Europe 2026

Geneva, Switzerland

Sun, 24 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 16: Final Day to Explore Geneva On our final day the team split into two pairs to explore things in Geneva of interest. Priscilla and Cheryl chose to stay close to the unit and Marilyn and Dwight chose further flung parts of Geneva. Priscilla and Cheryl wanted to make chocolate at the nearby Chocolat Favarger. The website promised an opportunity to make chocolate. When they arrived they could only pour melted chocolate into a mould of their choice and then purchase it. Disappointed, they set off for Parc LaGrange on the south shore. On the way they passed many sunbathers and swimmers along the shoreline. As they approached the park, the scent of roses from the Rosearia lured them in. They coped with the hot weather by resting in the shade and knitting (Priscilla) and reading (Cheryl). When it got too hot, they sat near the fountain so the wind would blow the cool mist on them. Dwight and Marilyn braved the Geneva transit system to get their geek on by visting the CERN Science Gateway in northwest Geneva. CERN (Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire) is an organization of European countries and Israel that is dedicated to understanding the universe by studying very large objects (astrophysics) and very small objects (quantum mechanics). The CERN Science Gateway is a center to explain to visitors in simple terms the research that CERN has done over the past 70 years. The science gateway was built in the 2004 and offers many hands-on exhibits that even children can understand. We learned about how CERN has made many discoveries. The discovery of the quark (particles that make up a proton) in 1964 and discovery of the Higgs Boson that has been called the “god’s particle” in 2012 are two of the major achievements of CERN. The Large Hadron Collider is another major CERN project. The discovey of the small particles are accomplished by colliding protons at speeds that approach the speed of light. To acclerate protons to this speed requires powerful electromagnetic waves. If this acceleration was done in a straight line the machine would be over 100 km long! They decided to use powerful magnets to bend the proton’s strainght path into a circular track that is 8.6 km across and 27 km around in circumference. They have successfully accelerated protons to 99.9999999% of the speed of light. Once you have a stream of protons travelling that fast, the beam is focused and 2 beams collide creating these minute particles. VELO is the detector used to measure these particles. The simulation and planning began in the 1990s and the actual device wasn't built unit 2010 and only lasted until 2018. A newer more accurate detector has been used since. We also learned about the evolving research into the minute particles like electrons and quarks. Quantum mechanics research explains the properties of these small particles. This research has only be done over the last few decades so the understanding and findings are limited. Even asking someone to explain quantum mechanics in simple terms is a challenge. The final tidbit from CERN regards an invention by Tim Berners Lee in 1988. He wanted a better way for researchers around the globe to share data. He called his invention the World Wide Web. You may know it as the Internet. Now that we had scratched our science itch, we had lunch at the Big Bang cafe and left for the UN headquarters by tram and then bus. The site was closed to the public but could see the broken chair monument, member flags and some monuments. The broken chair commerates civilians killed and maimed by land mines and cluster weapons. Next, we travelled the short distance to the Geneva Jardin Botanique (botanical garden). We enjoyed the many plants and trees on display but the heat soon took its toll and we returned to the unit to cool off. Being a Sunday we couldn’t even buy a cold beer at the local Coop or Migros store! After sharing our experiences, we had a final dinner at Pasta People’s outdoor cafe. Marilyn and I enjoyed some pasta while Priscilla and Cheryl feasted on a caesar salad with chicken. With our last evening stroll in Geneva behind us, it was packing time for the long flight home in the morning.

