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Great Rivers of Europe Trip - 2012

On May 10, my wife of 54 years and I left for our 5th trip with Grand Circle Travel, this time for just under 1000 miles on the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers, including about 100 miles on the manmade Main-Danube Canal. We traveled on the MS River Aria, with its 164 passengers and a crew of 38 through Germany and into Austria.

Prior to the water portion, we visited Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp in Belgium, and Delft and Amsterdam in The Netherlands. At the end of the "voyage" we spent several wonderful days in magical Vienna Austria.

We returned home to Tennessee 21 days later, on May 31. What follows is my photographic record of our time in Europe. AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE YOU WILL SEE THE WORD "SLIDESHOW." This is the easiest way to work your way through the gallery. Enjoy...
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Typical Brussels street scene
Typical Brussels street scene		 Brussels' famous Mannekin-Pis which comes with several legends as to its origin
Brussels' famous "Mannekin-Pis" which comes with several legends as to its origin		 The Grand Place in Brussels' Lower Town
The Grand Place in Brussels' Lower Town		 A Middle Ages guild house
A Middle Ages guild house
Now those are Belgian waffles!
Now those are Belgian waffles!		 The Atomium from a World's Fair in Brussels
The Atomium from a World's Fair in Brussels		 Belgium is famous for chocolate and this guy is a key employee at a chocolate factory we visited.
Belgium is famous for chocolate and this guy is a key employee at a chocolate factory we visited.		 Ross tries his hand at filling pralines.
Ross tries his hand at filling "pralines."
Initial view of Bruges
Initial view of Bruges		 Stepped facade is sure sign of old building
"Stepped facade" is sure sign of old building		 Canal view
Canal view		 Typical Bruges street scene, with plenty of color
Typical Bruges street scene, with plenty of color
Market Square
Market Square		 Bruges is noted for lace and this is one of the premier factories
Bruges is noted for lace and this is one of the premier factories		 Belfry on Market Square, unfortunately closed when we were there
Belfry on Market Square, unfortunately closed when we were there		 Marching band concert for the crowds
Marching band concert for the crowds
Lace maker
Lace maker		 Bruges canal view
Bruges canal view		 Antwerp--old fort now an interactive museum
Antwerp--old fort now an interactive museum		 Antwerp cathedral
Antwerp cathedral
Antwerp cathedral nave
Antwerp cathedral nave		 Cathedral--one of several old masters paintings
Cathedral--one of several "old masters" paintings		 Antwerp--old city hall
Antwerp--old city hall		 Pre-trip Program Director Sergej Lopouchansky,Russian now living in Antwerp
Pre-trip Program Director Sergej Lopouchansky,Russian now living in Antwerp
Delft factory 4-step process (from right to left)
Delft factory 4-step process (from right to left)		 Delft factory kiln display
Delft factory kiln display		 Delft factory product display
Delft factory product display		 Delft factory painter/designer
Delft factory painter/designer
Delft cathedral
Delft cathedral		 Delft canal scene
Delft canal scene		 Delft--through the door view
Delft--through the door view		 Amsterdam canal cruise
Amsterdam canal cruise
Amsterdam canal cruise
Amsterdam canal cruise		 Amsterdam canal cruise
Amsterdam canal cruise		 NOT coffee!
