You can read the previous posts if you would
like to catch up with us…
Day 4 as we travel the Rhine, I think of a Roman poet’s quote: “O you
wonderfully beautiful Rhine”. A trip
along the Rhine offers a “crash course” in European history and culture. Combine that with the camaraderie aboard the
intimate Scenic Opal and I rather wish time would stand still.
So here we are in Rudesheim. This will only be a half day visit as we sail
in the afternoon through the Rhine Gorge to arrive in Koblenz by late afternoon. Our “Scenic Enrich” excursion took us on the
‘Winzerexpress’ mini-train for our private tour of Siegfried’s Mechanisches
Musikkabinett (Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum). The collection, housed in the Bromserhof--one
of the most beautiful medieval buildings in the
old center of Rudesheim--began
when Siegfried Wendel bought an old clock with decorative columns and
knobs. He was so pleased with this clock
that he added 30, then 50 and then more to his collection.
In the summer of 1962 two young
people turned up at his home and said: “We know you’re interested in old clocks
and we also have an old music box which is contained in a beautiful
walnut-veneered case. The lid is
decorated with an inlaid flower motif and it still plays.” That was the beginning of one of the largest
collections of mechanical musical instruments in Europe—a collection so varied
that one can see, through these instruments, the history of mechanical music.
Back on board and cruising to
Koblenz, Scenic provides listening devices used to inform us about the castles,
cathedrals and towns. As we cruised the
World Heritage-listed Rhine Gorge, these devices provided commentaries on every
bit of history we witnessed. You’ll want
to take these devices on tours as well as they enable you to hear the Tour
Guide from a comfortable distance. Oh,
to be able to remember it all!
This evening we had a special
‘Portobello Dinner’ served in a separate section of the Crystal Dining
Room. Each all-Italian course was served
to each guest at the same time. It was
really a grand experience and a treat to remember.
Put it all together and the day
was beautiful, informative, fascinating and yummy. Tomorrow, we explore Koblenz
so stay onboard!
800.248.8404 ~ www.reidtravel.com ~ mail@reidtravel.com
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