Avalon Visionary Rhine River Cruise - Day 8

November 3, 2012 - Breisach Germany and The Black Forest

Charlie and I have been to the Black Forest numerous times.  At one time, Charlie ran a company for the Germans in Tennessee and their home office was in the Black Forest, specifically in Lenzkirch.  We have been to the area in February when there was five feet (yes, you read that correctly) of snow on the ground, and we have been there in September.  But, today, we arrived in Breisach to sunny skies and beautiful trees in full color - that is until we were taken up into the Black Forest.  When you think of the Black Forest, you think of Grimm's fairy tales, gnomes and ogres or all types.  This mysterious forest is where you might expect to run into Hansel and Gretel at any moment.

However, this beautiful area of the world is filled with quaint wooden houses with very steep roofs to keep the heavy snow from causing the roofs to cave in.  There are window boxes on the houses filled with beautiful flowers, still in bloom although they have snow last weekend.  This is farming-country with fields and fields of corn (used not for eating, but for grain for the livestock and for bio-diesel), vineyards with Riesling grapes, asparagus and cabbages.  Most of the farms will have cows for milk and dairy products, chickens for eggs (but not to eat), goats, etc. 

At special occasions, traditional costumes with red "bobble" has for the unmarried ladies and black ones for the married ones are the norm.  And, of course, there are cuckoo clocks.  We traveled up into the Black Forest to a cuckoo clock shop and were treated to coffee and a slice of their famous Black Forest cake, made with chocolate sponge cake and a filling of cream and cherries soaked in cherry brandy. 

The Black Forest reminds us somewhat of the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, complete with smoke on the mountains.  This dense area of evergreen fir trees and conifers covers many of the upper slopes of its rolling hills. 

We ended our last day on our cruise with a walk into the town of Breisach before lunch.  All of the shops close on Saturday at 1:00 pm, and we got into town about 20 minutes before they closed.  However, it was a beautiful day for walk into such a lovely area of Germany.

Tomorrow we arrive in Basel, Switzerland, early, and will be off the ship and on our way to Zurich for a couple of days.  More later.

Avalon Visionary Rhine River Cruise - Day 6

November 1, 2012

It's All Saints Day, and in Germany, and this is a holiday.  The shops and restaurants are all closed!!!  However, we arrived this morning in Mainz.  During World War II, more than 30 air raids destroyed about 80% of the city's center including most of the historic buildings.  Although there was some damage to the Mainz Cathedral (Dom), it remained almost completely intact. 

Mainz was captured on March 22, 1945, by part of the U.S. Third Army, commanded by General George S. Patton, Jr. Patton used this strategic gateway to cross the Rhine south of Mainz to drive down the Danube toward what is now the Czech Republic so that German elements in Bavaria would be cut off and would not have a place to retreat and end the fighting.

Some of the staff at the Gutenberg Museum allowed us to go to through this incredible facility.  -Johannes Gutenberg was born in Mainz, and at the museum we saw an original 42-line Gutenbeg Bible.  We also saw the moveable-type printing press that Gutenberg invented and actually saw a page printed on it.

We returned to the ship for lunch, and then took a short drive to Heidelberg.  We had been to this beautiful university city a number of years ago and had visited the Heidelberg Castle and ruins.  This time, we opted to just roam the streets.  Although most of the shops were closed, the streets were bustling with students and tourists who were taking a long weekend.  What a great place to sit in a cafe with either a local beer or coffee and people-watch the afternoon away. 

Avalon Visionary Rhine River Cruise - Day 7

November 2, 2012 - Strasbourg, France

Today was overcast when we awoke.  As we looked out our window, there were swans swimming on the Ill River, just off the Rhine.  We were docked in the enchanting town of Strasbourg on the French-German border.  Strasbourg is the capital of the Alsace region of France, but it is influenced by the culture of both countries. 

We started our day with a canal cruise into the city where we learned that Strasbourg is the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.  We passed the United States Embassy, as well as the embassies of numerous other countries and nations. 

