River Cruise Diary – Strasbourg, France

As I said earlier, the great thing about river cruising is waking up in a new town every day. We awoke Saturday in Strasbourg, France, docked in a side channel of the river. Before the motor coach trip to Riquevihr, there was time in the morning to walk down the quiet waterfront and explore. We were some distance from the city center and the neighborhood was residential with some light industrial activity on the opposite shore. We paused at Citadel Park.

Citadel Park, Strasbourg, France (9 November 2019) 

Built in the 1680’s when France and Germany battled over the region, the Citadel fortress was destroyed by the Germans in 1870. The ruins were renovated in 1964 to create a pleasant family-oriented park. Naturally, I prefer a composition that omits people and playground attractions.

‘River Harmony’ in the Morning Fog 

Strasbourg, France (10 November 2019) 

Sunday morning began as a photographer’s wet dream. November might lack vacation treats like sun, warmth and some life forms, but it can give you atmosphere. The fog was thick for a few hours.

Strasbourg is the capital of the Alsace region (currently) of France and a major metropolitan area. As the home of the European Parliament, it is one of the European Union capitals along with Luxemburg, Frankfort and Brussels.

After breakfast, we walked to a tram line for a short ride to the old quarter, a wonderfully preserved UNESCO World Heritage site looking much as it did in the 16th century.

Petite France Waterfront, Strasbourg, France (10 November 2019) 

The neighborhood is called ‘Petite France.’ It is crossed by canals and was once home to tanners, millers and fishermen.

Petite France, Strasbourg (10 November 2019) 

Walk with me. We wind our way through narrow streets and alleys. The old buildings are just a few stories tall and close together. Then you turn a corner and it’s OMG as you face one of Europe’s premier cathedral exteriors.

The Imposing Strasbourg Cathedral (10 November 2019) 

The Strasbourg Cathedral of Notre Dame took 400 years to build and was the world’s tallest building from 1647 to 1874. Its front façade is a maze of sculpture and delicate stonework…overwhelming.

Main Portal, Strasbourg Cathedral (10 November 2019) 

Compare this archway with the much older, Romanesque St. Gallen Portal in the Basel Cathedral. The Gothic period so advanced engineering and artistic skills. The tympanum (central nose-cone feature) is crammed with detailed figures and allegorical messages. The archivolts, the five layered decorated arches, display a total of seventy Biblical stories and Christian figures.

After Notre Dame in Paris, the Strasbourg Cathedral is the most-visited church in France. The dreary day, dim lighting and crowds resulted in few photo opportunities from inside the church. I did get lucky and came away with a decent image of the grand rose window.

Rose Window, Strasbourg Cathedral (10 November 2019) 

The rose window offers a most appealing design that uses natural elements instead of saints and the like. It speaks to the wealth of the region that was derived from the land. This is the centerpiece of the great west façade shown earlier, which was completed in the late 1200’s and attributed to Erwin von Steinbach, cited as the chief architect of the church.

It was a chilly, gloomy day but this historic masterpiece made it a winner for me.

River Cruise Diary - Alsace Wine Country - Riquewihr

We left Basel on a Friday evening and sailed downstream on the Rhine to Strasbourg, France. Because we were in the upper reaches of the Rhine and Moselle, the itinerary required more sailing at night. We needed to be at the destination towns by morning and the smaller rivers had more time-consuming locks to navigate.

In A lock on the Upper Rhine (8 November 2019) 

The Alsace region of northeastern France borders Germany and the territory has been disputed forever. Since 1681, control by the two nations changed hands five times thus one finds a blended, hybrid language and culture there.

On Saturday, they bussed us into the countryside to Riquewihr, a medieval town known for its Riesling wine. Cobblestone streets, stork nests on the roofs of centuries-old half-timbered houses…a quaint time capsule of a place. The only buzz kill was the occasional car moving you aside.

Riquewihr, France (9 November 2019)

Often referred to as a ‘commune’, the village is one of the few towns in the region not badly damaged during World War II. Clearly a very popular tourist attraction, I counted ten tour busses in the parking lot on this chilly day.

Riquewihr, France (9 November 2019) 

The charm of the town is that it has retained its 16th century appearance. One can sample the many wine shops and come away with a bottle to keep in the cabin for Happy Hour or a late-night nip…one of the reasons my shaving kit includes a travel cork screw.

