December 15

 Düsseldorf & Cologne Christmas Markets

We arrived in Düsseldorf early this morning after sailing all day & night down the Rhine River.  When I went for breakfast on the Aquavit Terrace the temperature was 21 degrees with a "feels like" temperature of 15 degrees.  But when we were on our tour it really wasn't all that cold.  Our guide, Ralph, was great and he made what could have been an ordinary day into a wonderful morning.  We walked through the town until 10:45 - had time on our own, where Khloe, LuAnn and I went to the Christmas Market (Mike didn't sleep well and didn't feel up to the morning excursion) for about twenty minutes and then joined about ten others who Ralph took to a brewhouse for local German beer (courtesy of Viking).  At 11:45 we picked up the others and headed back to the ship.

Coffee on the Aquavit Terrace

Sites around town

This one is for my grandson - really!  We've got him interested in "America's Got Talent," and he knows (as does Grandma) that "Grandpa's Girlfriend" (favorite judge) is Heidi Klum.....we "saw her" in a storefront window - this one's for you buddy :)

Outside the main cathedral

Inside the main cathedral

The local Christmas Market

Oh yes my friends, got my Ghluewein

Group pic at the Christmas Market

The beer-guzzling gals

Once we returned to the ship it was lunch time and shortly there after we began sailing down the Rhine River.  One of my most favorite things to do on a European river cruise is to sail down the river and watch the countryside float by.

The snow covered countryside

Cologne Christmas Markets

We sailed down the Rhine all afternoon and about 6:00 pm we arrived in Cologne, Germany.  It was once again in the 20's outside, but like this morning it wasn't cold....in fact I carried my gloves most of the way and by the time we got back to the ship (after having logged 5.6 miles for the day) I had worked up a good sweat!  This evening's excursion was "The Cologne Christmas Markets" and was scheduled to last but an hour.  Our guide was good but MAN did he talk and walk fast as we weaved our way through three different Christmas Markets to the massive and iconic Cologne Cathedral.  He got us German Christmas cookies there and turned us loose.  His directions were "simply follow the Christmas Market lights STRAIGHT down to the river."  Well, it was FAR from straight by my niece Khloe was a superb guide and we not only made without any problems or wrong turns but also managed to stop off at one of the markets and get another mug of mull wine.  :)  GOOD JOB KHLO!

CHEERS to a fabulous day!

Tomorrow is will be one of THE BEST days of the adventure.  This is my third trip through the Rhine River Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and there are over FORTY castles lining the valley as we float through while our program director Daniel narrates the stories & legends about them all.  Cannot wait!

Cologne Christmas Markets