RIVER CRUISE - 2018
Wednesday Aug 15 - Miltenberg
Miltenberg was the smallest town we called at and was my favorite. The attraction was the colorful half-timbered buildings. We took our own tour of the town and then headed upstream on the Main Bike Path. We started out early enough to avoid the tourist hoards.
Ready to see the town
Entering the old town
The first point of interest was St. Jakobus der �ltere church (St James the greater?). Outside it was standard baroque. But inside was starkly modern. It was as if at one time the protestants had gained control of it and stripped it of all baroque decoration. Then the Catholics regained control; but didn't restore it to its previous state.
An African priest appeared wearing a red beanie (a cardinal?). I asked him about the history of the church. But he said he was new and didn't know.
The modern painting above altar
Some of the colorful half-timbered houses
Behind the fountain is Zum Riesen which claims to be the oldest guest house in Germany.
Protestant church. Apparently they weren't allowed in town.
Just to the right of Jeanine's head is the African cardinal? walking down the main street.
This was a church looking building where a lady was standing at a table at the front door handing our greenery to people entering. The sign suggested that it was a senior center or other charitable agency.
It turned out to be a church after all. The Franciscan House was behind the church. It was the feast of the Assumption. Apparently, Germans and Austrians do something with greenery on holy days.
Town hall across from church
In the Town hall square
Out in the country on the Maintall Radweg upstream of Miltenberg
The grass still has that burnt out look
Upon returning to town, we gave the bridge over the Main a try. Unlike everything else, it dates only to 1899. It was largely destroyed by the German Army at the end of WW II and rebuilt. The so-called Zwillings Gate is in the background.
Looking downstream towards our ship
Jeanine couldn't help snapping the beautiful flowers on the way back to the ship
After I dropped Jeanine at the ship, I continued downstream for a while. St. John Nepomuk guards bridges even in Germany
After Miltenberg one of the worlds' foremost zither players (talk about a big fish in a small pond) came on board and gave an outstanding concert and demonstration. Again, I thought the timing strange because the zither is associated in everyone's mind with Vienna, probably because of The Third Man movie theme. I'm sure it was logistical, the artist was from Frankfurt, Germany.
Here is an except.
Third Man ThemeWe were notified of more low water, this time in the Rhine Gorge between Rüdesheim and Koblenz. After the visit to Rüdesheim in the morning as planned, we would board a tourist boat from Rüdesheim to St. Goar so as to not miss the most scenic part of the Rhine. Then we would catch a bus for the short ride to Koblenz, where we would board our third ship, the Visionary, for the remainder of the cruise.
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