{"id":487,"date":"2012-10-04T10:26:23","date_gmt":"2012-10-04T14:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/?page_id=487"},"modified":"2014-10-25T11:51:29","modified_gmt":"2014-10-25T15:51:29","slug":"rhine-mosel-cruise-page-5","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/rhine-mosel-cruise-page-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Rhine & Moselle Cruise – Page 05"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Day 8 we left Trier for Bernkastel. We cruised on the Moselle and enjoyed the views of towns and vineyards. \u00a0As we rounded a bend in the river, Castle Landshut appeared. \u00a0It looked like a ruins.<\/strong> \"\"<\/a>When we got closer, it still looked like a ruins, but with windows??\u00a0<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We moored the ship in Bernkastel just past the bridge in this well-known\u00a0wine growing<\/span><\/a>\u00a0center on the\u00a0Middle Moselle<\/span><\/a>.The earliest evidence of human habitation dates to 3000 BC.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\"\"<\/a>The Moselle region is known in particular for its fruity and mild Riesling wines. They are appreciated especially in the USA. But local winegrowers also produce extraordinary dry Riesling wines which experts hold in high esteem because of their fruity nuances, their aroma and their mineral fullness. The wine is grown on steep slopes rising up to 60 degrees and on terraces<\/span><\/strong>. The mild micro climate and the slatey soil, which stores the warmth, provide ideal conditions for the Riesling vines.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/strong>The Market Place is the center of activity in Bernkastel (Bear’s Castle) \u00a0It is bustling with tourists. \u00a0Our Orange Group Program Manager “Anja” (Enya) is on the right side of this photo. \u00a0She’s describing the points of interest to us using our very excellent transmitter and receivers. Also of note: Bernkastel hosts one of the many popular Christmas markets in Germany.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Another view of the Market Square with “half timbered” houses dating back to the 1600’s.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The \u2018Spitzh\u00e4uschen\u2019 (Pointy House), looks so fragile and seeming to balance on its tiny socket on which it was built in 1416. One side note: We saw window boxes in towns everywhere filled with geraniums. \u00a0Apparently the odor given off by geraniums is quite unpleasant to insects which helps keep the houses bug free. Another note: The window in the “Pointy House” contains glass that is called “bottle bottom” glass. I wonder if they used the “slam the wine bottle” to get the bottoms for the window?<\/strong>\"\"<\/a>The street going up the hill leads to the trail to the Landshut Castle. \u00a0We hike up there.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The trail up. Note the distant hill sides covered with vineyards.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>The Landshut Castle looks pretty small from this vantage point. \u00a0Where are the windows we saw from the ship?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The view of Bernkastel from the Landshut Castle. That’s our ship down there.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It turns out that the interior of the Castle has a big outdoor beer\/wine garden and also has a big indoor restaurant that has the windows.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Mary Ann and I shared a beer before we started hiking down.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On the way down, we passed a vineyard worker shearing vines. \u00a0He reminded us of a dear old friend: Bill Gauld shearing trees on his Christmas Tree farm in Sterling Massachusetts.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Mary Ann picked up some grapes. \u00a0They were ripe and tasted very sweet.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As we reboarded the ship we saw our three Program Manager Nicole, Anja, and Andrea) having a “Currywurst” and Fries. Currywurst is a big German hotdog smothered in ketchup and sprinkled with curry powder. \u00a0Apparently it’s a big thing in Germany.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We suffered through with “Braised German Beef Roulade with Pickles and Bacon, Served with Yeast Dumplings \u00a0and Braised Sprouts<\/em>“.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That evening our ship headed was back tracking down the Moselle to the Rhine. On the next morning, Day 9, we were back on the Rhine to continue heading upstream towards Rudesheim. \u00a0It was a foggy morning and I took a few photos:<\/strong>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I had a chat with Captain Lazlo Frey in the pilot house. \u00a0He was glued to the radar screens (below this chair). He said everything was OK…<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As the fog cleared, we passed by many more Rhine Castles:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Marksburg Castle\u00a0(Post Card)<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sterrenburg & Liebenstrin Brother’s Castles (with a “spite wall” between them).<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0A church that can only be entered by going through a pub.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0The Maus (Mouse) Castle<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Katz (Cats) Castle<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The \u00a0Rhinfels Castle<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Loreley Rocks<\/strong>\"\"<\/a>The\u00a0Loreley\u00a0is a rock on the eastern bank of the\u00a0Rhine<\/span><\/a>\u00a0which soars some almost 400 feet above the waterline. It marks the narrowest part of the river between\u00a0Switzerland<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0North Sea<\/span><\/a>, and is the most famous feature of the\u00a0Rhine Gorg<\/span><\/a>e.\u00a0A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lorelie Statue<\/strong>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>Loreley \u00a0is also the name of a feminine water spirit, similar to\u00a0mermaids<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Rhine maidens<\/span><\/a>, associated with this rock in popular folklore and in works of music, art and literature.\u00a0It is the story of an enchanting female associated with the rock. In the poem, the beautiful Loreley, betrayed by her sweetheart, is accused of bewitching men and causing their death. Rather than sentence her to death, the bishop consigns her to a nunnery. On the way thereto, accompanied by three knights, she comes to the Loreley rock. She asks permission to climb it and view the Rhine once again. She does so and falls to her death; the rock still retained an echo of her name afterwards.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally, a couple more castles:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Schoenberg Castle.<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Pfaltz “Toll House”<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A Whimsical Rhine Sight Seeing Ship the “Moby Dick”<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

