Koblenz

After a tough day negotiating the German railway system, with delays and enormous crowds, it was a very pleasant surprise to land in Koblenz.

We took a walk along the river to Deutsches Eck - literally “German Point” - sited at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers and with a huge, triumphal equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I at its centre.

Next to this, it being Germany, was the Konigsbacher Biergarten. It was five-thirty and hot, so the weary travellers slaked their thirst (several times, in fact) and dined on pizzas amongst a growing and excited crowd waiting to watch Germany play in the FIFA World Cup.

Unfortunately, the excited crowd were soon to be disappointed, as their team lost.

The following day we took a walk past several attractive buildings along the Rhine, to the spot where you can see the 1794 Electoral Palace, when it’s not covered with scaffolding and hessian and looking like a building site.

Then we went to the fortress. Ehrenbreitstein commands the top of the rocky hill opposite the junction of the two rivers and is quite enormous. The most recent structure was completed in 1828, and never used defensively; it has done time as a refugee camp, and housing, and is now a museum, war memorial and overall interesting place to wander around.

The following day was a pearler.

On a beautiful, sunny day, we caught the train south to Rudesheim am Rhein, from where we caught a cable car - Seilbahn Rudesheim - high above acres of grape vines to a viewpoint above and around a bend in the river. Stunning, simply stunning!

Then, looking away from the river, you are confronted by the towering 38-metre Neiderwald Monument, a massive work in stone and bronze topped by a rather stern-looking, 12-metre tall Germania. It was completed in 1883 to commemorate the unification of Germany.

Back in Rudesheim, after our very peaceful return on the Seilbahn, we took a look at Drosselgasse, an extremely narrow street lined with wine bars/restaurants and souvenir shops.

Then it was onto the 1913-built PS Goethe, for our return downstream to Koblenz.

Sitting outside on the deck, drinks and snacks in hand, weather beautiful and a continuing passing parade of castles and villages going by on both sides of the river - it just doesn’t get much better!

We passed the Lorely Rock, the legendary spot where the sirens lured sailors to their doom, but our fearless crew resisted the temptation and we passed safely. Or maybe it was the bunch of tax accountants having a long, happy dinner on the cruise, all wearing sailor hats, that got us through safely.

Still amazed at the wonders and scenery of Koblenz and the Rhine, we are now leaving for a new adventure in Heidelberg.Read more