Home Again

We have been home a week; I’ve poured over the pictures and have taken time to reflect on our Great Rivers of Europe trip.  Because we visited so many locations, it is still difficult for me remember what we saw when and where. Of course, some are favorites; and I remember them well. On this trip, I especially enjoyed the smaller towns of Bamberg and Rothenburg, unblemished by WWII, with many of their medieval buildings still intact. The larger cities of Vienna, Amsterdam and Cologne were too big to tackle during our one day visits. We saw the highlights, but only scratched the surface of those cities. We were blessed with warm sunny days almost every day of our trip, making the sights very photogenic, especially the castles and fortresses on the Rhine; but the highlight of this trip was our land extension to Belgium. What a luxury to spend three days in the same location!  I loved the architecture of the old, well preserved buildings, the history, and the walkability of Bruges.

As we sailed northwest from Vienna to Amsterdam, our captain navigated through 66 locks. We crossed the north/south continental divide while on the 106 mile Rhine-Main-Danube Canal between Kelheim and Bamberg. The crew on board was fabulous: so attentive and friendly. When a friend asked what was one of the surprises, I had to talk about the food. Each meal was so delicious, and the presentation was beautiful. Our cabin was large enough to accommodate us and all our belongings quite comfortably. All four program directors for this Grand Circle adventure were great. Thank you, Bob, for guiding us on the river portion of our trip, and Petra for being our fearless leader for the Belgium extension. We met lovely fellow travelers on our journey and hope to maintain correspondence with those whom we spent a great deal of time.

Below is an 18 minute slideshow of our trip set to music. I tried something new with the music and used 4 recordings from our trip: Um-pa-pa music from our dinner in Regensburg, Bonnie’s birthday music on the ship, Klezmer music also from Regensburg, and “Last Post” at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. Enjoy as you have time and interest.

https://youtu.be/TSTikkUHmAI

Day 18 ~ Bruges

From the 13^th to the 15^th centuries, Bruges was the most important trading center of northern Europe, based largely on its thriving wool and textile industries. The locals also developed new forms of merchant capitalism whereby several merchants would share the risks and profits and pool their knowledge of markets. Unfortunately, around 1500, the Zwin channel started silting and the Bruges’ Golden Era ended. The city soon fell behind Antwerp as the economic flagship of the Low Countries. As Antwerp became increasingly dominant, Bruges became impoverished and gradually faded in importance, its population dwindling from 200,000 to 50,000 by 1900.
In the last half of the 19th century, Bruges became one of the world's first tourist destinations attracting wealthy British and French tourists. After 1965, the original medieval city experienced a renaissance. Restorations of residential and commercial structures, historic monuments, and churches generated a surge in tourism and economic activity in the ancient downtown area. International tourism has boomed, and new efforts have resulted in Bruges being designated European Capital of Culture in 2002. It attracts some 2 million tourists annually.
We spent yesterday morning and all of today in this picturesque city. I have included lots pictures from both days below, starting with Bonnie and me on Lover’s Bridge.

Old St. John's Hospital is an 11th-century hospital and one of Europe's oldest surviving hospital buildings. The hospital grew during the Middle Ages and was a place where sick pilgrims and travelers were cared for. The site was later expanded with the building of a monastery and convent. In the 19th century, further construction led to a hospital with eight wards around a central building.

Today the hospital museum houses hospital records, medical instruments and various works of art. Below is an artist rendering of the hospital back in the day.

In 1643, an apothecary was installed in an empty monastery next to the hospital and was used from 1645-1971. Of all the parts of the museum that are open to visitor, the dispensary is the most authentic.

The Church of Our Lady  dates from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. Its tower (401 ft. in height) remains the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest brickwork tower in the world: Gotta’ love those flying buttresses! 

Its other claim to fame is the sculpture Madonna and Child which is believed to be Michelangelo's only sculpture to have left Italy within his lifetime.

The Belfry of Bruges in Market Square was founded in 1240 as a wooden tower on a stone building.  While the rest of the square was mostly commercial with wool and fabric traders and warehouses, the building housing the Belfry was the home of city officials who performed the important financial functions for the city. After several fires, the current stone tower was completed 1822, reducing fire risk. Today the tower holds the 47 bells designed in 1741  and regularly chimes the hours and important events.

The  precursor to labor unions were Guild Houses which existed until the end of the 18th century. They were organizations that gathered traders or craftsmen of a certain profession. Before being able to become a member of a guild, one had to apply and complete an apprenticeship with a master.  After that, the apprentice had to do a test after which he could be allowed to perform the craft. These guild houses are now home to restaurants that line the Market Square.

The Provincial Court also located in Market Square is a neogothical building started in 1887 and completed in 1920.  The building on the left is currently a museum.  The middle building was the former meeting place for the provincial government of West Flanders but is now mainly a ceremonial building and used for exhibits. The building on the left is a post office.

