RAFINO CRUISE - Log # 2

14 August 2007

Tuesday we rose to a beautiful sunny day.  We were docked in Speyer and the whole town was just a short walk away.  After breakfast we walked to town along cobblestone streets that were lined by beds of beautifully colored flowers and hugh old trees.  The first visit was to the landmark Cathedral of Speyer.  This church is a Romanesque basilica founded by the Emperor Conrad in 1030.  It is one of the largest and most impressive churches of it’s kind in Germany.  The twin towers literally tower over the city.

The Church is positioned at the head of the main street and from the steps you can see the Main city gate at the other end of the street.  We started walking toward the gate and were amazed at the large number of churches that were along the way.  We passed a McDonalds and all kinds of stores and restaurants.  We did not make it to the city gate, but returned to the boat to get ready for an early lunch and the trip to Heidelberg.

Everyone had a choice of going to Heidelberg or staying on the boat and going to Mainz with coffee and cake along the way.  We of course went to Heidelberg.  I had forgotten how steep the narrow road up the mountain to the castle was.  Our driver was a master at putting his bus where I wondered if it could fit.  Our guide lived in Heidelberg and was a real history buff.  He concentrated on convincing us that the Reformation, or Calvinist movement, that started in Heidelberg led to the movement of the Calvinests to America.  His point was that the French king was catholic and literally ran these reformers out of the country.  Therefore we had returned home to Heidelberg – who knows, maybe he has a point.

The Castle is still in a ruined condition that was literally covered by bus load after bus  load of visitors.  Virginia and I wanted to see the inside of the Castle which was not on the tour so for 4 euro ($5 US) each we left the group and took the 1 hour guided tour inside.  We could not believe how little progress had been made in restoring the inside since we left Germany 27 years ago, however we enjoyed the review.  If I am able to attach a picture you will see the area of the building in the corner on the right that is screened for construction.

After the tour we took the cable car to the lower level and walked to a café to get a coke with fruit juice in it called a “spacee”.  It was cooling.  Then after a short walk down the hill to the bus park near the Neckar River we boarded the bus and were delivered to the boat in Mainz about 45 minutes later.     

When I went to the computer room tonight I was not able to get into my mail.  It looks like they could make it work for $1.25 a minute.  I am composing this on my Lap Top, will copy it to a CD and attempt to send it out during the walking tour in Mainz in the morning at a local Internet Café.  Wish me luck.

Tomorrow after lunch we will move down to Rudesheimer.  We will visit a museum, but the highlight will be getting a taste of Ruersheimer coffee.  The trick is that they spike the coffee with Ansbach-Uralt whch is a fine German Brandy.  Maybe we will take in some local partying after supper with an umpah band.  J. Claud