The Rosearia at Parc LaGrange

CERN Science Gateway

Dwight gets his geek on

View of large sphere of Science Gateway outdoor patio

Mahatma Ghandi statue at UN headquarters

Broken Chair memorial at UN headquarters

Member Country flags at UN headquarters

Beautiful flowers at Botanical Gardens

More flowers

We have this tree but not this big

Peonies

Amazing irises

Marilyn’s new bucket hat she found at CERN science gateway

Annecy, France

Sat, 23 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 15: Trip to Annecy France Today we have another opportunity to visit France. My friend David suggested we go to Annecy which is about one hour south of Geneva. I want to thank David for this unique opportunity. We walked to Place Dorciere to catch the bus tour and boarded our double decker bus with a glass roof. Our guide Antoine, who is from Annecy, used the one hour bus ride to tell us a bit of history about Annecy and the Savoy region. Annecy was settled about 500 BC and has no Roman history. The first inhabitants made use of the water from Lac d’Annecy, which is the second largest lake in France, to tan leathers, water animals and crops. The Savoy region of France was an independent country until 1860 when it joined France. The flag of the Savoy region is similar to the Swiss flag. Both feature a white cross on a red background. The swiss flag is square and the arms of the cross do not reach the edges of the flag. The Savoy flag is rectangular with the arms of the cross extending to the edges of the flag. I’m sure they were confused often. Arriving in Annecy we entered the Vielle Ville (old town) by driving down an avenue next to the lake that was lined on both sides by trees that extended over the road to make a shaded tunnel. Annecy has been called the Venice of the Alps since it has many canals runing through the town, and even under the buildings. Antoine gave us a 45 minute walking tour explaining the history. We stopped at the Island Palace which is the second most photographed place in France after the Eiffel Tower. The town had cobblestoned streets and covered alleyways connecting the streets. We ended the tour after climbing up to the Château d’Annecy built in the 12th century and served as the residence of the local Dukes in the Savoy region. We had 90 minutes to explore the old town on our own. We lunched on ham and cheese sandwiches on fresh baguettes, quiche lorraine and locally made ice-cream. We finished our time in the Jardins d l’Europe next to the lake admiring the yellow poppies, magnificent trees and views of Lac d’Annecy. After a bus ride back to Geneva, and some time buying more supplies and chocolate at Coop City, Marilyn and I rested at the unit while Priscilla and Cheryl spent time in the riverside park with a small bottle of wine. For dinner we had gallettes from a Creperie restaurant. We enjoyed our meal at a sidewalk patio. All of us had gluten-free meals as the gallettes were made using Swiss grown buckwheat floor. We finished the evening with a stroll along the riverfront with all the other Genevese. The cool breezes helped get rid of the heat of the day. We even saw a rainbow in the Jet D’Eau in the lake!

French countryside on the way to Annecy

Main canal in Annecy

Island Palace

Antoine our guide

The crew in front of the Island Palace

Shop selling local specialities

More quaint Annecy views

Chateau d’Annecy main gate

Cheryltries to remember the way down from the Chateau

Where ingredients. For the Annecy icecream shop are sourced

Yellow poppies in the Jardin de l’Europe

Lac d’Annecy vista

My ham Gruyere cheese and mushroom galette

Rainbow in the mist from the Jet d’Eau. A perfect end to the day.

Geneva, Switzerland

Fri, 22 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 13: Journey to Geneva and Explore Geneva With warmer weather, and no coats, we left Interlaken for the 3 hour train ride to Geneva. It was a challenge wrangling our luggage on the train and down stairs in the Bern station where we changed trains. It was’t until after I had bumped the big suitcase down a set of steps that Cheryl pointed out that there was an elevator. As soon as we arrived in Bern the German influence waned. The signs were suddenly only in French and the architecture we saw from the train windows became entirely French. As we approached Lake Geneva at Lausanne we saw grape cultivation down the hills to the shore of the lake. Arriving in Geneva an Uber van got us to the AirBnB unit in the Hotel Central in the old part of Geneva. We are on the south shore of the lake and only a short walk to the river. Since we are seasoned travellers by this point we had unpacked within 30 minutes and set off to explore what Geneva had to offer. We wandered down to the river and crossed to the north shore using a pedestrian bridge. We found where our tour to Annecy in the morning leaves from and ambled back to the south shore, Since we didnt have a lunch on the train, we found a patio at Brasserie de Molard on Place Molard for some refreshment and to enjoy the fine spring afternoon. Marilyn and I enjoyed an in-house brewed New England IPA that had marvellous citrus aroma and a fresh summer taste. We also shared a club sandwich. Cheryl enjoyed a Ceasar salad and Priscilla had frites (that’s french fries to those of you unschooled in French culture) After a stop to buy some breakfast supplies at the Migros store, we returned to the unit to rest. Marilyn and I went for an evening stroll to enjoy the Genovese atmosphere. We walked through the Jardin Anglais where we saw young families out for a stroll. Walking back we passed high end boutiques for just about any luxury brand you can name. We finished our stroll with a drink at a lakeside bar and watched the sun begin to set. A very satisfying end to the day. Tomorrow, we return to France when we visit Annecy which is described as Venice of the Alps.

