Long, rambling tale of our Viking Rhine Getaway on the Mani 8/26/16

Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

Finally it was our turn and we walked over to the main gate to get our Quietvoxs activated and meet our guide. She was about 8 months pregnant and must have been in great shape to do all that climbing every day!

She showed us the huge key that they need to open the main door with - really big key. I didn't get a shot, because that guy I mentioned in one of the earlier posts walked into my shot, and by the time he moved on, so was the guide!

We have been let in through the gate and this is the walk up - it's where the knights on horseback would go to get in. It was Castle Security - the knights had to ride single file and under another gate where the inhabitants of the castle could throw stuff down on them if they were the enemy. Of the 40 hill castles between Bingen am Rhein and Koblenz the Marksburg was the only castle which was never destroyed

This is the Arrow Slit Gate - the name being rather obvious!

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To give you an idea of what you are walking over - it's very rough stone

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This is the Rider's Stairway which has worn down in many spots from all the horses and riders that have traversed it. This was the worst of the footing issues. Going down was worse than going up. There is no rail, but I got close to the wall and found some places to hold on a bit.

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These are some of the Coats of Arms of the various owners

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This is looking down once we'd made it to the top

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The canons and their operators had a great view of the river and the approach from this area

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Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

The last photo was of the Great Battery. I had to look it up because I forgot!

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This is the view from one of the gun ports

The Garden came next and it was really lovely.

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And the view of the Rhine

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And that garderobe again!

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Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

And if you are hold up in a castle, you sure don't want to run out of wine! So you have a wine celler!

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And this is one heck of a BIG wine press

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And the kitchens ...

Small hearth

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This table would be for the servants only

6 Main hearth

Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

And if you are hold up in a castle, you sure don't want to run out of wine! So you have a wine celler!

1

2

And this is one heck of a BIG wine press

3

And the kitchens ...

Small hearth

4

5

This table would be for the servants only

6 Main hearth

Thanks for continuing the review! I'm enjoying reliving the experience, even though it's only been two weeks. It's funny, I have all the same pics you do, but you had nicer weather!

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Thanks for continuing the review! I'm enjoying reliving the experience, even though it's only been two weeks. It's funny, I have all the same pics you do, but you had nicer weather!

 

 

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LOL I've been trying to post ones I haven't seen in other reviews where I can [emoji3]

We really lucked out with the weather. It was hot but we had no rain. It was cloudy the day we did the Gorge but I couldn't complain because the rest was so great

Thanks for following

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I don't know why that post of the wine cellar and the kitchen posted twice. The process hung up, so I guess that's what happened. I didn't push submit button twice - oh well.

Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

This was a really big kitchen! Mine is the size of one of those little alcoves.

This is an ice box - early refrigerator. They basically used this principle all the way up to the late 1800s

This is the Master bed chamber. Standard shot, but our guide told us that canopy beds were invented because many houses just had thatched roofs, and you didn't want critters and insects falling on you during the night. Nope - do not want!

The cradle also had a piece that pulled over the top. The curtains were to keep you a bit warmer than a freezing cold room. Like the people in the windmills, these castle dwellers also slept sitting up.

We moved on from here to the Great Hall. I like little architectural details, so I got this wall decor and the iron work on the door.

Lots of nooks

Moving right along ...

Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

Moving into the Great Hall and the hearth and a very large dining table ... and the aforementioned garderobe at last!

It's hard to get pics with no people in them. I tried lagging back, but then I was playing catch up.

This is the table

And the garderobe! Wikipedia tells me that it's not really a privy, but that's what they call them in novels set in that time period, and this one is inside a small room. It's right next to the center of the table so that the person using it doesn't miss anything and can still participate in the conversation. They didn't close the door even!

This one is in that little bump out I've been mentioning and the "waste" dumped into the area that is now the garden - well fertilized soil!

This is the doorway right by the table

Interesting chandelier

And an interesting door to round out the 6

Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

Next we moved on to the chapel. I'd lagged behind in the dining room, so I only had a brief time in the chapel.

Chapel ceiling

I think this was the area they used for the altar

We had to climb a VERY narrow - really, I'm serious. You sort of had to go up sideways unless you weigh 100lbs soaking wet. The ceiling was low and it was winding! I'm a bit claustrophobic, and though it wasn't a long climb, I was feeling a bit panicky by the time I reached the top.