From our canal boat, we saw La Petite France is the former tanners' quarter on the River Ill and is a delightful maze of lanes and streets with gorgeous half-timbered houses all along them.  We arrived by boat and took a walking tour to the Notre Dame Cathedral of Strasbourg.  Because of bombing during World War II, many of the Cathedral's best exterior sculptures had had to be replaced by copies.  The stained glass windows of this church are magnificent and although some of them were destroyed during the War, they have all been replaced.  There is a wall of windows called the "Poor Man's Bible" which tells the story of Christ's life in pictures in the windows.  One of the most
incredible sites within the church is their astronomical clock.  The clock is set on Greenwich Mean Time, and we were able to see it in action.  It was amazing.

Strasbourg is a shopper's paradise with department stores and upscale boutiques all along Place Kleber.  Alsatian cuisine blends the subtle flavors of French cooking and the hefty portions you'd expect to fine in neighboring Germany.  Pate de foie gras (goose liver) or escargots (snails in garlic butter are some of the delicacies in the cafes and restaurants in Strasbourg. 

Strasbourg is also known for its kugelhopf, a circular, small bundt-type, semi-sweet cake, and these can be found in all of the many bakeries.  Our sweet delights were honest-to-goodness French beignets with a dark chocolate filling.  We brought these back to the ship, got a cup of hot cappucino, retired to our cabin and had a wonderful afternoon treat and nap.

Avalon Visionary Rhine River Cruise - Day 5

Oct. 31, 2012

We arrived very early this morning in Koblenz at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.  Extensive Allied bombing during World War II, destroyed much of Koblenz's Old City. There are some new buildings, but most were reconstructed to look as they did before the war.  We did a brief 45-minute walking tour of the city before returning to the ship a leisurely cruise down the Rhine River most of the afternoon.

The Rhine is about 825 miles long, but it is the 40 or so miles of the Middle Rhine Valley that most people recognize as the Castle Road.  The narrow gorge is absolutely beautiful this time of year with the leaves on the trees turning.  There are fortresses, quaint villages, remote chapels, and vineyard after vineyard on hillsides to add the perfect finishing touches to the Rhine's landscapes.  This region of the Rhine has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rightfully so. 

The river's most famous legend is the 430-foot high cliff, the Lorelei, which legend has it, often caued ships to founder in the trecherous currents at this point where the Rhine narrows drastically.  The story goes that a beautiful sorceress cast herself into the river here rather than accepting her sentence of confinement to a nunnery.  She was known to be spotted sitting on this rock combing her long hair and singing, luring sailors on the ships in the river to their destruction. 

Late this afternoon, we arrived in Rudesheim, one of Germany;s most famous wine towns.  As the wine connoisseur, Charlie, has said so many times, the white wines of this area, the Rieslings,  are wonderful; the reds are like paint-thinner.  We took a small tourist train from the ship up into the town and had a delightful visit at the Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments.  Rudesheim is also known for is Christmas Market each year, and of course, we had to visit their big Christmas shop to get another ornament for our international Christmas tree.  We sampled coffee with a local brandy to warm us as we headed back to the ship. 

This was a very busy, yet relaxing day just watching the world go by as we sailed down the Rhine to Rudesheim.

Avalon Visionary Rhine River Cruise - Day 4 - Cologne

Oct. 30, 2012 – Cologne, Germany

Eau de Cologne.  Bet you thought this came from France.  It didn’t, this perfume came from Cologne, Germany, a beautiful Romanesque city built on both sides of the Rhine River.  The most famous eau de cologne is 4711, however, the first cologne made here was Farina.

The Cologne Cathedral is the landmark twin-spired Gothic cathedral that is seen on all of the postcards and in pictures of this city.  Supposedly, the remains of the three magi are buried within this structure.  It took over 600 years to build this massive church.  During World War II, there was an agreement that no historically significant buildings would be destroyed.  The very first 1000 bomber raid by the Royal Air Force was conducted on Cologne on the night of May 30 and 31, 1942.  It was expected that it would knock Germany out of the war and damage the German morale.  The RAF only had about 400 aircraft and the Royal Navy refused to let coastal command aircraft take part in the raid.  Cologne was not the first choice.  Hamburg was, but inclement weather caused the change in destination for the bombing.  Seven official administration buildings, 14 public buildings, 7 banks, 9 hospitals, 17 churches, 16 schools, 4 university buildings, 10 postal and railway buildings, 10 buildings of historical interest, 2 newspaper offices, 4 hotels, 2 movie theaters, and 6 department stores were completely destroyed.  The only military installation damage was the barracks used by members of anti-aircraft gun crew.  Damage to homes and apartments was considerable with 13,010 destroyed, 6,360 seriously damaged, and 22,270 lightly damaged.  The number killed was 469 of whom 411 were civilians and 58 were military. 