First glimpse of Lake Geneva near Lausanne

View of grape vines on shore of Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva boat tour and Jet d’Eau Fountain

Ferris wheel on the south back promenade

Local NE IPA

Monument with flowers

Lake Geneva Cruise Boat in in front of lakeside apartments and hotels

Lovely Fountain in Jardin Anglais

Tower that was part of the city wall

Enjoying a drink next to Lake Geneva

Beautiful spring evening over Lake Geneva

Interlaken, Switzerland

Thu, 21 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Interlaken, Switzerland

Wed, 20 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 11: Visit Lauterbrunnen Valley and Cheryl and Priscilla’s Big Adventure On our first full day in the Jungfrau region we plan to explore the trains, cables cars and cog railways that connect the various villages. Also, our intrepid travellers Cheryl and Priscilla will be paragliding from Murren down into the Lauterbrunnen valley. Now that we have a better understanding of how the public transit system works here in the Jungfrau region, we set off to Murren which is above the Lauterbrunnen Valley southwest of Interlaken. The first leg took us to Lauterbrunnen on the floor of the valley. Exiting the station to board the bus there was a line of at least 50 people, including a school trip of excited highschool boys. After they jammed full the first bus and set it off, we scored seats on the next bus 15 minutes later. The bus ride had about 4 more stops but each time they managed to pack a few more people on the bus. I had flashbacks to riding the Tokyo subway system. Arriving in Stechelberg we rode the new gondola up 1600m (5259 feet) to the village of Murren. The ride was almost vertical as the gondola ascended the steep walls of the valley. We saw waterfalls, floating paragliders, and ended the ride amongst the clouds. Although their appointment was for 1:00 PM with the Airtime Paragliding company, they could take Cheryl and Prisclla immediately, so the adventurous duo set off for the climb to the launch while Marilyn and I strolled through Murren. The village has spectacular views and has no cars. The only vehicles we saw were small 4x4 ATVs made by CanAm. As we strolled through Murren Cheryl and Priscilla sailed by us at eye level. By the time I pulled put my phone for a picture they were gone! They enjoyed their 30 minute ride down ridng the thermal air currents and landed safely in Stechelberg. Priscilla even saw a mountain goat. The original plan was to have lunch in Murren but the options were limited and the prices astronomical. After I bought a t-shirt, and Marilyn and I returned by gondola to find the two adventurers with very satisfied grins on their faces. The bus back to Lauterbrunnen had seats for all passengers. We don't know what happened to the excited highschool boys. We decided on a fondue lunch to celebrate our morning in the valley and chose the restaurant in the Hotel Schutzen. The fondue had large iron bowl of melted cheese over a small heater to keep the cheese smooth and hot. We were supplied with bread, potatoes, pearl onions, pickles and small corn cobs to dip and eat. Marilyn and I enjoyed a beer from the local Rugen Brau brewery. We all left satisfied. After lunch, since it was too early to go back to Interlaken, we decided to travel on the other means of transportation in the area. We first rode the cog railway that winds its way up very steep inclines to villages in the mountains. There were numerous stops that only had a few houses. Wengen was the largest village that featured hotels with even better views than Murren. After Wengen, the train left most trees behind and we began to see snow patches and ski lifts. The line ended at Kliene Schiedegg which is at 2000m (6560 feet). The air was cool and noticably thinner and provided a view of Mount Eiger and it’s glacier. The ride down from Kliene Shiedegg was one a different line and was slower and fewer stops than the ride up. We arrived in Grindelwald at 1000m (3280 feet) where we transferred to a conventional train for the ride back to Interlaken. We arrived back at 5:00 and the tired crew enjoyed a drink while resting on the balcony. Marilyn has reached her fill of mountains, but the other three have one more mountain adventure planned for tomorrow.

