Torgau

​Day 4, Tue,
Nov 1, 2016 Torgau, Germany

Situated on the Elbe, Torgau played a key role in the Protestant Reformation. In the 16th century, the city was a hotbed of Protestant activity, resulting in the founding of the Torgauer Bund (Association of Torgau) in 1525, a refuge for Protestants. The first purpose-built Protestant church was built here. The city’s fortified Hartenfels Castle, the most important early Renaissance palace in Germany, dominates the city and the riverbank, framed by the spires of St. Mary’s Church behind. The most famous residents of the castle, three brown bears, are kept in the dry moat according to a centuries-old tradition.

Wittenberg

​Wittenberg is a nice quite small city. The focus of history here, for those that don't know, revolves around Martin Luther.
Our tour of the city included a visit to his house, the abbey he attended and taught at as well as a visit to the church he attended, preached at and posted his 95 theses.

Days 3 & 4
Mon, Oct 31, 2016 & Tue, Nov 1, 2016 Wittenberg, Germany
An important center of culture and learning, Wittenberg is a quiet town known mostly as the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation. It was here that the Augustinian monk Martin Luther, in 1517, famously nailed his “95 Theses” against the selling of indulgences to the door of the palace church, launching the spread of a new religious movement throughout Germany, then all of Europe. Wittenberg’s incredibly preserved Old Town was spared destruction during World War II, and so its charming houses remain as they have for centuries, with those in the market square huddled around the beloved statue of Luther. Included  Tour Wittenberg City Walk Duration: 2.5 hours Witness the Legacy of Martin Luther Stroll in the footsteps of Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant Reformation, during a walking tour of his city. Wittenberg’s history centers around the courageous actions and teachings of Martin Luther, the Augustinian monk who nailed his “95 Theses” to the door of All Saints’ Church, the palace’s revered Castle Church. You will walk with your guide to this Late Gothic gem, which today hosts a Lutheran congregation. Luther preached here, and you’ll see the “Theses Doors” to which he attached the message that changed the world. After, continue to the Luther House Museum. The famous theologian lived here between 1508 and 1546, and the museum has preserved many of his manuscripts, printed books and paintings from the period. You can walk through his sitting room and his lecture room, which contains his pulpit. In the market square, you can admire the Town Hall and the statue of Luther.

We are now cruising down river to Torgau for our next stop.
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I will be posting fewer pictures due to the satallite connection, but will add them later.

Dessau to Wittenberg

​Day 3, Mon, Oct 31, 2016
Dessau, Germany Renowned for its Bauhaus architecture, Dessau lies hidden behind boggy woodlands, part of the Elbe Biosphere Reserve. Red kites, herons, crows and storks make their home here. The founder of the Bauhaus movement, Walter Gropius, moved his school here from Weimar.
About 85 percent of Dessau was destroyed during World War II, but it has reemerged as a cultural hub on the Middle Elbe. Among its restored buildings are elegant palaces, some of which open their doors as museums. Many of them are surrounded by picturesque parkland, including the sprawling Garden Kingdom of Wörlitz, Europe’s first English park.
Included  Tour Worlitz Palace & Gardens
Visit Duration: 4 hours We Visited the First English-Style Gardens Built on the Continent Tour the beautiful parks and gardens of Worlitz, affectionately called the Garden Kingdom of Worlitz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town of Worlitz, inland from the Elbe, is admired for its stately palace and lush park. Many famous personalities, including the poet Goethe, visited the palace and its English-style gardens, created by Leopold III Friedrich Franz of Saxony-Anhalt in the 18th century. It was the first garden park built on the continent in the English fashion. Upon arrival, you will pass the summer house with its orangery and continue to the prominent palace beyond. The gardens cover nearly 17 square miles and are graced by lakes and canals as well as classic and Gothic temples.

Emmett via Blogaway

First Day Aboard

Today we transfered to the ship with a few excursions along the way. We left Berlin at 9 AM, arriving in Magdeburg at around 4:30. By 5 they had us settled in and we had departed.