Because the main train station was next door to the Cologne Cathedral, there was some damage to the structure.  There has been continual restoration done on it since the end of World War II, and it has still not been completed.

Cologne was a former Roman city and has an historical heritage. There is a complete tile floor from a Roman home in the Roman-German museum.   The remains of an ancient  Jewish quarter was discovered in Cologne in 2007.  The remains of a synagogue, a hospital, bakery, community hall and mikveh (a bath house used for ritual purification) were discovered.  Archaeologists are enthusiastic about the dig, but Cologne residents remain skeptical. 

Of course, Charlie and some of our traveling buddies had to try out the local brew, Kolsch, the local beer brewed in Cologne.

Later tonight, we leave for Koblenz, the Rhine Gorge and Rudesheim. 

Avalon Visionary Rhine River Cruise - Days 2 & 3 - Amsterdam

Oct. 28 & 29, 2012 – Amsterdam

“One day this terrible war will be over.  The time will come when we’ll be people again and not just Jews! – Anne Frank  11 April 1944

On Sunday, Oct. 28, we awoke to an overcast sky and a windy, blustery day.  On our agenda for the day was a trip to the Anne Frank House.  We walked from our hotel, the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, through the Dam Square and about five or six blocks to this incredible museum.  I had pre-purchased our tickets for an assigned time to go through the house, and it’s really a good thing that I did.  The queue wound around the house and down a couple of blocks for those without tickets.  There must have been over 100 people waiting to purchase tickets. 

I had watched the movie, “The Diary of Anne Frank”, a few months ago, but seeing the close quarters that this family and their friends lived in for over two years during the Nazi occupation of Holland during World War II, was so moving.  One of the things that amazed me was that no one spoke while they were going through the house.  It is like being on sacred ground. 

The Anne Frank House’s museum is unique.  It is the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her diary during World War II.  There is a set route through the house that you must follow.  A couple of the many things that made such an impression on me was the size of the small rooms and the narrowness and steep of the stairs.  There were eight people who occupied a space of less than 800 square feet – Anne, her parents, Otto and Edith Frank, her sister, Margot, Hermann, Auguste, and Peter Van Daan (pseudonym  for van Pels in the Diary), and Fritz Pfeffer  (pseudonym for Albert Dussel).  These people had to stay indoors 24 hours a day.  The curtains were always kept closed, so the neighbors could not see them.  Below the house is a warehouse that continued to operate while they were in hiding.  During the day, when the employees were there, all of them had to sit still and not make a sound.  They could not run any water nor flush the toilet. 

There is no longer any furniture in the house because Anne’s father who survived the concentration camp did not want to replace it after the Nazis had emptied all of its contents.  However, the walls of this house can tell so many secrets, and just by being in it and seeing the close quarters and how they had to live was such a moving experience.

Today we took a leisurely canal cruise all around the city of Amsterdam.  There are houses here that are actually crooked from the years of the marshy sub-soil under them settling.  Our ship sailed at noon and we are now en route to Cologne, Germany.  More tomorrow.

Avalon Visionary River Cruise - Day 1 - Amsterdam

October 28, 2012

 

It’s cold here!!!  Was 39 when we got off the plane yesterday, and it didn’t get above 45 all day.  It was a little overcast, but cleared off by early afternoon.  Sunny and cold I can take.  Got a note from a friend yesterday afternoon.  She and her husband have been living in Basel, Switzerland, for the past year.  She said it was snowing like crazy there.  We don’t arrive there until next Sunday, so we are just hoping we have enough warm clothes with us.  I did remember to pack gloves, hats, etc., so by layering on the sweaters and turtlenecks, we should be okay.

Daylight savings started last night, and we got that extra hour of sleep.  Neither of us slept on the plane over, so we took a 3 hour nap yesterday after we got into our room.  The hotel is beautiful.  We are staying at the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky.  Take a look at the pictures on their website.  We met four of the couples who are with us for dinner last night at an Argentinian steak house.  There are lots of them in Amsterdam for some reason.  We had, at first, thought we might want to have Dutch food until we saw the menus at some of these restaurants.  Pork belly didn't sound very appealing. 