The crew sets out for the day’s adventure

A waterfall cascades down the steep Lauterbrunnen valley

Arriving in Murren by gondola

In the clouds in Murren

Many old wooden buildings in Murren

Marilyn fills her bottle with water from mountain streams

The valley floor far below

Dwight made a friend in Murren

The base of the gondola is far below

Local brew

The crew gets set to fondue

Lauterbrunnen views with a waterfall and snow capped mountains

Its rare to see a road this high up

Kleine Schiedegg sign

Kitschy but cute picture

Yes, there’s snow up here

Mountain village

Basel, Switzerland

Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 10: Leave Cruise in Basel Switzerland, Journey to Interlaken and Explore Interlaken Today is a transition day so the post will be short. After a final breakfast, we left the Viking Rolf for the Basel SBB station. We sought the help of a person in Customer Service at the train station to buy our tickets and make sure we found the correct platfom. Two hours later of watching the Swiss countryside flash by we arrived in Interlaken Switzerland. Interlaken is in the Jungfrau (Young Woman) region that features many of Switzerland’s most famous mountains. The city is located between two turquoise watered lakes: Thunersee and Brienzersee. The lakes are joined by the Aare river that flows through Interlaken. We were fortunate enough to get early admitance to our AirBnB which is located near the Interlaken West train station. It took some time to figure out door locks and stuff in the unit and to do mundane tasks like laundry and get some provisions. Also, when you arrive at a new region it takes time to figure out the local transit works and how you will get to the attractions you want to see in the area. By late afternoon we began to figure all of that out. Our first attraction was to ride the funicular to the top of Harder Kulm which is a 1300m (4300 feet) mountain just north of Interlaken. The view from the top gave magnificent views of the Jungfrau region to the south as you can see in the photos below. After descending Harder Kulm we walked along the streets looking at shops and had some Indian food at a restaurant 2 doors from our unit. Returning to the unit we finished laundry, I called a former colleague who now lives in Italy, and went to bed tired but excited to explore the region over the next 2 days..

Last view from Viking Rolf in Basel

Glimpses of Basel

Swiss countryside views from the train

Jungfrau views from our balcony

Paragliders over Interlaken

It may be a challenge choosing a type of chocolate

A selection of cowbells

Priscilla and Cheryl relaxing as they wait for a bus

Lovely Swiss architecture

Aare river near Harder Kulm

Jungfrau magnificence

Looking east at Interlaken and Brienzersee

Looking west at Interlaken and Thunersee

Restaurant atop Harder Kulm

Priscilla, Dwight and Cheryl atop Harder Kulm

Marilyn made some friends at Harder Kulm

Breisach, Germany

Mon, 18 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Strasbourg, France

Sun, 17 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 8: Strasbourg, France Strasbourg is an island city on the west bank of the Rhine river. Since 1800 this city and the region of Alsace has switched between Germany and France 6 times! There is ample evidence of the influence of both country’s culture in the architecture, signs in both languages and the fact that it is home to the European Union Parliament and Court of Human Rights. Since Strasbourg does not allow tour buses in the city center, we met Robin our guide outside of the ship and rode across the Rhine from Germany to France by bus. Parking near the river we had to walk into Strasbourg past 18th century fortifications. The first area we explored was the most photogenic part called Pettite France. Situated on the south side, it was named for a hospital in the 1600’s that convalesced French soldiers returning from a campaign in Italy. The soldiers were not recovering from battle wounds, but rather syphllis. Petite France features a blend of wooden half timbered houses made by Germans with wood from the nearby Black Forest, and houses made of stone with shutters and balconies made by French. The area has canals and narrow cobblestoned streets with many boulangeries, pastisseries, fromageries and cafes. Many of the buildings feature wider upper floors since the taxation was based on the area of the ground floor only. Along the walk we sampled nougat wih pistachios and some local cheeses. The truffle cheese was so good we bought a slice and had them vacuum seal it for us to take home. At Place Gutenberg Robin left us with suggestions to explore the city center of Strasbourg on our own. We first tried bretzels with cheese and bacon and keugelhopf which is similar to panettone with raisins. We skipped the nearby Strasbourg cathedral since it was ABC (another bloody cathedral). We meandered the streets taking photos and window shopping. Since it was Sunday, most non-food and non-tourist shops were closed. I was happy with them being closed, but I think by travelling companions weren’t. At a sidewalk cafe we sampled more Alsatian cusine. Marilyn had escargot in bernaise sauce, Priscilla had tarte flambe with smoked salmon, Cheryl gave in to her sweettooth and had tarte flambe with apples and cinnamon. I enjoyed the tarte flambe with bacon, garlic and chives. Marilyn and I washed our lunch down with a local beer and Priscilla had coffee with Baileys. Making our way back to Place Gutenberg we met Robin again and he escorted us on a 15 minute walk out of the city center for the short bus ride back across the river and back to the ship on the German side of the Rhine. With warmer weather and sunshine it was a throughly enjoyable day! We leave Strasbourg just before dinner as Jamie, the Tour Director, gave us a talk on our last full day tomorrow and the procedure for the end of the cruise on Tuesday morning. In 48 hours I won’t have someone serving me 3 meals every day. I will have to either do it myself or spend a lot of money in Switzerland!

