A River Runs Through It

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After getting a good response from my emails about lakes and mountains, I thought I would try rivers next. So, after the mighty Mississippi, and the amazing Amazon, what might be some of the others. I have yet to see the Nile, the longest in the world, though it is looking less likely as the years go by. Here you go: Mississippi River I went on a sunset dinner cruise with a company I worked for back in the 80s. Actually better than I thought it would be. But the water is muddy!

Amazon River One of the most amazing trips of my life. I would go again. Biodiversity, mosquitoes, but very interesting. (Photo above)

Columbia River Uneventful.

Danube River Beautiful, made me think of the song, Blue Danube. But also in Vienna, and Budapest.

Rhine River My first river cruise, with the town of Rudesheim very cute, but cannot remember where I started or finished.

Volga River Somewhere in Siberia, I remember crossing the Volga River, perhaps having consumed too much Volga vodka!!

Missouri River The longest river in North America, I crossed it twice on Amtrak's Empire Builder.

Zambezi River A sunset cruise, with mostly old ladies from a tour group from Vegas. Convergence of Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. (Photo of Vic Falls above).

Seine Quite overrated, but nonetheless, very French. Bring a key since it has locks.

Rio Grande I did not see anyone trying to swim across from Mexico! Who needs a wall?

The Potomac Only because of the cherry blossoms.

Colorado River Having the Grand Canyon surround it is truly magnificent!

Ob River Crossing at Novosibirsk, where I tried to deliver corn tortillas to a transplanted Texan who now makes vodka there.

Ohio River Somewhere near Louisville, when we went to the Kentucky Derby.

Amur River The longest bridge on the Trans Siberian Railway, a bridge probably built around 1900.

Yukon River I actually walk on it, since it was frozen over with about six feet of ice, so they say.

Chao Praya River Most charming, labeled as the Venice of the east, I think it smells better than Venice! A definite Bangkok activity.

Irawaddy River First in Yangon (Rangoon, Burma), then up in Mandalay.

Mekong River A short ride from Luang Prabang, passing a prison, on our way to lunch. Starts in China, then Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.

Tonle Sap River One of only two rivers in the world that flows both ways.*

Coeur d'Alene River Second of only two rivers that flow both ways.*

*the flow changes of course with the seasonal rains (Tonle), and spring runoff (Coeur).

Some rivers are beautiful, some not. The best part is crossing them by plane, train or automobile, rather than in the water itself. The only one I crossed on foot was the Yukon, somewhere between the Arctic Circle and Fairbanks. The most impressive? Hard to say, perhaps the Danube, or the Amazon. Definitely, the Amazon.

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