Koblenz and the Middle Rhine

After many tries on many days this blog post is finally up.  The pics are not in order as they should have been but that is minor.  This one for instance is taken at Marksburg Castle later today.

I took this shot through the patio doors in our room on our ship.

Although small the room is well arranged and has a place for everything.

The ship publishes a tiny newspaper everyday with news from US, Canada and Australia.  They compile it and print it here.

Here a couple of the guests are learning to make a speciality coffee from the region called Rudesheimer Coffee.
To prepare:
Place 3 sugar cubes in a coffee cup, pour 4 cl of hot Asbach Uralt over the cubes and light with a long match.
Stir until the sugar has all melted and allow to burn for one minute.
Fill cup with hot coffee to about 2 cm below rim.
Top with whipped cream sweetened with vanilla sugar and sprinkle with dark chocolate flakes.
Tip:  Heat the liquor in the microwave for a minute or in a hot water bath before putting in cup.

This is Marksburg castle.

Some houses from the shore.

Grape fields which are so far up the mountain side that they must be worked by hand.

We saw lots of castles from the river.  I took pictures of only a few.

This is Lorelei.  Find The Lorelei Legend of how she tempted sailors and a few more pictures on this page
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Going into a lock on the Rhine.

A small town on the river's edge with vineyards above.

A castle built on a rock outcropping.

Another castle.

 Today we headed out for Koblenz where we had a tour of Marksburg Castle, the only German castle which has never been destroyed. From there , after the tour, we had a senic drive through beautiful countryside to meet our boat in Braubach.

Once underway again we continued to cruise through the rest of the day and night.  Tomorrow we turn off the Rhine onto the Main river.
There are lots of white swans along the way.

This fiddler has himself situated on the road on the way up to the castle..

Going into Marksburg Castle.

Looking down from the castle.

I just like flowers but don't know what they are.

A lovely door in the castle.

Inside the castle.

The entry was made high enough for the knights on their horses.

This is also part of he castle.  This type of construction was called half-timber and you see many buildings made this way in the historical towns.  They fill in the spaces between the wood beams with rock and plaster. Poor folks used this type of construction and wealthy ones used stone.

At the castle - the doorway leading in from the garden.

The town of Braubach, across the river, can be seen from the castle.

Looking down at another point.

Some flowers as we look out from the garden.

Castle lookout.

In the kitchen.

Also kitchen.

Castle window.

Bedroom.

Betty sitting by the window.

Mushrooms in a living tree.

Well that's it for the Rhine.  Tonight we get onto the Main river