hand-carved wooden toys (although my photo obviously shows softer toys).     

It has always been well-known for its famous Lebkuchen — a cookie made with ground almonds and nine spices.  And delicious.  (Okay, it was more than window-shopping at Wicklein Lebkuchen Workshop, where they've been baking since 1613.)  

We  were told that it is a Nuremberg tradition to serve three German sausages in one bun.  The price seemed reasonable enough if sausages are your thing.  

 

The guide had told us to be back at the Beautiful Fountain  when it was time to head back to the bus.  It was a great meeting place --  Nobody could forget or miss this spot!     The top middle picture is somebody trying to reach the lucky ring.      Tradition says  your wish  will be granted if you turn that certain ring three times.  Our guide said it used to be gold, but because of all the touching and pushing and pulling it has been replaced several times.

 Back on the bus (and back to the 20th Century)  we stopped at the Palace of Justice, where the Nuremberg War Crime Trials took place in 1945 and 1946.

Palace of Justice, Nuremberg  

 

We joined our guide  in hoping that peace and justice prevail in this world and that we do not forget history. 

 

Linking this week to the following, with thanks to all of the hosts:  

  ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY;  TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; THROUGH MY LENS;  OUR WORLD on Tuesday;     TUESDAY TREASURES ; SAY CHEESE;    SIGNS SIGNS;    MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;  THANKFUL THURSDAY;   SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   FRIDAY  BLISS; 

 

 

 

MUNICH (day 8)

Just after breakfast  the Skirnr docked  briefly at Straubing where guests could board buses for one of two tours -- to the City of Munich (the capital of the German State of Bavaria) or to Regensburg. 

 

 

We had not known before our trip that Munich would be an option, but because we'd heard a lot about it from fellow-snowbirds whose summer (and real) home is there,  we jumped at the chance to visit.        

 

BMW Welt website photo

It was rather a long bus ride into Munich.  On the way, our bus made a stop at BMW Welt -- a gigantic (and ultra-modern) showroom and car museum near the plant where this car is manufactured.  It was more interesting  than most "pit-stops" (and we had almost an hour for  the usual necessities and then to look around).   But I should have asked Bill to take pictures;  I was a little overwhelmed by all the cars and lights and noise and modernity when I had just gotten used to seeing only historical buildings.  So I  didn't take even one picture.  This one is from their website.

 

                                           

City of Munich   

 

Once we got to Munich, most of the walking part of the guided tour was spent on Marienplatz  (Our Lady's Square).  It has been Munich's City Center since 1158.   Both the new and old city halls are on the square ... as well as the famous Munich Glockenspiel Clock Tower.

 

 

 

The Glockenspiel is  quite wonderful in a three-ring circus kind of way.    I got photographer's neck looking up at the action (in the green window in the picture  on the right. .. The other pictures are zoomed and cropped.)   Built in 1908, the tower chimes twice daily at 11 and noon.  When it chimes, life-size figures re-enact two 16th Century stories.  The top half depicts the marriage of Duke Wilhelm -- the action includes a joust with visiting knights.  (Bavaria wins, of course.)    Meanwhile, the lower stage depicts the Cooper's Dance --  there is a myth that there was a plague in 1517 and this dance somehow halted its progress....    When the show is over, the golden rooster in the top cupola crows signifying the end.  

 

 

There were a lot of people in  downtown Munich!   Not for the first time, nor for the last, we marveled at the modern stores in the very old buildings.  Not that I expect all the buildings in these cities to be turned into museums, but just amazed that the buildings have survived through so much and are still being used.  

 

Our tour included a delicious (and huge) traditional Bavarian dinner at the Ratskeller Restuarant, also on Marianplatz.   And after that we pretty much dozed on the evening bus ride back to the boat.

It really was quite a lot of time on the bus and, in hindsight, maybe we should have stayed with our original plan and visited  Regensburg, which was closer to the dock point and would have given us more time to explore.   There are so many historical places in and near Munich  that we didn't have time to visit.   But on the other hand, we are glad to have seen even a little bit of this beautiful and historic City and it will be fun to tell our friends that we at least were able to get a quick overview of their hometown.  

 

So many things of interest, so little time ... but we're always conscious of how fortunate we are to have seen as much as we have! 

While we were away that day, the Skirnr had made its way along the river and we rejoined it at Kelheim just before it set sail for the next stop.   They were also still serving dinner on board -- but for some strange reason, that option was not quite as interesting as it usually was.

 

 

LINKING to the following, with thanks to all of the hosts:  ALL SEASONS;  MOSAIC MONDAY;  THROUGH MY LENS;  OUR WORLD on Tuesday;  TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS;      TUESDAY TREASURES ;  SAY CHEESE;   MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;  SIGNS SIGNS; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   FRIDAY  BLISS;   

 

 

 

 

 

OREGON INTERLUDE

In Blog-land, we've been re-living our June trip to Europe  and it isn't over yet.  But in real life we've been at home in Oregon since the first of July -- and it's great to be here.   So this is a little break between Weeks One and  Two of our trip  -- we need to catch up just a tiny bit on wonders that are closer to home.

 

Alsea Falls

 

 

Alsea Falls is a favorite place -- we stopped  for a walk there after a trip to the Oregon coast last month. And were surprised and happy to see this much water at the falls in July.

 

 

 

Flowers collected on walks around our our daughter and son-in-laws country home and on the Willamette River paths near our home here in Oregon.

 

 

There are a few newcomers in that same backyard!   ....

 

 

Oregon Blues!

 

In that same backyard again!  I  picked that colander full of blueberries without moving more than 5 steps.   In July, those bushes were loaded.  The growth has eased off by now --  but their freezer is full and we have been invited to help ourselves as needed.    Those  plums are just coming on.  Blackberries are uninvited guests, but they are good to eat anyway.  (And of course we no longer  have to cut these invasive plants  back every year.   Many homeowners in this part of Oregon fight them constantly.  But in the meantime, everybody picks and eats them.)  

 

 Oregon Scrub Jay

 

Scrub Jays are seen often  in western Oregon -- almost as common as crows and just as noisy.   The funny thing is that in Florida, there is a Scrub Jay that is rather rare.  I can't tell any difference -- to me they look exactly alike!  But I've never been able to get  a good picture of one in Florida -- that is one of my goals for next season there!  

 

 

And here is the ultimate Oregon Blue!  The Pacific Ocean near Waldport on a beautiful July day.  It was a day-trip for us -- we just went to make sure the Ocean was still there.

 

LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts! 

SATURDAY CRITTERS; RATHER B' BIRDING ;  NATURE NOTES;   ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY;  THROUGH MY LENS;  OUR WORLD on Tuesday;   COUNTRY SCAPES; TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; SAY CHEESE;  WILD BIRD Wednesday;   MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;  THANKFUL THURSDAY;   SKYWATCH FRIDAY; and   FRIDAY  BLISS;