Day 2, Sun, Oct 30, 2016 Magdeburg, Germany
Although heavy bombing in 1945 destroyed much of the city, Magdeburg today is a glorious example of a lively German town. The former seat of an archbishopric in 968 AD, the city was also a member of the Hanseatic League. This once influential imperial city reveals its historic roots in the architecture that survived the war, from the 11th-century Monastery of Our Lady to the Cathedral of Saints Maurice and Catherine. The town also boasts the famous 1240 AD statue of the Magdeburger Reiter (Magdeburg Horseman), the oldest equestrian statue in Germany. A number of Gothic-style buildings and churches grace the riverfront.
Included  Tour Potsdam Walking Tour Duration: 4 hours City of Glittering Palaces Then Traveling  to the palatial city of Potsdam, Berlin’s neighbor built by royalty. Once the residence of Prussian kings and the German Kaiser, Potsdam grew to include no fewer than 16 castles, palaces and beautifully landscaped parks. Today, it is better known for its World War II history. In July and August 1945, Truman, Churchill and Stalin met at Cecilienhof Palace to sign the Potsdam Agreement and shape postwar Europe. We  stoppd outside Cecilienhof, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the last palace built by the Hohenzollern family for Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany. Our tour also included a visit to the summer home of Frederick the Great, the magnificent rococo palace of Sanssouci. This yellow confection and its glorious garden strewn with temples was built as a rival to the magnificent palace Chateau de Versailles.

Emmett via Blogaway

Bear with me

Posts will be erratic due to the ships unstable satellite  internet connection.

Emmett via Blogaway

A Day of Leisure ?

Everyones new purse

Now that's an organ

Photo bombed at the Ishtar Gate



Today was a free day from the Viking schedule, so we winged it.

After breakfast we walked a few blocks to where there was supposed to be an artesians market. Unfortunately THERE WAS and everyone ended up buying things.

At noon we went to a noon service at a local cathederal, not that we all are relegious, to here one of the largest organs in Germany. The dome of the cathederal was destroyed ,now rebuilt, during the war but the organ survived untouched.

After our church visit, we hit a museum and saw an exhibit of the Ishtar Gate and other Assyrian artifacts.

The day ended with another excellant meal, this time Italian.

A Day in the City

Brandenburg Gate

A remaining section of the Berlin Wall

Today was our first full day in Berlin and it was a busy one.

After breakfast we loaded on the bus for our 5 hour tour of the city, both riding and walking. It seemed that most of it naturally revolved around the war and the citites history and strife while being devided.

After the tour a few of us went to the Ha De We Dept store for a late lunch in tbeir food court and to look around. The store is the largest in Germany . It is 7 storied tall and covers a full city block.

Returning to the hotel, our merry band of travelers took about 45 minutes to rest and freshen up and then we were off for dinner at a brew house . My schnitzel covered a full plate and was  delicious served with a side of warn german potatoe salad.

Now it is time to stretch out, get some sleep and start again

Made It

After a long COLD night on the plane I am now in Berlin and can relax and enjoy the trip.

The plane had to be the coldest I was ever on, one of the gentlemen on our trip had his water bottle against the outter wall and it actually started to freeze.

Anyhow, the hotel is very nice and centrally located.

I will  try to post something for those of you who couldn't tear yourself away from the election.

So it Begins

I am now sitting at the Pittsburgh airport waiting for my flight to Newark. After nearly a 5 hour layover, I will be off in the evening for my 8 hour overnight flight to Berlin. Hopefully I will get a few hours sleep so that I can function. Berlin is 6 hours ahead of EDT. I never seem to mind the trip over as much as returning when you have to stay up the extra 8 hours.

The Itinerary

This is a copy of the schedule and route as posted in the cruise documents by Viking.
As we progress I will post comments along with the days agenda from the guide.

With the time drawing near, I will probably not post anything else until I am on the road.

SEE YOU THEN !

Returning to Normal

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There was some concern earlier that the river would be unnavigable due to lack of rain this year causing low water levels. In the past few weeks there has been some rain and the river is returning to normal. Vikings last update stated that they expected "normal operation" after Oct 6.

This news is relieving because in the case of low water, the ships become pier bound hotels and busses are used to shuttle guests back and forth to the locations on the itinerary.  You still get to see what has been scheduled, but you miss the relaxing cruise down the river and the scenery.

In the next post, I will include the itinerary and what there is to look forward to.

Time for Berlin and Prague

Well it's time for the next adventure. In a very short while I will be off to Berlin. After a two day pre-trip in  Berlin, I will be joining the Viking Elegant Elbe cruise on the Viking Beyla to sail down the elbe river ending up in Prague.

This trip was initiated by a couple friends in Denver and our merry little cruise family of five will be spending two days in Berlin then 10 days on the river floating through Germany and the Czech Republic and then up with a day and night in Prague.

For those that have never been on a river cruise the ship ports daily, typically right on the banks of the cities. Tours have been arranged for nearly all of the cities , and after the tour you are free to remain on the ship or walk back in on your own for shopping.

Up until this week it was doubtful whether we would be sailing down the river or just using the ship as a hotel since the water levels have been extremely low this year. Thankfully last week they started to get rain in Germany and the river is now navigable once again so the cruise should proceed as normal.