This was room for sewing, weaving, mending etc.

Various medieval home "appliances"

I'm leaving this one at 5 because we moved on to the armory and I was still playing catch up with the group

Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

The suits of armor are lined up in chronological order from the oldest to the newest.

Starting with the Romans actually

The arm belongs to the guy who kept getting in my pics!

I missed a lot of the narration here because I was late coming in. Also it's a small room and difficult to get the photos. You kind of have to jump at the opportunity

That's our very pregnant tour guide. More power to her. I think she was working one more week, then going on leave. She's the one in the black sweater and hot pink top - not wearing armor!

Not sure about that guy on the end. I don't see any armor there!

And that's 6 and we move on to the Torture Chamber!

Monday, August 29 Marksburg Castle continued ...

Our guide said that it's not known if this room was an actual torture chamber or if the castle even had one. This is just a display of various torture instruments from the time period.

Your standard rack

Some more scary things

I think she said they tied those weights to your limbs and pulled and there were other instruments in the case.

This is the blacksmith shop. Again I had trouble getting a good shot and I don't know what happened to the exposure

That was the end of the tour and we had to hustle back because we were the last group. Try to avoid that last group!

Many of us took the shorter route by the stairs going back, but this would have been quite a chore coming UP

When we got back aboard the Mani in Braubach, we set sail for the Rhine Gorge and Rüdesheim. My pics got out of order for some reason, so I've got to see if I can sort them out!

I'll be back!

Kath, when we were at Marksburg, our group was the second group in. I thought we would have time to look through the gift shop after, but our program director hustled us back to the busses. And then we had to sit on the bus for 15 or 20 minutes waiting for the other groups. I didn't understand why we could have used some of that time in the gift shop. So being in an earlier group doesn't always mean you have more time at Marksburg.

Kath, when we were at Marksburg, our group was the second group in. I thought we would have time to look through the gift shop after, but our program director hustled us back to the busses. And then we had to sit on the bus for 15 or 20 minutes waiting for the other groups. I didn't understand why we could have used some of that time in the gift shop. So being in an earlier group doesn't always mean you have more time at Marksburg.

Well that's not good either. They told our whole group - all the separate tours - that the first groups WOULD have time for the gift shop. Too bad it was one of the better ones.

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Great review.

Great review.

Thanks! Trying not to leave too much time in between.

Monday, August 29 On to the Rhine Gorge and the Castles ...

DH got us a table on the Aquavit Terrace just under the canopy, while I went to grab some lunch. It looked like it might rain so it would be good to have the overhang. As it turned out the sun came out and we needed the shade! Our favorite and faithful waiter, Norman hurried up with a glass of beer for Roger and a wine for me. They take such good care of you!

I was set with my cameras and Roger had his. We were near the stairway to the Sun Deck - where most of your fellow passengers had gathered - so I could run up and get my shots without worrying about the glass that deflected the wind.

We went past the town of Boppard at marker 570. These markers are all along the river and they help let you know where you are. We were given, maps and I picked up a book in Marksburg Castle that has details for each castle. Trust me, though - they come so fast. Here a castle. There a castle EVERYWHERE a castle!

So this is Boppard and it marks the beginning of the Castle Blitz! There were 2 castles we missed going to Marksburg - Stolzenfels - which we saw in the distance and Lahneck. People who stayed on the ship got to sail past these 2

Boppard

This is Sterrenberg

In 1355 this castle was in the possession of Prince Balduin von Trier. There was a rivalry that began at this time with the occupants of Liebenstein Castle nearby. There are several sags about this rivalry. "Warring Brothers" duped their blind sister and robbed her of her full inheritance. Each of the brothers owned one of the castles. and they build a wall between them. At one point they reconciled, but one ended up killing the other - supposedly by accident.

Here are the 2 castles

Next came Maus Castle (and yes there is a Katz castle!) at mile marker 559

This is Rheinfels Castle which is mostly ruins but there is a museum, a hotel an inn and a restaurant on the property

I was hoping for a clear day so I'd have nice blue skies, but as luck would have it this was the only cloudy day. At least I didn't have to worry about the sun being in the wrong place!

I'm going to break with a shot of the many vineyards along the way. I don't know how they work these vineyards some are nearly vertical!

Monday, August 29 On to the Rhine Gorge and the Castles ...