Liberty Tree, Riquewihr, France (9 November 2019) 

Inspired by the American colonies that designated trees associated their new independence, the French also planted ‘Liberty Trees’ during their revolution. This linden tree on the edge of town is one.

Stork Nest Sub-Let, Riquewihr, France (9 November 2019) 

The white stork in Europe has a long cultural connection to the people. Myths, legends and fables go back to ancient times. It was a sign of luck when a stork chose your house to make its home…hence their association with delivering new babies. That myth was solidified in Victorian England because the prudes were too embarrassed to explain the real facts of life to their children.

European storks winter in Africa so while we saw a few roof-top nests, the big white birds were long gone…another downside to visiting in November. This huge nest appears to be occupied by a flock of pigeons. Not the same.

Post-Halloween, Riquewihr, France (9 November 2019) 

Apparently, not every everyone here is in that happy, tourist-welcoming frame of mind…however, Halloween can bring out the odd side in some.

It was a long day and we returned to the boat after dark. Tomorrow, we visit the old quarters of Strasbourg.

River Cruise Diary – Basel, Switzerland

Day 1 of a 16-day getaway is totally devoted to just getting away. After the overnight flight to Frankfort, we needed a second flight to Basel. Bad News – Lufthansa flights within Germany are grounded due to a labor dispute. Welcome to Europe. Good News – Lufthansa flights leaving Germany are still good to go. Once in Basel later that morning, we were there until the following afternoon when the sail downstream began. There was a walking tour and enough free time to explore on our own.

Basel Street Scene (7 November 2019) 

Located at the point where France, Germany and Switzerland come together, Basel is a thriving center of chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Though there were earlier settlements in the area, serious occupation began with the Romans. After a number of barbarian conquests, the area settled into the Holy Roman Empire in 1032.

Basel Carnival (7 November 2019) 

We happened to be in Basel at the same time as a serious street festival. Many public spaces were occupied with amusement rides and carnival attractions. I appreciated that the giant Ferris wheel was dedicated to my wife Becky.

Basel Cathedral (7 November 2019) 

It seems every ancient European city of any size has a grand church that was the center of religious and civic life for centuries. Basel is no exception. Having seen a few by now, I can say that in terms of size and grandeur, the cathedral here is not all that extraordinary. However, the church is quite old, having been consecrated in 1019 and is notable as the burial place of Erasmus, the philosopher and Renaissance humanist.

St. Gallen Portal, Basel Cathedral (8 November 2019) 

Given the early origins of the building, significant Romanesque features are evident. The most notable would be the entry on the west side of the building. The St. Gallen portal dates from around 1180. The tympanum shows Christ sitting in judgement…because everyone is either in or out when it comes to the afterlife. Below the judgement is a depiction of the New Testament parable of the ten virgins. The five wise ones on the left brought enough oil for their lamps and are blessed by Christ while the five foolish ones who did not are cast out. It was a popular theme in the Middle Ages that drove home the need to always do the right thing because you never know when Judgement Day will come.

The Misguided Virgin, 

Basel Cathedral (7 November 2019) 

I Got Your Saints Right Here! 

Basel (7 November 2019) 

I had more fun just outside the cathedral. In addition to the wise and foolish virgins above the side door, the virginity theme continues at the main entrance. Here the misguided virgin has fallen under the spell of a seducer (not pictured). She is shown having removed her glove thus revealing too much of that virgin flesh. The shame of it all. Right in front of the church was a bumper car ride with some very secular artwork on it. I couldn’t help but notice the irony.

The Basilisk on the Wettsteinbridge (7 November 2019) 

Representations of this mythical creature are all over the city. A reptilian hatched from a rooster’s egg (I know…roosters don’t lay eggs but this is a myth, after all), the basilisk was bad news. It could kill you by breathing on you or by looking at you. Though not named for Basel, it became the town’s heraldic symbol and is curiously found on many water fountains and troughs.

Rhine River Ferry, Basel, Switzerland (8 November 2019) 

Fabulous low-tech demonstration here. No power required. Called ‘reaction ferries,’ Basel has four of them located between the bridges that cross the Rhine. The boat is tethered to a cable that spans the river. Just turn the rudder on the boat and get dragged to the other side. Just as good and easy today as it was a thousand years ago.

Basel would be our only stop in Switzerland. We began the cruise by sailing downstream and will wake up the next morning in Strasbourg, France. Stay tuned for images from this memorable Alsatian city.