The Bruges City Hall is one of the oldest city halls in the entire Netherlands region. Construction began in 1376 and was completed in 1421. It is located in Burg Square, the area of the former fortified castle in the center of Bruges. As in Germany, we saw people waiting for their turn to be married in front of the city hall.
 
Many small, whitewashed almshouses can be seen in Bruges, mostly clustered around a cozy courtyard. These precursors of public housing were established in the 14th century by wealthy townspeople or guilds. They housed poor elderly people, widows, and other single women. There was a condition though. In return for staying at these houses, the occupants had to pray every day for the rich family who provided their home. You might even say that these rich families bought their way in to heaven. More than 46 blocks of almshouses have been preserved, scattered over the city, 43 of which are still occupied by elderly people.

And now, just some beautiful scenery: This is the spot where we started our canal boat ride. Notice the Belfry on the right.

Looking down the canal from Lover’s Bridge.

This building caught my eye with the figures in the window.  If you click on the image to enlarge it, you might be able to recognize Laurel and Hardy in the first window.

Yesterday, I mentioned that red poppies are a symbol of remembrance for those who died in World War I.  Throughout our canal ride, we saw these metal memorials.

No trip to Belgium is complete without a Belgium waffle. 
We ended our day and our trip with a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.  Below is our program director for the Burge post-trip, Petra, with her boyfriend who joined us for dinner. Those smiles tell it all.

We will be up by 2:00 tomorrow morning for a 3:00 departure to the airport. It has been a wonderful trip with such fun memories.

Day 17 ~ Bruges & Ypres

This afternoon, we visited Ypres, a small city in the very western part of Belgium. Ypres occupied a strategic position during the First World War because it stood in the path of Germany's planned sweep across the rest of Belgium and into France from the north. Because it was the center of intense and sustained battles between German and Allied forces, the town was all but obliterated by the artillery fire. It was also one of the first places where chemical warfare was employed. On a peaceful note, Ypres was one of the sites that hosted an unofficial Christmas Truce in 1914 between German and British soldiers.

Ypres played an important role in the history of the textile industry. The famous Cloth Hall was built in the thirteenth century (below). After the war, the town was rebuilt using money paid by Germany in reparations with the main square, including the Cloth Hall and town hall, being rebuilt as close to the original designs as possible. Today, the second floor of the Cloth Hall is home to In Flanders Fields Museum, dedicated to Ypres's role in the First World War. The museum does not set out to glorify war, but to suggest its futility, particularly as seen in the West Flanders front region in World War I.

After we spent about an hour in the museum, we met our guide who took us to Ypres Salient, the area around Ypres, which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I. Today, this area contains many cemeteries for thousands of soldiers of different nationalities who died during the war. Our first stop was   the Essex Farm Cemetery where 1,204 dead are commemorated, of which 104 are unidentified.

This is believed to be the location where Major John McCrae wrote his famous poem In Flanders Fields after burying a friend. Red poppies are a symbol of remembrance throughout Belgium.

At the rear of the cemetery  are the remains of the Advanced Dressing Station bunker which was the basic medical station for British Army casualties.

The Tyne Cot Cemetery is the resting place of 11,954 soldiers of the Commonwealth Forces and is the largest Commonwealth military cemetery in the world. The Cross of Sacrifice is one of the memorials at the cemetery.

We dined at this beautiful location before we went to the ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial.

The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing is a war memorial in Ypres dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I and whose graves are unknown.

Looking through the  arch of the memorial, you can see the tower of the Cloth Hall of Ypres.

Every evening at 8 o'clock, Last Post is played at the memorial. This was started in 1927, and it has been played almost every night since except for a period in the Second World War when Ypres was occupied by German Forces. After the Last Post, individuals or groups may lay a wreath to commemorate the fallen. We also listened to a lovely choir sing the Lord’s Prayer and Let There Be Peace on Earth.

Below is the video of the Last Post:  https://youtu.be/H2hNca3WUOc

It is easy to understand why these days Ypres has the title of "City of Peace." 

Day 16 ~ Delft, Ghent & Bruges

This morning, we said our farewells to our ship and crew of River Adagio and boarded our bus along with 40 other travelers. Our first stop was Delft, a canal-ringed city in the western Netherlands, known as the manufacturing base for Delftware, hand-painted blue-and-white pottery. After a brief tour of the old town, we attended a Delftware demonstration. From right to , we were shown the process of going from the slip to the finished product.

We were also shown how to tell a real Delftware product from a knockoff and watched a woman carefully hand painting a piece of delftware.

In its old town, the medieval Oude Kerk (Old Church) built in 1240 is the burial site of native son and Dutch Master painter Johannes Vermeer.

