• We are Living the Dream
  • We are Living the Dream

Europe 2016

Et 53-dagers eventyr av We are Living the Dream Les mer
  • Walking Tour of Cologne

    16. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    We arrived in Cologne at 3 o'clock and walked around for a few hours taking in this rather gothic town.

    Cologne has 2,000-year-old city spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, is the region’s cultural hub.

    Cologne's importance in the Middle Ages is reflected by its 12 Romanesque Chuches
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  • Cruising the Rhine

    17. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    The very brisk morning started before breakfast listening to the Cruise Director explaining the fact and fiction of the many castles and townships along the Rhine River. This area of the Rhine is known as the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. It is a 65 kilometre stretch featuring dotted castles and villages that composers, painters and poets considered the embodiment of an ideal romantic spirit.Les mer

  • The Legend of Lorelei

    17. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The rock and the murmur it creates have inspired various tales.

    The most common legend is Lorelei which told of a beautiful girl whose seductive song lures mariners to their doom on the rocks at the foot of the cliff.

    The story legend goes Lorelei is betrayed by her sweetheart and accused of bewitching men and causing their death. Rather than sentence her to death, the bishop consigns her to a nunnery. On the way there accompanied by three knights, she comes to the Lorelei rock. She asks permission to climb it and view the Rhine once again. She does so and thinking that she sees her love in the Rhine, falls to her death. The rock still retained an echo of her name afterwards.
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  • Rudesheim History and Coffee

    17. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Rudesheim is a wine-making town in Germany's Rhine Gorge. It lies on the bank of the Main, at the foot of the Rhine and belongs to the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, one of Germany's biggest tourist attractions.

    The Drosselgasse Lane, the heart of Rudesheim's old town, is full of beautifully decorated restaurants, shops and live entertainment that plays all day and all night during the summer months. Built in the 15th century, the Drosselgasse was quite busy and a lovely town.

    After walking the streets and taking in all the history of Rudesheim it was time for coffee.

    Rudesheim has its own style of coffee invented by a TV chef in 1957. Asbach Uralt brandy and sugar cubes are added to a specially designed mug . The brandy is flambéed and stirred for a minute until the sugar dissolves. Strong coffee is added, followed by a topping of thickly whipped cream sweetened with vanilla sugar. Chocolate flakes are scattered onto the cream as a garnish. It was yummy.
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  • Duetsches Eck Monument

    17. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Deutsches Eck "German Corner" is the name of a headland in Koblenz, Germany, where the Mosel River joins the Rhine. Named after a local commander of the Teutonic Order, it became known for a monumental equestrian statue of William I, first German Emperor, erected in 1897 in appreciation of his merits in the unification of Germany. One of many Emperor William monuments found in the Prussian Rhine Province, it was destroyed in World War II and only the plinth was preserved as a memorial. Following German reunification, a replica of the statue was erected on the pedestal after controversial discussions in 1993. It is today a Koblenz landmark and a popular tourist destination.Les mer

  • Main River

    18. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The river Main is a significant trade route that meanders through Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse towards the west. It flows past several iconic cities and towns including Würzburg, a magnificent baroque town located on the famed Romantic Road, Frankfurt, Germany's financial capital nicknamed "Main-hattan" due to its skyscraper-filled skyline and Bamberg.

    The Rhine-Main-Danube canal is an artery between the Danube and Rhine deltas that flows between Bamberg and Kelheim via Nuremberg. Passengers get to experience the rising and lowering of the river cruise ship as it traverses a total of 16 locks along the 171 kilometre canal. Lock enthusiasts will enjoy that fact that it takes about a day to get through all the locks (up to 30 minutes per lock). Some locks are very narrow and can barely squeeze in one ship at a time, while larger locks can contain two to three ships at once.
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  • Heidelberg

    18. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We docked in Frankfurt today. As we have been to Frankfurt before we did not do any tours here so we took the Uniworld bus to Heidelberg.

    Heidelberg is located about 78 km south of Frankfurt, is a university town with roughly a quarter of the population are students.

    Heidelberg University was founded in 1386 and is Germany's oldest and one of Europe's most reputable universities. The university also has a interesting story about the invention of a chocolate called the Student Kiss.

    Heidelberg’s Student Kiss was the clever creation of Fridolin Knösel who was the proprietor of the long-standing Cafe. Knösel was a chocolatier and master confectioner who was much liked by his customers.

    His creative and exquisite chocolates attracted many to his cafe, including the young ladies who were attending Heidelberg’s finishing school. Of course the presence of the young women attracted the male students of Heidelberg university who would also flock to the store, hoping to catch the attention of the young women. However, their ever-protective governesses, who were never far away, made it difficult for the young people to meet. It pained the owner of a store to see his young patrons suffer and so he very cleverly created a chocolate delight which he called the Student Kiss. The exquisite chocolate delight was ingeniously promoted as a gallant token of affection from the giver.