NOT coffee!		 MS River Aria, Manolache Ambrose, Captain
MS River Aria, Manolache Ambrose, Captain
Cologne Cathedral and Hollenzollern Bridge at sunset
Cologne Cathedral and Hollenzollern Bridge at sunset		 Cologne cathedral interior
Cologne cathedral interior		 Cologne cathedral interior
Cologne cathedral interior		 Cologne cathedral interior
Cologne cathedral interior
Synagogue Roonstrasse Koln
Synagogue Roonstrasse Koln		 We learn something of what it means to be a German Jew
We learn something of what it means to be a German Jew		 Synagogue altar
Synagogue altar		 Synagogue stained glass window
Synagogue stained glass window
More Cologne archeological work underway on Roman ruins
More Cologne archeological work underway on Roman ruins		 Koblentz greeter
Koblentz greeter		 Katzenjammer Kids house
Katzenjammer Kids house		 Koblentz sense of humor
Koblentz sense of humor
Koblentz remembers the destruction of WW2 and its rebuilding
Koblentz remembers the destruction of WW2 and its rebuilding		 Koblentz sense of humor
Koblentz sense of humor		 Yellow flag lady: Silviya Velkova, leader of the sonnenschein group
Yellow flag lady: Silviya Velkova, leader of the sonnenschein group		 Koblentz's Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
Koblentz's Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
Gigantic statue of Emperor Wilhelm I located at the German Corner where the Rhine and Mosel Rivers meet
Gigantic statue of Emperor Wilhelm I located at the "German Corner" where the Rhine and Mosel Rivers meet		 Faux monkey with organ grinder at German Corner
Faux monkey with organ grinder at German Corner		 Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene		 Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene		 Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene		 Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene		 Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene		 Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene		 Rhine Valley cruise scene--the real Loreley
Rhine Valley cruise scene--the real Loreley		 Rhine Valley cruise scene--Loreley Sacha version
Rhine Valley cruise scene--Loreley Sacha version
Rhine Valley cruise scene
Rhine Valley cruise scene		 Dinner at Rudesheimer Schloss--potato soup was quite good
Dinner at Rudesheimer Schloss--potato soup was quite good		 Oom-Pah band
Oom-Pah band		 Rudesheim Party
Rudesheim Party
Rudesheim Party
Rudesheim Party		 A birthday celebration
A birthday celebration		 Mainz--Kaiserdom cathedral
Mainz--Kaiserdom cathedral		 Nave view
Nave view
Gutenberg Museum
Gutenberg Museum		 Bakery
Bakery		 Typical Mainz (and German) street scene
Typical Mainz (and German) street scene		 Birthday
Birthday
Swinging Intermezzo
Swinging Intermezzo		 How did he do that????
How did he do that????		 Long climb starting to Marksburg Castle
Long climb starting to Marksburg Castle		 Entry
Entry
Only 13th century Rhine castle unchanged by war on reconstruction
Only 13th century Rhine castle unchanged by war on reconstruction		 Marksburg defense
Marksburg defense		 Wine was big in those days!
Wine was big in those days!		 Family potty
Family potty
Maxmillian's Brauwiesen (brewery)
Maxmillian's Brauwiesen (brewery)		 Pretzel sample (sausage samples not shown)
Pretzel sample (sausage samples not shown)		 Beer sample
Beer sample		 Heidelberg--Castle ruins above town
Heidelberg--Castle ruins above town
Castle Gate Tower
Castle Gate Tower		 Inner buildings
Inner buildings		 Supposedly a 30,000 gallon wine cask
Supposedly a 30,000 gallon wine cask		 Touring group
Touring group
Musical performers at Castle
Musical performers at Castle		 Powder Tower (or Exploded Tower)
Powder Tower (or Exploded Tower)		 In town there was this monkey; touch his coin for luck
In town there was this monkey; touch his coin for luck		 Church of the Holy Ghost
Church of the Holy Ghost
Heidelberg Hari Krisnas parade
Heidelberg Hari Krisnas parade		 Alte Brucke (Old Bridge)
Alte Brucke (Old Bridge)		 Wertheim is very much aware of and honors its Jewish population removed by the Nazis
Wertheim is very much aware of and honors its Jewish population removed by the Nazis		 Wertheim viewed from castle
Wertheim viewed from castle
Wertheim fishermen's houses
Wertheim fishermen's houses		 Wertheim Marktplatz (Market Square)
Wertheim Marktplatz (Market Square)		 Castle at night
Castle at night		 We learn the history of glass blowing in Wertheim and see an interesting demonstration from a real artist
We learn the history of glass blowing in Wertheim and see an interesting demonstration from a real artist
The Residenz palace in Wurzburg, a UNESCO World Heritage building
The "Residenz" palace in Wurzburg, a UNESCO World Heritage building		 Marien Chapel
Marien Chapel		 Adam and Eve made more modest!