Strasbourg flag

The bird of Strasbourg is the stork who nests in tree tops and on roofs

As we enter Strasbourg on foot we are welcomed by a curious swan

18th century defensive fortifications

Petite France views

Petite France canal

Soaking up the Petit France atmosphere

Idyllic square in Petite France

Memorial to native son and Nobel laureate Albert Scheiwzer

Statue honouring Gutenberg in the square named after him

Bretzel and keugelhopf

Imposing west facade of Strasbourg cathedral

Strasbourg street views

Interesting cafe with carousel motif

The ladies in front of Hansel and Gretel restaurant

Inviting beergarten

My tarte flambe with Priscilla’s in the background. Yummy.

Street signs in both French and German

Speyer, Germany

Sat, 16 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 7: Speyer Today we left the middle Rhine to journey upstream into southwestern Germany. After lunch we arrived at Speyer. Speyer has Roman roots and was part of the Frankish Empire before 1000 AD. Nicole our guide covered the history of the Speyer Cathedral (Dom). We approched the cathedral through a park near the Rhine. She showed us a sculpture of the 7 rulers of Speyer during this period. Konrad I was Emperor when the cornerstone was laid in 1030. Unlike most cathedrals that take hundreds of years to complete, this Arabesque style Cathedral was finished in only 30 years when Konrad III was Emperor. Compared to other Catholic cathedrals like Cologne, this one is very modest with thick columns inside instead of flying buttresses. We had a brief tour to escape a rain shower and then moved on to Dreifalttigkeitskirche (Trinity Church) nearby. This Protestant church was much more ornate with gold painted wood carvings. At the end of the tour Nicole explained how locals love their Reisling white wine mixed with sparkling water. We call this mixture a spritzser, but they call it Schorle. It is served in a tall glass with dimples on it to get a better grip. You add 4 fingers of white and 4 fingers of sparkling water/ Marilyn trued again to resolve her Vodafone problem, and once again could not find an open Vodafone store. After some shopping, and some gelto, we returned tot he ship. We dined on Chateaubriand as we continued our journey up the Rhine. Tomorrow we arrive in Strasbourg, France.

