Tuesday Travel...All is well!

From a cruiser's perspective the fourth day of this cruise is absolutely delightful. From our departure following breakfast until our noon arrival in Koblenz, it is a few hours of castle heaven with sightings on either side of the river. Here the water runs the fastest and deepest. Off in the distance, on both sides of the Rhine, one sees trains of all size and speed going about their scheduled routes, some small passenger carriers, some large, quick moving freight carriers with all nature of goods. As busy on the rails, the river itself has always been a highway at this stage, with family owned freighters moving up and down the river. Goods from, fuels, to oil carriers, to coal, grains and various agricultural supplies are a steady staple on the Rhine. These boats all include housing for a small crew, usually family members. Many carry one car, so that on the occasions that they can escape the river they have a mode of transportation. A small crane loads and unloads the vehicles as required.
This was also a day of cameras and picture taking, mostly distant castles and landscapes; sometimes using a camera, occasionally the iPad, there'll be a myriad of photos to decipher at the conclusion of the trip.. The beauty of the iPad is that one can quickly convey an image to friends via Facebook to offer a sense of what's going on around...the camera shots will be downloaded upon our return.
From our arrival in Koblenz, there were many options. Having visited the beautifully preserved 700 year-old Marksburg Castle last year, we opted for a ride using the Koblenz Cable Car, a modern cable car rising from Konrad-Adenauer Ufer to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress mountain station. With its panoramic cabins, the ride provided an unforgettable trip over the Rhine, offering breath-taking views over a landscaped park on the fortress plateau. On the return trip the view is even more magnificent as one can see the beautiful city of Koblenz at the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel rivers.
The perfect end of a very German day was the dinner that followed; rather than the usual served meal, last evening's fare featured a three station buffet, where diners were encouraged to sample a taste of Germany. One station was actually set up in the galley, where we got to se the kitchen staff in action! With accordion player and a music box player entertaining while we ate, I somehow forgot to count calories! Our after dinner entertainment was called, "The Liar's Club". I got to be one of the liars in a vocabulary/word farce which proved to be hilarious, being rewarded with schnapps for being a player... and a bottle of sparkling wine for being a good sport!
Yet another wonderful day with Viking River Cruises! Departure from Koblenz was at 4:00 AM for the short trip to Cologne. Even a light sleeper would not feel the MS Gullveig slide down the river!