Let’s catch up!

As we mentioned in our last post, we are taking a few weeks to do some exploring in Europe. As this is our journal, the posts may be a bit lengthy. 

Our luggage for 3-weeks

After an over night flight we arrived in Amsterdam five days ago.  

Typical streets in Amsterdam. Bicycles are quite popular for transportation.

Having recovered from jet lag we are enjoying a cruise to Budapest.

Stopping briefly in the UNESCO city, Kinderdijk, Netherlands, we toured the famous windmills. It is difficult to imagine a family of 15 living in one windmill.

  

Kinderdijk is also the home of The Cat in the Cradle legend.

"According to legend, the Saint Elizabeth’s Flood of 1421 ravished the land around Kinderdijk and drowned up to 10,000 people. The following day, an infant girl was found drifting in a crib. The baby had remained afloat by the tireless efforts of a cat jumping back and forth to keep the cradle balanced. The story became a popular Dutch fairytale. And the village was named Kinderdijk meaning children’s dike." Encircle Photos

Next a brief stop and short walking tour in Cologne, the 4th largest city in Germany. 90% of the city was destroyed in WWII. The 14th century cathedral was one of the few structures spared by the Allies. 

And then on to Koblenz, Germany, another UNESCO city with a sobering Holocaust history. After a brief stop and walking tour we are back on the ship, cruising past the picturesque forests, vineyards and castles on the Middle Rhine.

Freudenburg

Currently we are cruising through 35 locks on the Main River toward Austria.

As much as we are enjoying the sites, it is the people we are meeting that makes this an incredible trip. The Viking crew is taking very good care of us and we are making new friends from around the world. 

The local tour guides have made the Holocaust and WWII feel real. Although they were not yet born, they have heard the stories and read the accounts from their grandparents. Fifty one year old Ralph in Cologne expressed sincere gratitude for the Allied Forces that freed them from fascism. He wants his 6 and 9 year old daughters to never forget and plans to take them to Auschwitz when they are 16 so they can feel the emotions.

Thomas led our tour in Koblenz. He emphasized the unification of Germany in 1990, stating they learned a valuable lesson of hatred and is pleased they are now friends with France. 

We still have a lot of friends yet to meet as there are about 200 folks on board. Sixteen are from Canada, 38 from Australia and the rest are mostly from the U.S. The crew come from various countries including Romania, Philipines, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic to name a few. 

More later but for now we are off to the lounge for an informational meeting.