The Early Days

It is already Monday morning... The weekend has been a blur of stops and starts of wonderful tours and wandering, of excellent service both onboard and away from the MS Gullveig.
The terms of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Neo-Classicism have all returned to our daily discussions...
Saturday turned out to be a quiet excursion day on our own, in lieu of the guided shore excursion through the Black Forest. We made a decision to get caught up with sleep and the unpacking and settling in process, rather than heading out at 8:30am to hop on a bus. Besides, the cuckoo clock that purchased last the time we were in the area (1984) is still working beautifully back home. Following a restful morning, we stepped from the longship directly into the town of Breisach am Rhein. Would you know it...as we stepped off the dock there was a mobile beer garden, designed much like a chip wagon at home... only the product line was wine and beers and snack to support. The walk to the main street was a pleasant 5 minute right to market square. Our main search was for a replacement curling iron, without success, I might add. The shops all close at 1:00 pm on Saturdays and remain closed on Sundays as well. However, souvenir shops and wine stores and charming cafes and bistros abound, with their colourful, flower-filled sidewalk patios and welcoming staff.
While Marion returned to rest, I ventured a 300 step climb to St. Stephen's Cathedral. The oldest parts of the church date from the Romanesque times (12th century). For those keeping score, extensions were made in the gothic style (up to 1500). Massive damage was inflicted during the Second World War. The church is laid out in  the shape of a cross. On the walls in the west hall are paintings dating from the medieval times north of the Alps, completed in 1491. The church really is an excellent example of a blending of several styles with the most recent alter being introduced in 1996. St Stephen's cathedral is full of art treasures! Itself a treasure, it has been standing for 800 years above the Rhein,through many wars and destructions. I was indeed pleased that I had made the climb to see it.
Our Saturday concluded with a marvellous special welcome dinner, shared with newly met couples and an evening concert featuring a choral group, The Black Forest Voices.
My next blog will focus upon an amazing Sunday spent in beautiful Strasbourg and more!