River Cruisers: How Are Things Where YOU Are?

[notamermaid]

@Daisi, yes with the delta variant around, things are not going as well as anticipated in Spring. Quite a few school children will not be at school, but quarantining at home on their first day of term. I have heard of whole families returning positive from holiday.

 

Had not heard that it is hot in Canada. We have pleasant temperatures, barely over 26 Celsius.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

@notamermaid, that sounds like a cold snap.  The past few days, our humidex has made it feel in the 40's.  This morning when I got up (5:30) to feed the animals, it was cooler outside than in our house, but once the sun came up, it's climbed up again, so there goes the idea of opening windows.  I see on our news that the western provinces are cooling down, hope that comes our way soon.

 

[notamermaid]

I have just read that the CDC is even advising fully vaccinated people not to cruise if they are at high risk: https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/cdc-warns-covid-high-risk-groups-not-cruise-even-if-theyre-vaccinated

 

I guess that will also have an impact on the health cover you can get from your insurance when you travel abroad, right?

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

Drum roll - it is official. Germans now prefer paying by card rather than with cash, well just over half now. An effect of the pandemic: https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/german-expat-news/card-payments-finally-more-popular-cash-germany

 

Personally, I was pleased to hear that my friend's secretary is back in he office. I had mentioned it a few weeks ago, she had (mild) long Covid and was absent for three months.

 

Things are not going as planned and it is difficult to keep the Coronavirus under control but for river cruising I see no problem yet, certainly have not heard anything other than anecdotal mention of closures and postponements of events. In Britain the virus is raging as the policies have changed, as you know. Apparently a hot spot is a popular tourist town in the Southwest. In Britain they are not keeping as much a lid on as here, we do not have those mass gatherings yet, but there are football games with thousands of spectators, albeit with limits on capacity. It is a bit difficult to come to terms with, but as I would be travelling with a companion to Britain who would rather not be exposed to many people, I will most likely not go to England this year, but I am keeping my hopes up for perhaps three days of shopping in December. If not, it will be Christmas markets here. I have not heard much about them happening or not happening. Will have a lookout for news for you lot.

 

Unfortunately, Belgium has put parts of Germany back on the risk list. Not sure what that means for crossing the border when you cruise or do a post-cruise trip.

 

It is difficult to keep track of regulations and so on, but the three G and the 35 incidence rule are firmly established and expected to be kept for quite some time.

 

Something to note perhaps. When you look at test centres here, there are tons of them, ask if they have the antigen and the PCR test and if they put the info on your app/smart phone only or can print it out. Some require you to phone in first, at others you can go whenever you chose.

 

The new rule for Rhineland-Palatinate for river cruisers is (excerpt): "Für Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer mehrtägiger Schiffsreisen gilt die Testpflicht (siehe „Testpflicht“) mit der Maßgabe, dass alle 72 Stunden, gerechnet ab der jeweils letzten Testung, eine erneute Testung vorzunehmen ist. Dabei ist bei Reiseantritt die erste Testung vorzunehmen. Die Testpflicht gilt nicht für Kinder bis einschließlich 14 Jahren, Schülerinnen und Schüler sowie geimpfte Personen und genesene Personen." This means a test every 72 hours calculated from the first test, the first test to be taken at the start of the cruise (age 15 and older). You do not have to take a test if you are vaccinated or have recovered (you need to prove that). Your river cruise line may well go above and beyond that in their hygiene measures - as we have already read from posters.

 

notamermaid

 

[gnome12]

15 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

This means a test every 72 hours calculated from the first test, the first test to be taken at the start of the cruise (age 15 and older). You do not have to take a test if you are vaccinated or have recovered (you need to prove that).

I wonder whether this affects our bike and barge? My sister and I are both vaccinated and I hope the other passengers are also. 

[notamermaid]

31 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I wonder whether this affects our bike and barge? My sister and I are both vaccinated and I hope the other passengers are also. 

