Docked in Koblenz, Germany. A town of about 106,000 souls, necessarily on the Rhine. It lies at the juncture of the Rhine and the Moselle rivers. On the tip of the juncture, is a statue of Emperor Wilhelm I, placed here is 1879, destroyed in 1945, and rebuilt in 1993. (A lot of turmoil, don't you think?) Impressively large statue, that I did not photograph so it is not included. (Sorry.) Our morning was brief with a walk into the town, then back to buses for a trip to Marksburg castle.
During our brief walk, we saw some of the impressive churches in Koblenz, and shops. This town is a business center for the export of automotive parts, pianos, paper, machinery, boats and barges. The headquarters of the German Army Forces Command is located here. From this castle, the views of the Rhine are impressive.
The Martzburg fortress is where we spent the majority of the morning. Taking a bus about 25 kilometers from the dock, we arrived at an impressive structure bordering the Rhine, and situated on a rocky hill. This castle was built around 1230, and it lies above the town of Braubach. It is the only medieval castle which has never been destroyed in the area of the "middle Rhine." It's height on the mountain is impressive, and it is clear why it was never destroyed. It is one of the sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Rhine Gorge. I believe it is now maintained by the State.
We made it back to the ship for a nice lunch on the sun deck. This was a traditional German lunch of pork barbecue (not flavored like North Carolina), sausages, hamburgers(allegedly invented in Hamburg,Germany),and jelly rolls (or called Bismarks when I was a child in Chicago), and Black forest cakes (tasty, but terrible for a diet). Then it was off again on the Sky (our boat) and up the Rhine. Taking in the sites of this stretch of Rhine was beautiful. It is a protected site with no bridges, and the towns are neat and tidy.
All in all, the trip is an excellent time to consider. Consider what? Consider people, what they are, their history , and the future. Germany is a powerful country. Its people seem to be proud, organized, and industrious. Quite respectable. I have noticed little trash on the sides of the river, and no evidence of deterioration of the houses along the route. They are well preserved with clean and fresh looking paint. I am looking forward to further travels up the Rhine.
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