RHINE & MOSEL CRUISE SUMMARY

Day 1 & 2 - It was a long flight to Europe. We first flew from Denver to Munich (Germany) on a massive double-decker airbus. Upon arrival, we got special wheelchair assistance. This service is amazing! We were whisked through special passport lanes and even got our own shuttle to our next plane... where I got upgraded to business class! Upon arrival in Basel (Switzerland), we were met by our tour director, Veerle. She got us on a bus to our cruise ship, the River Harmony. This was a package tour by Overseas Adventure Travel on their Grand Circle Cruise Line, so everything was included. After settling into our amazing cabin (complete with our own balcony!), we attended a welcome talk which informed us all about life on the ship. Then we had the first of our many incredible daily meals and desserts!

Day 3 - We started the day with an amazing buffet, which included a omelet station and a different specialty side dish (today was French toast). We hopped off the ship and into a waiting bus which would take us into downtown Basel where Veerle led us on a site-seeing walk. We saw interesting artwork by Tinguely, explored numerous streets, wandered around the main cathedral, got a view of the Rhine River, and learned all sorts of interesting history. We returned to the boat for an incredible lunch. We took the afternoon to rest a bit and explore the ship. In the evening, we enjoyed the captain's welcome drink and dinner. The attentive staff always made sure I got a special vegetarian meal.

Day 4 - The ship set sail at 5:30 am. After breakfast and passing through some locks (we would have to navigate 30 of them on this trip), we got a cooking lesson from the chef on how to make a French dessert, tarte tatin. The captian then ordered a safety drill where we all had to put on our lifejackets. In the afternoon, we boarded a bus which drove us through wine country to the small town of Riquewihr (France). After a short tour (including a tasting of macrons), we were given some time to explore on our own. Jane and I opted to sample a delicious gewurtztraminer. We got some spiced cake to sample on the bus ride back to the boat, where we enjoyed another sensational dinner... with more wine, of course. I suspect I'll be coming home several pounds heavier!

Day 5 - When we awoke in the morning, the ship was already docked near Strasbourg (France). After eating heartily, we met with a local guide who took us downtown on a local train. The highlight was the massive gothic cathedral with its unique astronomical clock. We met up with Veerle and all went to lunch in a restaurant called L'Ancienne Douane. We were given free time afterwards so Jane and I took a covered boat ride around the canals. We caught the train back to the ship. After yet another sensational dinner, there was a presentation... The life of a program director... where we got to learn all about Veerle and the other two ship guides.

Day 6 - Again we sailed overnight, awaking this time in Speyer (Germany)... the supposed birthplace of the pretzel. We were close enough to walk directly into town from the boat. Veerle brought us to see the church and the old Jewish quarter. During our free time afterwards, I returned to the church to visit the crypt, which contained the tombs of eight kings and emperors. After lunch on the ship, we hopped on a bus for a visit with a local family. Eight of us were dropped off at the home of Cordula and her husband to enjoy some cakes and conversation. After dinner on the ship, we enjoyed a fun performance by a singing group named Stimmalarm.

Day 7 - The morning was spent cruising though the gorgeous (yet somewhat cold and misty) Lorelei valley. The cliffs were lined with an incredible amount of castles. This is also where sirens used to lure sailors to their deaths. One of the beauties even paid us a visit on the ship! After lunch, we took a bus up to Marksburg Castle for a tour. It had an amazing collection of historic armor. The tour ended with a pretzel and a beer... and some torrential rain! We were returned to the town of Boppard (Germany) where a wine festival was going on. The ship set sail after dinner, rounding the corner at Koblenz and taking us onto the Mosel River.

Day 8 -