blog weldon: Rhine Cruise 2007 via Manhattan

In 2007 we took a cruise on the Rhine and other rivers in the area of Frankfurt am Main (sometime referred to at "Mainhattan" because of its skyscrapers. The cruise embarked from the Frankfurt airport. We decided to spend a day or two in Manhattan (New York City) on our want to "Mainhattan"

New York City, September 5, 2007

Our hotel (the Red Roof Inn) was across the street from the Empire State Building, so we walked to that building on our first evening in New York City.

Barbara in the first-floor foyer of the Empire State Building

We rode the elevator to the observation deck.

Barbara on the observation deck of the Empire State Building

Northeast Manhattan from the Empire State Building

The MetLife Building

The Chrysler Building (just left of center)

Looking due north from the Empire State Building

Looking west toward New Jersey from atop the Empire State Building

Looking south from the Empire State Building as night falls

Same southward direction as it grows darker still

Weldon on the first floor as we exit the Empire State Building

Exploring Manhattan, September 6, 2007

New York City consists of 5 counties or boroughs (New York [Manhattan], Kings [Brooklyn], Queens, Richmond [Staten Island], and Bronx). We explored Manhattan.

We began by taking a Circle Line sightseeing boat tour around Manhattan Island. We took the subway west to Pier 83 on West 42nd Street. The tour circled Manhattan in a counterclockwise direction.

Barbara about to board a Circle Line boat

Looking east from the boat as it headed south on the Hudson River. The Empire State Building is in the center

Looking west to Jersey City, New Jersey from the Hudson River

Ellis Island, west-south-west of the southern tip of Manhattan

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty at a distance

Southern Manhattann, heading east from the Statue of Liberty

Heading north on the East River, Manhattan on the left, Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges in the distance

Southern Manhattan from the East River

The Brooklyn Bridge, looking west toward Manhattan

Same Brooklyn Bridge, looking east toward Brooklyn

The Manhattan Bridge (north of Brooklyn Bridge), looking west toward Manhattan

Williamsburg Bridge (north of Manhattan Bridge), looking west toward Manhattan

Empire State Building (pointed building on left) and Chrysler Building (pointed building on right) from the East River

United Nations Building, looking west from the East River

Yankee Stadium, looking east from the Harlem River in the Bronx

Northern Manhattan rural (!!) area east of the Hudson River (after rounding the northern end of Manhattan and heading south)

Grant's Tomb (left of center) east of the boat while heading south on the Hudson River

Circling Manhattan was a great introduction to the island I hadn't visited since my IBMer days. After a light lunch at a small Greek cafe on 34th Street, we took public transportation to other Manhattan locations.

Times Square, New York

Metropolitan Museum of Art

I'll refrain from boring you with other photos of our activities during the remainder of the day. In the evening we watched the play "Wicked" on West 51st Street.

New York City to Frankfurt am Main, Germany, September 7

On September 7 we left the Red Roof Inn in Manhattan and flew to Frankfurt

Main entrance to the Red Roof Inn on West 32nd Street, New York City

Looking upwards at the Red Root Inn

Looking up from the Red Roof Inn's lobby window at the Empire State Building (in the center)

Barbara waiting to board the bus at the Frankfurt Airport on September 8 after an overnight flight.

Bad Wimpfen near Frankfurt, September 8

The bus from Frankfurt airport drove southward for about two hours to Bad Wimpfen on the Neckar River. Bad Wimpfen a historic spa town in the Baden-Württemberg region of southern Germany.

Barbara as we arrive at the Charlemagne cruise ship.

We spent the remainder of the day taking a walking tour of Bad Wimpfen.

The first building on our walking tour

Bad Wimpfen is a mixture of the new and the old

Half-timbered houses everywhere in Bad Wimpfen

Bad Wimpfen Castle

Narrow cobble-stone streets of Bad Wimpfen

Contrasting architecture of adjacent houses

This is (the original?) Bad Wimpfen

Climbing around Bad Wimpfen

The Bad Wimpfen Protestant Church

Heidelberg, September 9

Overnight (and continuing into the morning hours of September 9) the Charlemagne went down the Neckar River to Heidelberg. Here are a few of the highlights of Heidelberg:

Friedrichsbau in the Heidelberg Castle Complex

Statue of Friedrich V on the outside of Friedrichsbau

Now that's what I call a big keg!!

Looking down at Heidelberg from Heidelberg Castle

Haus zum Ritter in Heidelberg

Barbara standing by "The Cat" status in Heidelberg

The corresponding mouse—beneath the cat—that the cat is eying

River Neckar in Heidelberg

Looking toward Heiliggeistkirche in Heidelberg

Traveling toward Frankfurt am Main, September 10

Most of September 10 was spent traveling from Heidelberg to Frankfurt. The Charlemagne traveled the Neckar, Rhine, and Main Rivers. Here is a nuclear reactor we passed on the Rhine:

Nuclear reactor seen from the Charlemagne

A church viewed from the Charlemagne, traveling the Rhine

Frankfurt and Mainz, September 11

Today we boarded a bus to visit Bad-Homburg and Mainz.

Barbara and Weldon outside the Frankfurt temple in Bad-Homburg

The entire cruise group at the Frankfurt temple

The bus drove from Bad-Homburg to Mainz, a city noted for the invention of movable type printing. Here are a few photos from my camera:

Barbara outside the Gutenberg Museum. It houses many treasures related to early printing.

Barbara by a fountain in Mainz

We took the bus back to Frankfurt, arriving late at the Charlemagne.

Bingen and Marksburg, September 12

Today was a second day on the bus. Our first stop was at Bingen, where we visited a museum for Hildegarde von Bingen, a 12th-century mystic, healer, and composer. We received a guided tour from a person named Hildegarde, who is the president of the Hildegarde von Bingen Research Society.

Inside the Bingen Museum, listening to Hildegarde, an expert on Hildegarde von Bingen

After the short visit at the Bingen Museum, we reboarded the bus and drove to Marksburg to see the oldest castle in Germany not to have been bombed in World War II.

Travelling by bus en route to Marksburg from from Bingen

Preparing to cross the Rhine to Marksburg (taken from inside the bus)

Arriving at Marksburg Castle

Climbing to Marksburg Castle

Slit in wall of Marksburg Castle through which to fire at enemies

Marksburg Castle coats of arms

Looking across a courtyard at Marksburg Castle

Looking up at Marksburg Castle

Cannons in Marksburg Castle

Indoor toilet at the Marksburg Castle as it appears from outside the castle

What that toilet looks like from inside Marksburg Castle

Kitchen in Marksburg Castle

Marksburg Castle's music room

Marksburg Castle armor exhibit

After our visit to Marksburg Castle, the bus took us to Rüdesheim an Rhein, where we shopped, etc. The Charlemagne stayed the night at Rüdesheim. We had the following fancy foil dinner onboard the Charlemagne that evening.