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Published: June 17th 2022
Cathy heard a sharp snap this morning and turned to me in bed and asked, "What was that?" "That my dear was the crack of dawn!" I replied.
It was 5:45 in the morning when I work up to get our luggege locked and loaded and prepared to leave outside our door. The porters were coming at 6:30 to gather our luggage to load onto the bus for our trip to Bamberg, via Nurnberg so we could board the Viking Longship IDI to begin our 8 day cruise to Paris. It was going to be a long day. I packed the bags, double checked the room to make sure we were not leaving anything behind, and put our three bags outside our room. Our next order of business was breakfast.
We headed down to the first floor and signed in to our included buffet breakfast. Yesterday we ate too light. Cathy was famished by lunch so today we made sure to eat something more substantial. On these trips you burn alot of calories so please make sure you load up for breakfast. You can always do a light lunch but stocking up well for an active day ahead is
NAZI Party Gathering Grounds
It is from behind the black wrought iron fence that Adloph Hitler addressed a cround of over 100,000 party faithful. This complex was used only once.critical.
Breakfast complete we checked out of the Prague Marriott. This hotel is highly recommended as it is relatively centrally located, 5 star quality. and is more like a hotel US travelers may expect. For the adventerous I still liked the Iron Gate Hotel in the center of Old Town. Don't be afraid to try a local hotel as long as you do your homework first.
We were assigned to the Green Bus group. It was scheduled to depart at 8 AM. Our luggage was already in the lobby. We had to identify our bags to make sure they got on the right bus. As soon as we completed the ID process, we headed to the bus and loaded in for the 2 plus hour drive to Nurnberg (Nuremberg), Germany.
Our drive took us through some of the most amazing countryside of the Bavarian Forest. It was indeed beautiful but I was exhaused and soon fell asleep. Two hours later we stopped for a "biological" break at a roadside gas station complete with a convenience store, a McDonalds, and most of all clean restrooms. Our stop was for 20 minutes at which time we returned to the
Old Nuremberg Castle
One of the defensive towers of this ancient castle. It was once square but rounded in later times to be more effective against more modern ballistics bus for the final hour drive to Nurnberg.
Now many of you may have heard of this historic city as the seat of both the Nazi Party and the famous Nurnberg Trials at the end of WW2. Our bus dropped us off in the center of this historic village that is one of the oldest and most German of cities. Hitler chose this city for the headquarters of the Reich Party because of the extensive railway system, its rich German history, and the ancient castle which symbolized that a well run German city would last for centuries. This was his plan for the Third Reich. It was not to be.
The city is noted for a special walk away lunch of three sausages in a soft roll with mustard. We found a stand selling them in the center of the city and for $7.00 Euros we got two sandwiches and had lunch on the run. Nurnberg is an ancient walled city that was more than 90% destroyed in WW2. To preserve the city, it was rebuilt after the war using many of the architectural plans of the original city so it looks today much like it did 900
years ago only built with more modern technology.
We returned to the bus and picked up our local guide Peter for a bus tour of the city. It should be known that Nurnberg was the HQ for the NAZI Party pre WW2. Here Hitler built a huge stadium from which he addressed the party faithful. He also built another complex modeled after the Roman Coleseum, only 4 times larger. This later work was never completed and never used. It lays in ruin to this day as part of the cultural heritage of this amazing city.
Hitler had grand plans for Nurnberg. Huge buildings, a power supply that would have been the largest in Europe once complete, stadiums, and so much more. He was spending Germany into the ground.
The Nazi faithful moved en mass to Nurnberg, taking the population from 400,000 to well over 900,000 in three short years. As we all know, Hitler chose a path that was abhorant to the rest of the world and, as such, Nurnberg is also known for the most famous of the WW2 criminal trials.
We first stopped at the Colliseum and the party meeting grounds where Hitler once
International Court
The most important trials after WW2 were held in the room behind the 4 large windows on the second floor of the building. Tbhe primary NAZI trials were held in this room. addressed 100,000 people in one of the largest Nazi gatherings in history. Many of you will recognize a picture of the Fuhrer addressing the crowd with the huge NAZI symbol behind him. You may also recall the video of the US troops blowing up this Nazi symbol at the end of the war.
Our next stop was the Palace of the Holy Roman Emperor.This huge complex was built over 900 years ago and was the local home for the oft missing Emperor of Germany. Since he was ruler of significant domain, he only spent a few days a year at the palace. It was amazing to see the reconstruction since this too was destroyed during the war.
Unfortunately, we had a medial emergency at this point. It was close to 100 degrees and our guide Peter fell ill. Those who have traveled with me in the past know that I am often called upon in a medial emergency since I have EMT training. Everyone went to the bus, I went to Peter. After assessing his condition, I concluded he was suffering from food poisoning complicated by heat exhaustion. I treated him as best as possible, called for a
cab to take him home, and returned to the bus. I was advised hours later that he was fine.
After this we went to see the location of the Nurnberg Trials. We did not go inside but just being in the place where the Nazi Party was called to account for war crimes was an emotional event. You really get a feel for history when you are fortunate to see first hand places you only read about in books.