If you are in doubt as to what the tour operator requires, it might be best to phone them up. Perhaps they ask for more than the state requires. As for the passengers, if the operator does not have exclusive charter for North-American guests, I think there may be unvaccinated ones potentially.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Just to put "unvaccinated" into perspective. Just over 60 percent of the German population is now fully vaccinated, naturally mostly those over 50. The most infections occurring now are in those under 30. So there are likely to be very few people on a river cruise that are unvaccinated. Some other European countries have an overall higher percentage of vaccinations, like Portugal.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Notamermaid, Newquay in the west of England has the highest infection rate in the country it just happens to be one of the most popular holiday destinations. Once the kids go back to school the numbers will even out. COVID has returned to the top ten list of killers in the country at 10th. We have 88% of the over 16 population having had their 1st vaccination and 78% of over 16s having had their 2nd vaccination. Vaccination of under 16s will commence soon plus the booster jabs given with the yearly flue vaccinations. It’s hard ongoing work by the whole country.

[notamermaid]

Ah, Newquay, thanks for the clarification. Really sad for Cornwall. You are not too far from Devon, I hope all your folks are okay and life is kind of "normal". I hear conflicting information about mask-wearing: do the big supermarkets still mandate it? A struggle for everyone, indeed. I did not mention Britain with the high vaccination rate as I referred only to EU countries. The BioNTech vaccine has been approved for those 12 and over here as well for a couple of weeks now I think, so much is going on in that age group (a day out with the whole family to the vaccination centre) and the hope is that this will ease the situation in schools, now that the majority of children is back at school after Summer.

 

Putting aside individual risk assessment, I think river cruising is here to stay and everyone will be able to go from our perspective, I mean our authorities do not give the impression as if they are willing to do or prepared to put up with partial or full lockdown in Autumn or Winter. I hope I will be right...

 

My risk assessment speaks against going to Britain, but come November, I will review this. For now, it is dreaming of a beautiful autumn day in Würzburg and buying Gewürztraminer in Alsace.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

We have just had six days in the wilds of Cornwall on the most beautiful farm very close to the sea, well your never far from the sea there, hence the out of tech range. Apart from anything else the wearing of masks inside is recommended and is usually adhered to. Evidently there are some really crowded areas but we didn’t find them and we visited, Tintagel, Port Isaac, Boscastle and Polzeath spent a few days on the beach so the boys could do some body surfing plus some dog walking on the coastal path. The majority of people adhere to the various COVID recommendations and pub and restaurant gardens are still using the distancing ideals. Oh and the weather was amazing.

[notamermaid]

Ooh, lovely! I have always wanted to go to Tintagel. I am a fan of the King Arthur legend. Unfortunately, the coast for me is more than 300 miles away (motorway travel). River embankments and large lakes are great for "shore" walks, but there is nothing quiet like the sea breeze with that little bit of salty feel to the air. ☺️ 

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Just a taste Tintagel post office.

[rcaruso]

3 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Ah, Newquay, thanks for the clarification. Really sad for Cornwall. You are not too far from Devon, I hope all your folks are okay and life is kind of "normal". I hear conflicting information about mask-wearing: do the big supermarkets still mandate it? A struggle for everyone, indeed. I did not mention Britain with the high vaccination rate as I referred only to EU countries. The BioNTech vaccine has been approved for those 12 and over here as well for a couple of weeks now I think, so much is going on in that age group (a day out with the whole family to the vaccination centre) and the hope is that this will ease the situation in schools, now that the majority of children is back at school after Summer.

 

Putting aside individual risk assessment, I think river cruising is here to stay and everyone will be able to go from our perspective, I mean our authorities do not give the impression as if they are willing to do or prepared to put up with partial or full lockdown in Autumn or Winter. I hope I will be right...

 

My risk assessment speaks against going to Britain, but come November, I will review this. For now, it is dreaming of a beautiful autumn day in Würzburg and buying Gewürztraminer in Alsace.

 

notamermaid

 

In Wurzburg with Fedderweisser und Zwiebelkuchen in Herbst.

[Canal archive]

I could try something in Cornish but there’s not many who would attempt to understand.

