Rhine River Beer Cruise

Sac to SF to London to Antwerp, Belgium March 11th, 2022 past? pandemic?

Our long awaited river cruise is finally here. After Cher tested positive the day before our Italian trip, we held our collective breathes awaiting the covid test results. Both negative, and away we go tomorrow. This is a travel excursion organized through the Mother, Connie, of a brew master at Logoff Brewery in Rancho Cordova. In fact, most of the travelers who will be on board the Amaprima Waterways vessel are from Sacramento. At a glance it appears to be a motley looking crowd, but I haven’t met any of them yet, so in fairness I must reserve judgment.

We returned to our hotel Mercure after a late night stroll and a long 24 hour travel day. Survived the hard part. Buona Notte!

Gent, and Bruge pics

script and story tomorrow. buona notte

Gent, Brugge, Antwerp, Brussels…. touring, beering, sight seeing.

The complications of Belgium; 6 governments: sandwiched between Germany and France. A culture of high end chocolate, sophisticated beer, crazy good cuisine, and a high end art culture with a mixture of architectures that is captivating.

Tuesday, March 15th Bye, Bye Belgium hello Amsterdam, Holland. Next 4 pics are iconic Antwerp train station:

the symbol of Antwerp, which is a hand looking at it one way, and a dove of peace looking at it the other.

interactive, and cool. The Heineke experience, as they call it, I had been to 47 years ago with lifelong childhood friends: Casey, Tim, and Kevin. It has changed dramatically. It’s interactive experience with all sorts games puzzles, videos and sports to engage chidren and adults alike. Quite cook really.

Wednesday, March 16th on board Amaprima. We took an interesting canal boat excursion. Some of the sights were Ann Frank’s home, Rembrandt’s home and museum, the Opera House, the flying homes, which are leaning in different directions, and the maritime museum.

Below some of the thousands of bicycles stacked and locked in racks throughout the city.

Our ride down the Rhine. Room #230 on Port side towards the rear of the boat.

Friday, March 18th Cruising the Rhine Gorge

Everywhere Castles….

Rudesheim Coffee house: a special blend of locally made brandy, local chocolate, whipped creamed coffee lit on fire. Served in specialty shaped mugs to prevent burning ones hands. Great fun!

Onward to Ludwigshafen after a wild night in Rudesheim. Saturday, March 19th

Sunday, March 20 the Strasbourg.

Last evening after dinner there was much dancing, singing and oh surprise, surprise……drinking. Jim, the brew master at Logoff, held a beer tasting in the lounge. We tasted the array of beers from the breweries we had visited. Strasbourg Cathedral, the Ill River and the romantic, picturesque town itself. Once French, then German, the French again, then German, and at last free, relatively free Alsace. Home of the European Union and the Human Rights International Court.

Cher with her best bud, Albert Schweitzer

Above area known as “Syphilis” corner n medieval times before recreated as middle class neighborhood

Monday, March 21st Breisich, Germany with walking tour to a major sparkling wine region and enchanting “Most Beautiful Town in Germany”.