The hotel is located at the Dam Square which is one of the largest in Amsterdam, and there was a carnival there today.  We did a little shopping and just walked around after our nap.  Our hotel is also located at the edge of the Red Light District.  Of course, last night after dinner, we had to take a stroll through it.  WOW!!  is all I can say.  This area is huge.  We were warned about the coffee shops that aren't really coffee shops, but pot houses.  Saw one seed store that had seeds from every type of marijuana plant that you could possibly want.  This is like no place we have ever been. 

We are headed to the Anne Frank house this morning, and then have to be at the ship by 3:00 this afternoon.  We overnight onboard and have a sightseeing tour and canal cruise tomorrow. 

What's On Your Bucket List?



WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

Charlie and I were recently talking with a banker friend of ours about some of his clients who are planning for retirement.  Not surprising to us is that travel is the number one thing on most people’s bucket list.  However, most people don’t write down their bucket list of things they want to do, and have no idea how to budget for those big travel items on their list.

Omaha Beach in Normandy

Should you create a wish list of to-dos before dying as the characters Edward (Jack Nicholson) and Carter (Morgan Freeman) did in the movie “The Bucket List”?  Assuming the answer is yes (not sure why it wouldn’t be), what’s the best way to do that?

 

John Nelson, the author of “What Color is Your Parachute? For Retirement” said, “We create a bucket list because we want to be happy.  Some of the latest research on happiness suggests we need to pay attention to two very different kinds of happiness: ‘experiencing’ and evaluating,” 

I suppose I have two lists:  My I Have and My I Want to do…

If you haven’t written down your Bucket List, start out with what you have done and then move on to what you want to do.  Here some of the things are my lists. 

I HAVE…

      1.     Kayaked in Ketchikan, Alaska

2.     Written three books

3.     Stayed in a 400-year-old farmhouse in the Black Forest

4.     Watched a meteor shower from a ship in the South Pacific

5.     Taken our grandchildren to Disney World without their parents or siblings for their fifth birthdays

6.     Walked on Omaha Beach in Normandy

Eiffel Tower in Paris

7.     Learned to play the clarinet and piano

8.     Climbed Acropolis Hill to the Parthenon in Athens twice

9.     Viewed Paris from the Eiffel Tower

10.  Watched a lightning storm at sea

11.  Seen the Mona Lisa in Paris and the Sistine Chapel in Rome

12.  Visited the graves of Michelangelo, Dante, Marc Chagall, Rafael, Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Robert and Elizabeth Browning, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Mary, John Keats, Rudyard Kipling, Handel, and many others

13.  Ridden in a gondola in Venice.

14.  Seen Michelangelo’s David, statue of Moses, and the Piata  

15.  Started a business

16.  Visited Russia

17.  Gone whale watching

18.  Visited the White House

19.  Met someone famous – Most notably, we had dinner at Reba McEntire’s home.

20.  Visited 32 of the 50 United States, including Hawaii and Alaska

21.  Taught myself an art from scratch – first there was crochet, then knitting.

22.  Visited the birthplace of my ancestors (England and Scotland)

23.  Been to all of the U.S. Virgin Islands

24.  Visited Kiribati (the first place that celebrated the Millennium)

25.  Put my feet in the waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific, as well as the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

 I WANT TO…

      1.      Take a safari in Africa

2.     Go to the Holy Land

3.     Be the keynote speaker at a major conference

4.     Visit Iceland

5.     See the ball drop at Time’s Square on New Year’s Eve

6.     Take a river cruise in Vietnam

7.     Rent a villa in Italy for a month

8.     Take my grandchildren to Washington D.C. and show them why we live in such a great nation.

9.     Take painting lessons

10.  Lose weight (don’t we all that that ambition)

11.  Visit Antarctica

12.  See a volcano while it is erupting

13.  Write a cookbook

14.  Stay in a chateau in Provence in France

15.  Visit the Galapagos Islands

 

There’s so much more that I want to do, and so little time.  Now, you know what’s on my list.  What’s on yours? 

