A Shocking Scandel!

I lied again.  This is really quite historical and boring.  I just like to see if  get your attention.  My blog "Sex, sex, sex" had the most readers.  Now I know what's on your minds!

Heidelburg & Rüdesheim

It was bright and sunny but again very cold when we arrived in Heidelburg, the city of “The Student Prince,” based on a true story. The leaves on the ground were white with frost.  Some people might find the weather distracting, but Dan and I think it adds to the charm of the trip.  Once again joining the cheetahs (more like cows) we toured the magnificent, ruined castle, which dominates old town.  It is considered one of the greatest Rennaisance structures north of the Alps. 

The earliest part was built before 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294.  In 1537 lightning destroyed the upper castle.  The present castle was expanded in 1650, later damaged by war, fires, and more lightning.  In the early 1600’s the family wanted to strengthen its power and they married their son while he was still a teenager to an English princess.  It was a love match!  Again, I’ve seen 4 billion castles from Scandanavia to Spain, including the best, which are in Wales, I always enjoy them because each one is different.  The most unusual feature of this one was the largest wine keg in the world.  It is so big that it has a dance floor on top.  A dry moat surrounds the castle.  There is only a small stream, but in the winter when it froze, people could ice skate on it.  In the summer, they collected wild animals and made it into a kind of zoo.

We walked down the 330 steps for a tour of old town.  It’s a vibrant city because it has about 30,000 students at the University of Heidelburg, which is the oldest in Germany founded in 1386.  Had a great lunch in an old restaurant, walked across the bridge on the river, rubbed the butt of a bronze monkey for good luck, and ambled down the main shopping street.

We had an interesting cultural exchange at dinner the other night with 2 native born Chinese couples.  I think they moved to the U.S. in their early teens.  One spoke perfect English; the other 3 had very thick Chinese accents.  One of the men Andrew Lee (not a relative!) graduated from my high school in Sacramento 8 years after me.  Somehow he found out we were Jewish and he was absolutely fascinated by the fact.  He believed a lot of stereotypes:  Jews are smarter than everyone else; they play the piano very well; they’re all smart in business.  He asked me over and over, why do people hate the Jews?  I tried to explain about early medieval Christianity (Christ killers) and the history of Arab and Jewish conflict over land, but he kept saying, “But you’re like everyone else!”   How does one explain irrational thinking?  

In Rüdesheim we had a choice of two tours.  One of us went up a tram, to a monument, a vineyard to overlook the river and to take pictures.  The sensible one of the Lees went to the Museum of Mechanical Instruments, which was warm, dry, and truly fascinating.  My favorite piece was both a mechanical piano, which included maybe 2 dozen mechanical violins.  I took a lot of video so I could pick up the sound.  If you live near me and ever want to see/hear it, you’re welcome.

The town has a famous drink, which is like many famous drinks around the world.  I shared a table with a couple married in 1943.  The lady looks to be in her 70’s but that, of course, is not possible.  The waitress brings all the ingredients to the table to make the drink.  She mixes sugar cubes and brandy, then sets the combination aflame, adds coffee, and tops it with whipped cream and chocolate.  It was only 10:30 in the AM but hit the spot! 

We spent the afternoon on the Rhine going past 4,632,501 castles.   I know because I counted them.  Most of them date from the 12 century and were destroyed by the French, I think around the 16^th century.  One of their functions was to collect tolls for passage in the area.  In addition, for the price of passage, people would get protection.  Such a deal!

The castles seemed very close together—often minutes between each as we sailed by.  Below the castles were the quintessential small German towns and many vineyards, which are the northernmost vineyards in Europe.  The rows of vines appear to be at about 70-80 degree angles from the bottom; consequently, they have to be harvested by hand. I think machinery would fall down from the effect of gravity.  I’m not sure how the people are able to cling to the hillsides.  The sun is starting to come out, and the stone of the few white castles glistens in the light.

Wertheim

Wertheim

It is impossible to describe the breathtaking scenery on this trip.  When we awoke this morning, the sun was out with mist rising from the river.  The multicolored trees were an inverted reflection in the water. The snowfall yesterday was very unusual for October.  Usually by the time the snow comes, the trees no longer have leaves.  Our guide told us that the weight of the snow on the leaves uprooted some of the trees on the hillside.

 This area is known for glass blowing and we listened to a presentation from a glassmaker who two months out of the year teaches for Chihuly, the premier glassmaker in the world.  Not only were his presentation and information fascinating, but he also was as funny as a stand-up comedian.

After lunch we went to Wertheim, a charming town (population 24,000) at the confluence of 2 rivers, the Main and the Tauber.  Vantage, our tour group, has figured out that the people on the trip go at 2 speeds:  cheetahs and snails.  For the last 2 tours, they let us sign up for a faster tour, thank goodness!   The architecture in Wertheim  is well preserved, and the narrow, twisted streets are lined with pretty half timbered houses, mostly dating from the 16^th century. The town has kept the atmosphere of a small Franconian town.  I’m still trying to understand the different regions in Germany.  So far we have been in the state of Bavaria until today when we were in Baden-Württembug.  Franconia is a region in these states.   Franconians evidently don’t like to be called Bavarians.  I think it’s something like the Catalans in Spain?????