Nicole tells us about the 11th century rulers of Speyer

Cafe in the park

Speyer cathedral showing Arabesque details

Sculpture of Christ on the Mount of Olives

Nave of cathedral

Crucifix above the altar

West facade

Large iron doors of cathedral

Monuments in the west portico

Interiorof nearby Trinity Protestant church

Pole in market square showing trades

Speyer Rathaus

The crew enjoys dinner as we sail away from Speyer

Koblenz, Germany

Fri, 15 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 6: Koblenz, Cruise on the Rhine and Dinner in Rudesheim Today we enter the Middle Rhine with visits to a 19th century Prussian fortress, sail the UNESCO designated Middle Rhine with numerous castles, and have a dinner and party with locals in Rudescheim. After breakfast we docked upstream of Koblenz and set off on our excursion to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. This defensive fortress built high on the east bank of the Rhine opposite Koblenz was constructed between 1800 and 1830. After Napolean’s conquests the Prussians wanted to ensure there were not further invasions from France. Our guide was dressed and stayed in character of a British Royal Engineer named Humphrey who was charged with spying on the construction and writing a report for the British Army. He provided the local history and explained in thorough detail how the fortress was deisgned to repel invaders from land and the river. Even though it never had to repel an attack, its strategic importance meant that over the last 200 years it had been held by Prussian, German, French and even American armies. We descended from the fortress by cable car over the Rhine to Koblenz. This city is at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine rivers and is an important site for transportation and trade. The monument at “Deutches Eck” (German Corner) where the rivers merge has a statue to Kaiser Wilhelm I and flags of all 16 German states. Upon return to the ship we had lunch and began our sail through the UNESCO Middle Rhine. For the first time in 5 days the sun appeared raising the temperature and spirits of the passengers on the Sun Deck. This twisty narrow section begins in Koblenz and flows 65 km upstream to Rudesheim. Due to the steep banks and narrow twists in the river, over 40 castles were built in the Middle Ages to extract tolls, taxes or even extortion from the growing commercial shipping plying the river. About halfway along, the river makes a sharp S turn due to a marble promitory. The end of the promitory is called The Loreley. Legend has it that a beautiful woman fell from the top thus becoming a water nymph who lured sailors to their doom as they rounded the twists. A local poem is written about this legend. Along the way we sampled Berry Tea spiked with Gin and Rudesheim Coffee made with local brand and coffee topped with whipped cream and chocolate flakes. Our Middle Rhine adventure was completed with our Dine in Rudesheim excursion. Led by Jamie the Tour Director, we joined a group eager to experience local food, drink and entertainment. We boarded a small tram at the ship to Drosselgasse and walked to Wirsthaus Hannelore for a dinner with local wine and beer. As Jamie promised the evening was a bit tacky, featuring a conga line, the chicken dance, and loud singing of Seet Caroline. There were definite shades of Oktoberfest 2016. Tired, and a little drunk, we returned to the ship at 10:30, and promptly went to bed to dream of the fun we had today. Or, perhaps, to sleep off the booze!

Our tour guide, David Spencer playinng the role of Humphrey a Royal Engineer from 1836

Entering the Field Gate of Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

A map of the fortress

Period scenes inside the fortress

Tunnels connect sections

Prussian Eagle

Memorial to war dead

View from fortress of Mosel river flowing into Rhine river

Statue of Wilhelm I on Deustches Ec (German Corner)

Waterfront of Koblenz

Markburg Castle

Middle Rhine castles and towns

Our ship the Viking Rolf

The Loreley. This is the end of the marble promintory

Pfalzgrafenstein castle with Stahleck Castle behind

Rudesheim Coffee

I enjoyed both the Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) and the Dunkel Beer