As we left the old town, we passed by the scenic Eastern Gate with a small draw bridge.

We stopped for lunch at a windmill restaurant in a small picturesque town between Delft and Ghent. 

At the recommendation of Petra, our program director for our trip extension,  I had to try their cherry beer. This sweet beer tastes like a cherry soda with a subtle beer flavor. 

 

Our next stop was Ghent, a city in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie; and in the Late Middle Ages, it became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe with some 50,000 people in 1300. Today it’s a university town and cultural hub. This scenic port is lined with historic buildings.

Below is the historical center of Ghent – from left to right:  Saint-Nicholas Church (patron saint of the traders) 13th century, Belfry 14th century, and Saint Bavo Cathedral 15th century.

We arrived in Bruges around 6:00 this evening.  Tomorrow, we will tour the city and take an optional trip to Flanders.

Day 15 ~ Amsterdam

When I looked outside our cabin this morning, I knew we were in the Netherlands when I saw this windmill.  Everything was so green, sheep were grazing, and a mom was pedaling on her bicycle with her two young sons on a bike path along the river. 

Shortly after 9:00, our ship docked in Amsterdam; and we boarded a canal boat for some sightseeing.  We passed house boats and homes of the very wealthy. Some of the homes date back  to the 1600’s.

You can see the series of bridges that line the canal.

This was one of my favorite house boats on our tour.  Many boats leave their shades open so we could see inside.  Most are valued at over $1,000,000 because of their location.

Bicycles are everywhere!  Pedestrians need to keep a watchful eye when crossing the street because the bikes will take the right of way.  I loved this 3 passenger bicycle with the crate in the front.

After our canal ride, we took a walking tour to the Dam Square.  Below is the Magna Plaza, a shopping mall. The former Amsterdam Main Post Office was built in 1895–1899 in Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance style

The Royal Palace was built as a city hall during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. The building became the royal palace of King Louis Napoleon and later of the Dutch Royal House.

Amsterdam is known for its red light district, which is located next door to the 800 year old Oude Kerk (old church), a Calvinist church since 1578.  On the church grounds there is a bronze statue of Belle installed in 2007 which has a plaque that reads “Respect sex workers all over the world.”

In the afternoon, we went for a tour of  the Anne Frank House.  Bonnie had snagged tickets for the museum two months ago.  It was a very emotional experience to walk through the rooms, listen to the videos, and read excerpts of Anne Frank’s words.

Tonight, we said goodbye to our program director, Bob.  He has done a wonderful job leading us through cities and towns in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands.

Tomorrow morning, we disembark our ship and board our motor coach for our three day extension to Burges, Belgium.

Day 14 ~ Cologne

Cologne is located on the Rhine River in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and is the fourth-largest city in Germany. Romans settled here in the first century AD and remained until it was occupied by the Franks in 462. During the Middle Ages, it flourished because it was on one of the most important trade routes between the east and west in Europe. Up until World War II, the city had undergone several occupations by the French and also by the British. Cologne was one of the most heavily-bombed cities in Germany during World War II.  The bombing reduced the population by 95%, mainly due to evacuation, and destroyed almost the entire city. Notice the Cologne Cathedral is still standing in the rubble of the city.  The church was spared because it served as a landmark for the bomber pilots and only suffered damage to its left tower when the nearby train station was bombed.

We arrived in Cologne in the early morning hours and awakened to this view of the Cathedral. Construction on the Gothic church began in 1248 and was completed in 1880. 

Scaffolding can be found around several areas of the cathedral. Residents of Cologne sometimes refer to the cathedral as "the eternal construction site." Notice the head of our program director, Bob, in the lower right corner.

Unfortunately, the beautiful stained glass windows did not photograph well.  To save the windows from destruction during WWII, the windows were removed  from the church and taken to the countryside. The cathedral houses the Shrine of the Three Kings which supposedly contains the relics of the Three Magi.

We have seen several weddings in front of a variety of city halls (Rathaus) in the towns we have visited.  In Germany, a couple needs to have a civil ceremony for a marriage to be legal even if they have a church wedding. Below, a wedding party is waiting for its turn in front of the Rathaus.

At the end of our city tour, our program directors treated us to a German beer at a local establishment called Papa Joe’s Biersalon. As you can tell by the video below, we are all enjoying ourselves as we sing My Bonnie. https://youtu.be/UhLwScOdOaY

In Cologne their specialty is Gaffel Kolch beer which is served in a 7 oz. glass and  carried in a little knit bag around your neck. 

Tonight we had the farewell dinner and show put on by the crew.  You know you are in for quite a dinner when your place is set with this much cutlery.

By morning, we will be in our third country, the Netherlands, when we arrive in Amsterdam.