We set off for the train station at 8am and caught the 8:18am train for Bingen where we caught another for a three minute one station ride to the Boat jetty. The day was overcast which made the beautiful gardens along edge of the river more colourful. Our boat the Rhien Energie arrived from further upstream at 10:30am. It was a very large boat reputed to carry 2000 people. The river flowed in a wide valley with hills on both sides. Roads and railways were close to the river on each side as were large attractive buildings in villages and large towns with beautiful parks and flowers. Vineyards were on the steep hillsides and many Castles were on the hilltops. There were not many bridges across the river so every now and then car ferries would provide a link with the other side for motorists and passenger ferries for pedestrians. The scenery was a photographers Paradise. Just before midday we passed the Loreley Statue; the sun was shining making the top deck more attractive. Many barges carrying a variety of cargo, oil, coal, scrap iron new cars, sand, shingle and I guess general cargo hidden under the barge covers. There were also quite a number of other tourist boats with lots of people on board. Our boat was really crowded but after the Loreley about half disembarked; hooray, three cheers we could now find a vacant table in the restaurant for a snack and a cup of tea. The boat stopped at twenty seven towns before reaching Cologne; many people boarded and disembarked at each stop. About 3pm Fay and I were sitting at a dining room table in the sun; I was typing and Fay was reading; every now and then we would check the scenery which was not as interesting as before; at the other end of the room some boisterous singing could be heard. I thought a group of young people were responsible but when I checked them out they were all middle aged. By 5pm we had travelled 100km and were passing several hundred people in the water by the riverbank; someone said they were swimming; really they were just keeping afloat and letting the current carry them along; one reminded me of the sea otters we saw in Alaska last year; his head was out of the water as was his feet with his big belly in between also out of the water, just like the otters ; he was actually sitting in an inflated car tube. At six pm Fay and I bought our evening meal on board. We landed back at Cologne at 8:10pm; we had had an restful and enjoyable day. As we walked back to our hotel we saw ancient Roman artefacts through a museum window as well as a small piece of a Roman wall. John also led us into the large cathedral. I thought I had seen the best of them before but this one really was the most! Alone choral singer could be heard clearly in this large cathedral; this demonstrated it’s excellent acoustics. We retired for the night happy.
Photos:- 1. Pretty ice cream shop at Bingen.
2. The River boat Rhein Energie.
3. Castle on a hillside.
4. More Castles.
5. People in the river.
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