 

 

 



All the Gold

Brandenburg, KY
Tuesday, July 9, 2012

The American Queen was docked in Brandenburg, KY, this morning when we awakened.  It was so nice to step out of our cabin onto the promenade and see the people of Brandenburg at the riverfront to greet our boat. Our tour today took us through Brandenburg and on to Fort Knox and the General George S. Patton Museum of Leadership.  No longer are civilians allowed to tour Fort Knox, and "all the gold" is no longer there. 

This was the highlight tour today for Charlie.  He has always been a student of World War II, and especially General George Patton.  There was so much to see at the museum on Patton's life from his birth to his death. 

Today was much cooler - in the low 80s - so when we returned to the boat for lunch, we ended up sitting outside for a while on the Front Porch of America.  After the boat departed for Louisville, the river was calling us to lazily nap the afternoon away.

Tonight was our last night onboard.  We attended a show by The Rat Pack, two guys we have seen in Las Vegas, who impersonated Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.  Great show and a wonderful way to spend the evening.

Because Brandenburg is only 45 miles from Louisville, the boat pulled into dock around 10:00 pm.  We called it an early night because we are to be off the boat by 8:00 am tomorrow morning.  What a truly relaxing week we've had just cruising the Ohio River.

Blue Moon of Kentucky

July 9, 2012

Another lagniappe stop – Owensboro, KY – on our Ohio River cruise.  Owensboro is the home of bluegrass music.  Our tour this morning took us to the Botanical Gardens, which after a little rain, yesterday, had perked up a bit.  There was a visit to the Museum of Fine Art, where there was a stained glass exhibit, as well as many works of American, European and Asian art displayed. 

Bluegrass is the official State Music of Kentucky, and Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky shares with Stephen Foster’s “My Old Kentucky Home” the honorable distinction of being the office Kentucky State Songs.

Owensboro is the home of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with was the third stop on our tour.  This museum was established to preserve the global history of bluegrass music.    The home of Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass, is located about 30 minutes away from Owensboro in Rosine, Kentucky.  We saw a new exhibit on his life and influence on bluegrass music.  It was interesting see so many posters and information from the Grand Ole Opry and from Nashville, our hometown.  There is even a Bluegrass Hall of Fame, similar to our Country Music Hall of Fame at the museum.  Some of the more notable names, beside Bill Monroe, include Flatt & Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, Ralph Stanley, Doc Watson, and so many others.

Our friends, Linda and Jim Tidwell are with us.  Because today was an unscheduled stop, we were unable to have guides with us.  So, Jim decided to be our guide.  Jim has done this in the past, and has led us through the “ancient road to Rome” with his fractured Bible stories.  Well, he did it again today, and told tales of Owensboro that, of course, no one had ever heard, especially the folks from this fair city. 

We returned to the boat for the Jazz Brunch and were entertained with a patriotic show this afternoon from the Wulff Brothers.  Now, it’s time for relaxing and just sitting on the Front Porch of America while the scenery leisurely passes us by as we travel to Brandenburg, Fort Knox and the George Patton World War II Museum tomorrow.

Bye, Bye Birdie!!

July 8, 2012

It’s Day 3 of our American Queen journey on the Ohio River.  Today’s stop is at Henderson, KY, a small, sleepy town on the Ohio.  It’s Sunday, so almost everything is closed.  However, we were able to go to the Audubon Home and Museum.  This is an incredible home located on beautifully landscaped grounds.

Things we learned today:

• Audubon would kill the birds he painted so he could pin them in the positions he wanted.
• Sometimes he would have to kill several birds because the buckshot would destroy their wings or body, and he wouldn’t have an anatomically correct bird specimen to paint.
• There were copper plates and some stone lithographic plates that were used to make prints and lithographs.
• One of the stones that the museum owns was, at first, not considered to be authentic by an auction house, but upon further investigation by the curator of the museum, he found it to definitely be original although it was broken and in two pieces.  The second stone that was whole is in a museum in Cincinnati, and was once thought to be the original.

Because everything else was closed today, our tour was short.  As we got back to the boat, we had some rain that cooled the 100 degree temperatures down into the 80s.  Humid, but much more bearable.

The captain of the boat, Greg Brown,  made an announcement that we would have a lagniappe (Cajun for “something extra”) stop tomorrow at Owensboro, KY. 