Adam and Eve made more modest!		 Marienburg Fortress at night
Marienburg Fortress at night
Kaffeeklatsch at the home of Robert Kastner
Kaffeeklatsch at the home of Robert Kastner		 Rothenburg--Silviya and local students in Rothenburg
Rothenburg--Silviya and local students in Rothenburg		 St. Jakob's Lutheran Church
St. Jakob's Lutheran Church		 Church interior
Church interior
Snowballs--a Rothenburg specialty since 1882
Snowballs--a Rothenburg specialty since 1882		 Legend of the mayor who saved the town by downing a prodigious beer
Legend of the mayor who saved the town by downing a prodigious beer		 A good lunch spot in Rothenburg
A good lunch spot in Rothenburg		 Keeping the German folk dancing tradition alive
Keeping the German folk dancing tradition alive
Bamberg's central market
Bamberg's central market		 Upper Bridge with the Rathaus (old town hall)
Upper Bridge with the Rathaus (old town hall)		 Neue Residenz (Prince Bishop's residential apartments)
Neue Residenz (Prince Bishop's residential apartments)		 We got to see a stonecutter at work
We got to see a stonecutter at work
Bamberg's Dom (cathedral of St. Peter and St. George)
Bamberg's Dom (cathedral of St. Peter and St. George)		 Rose garden with Benedictine Abbey of Michaelsberg in the background
Rose garden with Benedictine Abbey of Michaelsberg in the background		 Bamberg's Little Venice (half-timbered fishermen's houses along the Regnitz River)
Bamberg's "Little Venice" (half-timbered fishermen's houses along the Regnitz River)		 Captain's nautical talk
Captain's "nautical talk"
Yellow Broom and Lupine along the shore
Yellow Broom and Lupine along the shore		 The Captain at work
The Captain at work		 Lock opens
Lock opens		 In the lock
In the lock
We cross Europe's Continental Divide
We cross Europe's Continental Divide		 Nuremburg's Church of St. Sebaldus
Nuremburg's Church of St. Sebaldus		 Nuremburg bratwurst the best ?
Nuremburg bratwurst the best ?		 Hauptmarkt square
Hauptmarkt square
Beautiful Fountain: Turn the ring 3 times and your wishes will come true
"Beautiful Fountain:" Turn the ring 3 times and your wishes will come true		 Where Nazi war criminals were tried
Where Nazi war criminals were tried		 Hitler's podium for huge Nazi rallies
Hitler's podium for huge Nazi rallies		 Kelheim--Hall of Liberation
Kelheim--Hall of Liberation
Hall of Liberation ceiling
Hall of Liberation ceiling		 Hall of Liberation
Hall of Liberation		 Hall of Liberation
Hall of Liberation		 Hall of Liberation
Hall of Liberation
Regensburg from the Stone Bridge
Regensburg from the Stone Bridge		 Who produced German sausage first?
Who produced German sausage first?		 Regensburg cathedral
Regensburg cathedral		 Cathedral interior
Cathedral interior
Cathedral interior
Cathedral interior		 An old, old tower, now a hostel
An old, old tower, now a hostel		 Don Juan himself
Don Juan himself		 Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers		 Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers		 Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers		 Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers
Hans O performs with the help of some of our travelers		 The monastery at Weltenberg, Germany
The monastery at Weltenberg, Germany		 Church entrance
Church entrance		 Very, very baroque = anything extravagently ornamented
Very, very baroque = "anything extravagently ornamented"
Church interior
Church interior		 Ceiling view
Ceiling view		 St. George and the Dragon: altar centerpiece, backlit
St. George and the Dragon: altar centerpiece, backlit		 Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody		 Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody		 Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody		 Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody
Crew show...lots of fun for everybody		 Passau's fortress
Passau's fortress		 A hotel with many famous guests during its history
A hotel with many famous guests during its history		 Passau's continual problem: flooding
Passau's continual problem: flooding
St. Paul Church interior (not the cathedral)
St. Paul Church interior (not the cathedral)		 St. Paul Church
St. Paul Church		 Flowering beauty !
Flowering beauty !		 Leaving Passau...view of river junction
Leaving Passau...view of river junction
Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey		 Long, long hallway, one of several
Long, long hallway, one of several		 Museum piece
Museum piece		 Museum piece
Museum piece
A RE-USABLE COFFIN...amazing !
A RE-USABLE COFFIN...amazing !		 An amazing room
An amazing room		 Looks domed, but really isn't
Looks domed, but really isn't		 One of 2 spiral staircases at each side of the sanctuary
One of 2 spiral staircases at each side of the sanctuary
Abbey gardens
Abbey gardens
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