We walked through the town on the way to the ruins of the castle.  Because it was Sunday and we were in a very Catholic part of Germany, ALL the stores were closed.

I liked the quiet Sunday feel of this charming town.  At the castle, we were treated to drinks and a type of cheesecake.  We had the choice of eating inside (where it was warm) or outside overlooking the beautiful view.  Even though it was very cold, Dan and I chose to eat outside with blankets on our laps. 

There had been a large American army base here—to prevent the Russians from making an incursion into West Germany.  Our guide told us that as a result, we would see Halloween decoration around town, and we did:  skeletons, tombstones, carved pumpkins.

A single man on the tour (Loren) accompanied me as Dan and I went on our own walking tour.  We found an old Jewish cemetery that was quite large and quite beautiful with lovely autumn trees.  Dan went off to photograph trains (surprise!), and Richard and I wandered around and discovered quaint narrow streets, more charming houses, and a path along the river.

It was a low key but lovely day.

Sex, sex, sex

Würzburg to Rothenberg

This has nothing to do with sex, but my readership has gone down so I thought I'd try to get your attention....

What a day!  We docked in Bamberg and had the choice of Würzburg and the abbey or a tour of Rothenburg. We chose Rothbenburg, and I’m so glad we did!

We knew it was supposed to be a cold day.  Consequently I was wearing a camisole, a turtleneck with a sweater on top, a corduroy jacket, the down jacket I bought for Alaska, socks, boots, a wool scarf, hat and gloves.  I was still cold.

Shortly after we left the ship, it began to snow creating a picturesque landscape unlike any we see on the West Coast.

White snow covered he fall foliage of the trees, the bales of hay, and the vineyards. The colors were like Breughel’s “Hunters in the Snow,” in muted tones of pale green, grey, black, and brown with small splashes of gold.

Although much of it was destroyed in only 20 minutes of bombing during WWII, some of the old ramparts remain.  We climbed the stairs and walked the narrow, stone floor.  The covered roof kept us out of the snow for a while.  Our tour guide said that all of her years of touring, she’s never encountered snow in Rothenburg, not even during the Christmas market.

Rothenburg is considered Germany’s most charming medieval town.  During the Middle Ages, it was the second largest city in the country.

The weather only added to the charm.  In the center of the square, was a small stove with its proprietor selling hot chestnuts.  A red and white awning covered a gingerbread cookie shop (I made a donation).  The owner would occasionally step out from under the protection to knock the snow off of her roof.  The old town clock opens on the hour to reveal two windows with a man in each drinking from a stein of beer. 

We have almost 3 hours on our own, and Dan and I headed to the town Imperial Museum, which is one of the best small museums we have ever visited.  The lighting is good, the items are artfully arranged with signs in English, and consisting of many artifacts we have never seen before.  It is housed in an old convent with some of the old rooms on view including the oldest (13^th century) remaining kitchen in Germany.  I have seen many weapon exhibits, but these were the most fascinating and beautiful.  The steins were not the traditional steins we see today.  Rather they were painted with scenes of birds and flowers.

The Judaica section had tombstones dating back to the 12^th and 13^th centuries and books written by Rabbi Meir Ben Baruch von Rothenburg, who taught at a Talmud School and Synagogue, in the first Jewish Quarter in Rothenburg, which ceased to exist.  I copied the following from the web:

“”From 1241 to 1242, The Staufer Imperial tax statistics recorded the names of the Jews in Rothenburg. Rabbi Meir Ben Baruch of Rothenburg (died 1293, buried 1307 in Worms) had a great reputation as a jurist in Europe. His descendants include members of the dynastic family von Rothberg, noteworthy in that they were accorded noble status in the nineteenth century, becoming the hereditary Counts of Rothberg, later taking up residence in the city of Berlin where they were well known as jewelers until the 1930s. Most members of the family disappeared and are presumed to have been killed during the Second World War.”

Our program manager had given each couple 30 euros to spend on lunch.  We went to a warm (!) colorful restaurant on the main square where we found most of our tour group along with many Japanese tourists.  There are so many Japanese tour groups in this area that the signs on the restaurants and shops are in Japanese as well as German and sometimes English!  I had hot, mulled wine, tomato soup, and a cheese sandwich.  This may not sound gourmet to you, but for me, it was an ideal meal.  Our meal came to 29+ euros just under the 30 given to us.

One of the members of our tour group never made it back to the bus.  After hunting for her for over 30 minutes, our program director stayed in town.  She did find her, and they both returned to the ship by train.   It is FREEZING out but I’m tucked in my warm, comfy bed with the heat on “womb” temperature fortified by tea and waiting for dinner.

I love this trip!

Nürenburg

Nüremberg, Germany

Normally I like to read about the places I’m going to visit, but on this trip I didn’t do advanced research.  Each place has been a surprise.