Cave-In-Rock, IL

Cave-In-Rock, IL

Saturday, July 7, 2012

We woke up this morning and were docked no more than 50 yards from the cave at Cave-in-Rock.  The cave is in the bluffs overlooking the Ohio River, and in the 1800s was  base for outlaws and pirates, particularly those intent on robbing keelboats, flatboats and steamboats of their valuables. 

The unusual geographic features of the cave also hosted its share of bandits and serial killers.  The cave itself is 55 feet wide and was created by wind and water eroding the stone and is now the centerpiece of Cave-In-Rock State Park.

But, in 1790, it was known as the operational base of counterfeiters Philip Alston and John Duff.  By 1797, it had become the haven for river pirates led by Samuel Mason who took the opportunity to expand the cave’s operations into the tavern business, a brothes and gambling den.

The Harpe Brothers were probably the most notable for killing the sole survivor of a pirate raid at Potts Springs.  The site of the atrocity later became Potts Inn which was known as “a human death trap for unsuspecting travelers” who would show up, spend the night and be robbed and then slaughtered.  The two brothers, known as Big Harpe and Little Harpe, were the first serial killers in the U.S.   There is a town a short way down the river from Cave-In-Rock called Harpe’s Head.  These two brothers were so notorious that when Big Harpe was killed, no one believed it until he was decapitated and his head was put on a pole in the nearest town, thus becoming Harpe’s Head. 

Walt Disney used the cave as inspiration for Davy Crockett and the River Pirates, and at Disney World on Tom Sawyer’s Island, riders of the Liberty Belle riverboat are treated to “Cut-Throat Corner” and “Wilson’s Cave Inn”.  MGM went so fare as to film a scene from its How the West Was Won at Cave-In-Rock itself.

The ship sailed at 1:00, and again, the temperatures are over 100, so sitting on the Front Porch is not an option.  We had another great lunch in the J.M. White dining room with outstanding sausage and chicken gumbo and shrimp and grits.  Tonight’s entertainment is a Mark Twain impersonator and we are having dinner with the CEO and the president of American Queen Steamboat Company.  This afternoon is for relaxing and reading in the cool, quiet of our stateroom.  More tomorrow from Henderson, KY

Oh, and to our son-in-law, Jim T., Charlie brought you a rock from Cave-In-Rock.

Steamboat's A'Comin!!

Friday, July 6, 2012 - Steamboatin’

Sleep, glorious sleep!!!  The air-conditioning system on the American Queen is superb.  For the first time ever, we have actually had to turn-up the temperature on the air-conditioning system in our cabin!!  The good news is that we both were able to sleep comfortably through the night.  With temperatures over 100 degrees, and at 10:00 last night in the 90s, we welcome all the coolness we can get.

This morning, we went down to the J. M. White Dining Room for breakfast.  You can either order ala carte from the menu or enjoy a wonderful buffet of great Southern delicacies including some of the most wonderful grits I’ve ever had.  There was everything from eggs, a waffle station, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit and wonderful pastries.  And, did I mention that the coffee all over the ship is Starbuck’s?

Today was a day for relaxing and enjoying the boat.  It was so hot outside that sitting on the Front Porch was like sitting in a sauna with the heat blowing on our faces.  Needless to say, we stayed in a lot.

This morning, we enjoyed a demonstration by a true riverboat gambler.  Bodeen “How Do You Do It”, was a fantastic card shark/magician, and had us all mystified with some of his tricks and prestidigitation.  We were sitting not five feet from him, and couldn’t figure out any of this tricks.

We attended a talk by the riverlorian and learned all about Cave-in-Rock, our first stop on this cruise.  More on that after we visit there.

I had a wonderful massage from Michelle, the masseuse onboard, and was completely relaxed when it was over.

Apparently we had a tailwind last night coming up the Mississippi to the Ohio, and because of this we had an additional port call in Paducah.  We were expecting to arrive in Paducah at 4:00 pm, but due to traffic on the Ohio, we were delayed in getting through the two locks before arriving at Paducah.  The words, “Steamboat’s A-Comin;”, came to life for us this afternoon as we arrived in Paducah.  The local people came down to the dock to see the boat as we were pulling in, and even as late as 9:00, they were driving through, taking pictures and just looking at the magnificence of this beautiful vessel.

