On the Rhine

Our suite on the Amacello was wonderful!

It was on the third level (the top cabin-level), spacious, with lots of storage area (everything, including our empty suitcases, were put away and out of view) and a huge bathroom with both a bath tub and a shower.

On our prior voyage, when we were squeezed into a "regular" cabin, I distinctly recall the moment talking to another passenger who commented that he'd just taken a "bath".  He came from England, so I asked if he meant having a wash, he somewhat sheepishly replied, "no, my suite has a bathtub."  We knew that we wanted one of the suites on the next voyage.

After boarding and stowing our stuff, we joined the captain for a "toast" to the voyage and then retired to the aft lounge for a wine reception for returning guests (those who had sailed with AmaWaterways before).

All in all, a very civilized send off for our cruise!

The meals on board were very good, being part buffet and part off-menu.  The waitstaff and the wine stewards were very attentive and our routine quickly became one of trying to pace ourselves with so much food and drink being provided!  They put out coffee and a light breakfast at 6 a.m., followed by a regular breakfast from 7 to 10:30, a light brunch around 11, a lunch from 11:30 to 1:30, an afternoon snack around 1 or 2, tea and cakes around 4 (sometimes with hot mulled wine), dinner between 6 and 8 and on special occasions, like night, another snack.  Each meal had a separate manned dessert table, including a variety of ice creams and sorbets, and an unmanned, but not unwatched, cheese table, which I frequented, often and with gusto.  Top this off with a bartender who would greet me in the evening with, "would you like your regular vodka martini and brandies for your guests, Mr. Barnum?"

It was, in short, heavenly.

Very early on we met a delightful English couple, Roger and Helen, with whom we shared many of the meals, a significant number of libations and a number of the land tours.

The cruise as a whole was incredibly relaxing.  Having experienced both now, apart from the "castle-part of the Rhine in the middle" the Danube is probably more scenic than the Rhine.

The thing about the Rhine is that you are pretty much surrounded by Germans.  You really cannot throw a "stein" without clobbering one on his "kopf".  Now, don't get me wrong, according to my ancestors, I am half German (the cranky half that eats too much and has the nagging desire to invade Poland).  Admittedly, part of the Danube cruise was in Germany too, though most of it was in Hungary, Croatia and Austria.  Austrians are fine, they are "germanic", but they have great desserts and a sense of humor which sets them apart from their Northern cousins.  Germans seem to take everything too seriously, even when they are standing around in short leather pants.  The captain, the crew and the staff seemed to come from everywhere but Germany, with a huge number from Hungary and Romania.

We only actually met Germans when we went on land.  One of our German tour guides gave us a good view of the German "funny bone" when talking about a castle, saying, "There is a funny legend with this castle.  The lord fell in love with a local girl, but was going to fight in the Crusades.  Before he left, to pledge themselves to one another, they planted a tree and the lord said that so long as the tree grew, he was alive.  An evil baron found out about the tree and wanted the girl so he secretly dug up the tree and replaced it with a dead tree.  The girl killed herself and when the lord returned from the Crusade he threw himself off the castle wall and died."

Boy, now that WAS a funny story.  I can't wait to see the film version, "Sleepless in the Rhine" or "When Hans Dumped Sally".

And that was just one of the funny legends and tales.  There were also stories involving cages with people dropped into rivers, warring brothers and people trapped in towers.  The Brothers Grimm really were just reporters, they didn't make anything up.

We ended up making some of the humor on our own.  Our cruise director was a very nice Hungarian.  She had a pronounced and continuous roll to her "r's".  Apparently, a number of the castles were owned by "robber barons" which when she said it, sounded like "rubber bands".   It changed the presentation when we heard that "The people in this region were oppressed and tortured by the rubber bands.  The rubber bands would swoop down and harass the local people.  Even many wealthy people would lose their castles to the rubber bands."

The last couple of days of the cruise, we were on the border between Germany and France, with the option of taking the day walking tours to either.  I don't think it was on purpose, but we realized at the end of the cruise that we had picked France every time.

Then it was on to Switzerland!!!!