Main River and Rudesheim

Today we set sail for Rudesheim so the morning was spent on the boat until we were due to arrive at our destination around lunchtime.

For the next few days the top deck will be closed whilst we navigate some tricky locks so it was a good time to walk the plank.

Well walk the walking track located up there.

So we did.

It was brisk and that wasn’t the walk. Merino was required.

Along the way there were a lot of what our tour guide Jonas says are ABC’s. Another Bloody Castle. But we didn’t mind, they are all a novelty to us right now.

After a 15 course lunch, yes I am slightly exaggerating, but only ever so slightly, we stepped off the boat to board the ‘Choo Choo Train’ to our chosen activities.

I had chosen the Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum experience whilst the rest of the group chose the Bassenheimer Hof (wine tasting).

I had been booked into the wine tour originally but I have decided I don’t actually like wine so why go?

I hopped onto the second Choo Choo but not before taking a photo of my captive friends in the back of the first Choo Choo. I joined my friends at the back of the second train and we were off.

So I didn’t have any friends, but it’s ok, the boat is pretty much all Australians and we are a friendly bunch, I wasn’t on my own for long.

I actually really liked Siegfried’s. The progression of mechanical instruments, the first ones appearing in the fifteenth century, was quite interesting. Brömserhof is a fifteenth-century knight’s residence which included their own little chapel.

Gramophones had 200 tunes they could play

In the gift shop I bought a little Christmas musical box for $20.90Euro……just in case I forget where I got it Julie….

After our respective tours we all headed to a cafe for two reasons. First, it was raining, and quite heavy, definitely not in the forecast, and second, we had been told we MUST try the local Rudesheim Kaffee (coffee).

We were not disappointed. It’s quite a show, the old Rudesheim Kaffee. The waiter brings the mugs to the table and then proceeds to fill them 1/3 full with a very hot wine called Asbach. He then gets his cigarette lighter out and lights the Asbach. Just the one mug. From there he spoons the flames from one mug to the next. Putting your hand above the mug you could feel the heat and see the blue flames, although they didn’t transpose to the photos. Once he is satisfied it is to whatever standard he works too, he adds liquid coffee and then cream. I thought it might have been a bit too strong for me, given my lighweightedness (yes I made that word up) with wines and liquors. But to my delight, it was absolutely delicious.

After a little girl shopping, we headed back to our boat in good time (4.45 curfew)

leaving the Rhine River about 6pm to the promise of heading through 35 locks during the night and sailing down the Main River (pronounced Mine) passing through Frankfurt sometime around midnight.

The locks were built in the 1920’s for standard size vessels of about 80 metres, which are much shorter than the 135 metres of modern day canal cruise boats. Or at least the length of ours. The width of some of the locks are 12 metres and we are 11.45 metres.

Until we reach the Danube it will be a bottle neck in parts as the rivers are narrow and there is always a lot of traffic.

As I mentioned, the main part of the sundeck will be closed due to the height of the bridges – there will be times we have a clearance of about 2 inches.

Our host Jonas told us not to stick our heads out and do any damage to said head because it would be far too much paperwork for him 😂 Fair point Jonas.

He also assured us our Captain was well skilled in manoeuvring the boat in the canals and that where we were is one of the most beautiful river ways in Europe. We will reserve our opinion on that Jonas.

Post another huge meal in the sit down silver service restaurant, Petra and Dani treated us to a Beatles acoustic set. Of course we sang. I mean it was the Beatles! No excuses. Just as they finished we arrived in Frankfurt ahead of schedule.

It was stunning.