OK,. Time for a quick history lesson: \u00a0Why so many castles on the Rhine and Moselle and why are so many ruined? \u00a0Good question, glad you asked!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Rhine\u00a0is a\u00a0river<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that flows from\u00a0the eastern\u00a0Swiss Alps<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to the\u00a0North Sea<\/span><\/a>\u00a0coast in the\u00a0Netherlands<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and is the twelfth longest\u00a0river<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Europe<\/span><\/a>, at about 766\u00a0miles\u00a0with an average discharge of more than 71,000\u00a0cubic feet per second<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Rhine and the\u00a0Danube<\/span><\/a>\u00a0formed most of the northern inland frontier of the Roman Empire*<\/span>\u00a0and, since those days, the Rhine has been a vital and navigable waterway carrying trade and goods deep inland (including wine for thirsty Romans). It has also served as a defensive feature and has been the basis for regional and international borders**. The many castles***<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and prehistoric fortifications\u00a0<\/span>along the Rhine testify to its importance as a waterway. River traffic could be stopped at these locations, usually for the purpose of collecting tolls, by the cities that controlled that portion of the river.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

But why so many ruins? \u00a0During the 17th Century, the Middle Rhine and Moselle were increasingly the scene of a long-lasting conflicts between Germany and\u00a0France<\/span><\/a>. After devastation of the Thirty Years’ War****, the<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0War of the Palatine Succession<\/strong>*****\u00a0brought in 1688-1692 further destruction of castles and fortifications part of the cities’ defenses.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Aren’t you glad you asked?<\/strong><\/p>\n

* Briefly, \u00a0In 500 BC the Roman Empire was a small enclave in western Italy centered around. Rome. By the time of Christ the Empire had grown to include most of Europe, the Near East, and much of coastal Northern Africa (Pax Romana). .For the next 500 years, or so,\u00a0The Empire suffered many serious crises: repeated civil wars<\/span><\/a>, barbarian invasions, and mass mortality during \u00a0the\u00a0Plague<\/span><\/a>.. \u00a0By 500 AD the Empire all but ceased to exist as an empire. Is this brief enough?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

**\u00a0Because of the Empire’s vast extent and long endurance, the institutions and culture of Rome had a profound and lasting influence on the development of language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law, and forms of government in the territory it governed, particularly Europe.<\/strong><\/p>\n

***\u00a0Most countryside castles began not as palaces for princes, but as armored bunkers to protect landowners, their harvest, hired hands, and the foolhardy traveler who might pass through (some castles also “protected” key roads and rivers, extorting tolls from all who trespassed).<\/strong><\/p>\n

****\u00a0The\u00a0Thirty Years’ War(1618\u20131648) was a series of wars principally fought in\u00a0Central Europe<\/span><\/a>, involving most of the countries of\u00a0Europe<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0It was one of the longest and\u00a0most destructive conflicts<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0European history<\/span><\/a>, and one of the longest continuous wars in modern history.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

*****\u00a0The War of the Palatine Succession (most commonly known as\u00a0The Nine Years War). \u00a0was a major war of the late 17th century fought between King\u00a0Louis XIV<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of France, and a European-wide coalition: The\u00a0Grand Alliance<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Anglo-Dutch, Spain,\u00a0and the major and minor princes of the remnants of the\u00a0Holy Roman Empire<\/span><\/a>). \u00a0The war began when Louis XIV army\u00a0invaded the Rhineland<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0in September 1688. His army took many of the key cities in the Palatinate. He became\u00a0worried that the mobilized German army would \u00a0invade France. \u00a0To prevent this, he implemented a\u00a0scorched earth<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0policy as the French made their way back to France. \u00a0All the main cities, towns and castles of the Palatinate where burned to the ground or destroyed.<\/span><\/strong><\/address>\n
Go to Page 06<\/strong><\/a><\/address>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Day 8 we left Trier for Bernkastel. We cruised on the Moselle and enjoyed the views of towns and vineyards. \u00a0As we rounded a bend in the river, Castle Landshut appeared. \u00a0It looked like a ruins. When we got … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-487","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=487"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2438,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/487\/revisions\/2438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}