The ladies on Drosselgasse

Goodnight from Rudesheim am Rhine

Cologne, Germany

Thu, 14 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 5: Cologne Germany The day began with a leisurely breakfast as we cruised into Cologne and docked at 10:00. Cologne has a 2000 year history and was first a Roman settlement on the west back of the Rhine called Colonia meaning colony. Over the years this morphed into Cologne or Koln. In the late 1600’s a man named Farina moved here from Italy to make scents for the affluent who needed to mask body odour due to poor hygiene. His products were so popular he named them “Eau de Cologne”. Our guide today, Markus, walked us through the old town to the Cologne cathedral. Cologne was devastated by Allied bombing in World War II. Despite taking 40 bombs the cathedral received minimal damge. Markus suggsted that that was luck and the Allies needed the cathedral as a landmark for future bombing runs. Also, the priests removed most of the stained glass windows to prevent their damage. After the war the city had to be rebuilt almost entirely and today is a modern city of one million. The city hall is a mixture of traditional architecture and modern. The clock tower is a reproduction of pre-war city hall tower with many small statues of local politicians and church leaders. The Roman emperror Nero’s mother was born in Cologne so both Nero and is mother are featured. Another interesting statue is that of the Archbishop of Cologne. He was a controversial figure who laid the corner stone for the cathedral but was unpopular with local politicians. His statue has a grotesque young boy beneath his statue. Check out the picture below. The highlight today, at least for me, was the Gothic cathedral started in 1248 but not completed until 1880. Gothic cathedrals feature pointed arches while Romanesque churches have rounded arches. At completion, the twin spires were the highest structure in the world at 515 feet. They were higher than the Eiffel Tower and it wasn’t until the Empire State Building opened that it was surpassed. Even today, nothing in Cologne can surpass it’s height. Cheryl was the only part of our crew brave enough to climb the 553 steps to the top! Today was Father’s Day in Germany. The day recognizes not just Fathers, but all men, are celebrated. As such, being a national holiday, all stores were closed. The retail opportunities were limited as we wandered around the downtown area. At a sidewalk cafe, Marilyn and I enjoyed a cafe creme while Priscilla and Cheryl yielded to temptation and have some yummy cakes. The tired crew returned to the ship for dinner. After dinner Marilyn and I enjoyed a classical guitar and violin concert in the lounge. We all will miss Cologne.

The sign says it all

Gauge for measuring Rhine river water levels. The green line is the max level.

Statue of Emperor Wilhelm I

Public water fountain dating to the Middle Ages

Farina store for inventor of Eau de Cologne

City Hall Clock Tower

Check out the base of the statue in the middle!

Enjoying the local Kolsch beer

North view of Cologne cathedral

Marilyn at the west doors

West view

Nave viewed from west

Stained glass windows

Mosaic floors in Cologne cathedral

Main altar

Gold Reliquiary that purportedly holds the remains of the 3 Magi (Wise Men)

Model of the actual filial atop the cathedral spire. It helps you understand the scale of the cathedral.

Kinderdijk, Netherlands

Wed, 13 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 4: Kinderdjik Windmills Early this morning we arrived at Kinderdijk which is south of Amsterdam on the Lek river. This UNESCO site is in the Ablasserwaard area that uses 19 windmills to control water in this 800 acre area that is on average 4m below sealevel. After breakfast we met our local guide who volunteers to lead about 500 groups from Viking cruise ships to tell the history of this UNESCO site. Kinderdijk is in the northwest corner of the Ablasserwaard and being the lowest part results in water from the whole region accumulating here. We learned how in the 18th century the locals built 19 windmills to pump the accumulated water over the protective dyke next to the Lek river. We learned that Kinderdijk literally means “Child’s Dyke”. There are many stories about how that name was chosen, but the most romantic is based on how after a massive flood in 1421, an infant was found floating in a cradle that had a cat steadying the cradle, thereby protecting the child from drowning. Visiting one of the windmills allowed us to learn how effctive the engineering of these simple machines are. The top of the windmill is mounted on cast iron bearings that allow the entire top of the windmill to be rotated to allow operation no matter which way the wind blows. All the parts of the machinery are made of oak that was imported from Poland. The gear parts have to be replaced every 5-10 years. We also learned that the original windmills are still in operation today with each windmill operated by a miller and their family. The windmills are now only used to control the water levels in the two main drainage canals. Beginning in the 19th century the accumulated water was pumped by steam powered pumps and now using electrical pumps for the final stage of pumping into the Lek river. The electrical pumps using archimedes screws currently pump the equivalent of one Olympic swimming pool every minute! After a brief rain shower, we returned to the ship to begin the journey to Cologne that will take 24 hours. The time will be spent relaxing, reading, playing games and listening to lectures onboard. Unfortunately, the rainy cool weather prevents much of the outdoor activities.

