Wurzberg, Germany

Wed. June 21, 2023- Karlstadt & Wurzburg

       We were up by 7 A.M. Coffee on the balcony was a welcome way to start the day, cruising along the Rhine River. We met Madeline and Clayton for breakfast and enjoyed a leisurely morning, trading anecdotes on their experiences and ours. A lecture on Bavaria, held in the ships lounge, was of interest. Bavaria was an important Kingdom of the middle ages, with an army of its own. One anecdote had Napoleon taking 33,000 Bavarian troops to Russia with him in 1805. Only three thousand had come back. The Germans never forgave the French for that escapade. Crazy King Ludwig and had been the “Castle Builder’ in the German  hereditary line. “ Schloss Neuschwanstein,’ after which Walt Disney had drawn inspiration for ”It’s a small worlds” exhibit in his theme parks, was among several of his projects. We had seen another one, on a previous trip, near Oberamegou.” In the days ahead, we were to see a veritable Greek Temple sitting  high on the Rhine Hillside. It was another of Ludwig’s castles. Eventually, the spending excesses had done him in. Reputedly, the family had him and a faithful attendant strangled and thrown into one of the castle lakes.

An announcement, that a member of every stateroom should attend a meeting in the lounge, caught our attention. No one was hollering “abandon ship, swim for shore,” but the meeting purpose caught everyone’s attention. The ship’s Captain told us, in careful language, that the level of water in the Main Canal system was too low to allow passage downstream for the Vali. This was a poser. Fortunately, Viking had and does deal with this issue every year. We were advised to pack up our gear this evening and leave it in our staterooms. Then, we would proceed on our tour of Nurenburg on Thursday. Later, after a lunch in town, a bus would ferry us beyond the low water blockage, where an identical Viking sister ship, “The Tir” was waiting for us to board. We were even assigned the same staterooms. The move would be effortless.

         We boarded buses at 1:15 P.M., for our “Franconia Tour.”  Franconia was the name of the region before Bavaria assumed ascendency. Many of the locals still claim that identity. Stopping first at Zel am Main, our guide showed an actual “witch Tower. During a period of time in the 1600’s, where harvests were bad and the economic sector in free fall, conditions spawned the notion that witches were the cause of the bad luck. Interrogations were held on those poor people denounced by neighbors. The tools were thumb screws, leg irons and other niceties. Naturally, everyone interviewed, confessed. They gave up names of people around them ,also then accused of complicity in witch craft. They too were “interviewed.” A Goodly number of souls were dispatched that way, during a twenty year period. The confessed witches were burned in the tower. In that it was thought that witches could fly, there were no windows in the tall silo- like structure. The same witch hunting process was then occurring in Salem, Mass. A pillory, where miscreants were chained to the City Hall wall and left for all to see them, was also a vestige of these troubled times.

       From these benighted settings, we set off and motored up the backroads of the area, to a marvelous vista of the whole Main/Donau Valley. There a small church, that of Maria Limbach, sat quietly looking over the valley. Behind the plain, white-stone exterior, lay a treasure house of gilded altars and confessionals, that would serve well a royal family. We ogled the ornate carvings and Mass settings, appreciating what this must have cost to build. At the rear of the church was a well flowered and orderly grave yard, that stretched back in time. The grave sites are leased for a 25 year periods. Family members must trim and attend to them. If no one renews the lease, then other families take over the plot, with their deceased love ones. Funeral costs were currently  running 10 thousand euros. Cremation cost came in at six thousand euros.

      Descending the narrow roads to Memmeldorf, we stopped by a local brewery. “The Three Crowns Brewery” was an attractive and comfortable Tavern run by three sisters. We sat down and tasted two types of beer that they brewed in small batches.  One was a lighter “blond  beer.” It was very good. The second concoction was a dark amber “smoked beer,” that is a local specialty. It tasted like smoked bacon to me. The waitress brought us all some large, doughy pretzels, favored by Bavarians. The food was accompanied by a very sweet mustard that was wonderful. We enjoyed the stop, appreciating the coolness of the tavern and the warmth of the hospitality. 

     Next on our line of march was “Schloss Seehof.” It is an enormous stone palace, the home of the whole line of “Prince Bishops” that had ruled the area. Somewhere in this line of PB’s, was a Count Stauffenberg, a five generations removed ancestor of the Count Stauffenberg who had tried to assassinate Hitler at his wolf’s lair HQ during WWII.

     The whole notion of Prince Bishop’s was new to us. These potentates were both the titular head of the Catholic Church in the area and the hereditary state ruler of the government. Hence, they held  the title “Prince Bishop.” Their authority was absolute in all matters, with no appeal. The wealth that they amassed funded these enormous palaces. The walk into Schloss Seehof passed a glassed-in structure, that the French would call “le orangerie.” It enabled them to grow oranges. limes and lemons. Groves of these fruit tree formed a formal garden in front of the Schloss (Castle). A large ornate fountain completed the entrance. The Schloss itself was imposing. Two wings crowded,  the central, two story keep, with ornate statuary abounding. 

         The Grand ball room was imposing, with painted ceiling murals and large glass mirrors reflecting the light. Interview rooms for supplicants to the PB, and waiting areas, were set aside for business purposes. Silk wallpaper graced the walls. The bed rooms, living areas and guest bedrooms were all fit for royalty. Small porcelain furnaces warmed the rooms. They were fed fuel from behind, in small corridors, unseen by the residents. Prince Bishops lived in grand style. The formal “White Room” ceiling also held a painted fresco of Greek Gods.

         At the rear of the Schloss, we descended a two level stone staircase to stand around another grand fountain, that showered water on a number of imposing statues. Below us, several large ponds served as aquatic hunting areas for royalty. Guests would stand still, aiming their 17^th century arcbusses at a flight of geese and waterfowl, that had been stirred up by servants. Fishing expeditions were also available for the privileged. We walked along shaded arbors of Linden Trees, back to our bus. It was a brief glimpse into another era. It was hot out and we were tiring.

        Our guide mentioned several conservation efforts of Germany on the ride back. Employers would reimburse workers for 70 % of the cost of an e-bike,  for those who lived within ten kilometers of their worksite and used the bike for transportation. Veritable fields or solar reflectors and large fields of windmills added to the alternate entry usage.

       Back aboard the Vali, we prepped for dinner at 7 P.M. We were joined by the Broyles and the Pinazza’s. We traded tales of our day’s tours and enjoyed the pleasant company of friends at dinner. An avocado salad, shrimp with rice and a Black forest torte, accompanied by a decent German cabernet, made for a great meal. This was to be our last night aboard the Vali, so we made arrangements to tip our room maid and a favored restaurant waiter. Daily tips, that are shared with the entire crew, are included in the cruise price. But, additional tips, for superior service, are welcomed.

       We headed back to our staterooms, to pack our gear and get ready for another adventure. It had been a good day. Like most obstacles that you run into while traveling, you just learn to rock and roll and go with the flow. The Viking personnel made it easy.

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                            (1,387 words)

                        Joseph Xavier Martin