We had a walking tour of Trier early this morning which I did not go on, it was wet and raining and I was tired of being wet and cold. The tour returned right before lunch and we set sail for Bernkastel. Much to everyone's surprise the sun came out.
Many of us sat on the sun deck while we sailed. It is a beautiful part of the country with all the vineyards that go up the sides of the mountain. Incredible how they can grow anything on those hilllsides, but there is slate under the soil and someone told me the slate holds the heat and that is what helps with the quality of the grapes.
While we were sailing, we had an apple strudel cooking demnstration with our chef and pastry chef. It was amazing how he stretched that dough like pizza dough until it was so thin you could read the recipe through it.
We spent the night in Bernkastel and in the morning had a walking tour of the town. It is a very nice little town very similar to the others we have seen. Like the other towns on the Mosel, it is a wine town and surrounded by vineyards.
We passed a butcher shop where Peter, our Cruise Director, had arranged for samples of different sausages that they make right there and they were delicious. At 11:30 we had a wine tasting of four different Reisling wines, since 80% of the wine produced in this region is reisling wine. We had four different types from very dry to almost sweet. Then back to the boat to set sail to Boppard as we sail back the way we came on the Mosel to return to the Rhine.
Amazingly, the sun came out and we were able to sit on the sun deck. The bridges are so low on the Mosel that we are not allowed to sit on the back sun deck and the bridge actually goes down. We passed under one bridge that we literally could have stood up and touched the underside of the bridge. Of course, that is why the captain wanted us only on the front sun deck so he could keep an eye on us. We also had to go back through four locks to raise/lower the ship with the changes in depth of the river. It is just amazing, there is literally an inch maybe two between the boat and the edge of the lock.
Picture one is the old train station in Bernkastel. It is no longer used as a train station but has a "Bikers Bar" in it now.
Picture two is the Bernkastel castle, which was burned in the 1700's and has never been restored.
Picture three is a city fountain. At one time the city had nine of theses fountains and they were the source of water for the city residents.
Picture four is the City Gate. If you go out the gate, you would make your way to the vineyards.
Picture five is our groups walking through the streets of Bernkastel with, of course, umbrellas.
Picture six is of a street in Bernkastel. As I have written about other cities, taxes were based on the width of the building. So these buildings were narrow at the base, but as they built up, they built up and out to expand space without expanding taxes. Our guide said that at some point they added an "air" tax to deal with the growth up and out.
Picture seven is another one of the city fountains.
Picture eight is of Swan Mom, Dad and babies to be. There are swans everywhere and they are so beautiful. Mom nicely got off the eggs when we came by so we could see them. She is surrounded by fences to protect her from the dogs and the tourists.
Picture nine is our hostess at our wine tasting. She explained each wine as we tasted it and talked about the area. She herself was raised on a vineyard.
Picture ten is our Chef and Restaurant Manager, Martin.
Picture eleven is one of our sailers tying off the boat as we enter a lock.
Picture twelve is our chef and our pastry chef.
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