Braubach, Koblenz, Heidelberg and Castles Everywhere

Hey everyone!  We've seen and toured a lot of cathedrals, and we've seen several castles as we sail down the Rhine, but now we are actually going to tour one in Braubach and one in Heidelberg.  Are you ready?

The Castle of Marksburg sits high on a cliff, seemingly impenetrable to enemy forces. And this castle has withstood more than most. It holds the enviable title of the only medieval castle in the Middle Rhine that was never destroyed.  I took this photo from the lounge on board our boat -- it's distorted because I was taking it through the window.

Cologne -- Are You Still With Me?

Hey everyone!  Before I do anything else on this post, I just want to do a shout out to all my Texas blog friends.  I've heard from some that they are out of harm's way, but there are still some I'm wondering about.  I hope you are all safe, and my heart goes out to those who found themselves right in the middle of this disaster.  You are in my prayers.

As I begin this post, continuing our Rhine River Cruise and tour, I truly hope you are not bored to tears.  I love sharing our experiences and know that recording it this way will make putting a scrapbook together so much easier.  I guess if you aren't interested, you are not obligated to read it, right?  Well,  one of these days I will be finished with this and be back posting diys and home decor.  So until then, this is what you get!

Cologne Cathedral and the Music Dome (a concert arena) have been visible and tempting us with their grandeur even before we docked.

Amsterdam and the Keukenhof Gardens

Hey everyone!  I hope all of you had a wonderful Memorial Day.  We had beautiful weather here, and I hope you did as well.  Are you ready to continue the tour with us as The Man and I travel the Rhine?  Up-front warning, this one is photo-heavy.

Amsterdam is where we boarded "The Sound of Music" river boat, and after a fun "get-acquainted" evening, wonderful food, and a good night's sleep, we were off to see Amsterdam!

Well, it turns out to be King's Day in this lovely city, so for our safety we could not do a bus or walking tour......bummer!  Instead, we boarded one of these canal cruisers and saw a bit of Amsterdam from the waterway.

All Aboard "The Sound of Music" River Boat!

Hey everyone!  I hope you have been enjoying this long weekend and good weather -- depending on where you are, I guess.  Today I want to continue our Rhine River travels with you.  This 19 day adventure was a combination of motor coach, river cruising, and more motor coach.  Upon arriving in Amsterdam, we immediately boarded Gate 1's "The Sound of Music" river boat, so I thought I would share some of the highlights on board this beautiful vessel.

This will be our home for the next seven days!

This pic is from their advertising brochure.

Now We Are in Belgium!

Hey everyone!  Hope your week is running smoothly.  I've been crazy-busy editing photos and have more to share.  Today we will be in Belgium!  Grab provisions, this is very photo-laden!

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges was very charming with its cobblestone streets and much like the setting for a fairytale.

I'm Back....Sorta!

Hey everyone!  I'm back, but not quite into full-swing blogging just yet!  As some of you already know, if you follow me on IG or FB, my bloggy break included quite an awesome vacay.......as in "European-type!"  The Man and I went on a 19-day Rhine River Cruise and Tour.  It was really fantastic, and I want to share some of it with all of you (if you are interested), but I plan to do that at a slower pace.  We left AZ the day before The Man's birthday, and celebrated his day in Paris.....I bet y'all are humming "April in Paris" right now!

Of course we have to start with this beauty!