[notamermaid]

2 hours ago, rcaruso said:

In Wurzburg with Fedderweisser und Zwiebelkuchen in Herbst.

The ultimate combination of food and drink in "wine country" in autumn. Would not need to go very far to have it (about 20km for a good restaurant) but would be lovely to change the scenery to the Main. I never guessed that I would enjoy Franconia so much.

 

49 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

I could try something in Cornish but there’s not many who would attempt to understand.

Definitely too difficult for me. Tried my hands (more mouth and ears) at Welsh quite some years ago, I like the sound of it, but I gave up quite quickly. Never really heard anybody speak Cornish. I have not been further than Devonshire.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Welsh is a wonderfully lilting language to listen to but they use English words for newer things which can be a bit weird. I’ve only heard Cornish once evidently it’s akin to southern Breton and the Celtic languages.

[notamermaid]

5 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

Welsh is a wonderfully lilting language to listen to but they use English words for newer things which can be a bit weird. I’ve only heard Cornish once evidently it’s akin to southern Breton and the Celtic languages.

Brittany is great. I went there for a holiday in the 90's. I have been very interested in the Celtic languages and culture for many years. But where I am it is not easy to stay close to that unless you go to a college in Bonn where they do this professionally - teaching, etc.

 

The continental Celts in Gaul and Germania (France/Belgium apart from Brittany and Germany) disappeared as an entity many centuries ago. We just have a few remnants in place names.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

The only Cornish I know is 'pasty.'  Easy to say, also easy to eat and delicious!  😉

[Canal archive]

Cornish expressions - grockle or emmet. 

[gnome12]

4 hours ago, notamermaid said:

The ultimate combination of food and drink in "wine country" in autumn. Would not need to go very far to have it (about 20km for a good restaurant) but would be lovely to change the scenery to the Main. I never guessed that I would enjoy Franconia so much.

 

Definitely too difficult for me. Tried my hands (more mouth and ears) at Welsh quite some years ago, I like the sound of it, but I gave up quite quickly. Never really heard anybody speak Cornish. I have not been further than Devonshire.

 

notamermaid

 

Many years ago I was on a bike tour in North Wales. The last Saturday night of the trip I was in a bar that had a regular sing-along, in Welsh and English. They were nice enough to provide song books. I did my best with the Welsh, but it wasn’t easy. However, I am proud to say that I have sung “This Land Is Your Land” in Welsh. 

[Canal archive]

A Welsh male voice choir singing ‘Men of Harlech’ makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

[CPT Trips]

Welsh humor?

 

[jpalbny]

It's only 6 minutes if you can read Welsh. 8 minutes if you stand there for 2, trying to translate I guess?

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, jpalbny said:

It's only 6 minutes if you can read Welsh. 8 minutes if you stand there for 2, trying to translate I guess?

That was the direction that I was thinking.

 

[notamermaid]

First and very important: please look after yourselves in that terrible storm in Louisiana. Really worrying.

 

Our weather is cool here for end of August, but the sun is out a bit today, so relatively pleasant. I have been out and about a bit lately so I intend to post some more of my travels around the Rhine in other threads. As you know, I intend to go to Würzburg again, I am a bit too skeptical about Alsace and also have to work a bit more in September (colleague is away). Not much time to go anywhere far, but the rise in Covid figures also in Würzburg has me a bit worried, they are now at an incidence rate higher than 100. I think I will push it well into October. The incidence rate map is quite blotchy in colours and I have no way of knowing what will be closed where and when. All in all, places seem to be very much keeping open with applying the 3G rule. So far I have only found a couple of churches and volunteer places closed. I am still restricting contacts, but have been to one birthday party at a restaurant indoors, an outdoor concert and an outdoor cinema.

 

As some of you are coming to Germany, I thought this may be helpful with your travels, info for those coming into Germany from the health authorities (perhaps you have seen it), dated 27 August 2021: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Transport/Handzettel.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

 

There is of course this decision from the EU looming this week, whether to recommend restricting travelling from the US again.

 

notamermaid