    Finally, it seems the young men and women had a discreet way of sending messages to each other. If the young lady accepts the Student Kiss, it is an indication that she is accepting of the young man’s approach. If, however, the Student Kiss is returned, it is bad news for the bloke as it indicates rejection.
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  • Heidelberg Castle

    18. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Nestled in the hill 300 feet above the city of Heidelberg stands the breathtaking Heidelberg Castle. The castle is a combination of several buildings surrounding an inner courtyard, put together all over the place. Each building highlights a different period of German architecture.

    The castle has a history almost as old as the city. The first part of the castle was built around 1300, however it was not used until 1398 – 1410. It was destroyed by lightning in 1764 leaving it permanently uninhabitable, the castle was the residence for most of the Prince Electors. In 1800, Count Charles de Graimberg began the difficult task of conserving the castle ruins. Up until this time, the citizens of Heidelberg had used the castle stones to build new houses.

    The castle is huge and has so many nooks and crannies with many photo opportunities so it is very hard to stop taking photos.
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  • Heidelberg Castle - Appothecary Museum

    18. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    This museum was set up showing the history of the pharmacy and dispensaries. The collection includes a complete pharmacist’s office, a laboratory, pharmacopoeias, manuscripts, a wide array of vessels, mortars, and technical flasks and over 1,000 raw drugs representing medicine from the 17th to 19th centuries.Les mer

  • Heidelberg Castle - The Heidelberg Tun

    18. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    World’s Largest Wine Barrel was built in 1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor to house the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers of the Palatine. It stands seven meters high, is eight and a half meters wide, holds 220,000 litres of wine, and has a dance floor built on top of it.

    The court jester who guarded the cask during the reign of Prince Elector Carl Philip, a Tyrolean dwarf nick-named Perkeo, was supposedly known for his ability to drink large quantities of wine. Legend has it that he died when he mistakenly drank a glass of water.
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  • Monkey Bridge

    18. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Heidelberg is a medieval city with lots of character and stories one of which is the story of Monkey Bridge located on the west end of the Bridge Gate. Heidelberg’s Bridge Monkey is a bronze sculpture which was installed in 1979. The Heidelberg Monkey holds a mirror up to those who look at it and according to one of many legend's surrounding the statue, the Bridge Monkey is intended as a symbolic reminder to Heidelberg’s citizens that neither the city-dwellers nor the people who lived outside the city of Heidelberg were better than the other, and that they should look over their shoulder as they cross the bridge. But just in case you think that this Heidelberg Monkey statue has been put there merely as a tourist attraction, there was a bridge monkey in Heidelberg going as far back as the 15th century. Old drawings of the town show it located next to the tower on the north end of the Old Bridge. Unfortunately, that bridge monkey disappeared during 1689-93.Les mer

  • Main River

    19. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We continue cruising down the Main to Wertheim during the night.
    This morning was hard to get up, so much walking and my head is starting to hurt from all the stories, so many facts but also heaps on fiction and myths.Les mer

  • Wertheim

    19. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Weritheim is a town in south western Germany, with a population of around 23,400. It is located where rivers Tauber and Main meet.

    Wertheim is best known for its landmark castle and medieval town centre and the Castle is one of the most beautiful and largest castle ruins in Germany. Impressive is the magnificent view over the old town with the river landscapes
    of the Main and Tauber.
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  • Property Taxes

    19. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ 18 °C

    Property taxes in the Middle Ages were assessed by how much of your home “touched the ground’, not by total square footage. Many homeowner saved some money by building their home larger on the upper floors!! That took some structural know how!!Les mer

  • Wertheim Floods

    19. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ 16 °C

    Flooding is one of Germany's most devastating and costliest natural disasters, periodically affecting hundreds of communities, particularly those located along the Main River. Wertheim being located at the confluence of two rivers, the Main and the Tauber, is particularly vulnerable.

    Flooding in Wertheim is not a recent phenomenon. High water levels have been marked on the walls of buildings going back as early as 1595. Many of these markings can be seen on the sides of several medieval buildings in the historical district. In recent years, severe flooding has occurred in 1970, 1982, 1995, 1998, and 2003. This photo taken near the town centre shows the same area during the 2003 flood. One wonders how these old buildings are able to withstand repeated flooding episodes and remain habitable.
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  • Wurzburg Residence

    20. juni 2016, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    This incredibly lavish 18th century palace was created under the auspices of two Schönborn prince-bishops, Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl, who brought enormous knowledge and passion, as well as a budget for the best, to the project. Over the course of 60 years, they fostered the creation of a 300 room palace that contains jaw dropping baroque art. The magnificent grand staircase boasts the world’s largest ceiling fresco, painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Portions of the building were damaged by Allied bombing in 1945, but, fortunately, most of the historic furnishings had been stored off-site and key rooms were unharmed, so you can see the original and matchless artwork, gilding and statuary. Even the gardens have been restored, right down to the topiary fruit trees in the kitchen garden, which are re-creations of the trees grown there in the 18th century.

    Unfortunately no photos are allowed inside very annoying but if you google the Residence you can find a few of the most stunning rooms.
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