River Cruising and the Romantic Castles of the Rhine River

 

The Middle Rhine and the Gorge is home to over forty castles

The “Middle Rhine” is one of four sections (High Rhine, Upper Rhine, Middle Rhine, Lower Rhine) of the river between Lake Constance and the North Sea. The upper half of the Middle Rhine (Rhine Gorge) from Bingen (Rhine-kilometer 526) to Koblenz (Rhine-kilometer 593) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (designated in 2002) with more than 40 castles and fortresses from the Middle Ages along its banks along with many picturesque wine villages. The lower half from Koblenz (Rhine-kilometer 593) to Bonn (Rhine-kilometer 655) is also known as “the romantic Rhine”.

Probably the best way to see the historic Middle Rhine with its vineyards and castles is by spending a day on a river cruise. You will find a good selection of available cruises HERE.

At Rhine-kilometer 655 the river takes a sharp bend around a rocky promontory with flags flying from its summit and a large statue at river level commemorating the legend of Loreley . Parts of the legend date back to the middle ages and involve the dangerous waters and the sound the river makes flowing past the rock. Lorelei, Lore Lay or Loreley, refers to a large rock on the bank at a narrows of the Rhine River near Sankt Goarshausen, Germany. The rock is associated with a legend of a beautiful maiden who threw herself into the Rhine in despair over a faithless lover and was transformed into a siren who sang an irresistible song attracting boatmen to their destruction in the rivers currents and rocks.

A good map showing the castles along the Rhine in this area can be found HERE.

The highlight of the day was a visit to Marksburg Castle. The original name was Burg Braubach, the Marksburg Castle sits atop a high hill overlooking the Rhine River. Marksburg Castle is most famous as the only castle on the Middle Rhine to avoid destruction or serious damage thru its over eight hundred year history. The Marksburg Castle came under serious attack in 1945, when it received artillery fire from American forces attempting to dislodge Nazi forces inside the castle. Damage even then was minor.

The castle came under attack and seige a number of times but was never captured or destroyed.

In 1135 the castle and half the town of Braubach were the property of the Archbishop of Mainz, a member of the house of Eppstein. His family owned the castle until 1283. The last Eppstein to have claim to the castle married Eberhard von Katzenelnbogen and when she died the castle became the property of the Counts of Katzenelnbogen until 1479.

With the death of Count Philipp the Elder in 1479, the county of Katzenelnbogen passed to the Landgraves of Hesse through a benefactress, the daughter, who was married to the Landgrave Phillip II. The Marksburg Castle was attacked a number of times during the 30 years war and during Louis XIV’s campaigns again in the 17th century.

Another interesting aspect of this castle is that it was used as part of the foundation for the early video game Castle Wolfenstein where players hunted Nazi’s inside an old castle.

Since 1900, The Marksburg has been home to the Association for the Preservation of German Castles (Deutsche Burgenvereiningung) and along with tours offers exhibits of armor, a dungeon with implements of torture and rooms furnished with typical period pieces.

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Seeing Sydney Harbour At Sunset

One of the most amazing cities we’ve visited is Sydney, Australia. Between its location near dozens of fantastic beaches, nearby mountains and being located on one of the world’s most perfect harbours, what more could anyone ask for?

Looking across the harbour from near the Sydney Opera House

One of the most magical things to do in Sydney is to cruise around the harbour at sunset and into the evening for the bargain price of less than A$9.00 per person for unlimited ferry rides*.

Historic Luna Park under the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Manley boat anchorage at Sunset

  • Find out more about Sydney’s amazing public transportation HERE

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Discover Marken Village: A Dutch Gem Near Amsterdam

Marken is a picturesque village located in the municipality of Waterland in North Holland, Netherlands, and known for its charming houses and coastal scenery. With a population of about 1,730 it offers visitors a glimpse into Dutch culture and history. The village is often described as a perfect side trip when visiting Amsterdam, especially for those looking to immerse themselves in a quaint, traditional Dutch atmosphere.

Marken features beautiful wooden houses typical of Dutch fishing villages, making it an appealing destination for tourists and photographers alike. Visitors can enjoy the serene coastal environment while exploring the unique architecture and cultural heritage of this small fishing town. Marken is a popular summer and weekend retreat for the people of Amsterdam with its waterfront boardwalk having all the charm of a traditional Dutch village that makes it an ideal spot for exploration, fishing, boating and relaxation.

Often included on tours from Amsterdam that include the iconic windmills it’s a perfect half-day tour to take in the Dutch countryside. A selection of Viator tours can be explored HERE*.

*This link is provided just as a reference and The Intentional Travelers do not get paid any commission from this site.

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Another Side of the British Isles

When we think about The British Isles we often focus in on London or Belfast, Liverpool or Edinburgh, but there’s also a wild side to be explored.

The Scottish Highlands alone are a vast rugged area covering roughly the northern third of Scotland, of about 10,000 square miles, encompassing diverse mountainous landscapes and numerous lochs.

Another seriously wild part of England is Wales with roughly 8,000 square miles of sparsely populated countryside that’s mostly mountainous with an equally rugged coastline. .

Ireland’s coastline is approximately 4,600 miles long, encompassing the entire island and its numerous offshore islands, with the famous Wild Atlantic Way alone covering about 1,600 miles with those dramatic Atlantic cliffs. .

So if you’re looking for some amazing landscapes and remarkable hiking spend some time visiting the wild side of the British Isles.

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Oh My, The Indignity!

You see them all the time and everywhere – statues erected to celebrate a person of importance. Inevitably pigeons find them a great place to land or even roost and there doesn’t seem to be anything to effectively prevent it from happening. This one sits in a park in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. and when I took this photo I was more focused on the pigeon and didn’t pay any attention to the statue. Maybe that adds to the indignity.

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A Fitting Memorial In Croatia

Storks still return each year to Vukovar to nest

On the banks of the Danube in Croatia is the beautiful town of Vukovar. Walking its streets today you come across a number of odd structures that seem to have suffered a calamity. A riverside hotel with a facade full of holes, the towns water tower damaged, along with a church and the building pictured above. If you talk to locals and do some research you will find that they are there as memorials to war crimes.

In 1991 the Yugoslav People’s Army, along with the Serb Territorial Defense forces and paramilitaries from Serbia, launched a full-blown military assault with a siege on the town of Vukovar in eastern Croatia. It started on August 25th with thousands of artillery shells raining down on this tiny town. The siege would last for 86 days and leave around 3,000 soldiers and civilians dead with even more wounded before the town’s defenders had no choice but to surrender. What followed became a mass murder of many of the mostly Muslim survivors. Later a U.N. war crimes tribunal was empaneled to try Yugoslav officers for criminal responsibility in the 1991 massacre of non-Serbs in the Croatian town with a number being convicted.

A Memorial To A Siege And War Crimes

Bećarski križ (Reveller’s Cross)

The oldest and largest public crucifix in Vukovar gave name to the Old City that was centered on the Reveller’s Cross. The crucifix was originally erected in 1805 and was the first public crucifix in the city sculpted in stone. The Reveller’s Cross was demolished in 1996 by artillery during the seige of Vukovar. After the war the Reveller’s Cross was replaced with an accurate recreation of the original.

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