Our captain told us last night we could have a wake-up call as we approached Cologne, so that we could get up on the sundeck for a photo of the gorgeous Cathedral of Cologne lit up at night. However, D&I opted out of the 4:30 wake-up call - no way! We sauntered into the dining room for breakfast at the civilized hour of 8:00 instead.

At 9:00, we were off for a walking-tour of Bonn. Steven led us down the quay, pointing out a cigarette machine, but what was interesting is how to pay for a purchase. Europeans now have credit cards with microchips containing personal information on it. For example, in this machine, a credit card will tell whether the purchaser is legal age or not. (16 in Germany to smoke, 18 to drink)

We walked up to the University, the largest, longest building in Germany. Saw the town hall, cathedrals, etc, etc, then stopped our tour at Beethoven's childhood home. Steven left us with two tasks: 1. stop by a grocery and buy something that can't be found in the US for under 3 Euros; 2. return to the ship - 'just go straight down this street to the Rhine and turn right' were his directions. Darrel had a map so I wasn't worried.

We toured inside the house of Beethoven (photo), which was marvelous. The audioguide told us his life story and also explained the displays of his various instruments or of his era. Delightfully, there were quality selections of his work played on those instruments on the audioguide! And not just short pieces either. We heard his work on his own viola and a sonata he wrote at ten years of age played on his hammerklavier, like the pianoforte. We listened to his music played on a basset-horn, and looked at old instruments,like the klarinette and flaggot (resembling a bassoon). And at the end, there was a chamber where you could sit all day and listen to recordings of his music. Along the wall where photographs of musicians who had given live concerts here of Beethoven's music and, although I could not view them all due to people sitting and listening, I did identify Rostropowitsch (sic), conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra when I lived in Arlington & had season tickets. At many selections, I stood there with my eyes closed, so I wouldn't cry (I have a teary affliction to beautiful music.)

It was then we discovered Darrel had lost his map & we were alone. But we remembered Steven's directions in front of Beethoven's house, so from there we walked in the direction to the boat, stopping on the way at denn's Biomarkt, an organic grocery store. We looked for something to buy and found four items which we turned in to him when we returned to the ship: a tube of mustard with parsley (Steven told us to buy one and put it in our guest bathroom to surprise any guests - I think that would be the last guest we would have!), a box of herbal tee (tea) with Christmas spices, and the two more he kept for a game tonight, but I have no idea what they are: a packet of some kind of seasoning mix with almonds pictured on it called "Pottasche" and a tiny tin of ???, titled "Fiene Puten-Lyoner". Lysann, help!

Well, from the grocery, we walked and walked and no river. We tried to ask two young ladies, but they marched right past us, with earbuds blazing or perhaps thinking we were begging. Finally a gentleman told us we had to turn right a few blocks back! We did and when we came to the river, we were well past the JFK Kennedy bridge, much farther than if we had accurately followed Steven's directions. But we made it back to the ship in time for lunch which was Pickelsteriner Eintofg (Gramma's mulligan soup) and Kohlroulade (stuffed cabbage rolls). Yum

Afterward, we boarded the bus to Remagen for a tour of the remains of the bridge. During WWII as German troops were retreating, Hitler demanded they destroy all the bridges leading into Germany in order to slow the Allied advance. Factories and other infrastructures were also left in ruins by his army, which afterwards proved disastrous to the German people. But the bridge at Remagen was the last bridge, and although his generals tried to blow it up with frogmen, then dynamite, the bridge remained intact just as the Americans came. Hitler had the generals executed for their failure, and ordered a V2 attack on the bridge. But the V2 missed! Eisenhower called it, "The Miracle of Remagen". Later the bridge did collapse, having been weakened, killing 38 US soldiers, but our troops were able to cross over, cutting the German army in the Netherlands off and shortening the war.

The only part remaining are the pillars on either side of the river. The museum inside also showed pictures of the POW camp the US set up, as 50,000 German soldiers surrendered to US troops a day! They collected 300,000 POWs in the first week. The Allies thought they could build three POW camps which would hold 50,000 each. Instead, seven camps had to be constructed. In the museum were also photos of a German camp for Allied prisoners of war in which the conditions were deplorable - no buildings, the men dug foxholes in which to live. Big difference!

We returned for cocktails in the lounge, our port talk and then dinner, another German feast: sauerbraten with red cabbage, grilled apple & cauliflower accompanied by potato dumplings with ice praline in a Leonidas chocolate shell with fresh waffle & strawberry compote. After dinner, we strolled up to the sun deck to view the Remagen bridge at night as we passed by on the river. The captain shone the spot light on the ruins as Ria, one of our program directors gave a commentary. BTW, the weather has been beautiful - 23 C or 65 F today! Sunny and bright J Couldn't be better.

TOMORROW: Cochem & Bernkastle, Germany and a castle tour