We next heaed back to the bus for another 90 minute ride to Bamberg and our introduction to the Viking Longship IDI. The boat is amazing. It's modern, sleek and very well appointed. Checkin for the 140 passangers took less that 20 minutes. We showed our IDs and were soon escorted to our cabin 216.
Now for those who have not cruised on any sized vessel should expect the room to be small, compact, and functional. It is NOT a hotel room so please do not expect a large room with spacious bathroom. The typical cruise cabin in meant for sleeping and showering. If you paid extra for a balcony, you have a little extra privacy. For Cathy
and I, staying in our room is not part of the plan. We prefer the spacious lounges, open outer decks, and public area. It is more fun to meet new friends and enjoy a drink or four!
We had a cruise introduction by our tour director CJ, whose real name is Richard (don't ask). He told us all we needed to know about the boat, safety, amenities, cruise activities, etc. One point he stressed several times is that it is CRITICAL to return to the boat on time every time. They have a schedule to maintain and if you do not pay attention and are late, it is very possible you will be left behind. I have been on several cruises where people felt entitled to be late and soon learned the hard way that on time is ON TIME. Do not be that person.
After this we went below deck to dinner. Now we are 140 passangers all eating at the same time. Do not expect to sit alone at a private table. The purpose of a cruise is to meet new people, eat new foods, and experience new things. Tonight we dined with Dan and Barb
from Iowa and Claude (aka Ralph I think he is in witness protection) and Rosemary who hail from Canada. We dined, laughed, told stories (it was amazing how much we had in common), and enjoyed an excellent meal served by two excetional waiters named Gianny and Yanni. They were great.
One of the greart things about cruising is the food. You have a menu and many choices. Feel free to mix and match. If you want two main courses, order two. The crew is there to make your experience the best it can be. They are friendly, funny, and helpful, They make your cruise an expereince to remember.
Now I want to take a moment for some DOs and DON'Ts. Failing to prepare can make the difference between a great experience and an awful one. This is not an exhaustive list but is a must before you go and while on tour. Please read and add to this list ideas that work for you; you will be very glad you did.
DO NOT change money from your home currency to local currency before you go.
DO tell your bank and credit supplier that you are leaving
the country, the specific countries and specific dates. Why? If you follow this, you will be able to use your ATM card in local BANK ATM's to get local currency at the best rate, no fee, and have direct control over expences. If you ONLY use ATMs from local BANKS, not just any ATM, you will save money. There are many options for ATMs, many of which are locally owned and are unregulated. They will give you a terrible exchange rate, charge as much at 10% to use them, and generally cost you money. Use ONLY an ATM from a local bank and you will be very glad you did.
DO NOT ever give your credit card to anyone and have them walk away. Every reputable service has a mobile charge station where you will tap (preferred) or insert your chip (less secure). They will give you a print out. CHECK IT to make sure it is safe. The credit card never leaves your hands and your credit card can not be copied.
DO NOT buy anything from anyone who walks up to you and wants to sell you an item or service. This can be a scam
or is more likely a set up for pick pockets. Politely move away, preferably to a crowd, and DO NOT engage. It they follow you, find a cop. Simply walking away is enough.
DO eat the local food; try the local beer or liquor. You are traveling to increase your experiences. Do so but always be in control of what you do, with whom, and where.
DO tell your mobile phone company you are going overseas. They will sell you a package for $100, good for a month, to allow you unlimited phoine services. You will get calls, text messages, and be able to use google maps all for one low price. Fail to do this and your phone will ring up charges of $10 per day and up to $4 a MINUTE FOR INCOMING AND OUTGOING calls. That can add up quickly.
DO look at booking some experiences on your own. I HIGHLY recommend VIATOR.com as a very reliable source for anything you need. From airport travel, local guides, dinner theater and so much more. I have used them for years and never had a bad experience.
DO NOT wander off alone at night. Many low lifes will see you as an easy mark. You do not know local customs, can easily get lost, and are, therefore, vulnerable. Just don't do it.
DO NOT carry more cash than you need for any given day. There are BANK ATMs everywhere so cash is readily available. Use a credit card for all high cost purchasaes. A reputable store will always accept a card purchase. If you buy something like jewelry on a CC and it turns out to be a fake, you have recourse. If you pay cash, you are at a loss. If the store refuses a CC or offers a discount for cash, walk away. It is just not worth the risk.
DO follow instructions from your tour director or local guide. If you plan to wander off on your own, I totally support this, tell some one. Always carry the address of your hotel or ship name and dock so you can get a cab if necessary. Always get back to the meeting place on time if on tour. THEY WILL LEAVE you if you fail to return on time. It is better to have two lost angry people than 50 pissed people to deal with.
DO NOT go anywhere with a stranger. If you ask some one directions and they want to take you there DO NOT LET THEM. Ninety nine percent of the time they mean well, but you do not want to experience the one percent.
DO make sure you log yourself off the boat when you leave, and log yourself back in when you return. This is critical so they know who is and who isn't on board. You use your room key for this. There is a card reader at the end of gangplank. Log in and out here. Caution, make sure you are using your own key. Your name is on the back. This key is also your charge card for everything on the boat so do not lose it.
Well, that's enough for now. Time for bed. It is another long day tomorrow.
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