Windmills on the Ablasserwaard in Kinderdijk

Our guide, Torstian, explains how water was managed in Kinderdijk

Statue showing the child floating in a cradle with a cat

Village of Kinderdijk

Brick windmill

Wooden mindmill

Main drainage canal

Rotating mechanism for windmill

Traditional wooden shoes used by millers

Better view of mechanism for turning windmills

Wooden gears inside windmill

Large electric pump with archimedes screws

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Tue, 12 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 3: Amsterdam Exploring and Boarding the Viking Rolf Our last day in Amsterdam saw Marilyn and I visiting the Rijksmuseum in the morning while Priscilla and Cheryl returned to the Albert Cuyp Market. Each pair made their own way to check-in to the Viking Rolf on their own. The Rijksmuseum had a dedicated app that provided audio commentary on items in the collection. The app allows you to choose tours on a particular theme. After some initial confusion we enjoyed the insights it gave to the Rembrandt works and Middle Ages religious art we looked at. Having mastered how to use the Amsterdam trams, we arrived at the ship and enjoyed a late lunch. My beer and mixed drink for Marilyn prepared us for the week of pampering we would get from Viking. This cruise we chose the cheaper cabin on the bottom deck. Instead of a sliding glass door, we have to suffice with a small oval window with a view that is near the waterline. Besides, we plan to be in our cabin only to sleep or rest. We can go up to the deck for more comfort or better views. After the compulsory safety briefing at 6:00 and delicious dinner at 7:00, we chose to forgo the chance to visit the Red-Light district so Marilyn could rest and get over her cold. I took a walk around the sundeck on the ship to get my last glimpse of Amsterdam.

Not very sunny Sundeck on our ship

Stained glass window for Netherland’s most famous painter

Marilyn checks out the Rijksmuseum Great Hall

Beautiful wooden doorway from 17th century Dutch mansion

Interesting painting showing the contrast of Protestants on the left to Catholics on right. Draw your own conclusions.

Reproduction of the Night Watch by Rembrandt

Actual Night Watch being restored

Atrium of Rijksmuseum

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Mon, 11 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Amsterdam

Sun, 10 May 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Day 1: Amsterdam After an a crazy trip to the airport where Richard struggled with wild thunderstorms, accidents resulting from the storm and a wonky cooling light problem, the group were safely deposited at Pearson airport. The long overnight flight arrived at Schnipol Airport in Amsterdam to begin the European adventure. Despite warnings I read online about long lineups for non-EU visitorrs required to use the new Entry Exit System (EES), there was no delay and we were quickly through passport control. After a very long walk to baggage claim we met the Viking rep and were soon on our way into Amsterdam. The driver gave us good advice about being careful to avoid the red lanes reserved for cyclists that are on almost every street. If you stray into these lanes you risk being mowed down by the thousands of cyclists riding single bikes, tandems, bikes with huge storage bins for kids or cargo, not to mention e-bikes and scooters. Suffice it to say, Amsterdam was planned with cyclist interests over pedestrian interests. After a brief chat with the Viking rep, we checked into our rooms at the Pestana Riverside Hotel which is conveniently loacted on the west bank of the Amstel River in the south end. Marilyn needed some time to rest and get over her cold. Priscilla, Cheryl and I used the opportunity to explore the neighbourhood and reset our circadian thythms in order to combat jetlag. Dodging cyclists we enjoyed the cool sunshine and marvelled at the abundance of flowers. Spring is at least a month ahead here than at home. We saw rhodedendrons, roses, phlox, iris and many others flowers in bloom. Returning to the hotel for a brief rest, we collected Marilyn and set off for dinner at Pizzeria Magna. Marilyn and I had a Capricciosa wood fired pizza washed own by a Peroni beer and Coke. Priscilla and Cheryl ate a healthy Insalata Mista (Mixed Salad). Once sustained, we wandered down the Wilbautstraat admiring the wide boulevard with shops. Each cross street had a narrow lane lined in apartments all the way to the Amstel river. The neighbourhoods were quite picturesque lined with 19th century brick buildings in fantastic condition. Just as Marilyn was fading, we arrived back at the hotel just as the effects of jetlag hit all us all. I hope to get more sleep tonight than the 1-2 hours of sleep on the plane last night.

Pestana Hotel on Amstel River

Rhodadendrons in bloom

The bags are packed and we’re ready to go

Amsterdam Bridge Views

Wisteria in bloom

Yellow roses in bloom

Team selfie on the bridge

Three happy ladies in front of the Pestana Hotel

Street View with red bike lane

More flowers in bloom

Canal boats in front of Amstel Hotel