We opted not to go ashore, and instead, stayed on the boat and attended a show by “Blend”, an acapella group that sings 50s and 60s music.  These four young men were wonderful singers and entertainers.  Dinner was at 7:45 and again, was excellent. 

                                                                                                            

This has truly been an exceptionally relaxing cruise for both of us. 

Cruising America's Waterways

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Charlie and I have been on more cruises than we can count – all of them either ocean-going cruises or river cruises in Europe.  Until today, we have never been on an honest-to-goodness steamboat in the United States.

Our journey began early on this morning, July 5^th, as we flew from Nashville to St. Louis to embark on the American Queen, a step back to the days when riverboats were the mode of transportation on the rivers of the U.S.  We arrived late-morning, and went straight to the Downtown St. Louis Hilton within walking distance of Cardinals’ stadium.  July 5^th happened to be the hottest day on record in St. Louis at 106 degrees, which was 3 degrees cooler than Nashville’s hottest day the previous Friday.

After checking in at the American Queen Steamboat Company’s desk, we had lunch and at 3:00 departed on the “Steamcoach” for the boat.  It’s been really difficult for me to call the vessel a boat because all other vessels we have sailed on have been called ships.  This boat was built in 1995 by the Delta Queen Steamboat Company.  There are 222 staterooms and suites on the boat, and she holds 436 passengers.  There is a crew of 172.

Here's some things that distinguish the American Queen from other cruises we've been on:

• She is the only authentic overnight paddlewheel steamboat in America
• The acclaimed cuisine of famed American chef, Regina Charbonneau from Vicksburg, MS
• She is the only steamboat with multiple specialty dining options, all at no additional charge.
• Complimentary specialty coffees, cappuccino, espresso, soft drinks and bottled water throughout the voyage
• Complimetary wine and beer at dinner
• Southern hospitality style service from a professionally trained all-American staff
• Casual attire throughout the cruise = no formal wear reuired
• Daily lectures by a Riverlorian, an onboard river historian
• Professional showboat-style entertainment and dancing nightly
• Calliope concerts and a opportunity for guests to play.
• Complimentary shore excursions
• All-inclusive packages that include an overnight stay in a select luxury hotel in the city in which the cruise originates, plus transfers to the boat

We opted not to take the pre-cruise hotel night, and boarded the boat the day we arrived in St. Louis.  At the hotel, we met the shore excursion manager, the maitre’d, the boat’s ambassador, and others, all who made us feel welcome and special. 

Our cabin was a Category B stateroom.  It was approximately 175 square feet.  The wallpaper, furniture, and other décor are all reminiscent of the 1800s, when paddlewheelers cruised these rivers.  The bathroom was black and white tiled, but surprisingly, had a full-size bathtub.  The sink was a pedestal sink, like those that I remember from my grandmother’s house when I was a child.  We enter our cabin from the promenade deck, rather than from a hallway.

We met our friends, Linda and Jim Tidwell, who are cruising with us after we got to our cabins and immediately went to the Front Porch of America at the bow of the boat where there we could have soft-served ice cream, coffee, soft drinks, hot dogs and popcorn!!  How American is that?  All of this is included in the cost of the cruise.  And, this is open 24 hours a day!!  Can’t sleep?  Just go down to the Front Porch, and sit in one of the rocking chairs or porch swings, and enjoy cruising down the river.

Dinner tonight was open seating and was a buffet that was wonderful!!  From now on, we will have assigned seating at one of two dinner times – 5:15 or 7:45.  We opted for the later seating and will have a table of eight.  Linda, Jim, Charlie and I will meet four new folks who will be cruising with us.

Because we have late seating, we are able to attend the earlier show each night.  Tonight’s performance was called “ Showboat Jubilee”, and four very talented singers entertained us with music from the musical, “Showboat”, from Stephen Foster, and taking us to present day ending with “Proud Mary”. 

Our cruise is scheduled to stop at Cave-in-Rock, IL, Henderson and Brandenburg, KY.  We will end in Louisville and will have travelled 586 miles on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

After dinner, we sat on the Front Porch and rocked ourselves almost to sleep.  We have a day of cruising the Mississippi and Ohio tomorrow and are scheduled to arrive Cave-in-Rock on Saturday morning.