Actually Germany has surprised me.  Dan and I were in Berlin a few years ago and found it to be a vibrant city with friendly people and great museums, but other than flying through Munich, we haven’t been anywhere else in the country.

Confession:  Please forgive me, but I didn’t expect to like Germany.  I didn’t want to like Germany, but I do like Germany and the Germans I’ve met.    I was born during WWII, and my parents had friends who survived the concentration camps.  I have friends whose parents survived the concentration camps.  My father told me that he could hardly wait to get out of Germany when he was passing through on a tour.  I am a generation too close to the Holocaust and have an innate prejudice because of my Jewish heritage   On the other hand, I don’t expect anyone to blame me for what happened to Native Americans or to the Blacks in my country so I have had to learn to let go of these feelings.

Our German guide today told us that the attitude toward the Holocaust changed in the 1980’s because of a TV show on the subject in the U.S.  I don’t know if this is true or not, but he works for the Documentation Center (a huge museum that chronicles the history of the Nazis) in Nüremberg.  He did say though that the generation that lived through and remembered the war downplays what happened and if you ask them about the war, they talk about the bombings and nothing of the mass killings.

Nüremburg was the center for Hitler’s rallies.  Today we visited the enormous parade grounds and the Documentation Center, a large brick building with low ceilings that is the museum of the Nazis.

We watched movies of thousands and thousands of people in the streets of the city and at the rallies.  We also saw movies taken at the actual Nüremberg trials.  Both films were chilling reminders of one madman’s powerful, negative charisma. People on our tour questioned how he could have had such influence on so many people.   I felt as I did at Yad Vashem. But at Yad Vashem you wend your way from darkness to a large area of light, the Documentation Center was all darkness.  Instead of an avenue commemorating Righteous Gentiles, there are films of the worst leaders and most heinous of the Holocaust.  All school children in Nürenberg must visit this center.  Our guide suggested that we should watch “Judgement at Nüremburg,” which according to him was very accurate.  I watched it this afternoon in my statement (we have a choice of over 100 movies).

Ninety percent of Nürenberg was destroyed in the war, but they rebuilt the old city to look as it originally did.   It’s hard to tell that it wasn’t built hundreds of years ago.  The most interesting landmark is a large wrought-iron fountain with figures. Until recently there was a pipe to pull down to release water, but the locals were always playing a prank on tourists telling them to look through the pipe for a special view and to pull down the handle.  When they got soaking wet, they were not happy.  Our guide assured us that this was a “real” story.  Dan and I walked up to the castle and went past the house and museum of the fifteenth century artist Albrecht Durer.  Unfortunately on our walking tours, we don’t have enough time to go into the museums unless they’re a part of the tour.

Regensburg, Germany

Regensburg, Germany

The ship sounds like the respiratory ward at the hospital, and I have not escaped.  If it were the time of the black plague, I’d be one of the unlucky ones. Most of the towns we’ve visited have a monument to the plague.  Fortunately it’s just a head cold, but I do not suffer well. 

Yesterday we visited Regensburg, ABCT, another beautiful charming town, undamaged during WWII and a UNESCO world heritage site.  It dates to the Stone Age.  Around 90 CE the Romans built a small settlement here.  In 1135-1146, a stone bridge was built across the Danube, which opened major international routes between Northern Europe and Venice. It became a city of wealthy families, a political economic, and intellectual city.  Napoleon presided over the decline of the Holy Roman Empire from here.   It is a university town and judging from the high -Bend stores, it must be an affluent town.   We visited DOM, (1275-1634) an ABC , another bloody cathedral,  huge (I’ve never seen a small one) in the German Gothic style.  I have literally (don’t take me literally) visited a zillion cathedrals, but this one was very impressive with a magnificent silver altar, a hanging organ, and exquisite stained glass. 

While in the cathedral, I met one of the elderly widowers on our cruise—there are a # of them; in fact, one couple met each other on this same riverboat cruise 6 years ago. 

Again, I’m fascinated by the diversity of the passengers.  He was a retired professor from both Cal and Stanford,

where he had taught comparative religion.  He wrote his thesis comparing Tillich and a Buddhist writer.  What was surprising is that the man is a Mormon! 

The most interesting place we toured was a castle, inhabited by one of the wealthiest families in Europe:  Thurn-Taxis.  I’ve never heard of them, but I guess they like it that way.  Again, I’ve seen many palaces, but I really liked this one because it’s smaller than Versaille, Peterhoff, or Shöenbrun so easier to tour yet quite lovely. Besides the exquisite crystal chandeliers, my favorite piece was a beautiful tapestry that depicted a white horse.  I felt as if he could have jumped out of the tapestry.   At the end of the tour we went through a room that had a 6 foot plaster cast of the head of the current “grand dame’ of the castle.  It was creepy but even creepier was the next room that had video portraits of the grand dame, her mother, her 2 daughters, and her son because their eyes blinked and followed you.  It was like the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland.

Today we were in Nurenberg, but there’s a lot to write about it so more later.