Viking Tialfi Day 8 - Amsterdam

 

We arrive in Amsterdam in the early morning.

We are in Room 338 and our taxi to the airport leaves at 08:30 so we have time for a leisurely breakfast.

I’ve been through Schipol many many times without a moments delay, but if you’ve seen the recent photo’s of the queues at UK airports, then it was like that. Only one door open to terminal, huge line, once in, long long lines to check in, the even longer lines to go through security. Just managed to get to gate in time for departure.

So was grateful onboard for a couple of 200cl bottles of this (plus one each to take home) with lunch of cold roast beef slices. 

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Viking Tialfi Day 7 - Kinderdijk

 

Our last full day, and we're cruising towards Kinderdijk where the included walking tour will take place.

When we arrive we tie up next to another Viking boat, and see our boat's name reflected in the window of the other boat. 

Since we've been to see the Kinderdijk windmills several times we decided to go for a walk. The village of Kinderdijk is very small.

Afterwards the boat continued its journey to Amsterdam.

Viking Tialfi Day 6 - Cologne

 

We moored in Cologne at 08:00 and went for a walking tour of the city. Ten years ago an American was puzzled why they'd built a cathedral next do to the main railway station. The guide this time told us that a temporary station was built in the late 1800s so that stone could be offloaded to finish building the cathedral and never moved. 

After lunch we took a walk in the sun along the riverside, across on the rail bridge, back along the other bank and across a road bride. Back on the boat, Professor Marcus Pohl was giving a fascinating talk about life in Germany.

Viking Tialfi Day 5 - Rhine Castles and Moselle Tasting

 

Wednesday morning is promising for our cruise past steep vineyards, fairy tale castles and the Lorelei Rock. 

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle

Rhine Vineyards

Marksburg Castle

The sun is shining, the sky is blue so we are seated on rocking chairs at the front of the bow deck.

Lorelei Rock

But then the river valley is closed in by low cloud, the breeze is bitter and Amerigo, the hotel manager, brings around mugs of hot chocolate and a bottle of rum and distributes blankets, but the cold defeats us and we go back to the comfort of the lounge.

Winnenger Uhlen Vineyards

We’ve moored at Koblenz where the Mosel joins the Rhine, and after a walk around the town we take an optional tour along the Mosel to admire its steep vineyards.

and then to a wine tasting at Weingut Weyh in the village of Winninger on the Mosel.

The tasting is conducted by owner Richard Weyh (above) who planted a small vineyard outside the property twelve years ago where he demonstrates their viticultural practices, rather than go to one of their dizzying steep vineyards.

Weingut Weyh’s tasting is of four of their single vineyard Rieslings, and we buy a bottle of the sweet Riesling Spatlese 2019 from Uhlen vineyard to bring home.

Sunset at Koblenz from Boat

Where Mosel joins Rhine is a giant statue of Kaiser William I of Germany on a 14 metre high horse.

This Crispy Mediterranean Tart of grilled vegetables on an onion compote with a puff pastry base was my favourite starter on the trip.

Viking Tialfi Day 4 - Speyer

Day 4 on Viking Tialfi

We moor at Speyer at 08:00 and 45 minutes later our guide leads us from the boat through a park, where paths are lined with huge chestnut trees in bloom, to the cathedral.

Our guide is not licensed by the bishop to take us inside but we have free time to so if we wish. We don't.

Outside the entrance is this enormous stone bowl - Domnapf. The custom, our local guide told us, is whenever a new bishop is installed he must fill the bowl with wine. The bowl’s capacity is 1560 litres, or 2080 bottles. In past times people were climbing over each other to get at the wine, with some falling in, but it’s more civilised now, An outlet has been made, and a tap is fitted and people queue for a glassful.

Then we have a short walk past the oldest houses, through mediaeval market squares and then free time.

In free time we take a walk along Speyer's main street. The boat left shortly after our walking tour started so we have to go by coach to Worms where the boat is waiting  for us. Heading to the coach we saw this

The low flying Lufthansa jumbo jet is actually static in the technic museum and one can walk out on a wing.

On board in the afternoon we cruise to Rudesheim. On the way is a on-board demonstration of how to make the famous (?) Rudesheim Coffee, which adds brandy, chocolate, sugar and whipped cream to coffee. Cups of this are offered to everyone, but I drink my coffee black and unsweetened.

 

Kehl for Strasbourg

 

Today the ship moored before breakfast at Kehl on the German bank of the river and we left at 08:30 and took the included tour crossing over the river to France and Strasbourg.

The heavens opened to rain torrentially but luckily we were in the coach for the worst of it. We passed the folly that is the EU parliament building, used only 12 weeks of the year when everyone decamps from Brussels for a week each month to continue their work in Strasbourg.

Under a Viking umbrella, pressed on me by the coach driver, we walked through the old town.

During free time we grabbed a coffee under s coffee shop awning.

Back at the ship we drank a pleasant Franken Sylvaner in a bocksbeutel 

but the highlight of the meal was this pear and almond tart.

Instead of returning on the shuttle busses in the afternoon to explore more of Strasbourg I walked along the river bank. Mrs M decided to stay on the boat and read.

She didn’t believe me on my return when I said I’d seen a flying saucer during my walk but I was able to show her this photo:

It had mostly stopped raining and along the path I admired this tree decorated with colourful bird-boxes.

Evening meal was Taste of Germany  which was more subdued than previous times. There was no visiting oompha band, and thus no congas between the tables. I had some slices carved from a tender marinated beef joint and got the waiter to bring  me some potatoes from the kitchen, and we had an excellent Torres Ribera del Duero.

Breisach

Our first full day onboard Viking Tialfi and it's now moored on the German side of the river at Breisach. As we've been before we don't go on the included tour to The Black Forest, instead we mooch in the drizzle around the small town of Breisach. Because it's Sunday, everything is closed.

“Gutgesellentor” (The Gutgesell Gate) was first mentioned in 1319, and the current building dates from 1402. It was rebuilt  in 1950-56. In WWII  85% of Breisach was destroyed by Allied artillery during crossing the Rhine. 

Since 1936 the Gutgesell Gate's been the meeting place for the Narrenzunft (the carnival association). Pope Johannes XXIII was arrested here on 25 April 1415 while escaping from the Council of Constance.

The cathedral, St. Stephansmünster, dominates the town.

We start to climb to it up a cobbled street, but it becomes too steep so we return to the boat for coffee.

It was a good day for wines. At lunch we had this Sancerre from a winery we'd visited with the Brentwood Wine Society.

As it was Sunday, I had a glass of Champagne as an aperitif before.

And with dinner we had Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape. As Viking's promotion included their Silver Spirits package we plundered the four page wine menu during the week.

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Viking Tialfi - Basel

 To Basel for a weeks Viking River Cruise down the Rhine to Amsterdam on Viking Tialfi.

Early lunch on BA offered a choice, we took the warm vegetable samosas, and of course plenty of Champagne.

In the afternoon there was a guided walking tour of Basel, including

 the courtyard of the Rathaus - Basel's Town Hall, and a pigeons

 view of ferries using a guide rope and power of the current to cross the river.

The symbol of the city is a basilisk - a dragon with a chicken's head. Here it is holding the city coat of arms, a stylised Bishop's Crook. Basel was a ruled by bishop-princes for hundreds of years.

Then back to the boat for a rib-eye steak and decent red wine from the four-page wine list.