Daily Archives: May 7, 2019
Bamberg, Germany . . .
5/7/2019
Our ship docked in Bamberg, Germany for about an hour or so, long enough to let off those of us who were doing the daily excursion, Then, as they’ve done before, they sailed off down the Main River, where we will meet up with them again at dockside in Zeil Am Main.
They do this to allow the ship to make better time along the river, while we’re taking in the city.
Our tour started about 9:15 with a walk from the bus stop into town. Luckily our guide was on crutches, and although I think she was trying to hide it, I believe she was a few months pregnant. I say ‘luckily’ because it meant she walked a little slower. Nicer for us.
Bamberg is another one of the towns in this area that dates to the early 900’s. And for hundreds of years it was an important city of the Holy Roman Empire, and for a short time, the main center.
Bamberg sits on the river Regnitz , near where it branches off from the Main. And by ‘sits on’, the old town hall actually sits on a island in the middle of the river.
The story goes that the local religious leaders wouldn’t give the town leaders property to build a town hall, so they expanded a small island in the middle of the and built it there.
Here’s what it looks like from in town.
The view from the bridge highlighted the waterfront and its importance to the city.
Coming across the bridge, the first thing we saw was what’s nicknamed the Wedgewood House, and it’s easy to see why. Known as the Hellerhaus because it was last owned by a famous art collector named Heller, it actually dates from the middle ages. Like pretty much every thing around here, I guess.
Our next stop was the Bamberg Witch Trials Memorial.
During the early 1600’s Bamberg was the location of over 1000 witch trials and executions, peaking between 1626 and 1631. Apparently, one of the reasons it stopped because people started to realize that anyone could be accused and executed, even themselves.
The memorial doesn’t have a lot of impact in the daytime, but it’s more more impressive at night.
We also got a look at St. Martin’s Church.
Built in the classic Baroque style, it was completed in only 7 years and finished in 1693.
Taking a break, we decided to try some of Bamberg’s famous Smoked Beer.
We had already seen the location of the 600+ year old brewery so we had to try it. Or at least I had to try it. Jan had to try the Strawberry Shortcake.
And ‘Smoked’ is a very apt description. It tastes like a wood fire. Very unique, and very good.
By this time it was back on the buses so we could meet up with our cruise ship at Zeil Am Main. We got there just in time to watch the Skirnir dock. It pulled right opposite the dock site, only slightly bigger than the ship,
and then using the Auxiliary Control Panels I mentioned the other day,
just slowly moved sideways until it gently touched the dock.
Then without even tying off, with only the thrusters to hold it in place, they lowered a portable gangplank into place,
and we all boarded.
Fifteen minutes and we were back under way again. They don’t mess around.
Dinner was my favorite Angus Ribeye, one of the permanent items on the menu,
while Jan tried one of the daily items,
the Fried Cod.
Then for dessert we both had this delicious fruit pudding.
It’s easy to see why everyone says you’ll gain 10 to 15 pounds on one of these cruises. Yikes!
A number of readers had suggested we bring along magnetic hooks, since the cabin walls are all steel. So the wall underneath our window became our auxiliary closet.
Or rather my closet since just about everything on there is mine. No room left in the real closet for me.
Also I had mentioned the other day about how the wheelhouse on the top deck can retract down to allow passage under the low bridges, and it suddenly dawned on me where it goes.
I had assumed that this area at the back of the bar was just a storeroom, but actually it’s where the wheelhouse ends up. The door that you see just opens to a shallow closet that holds the controls for the room’s audio/visual equipment.
Tomorrow: Würzburg
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