Next up should be Katz Castle. Definitely Katz up there on the hill

The town I believe is St Goarshausen

And a closer look at the castle

This one had turrets and reminded me of Hogwarts!

And here is a shot of our fellow Aquavit terrace people

The thing under the tarp is a grill. We had hamburgers, hot dogs and German sausages cooked on that. I think they use it for dinner out there, but we always ate in the restaurant.

Here is another shot of Maus Castle

And the famous Loreley statue in St. Goarshausen. In 1824, Heinrich Heine wrote one of his most famous poems, Die Lorelei. It describes the eponymous female as a sort of siren who, sitting on the cliff above the Rhine and combing her golden hair, unwittingly distracted shipmen with her beauty and song, causing them to crash on the rocks.

This is one of several involving the Lorelei Rock, which is a 132 m (433 ft) high, steep slate rock on the right bank of the River Rhine at Sankt Goarshausen.

And just a bit past the statue is the Lorelei Rock

Monday, August 29 On to the Rhine Gorge and the Castles ...

This is where the Rhine bends around the Lorelei Rock

Close up shot of the Rock, but you can't see the bend

This is one of those train tunnels I mentioned earlier that the Germans designed to look like castles & churches so they wouldn't get bombed by the Allies in WWII.

Kind of treacherous area going through here. Lots of rocks with herons and cranes sitting on them

Also lots of sand bars. The ships have to make sure to stay in the marked channel for sure

I'm going to end with another train tunnel made to look like a church and I will pick up with Shönburg Castle probably tomorrow. Have to make dinner - real life intrudes!

Our tour director called this THE ABC tour

Another Beautiful Castle

Church

or City

which certainly does describe it!

Our tour director called this THE ABC tour

Another Beautiful Castle

Church

or City

which certainly does describe it!

LOL so true. I just keep taking photos - trying to live the experience as well. I figured, I'd just see if I could figure out which castle was which afterward. I wasn't paying too much attention to the narration. I did get the book at Marksburg and I was glad i did!

Just realized I forgot to add the tunnel photo in the last post - oops!

Picking up where I left off on the Rhine Gorge section - also known as the Middle Rhine.

Schönburg Castle up on the hill

There is a museum, a hotel and a youth hostel in this castle

And Gutenfels

And the Avalon Artistry II passing Pfalz Castle which is the fanciest toll booth I've ever seen! On a small island in the Rhine, this is another one that was never destroyed. At one time it belonged to Mad Ludwig of the famed Neuschwanstein Castle that supposedly inspired the Disney castle.

In the bad floods earlier in the year the little island was under water!

And another shot of Gutenfels with vineyards and the town of Kaub

Monday, August 29 The Rhine Gorge and the Castles ...

Moving right along ... here is a shot of Gutenfels & Pfalz together

This is a statue in Kaub of General Blücher who crossed the Rhine here with the Prussian and Russian armies, on New Years night 1813-1814, in pursuit of the French. One thing you will learn on this cruise is that Napoleon and the French were EVERYWHERE! I think even more places than the Romans.

This is Stahleck Castle and a flock of birds ...

And this is another of those treacherous bends in the river

Stahleck Castle again without the birds!

Sure and as we are nearing the end of the Rhine Gorge transit the sun comes out again!

I think it was at this point the Viking crew broke out the ice cream cones. They were so yummy - creamy vanilla ice cream with a fudgy filling. Hit the spot!

Monday, August 29 The Rhine Gorge and the Castles ...

I took this shot of one of channel markers to show how fast the current is. I have another where the marker is really leaning over pushed by the current. We were headed upstream against that current.

The Rhine Gorge is not all castles - although they do come along at a fast clip, the scenery and the little towns and villages are so picturesque. Don't miss them while you're castle gazing!

I believe this is Lorch

Church up on a hill and some more vineyards

And of course, another castle. This one is Fürstenberg, I believe. It's not on the map Viking gave out, but it is in the book I bought in the Marksburg gift shop

This is Sooneck and some blue skies!

Monday, August 29 The Rhine Gorge and the Castles ...

Just some of the river views

Another shot of Sooneck Castle

This castle is on the property of one of the many vineyards. I'm not sure which one, I can't find it in my book. It might be Ehrenfels

Pretty sure this one is Mauseturm. Like Pfalz it's on a small island