Miltenberg, Germany

Monday, June 19^th- Miltenberg, Germany

       We were up by 7 A.M It was a cool 61 degrees out. (F) We had coffee on our balcony, watching the Rhine Valley float by us. Breakfast, in the main lounge, brought us a few more friends. Clayton and Madeline, from Toronto, Canada and Jolene and Steve, from the heartland of Iowa, joined us. The conversation was lively, with new ideas and exchange of personal information.

         We had the morning free, so we lingered at breakfast chatting and then read and sipped coffee on our balcony, watching the Rhine River scenery. We were passing through a whole series of locks that raised us up to the level of the approaching Main Canal and Main River complex. It was 80 degrees (F) and cloudy out.

        At 2 P.M., the Vali reached Freudenberg and tied up at the dock there. We had a 3:15 P.M walking tour of Miltenberg scheduled. Just near the dock stands an oddity. Thee young lads, carved in metal, were standing and peeing into a fountain. Everyone got a pic of that statue. No one offered an explanation for it either. I will have to make one up in a later draft of our trip log. Buses ferried us to nearby Miltenberg.

       The scenic town had not been bombed in WW II, because it had no real manufacturing capability. It does have many old style half- timber houses. A Bay window apparently denoted a wealthy inhabitant. The local castle had been built in 1,226 and stood solidly still. The City Hall was constructed in 1,397. These are dates that, to Americans, sound like figures from the dinosaur age.

     A pedestrian mall, in the city center, was lined with merchants of all types. We found an apothecary and obtained some precious Sudafed. We were both suffering from a noxious sinus and upper chest cold. Half the ship had come down with it. Just down the street, we entered into “Der Riesen Biergarten.”( Giant Beer garden in English)  It is reputedly the oldest operating tavern in Germany, having served steins of beer for over 400 years. It was extremely hot out. Most people coming in first asked for the badenzimmer (WC) and then settled into some wooden tables for a beer. A glass of  wheat beer was refreshing.The Broyles had joined us and were sampling a “slider” of beers. This is about six small glasses that start with a lighter wheat beer and graduate to the heavier and darker beers.  The inside of the Tavern was wooden paneled and comfortable. A whole lot of folks before us had sit in here, drinking for the last few hundred years. The place had a full menu of bratwurst  and other German specialties. We were in a rush to make it back to the Vali, so we paid our tab in Euros and made off. One of the other passengers was struggling with the “no credit card” practice. We had heard of a creative solution to this in another Town. The quick thinking clerk led the guest to a nearby store where they could buy gift cards in the amount owed at the Tavern. Good employee. We were to find the “no credit card” policy in several towns along the River. Euros were the standard specie.

       It was 93 degrees (F) and sultry out. We hiked back to the buses and were ferried to the Vali’s new location, at 5:15 P.M. The skipper wasted no time. By 6 P.M, the Vali had slipped her lines and was motoring up the Rhine, headed for Karlstadt and Wurzburg on the morrow.

       We joined our boon companions, the Broyles and Pinazza’s for dinner at the 7 P.M. seating. Minestrone soup, poached salmon and an apple tart, with a crisp Riesling made for the usual delicious repast. Our conversations and consumption of wine stocks was increasing. We were getting to know each other better and the conversation was laden with movie references that we all related to. “The Big Lebowski” was a Broyles favorite. Renzo had us all with the “Bangok Hilton,” an early Nicole Kidman flick. It was fun to be there.

                                        -30-

                                  ( 699 words)

                            Joseph Xavier Martin