Banberg & Numerberg Monday

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Well we did end up leaving the boat for a little while in Bamberg. At 4 o'clock we noticed the bikes parked beside the boat so we decided to take them for a spin. Spin being the operative word. They go really fast. If you have it set too high (as Grant did on mine) you just have to touch the pedal and off you go. I finally worked out how to slow it down and we managed to get back without taking out any of the locals. It turned out that Bamburg was a very pretty old town that had never received any bombing in the war so it was very original with the houses having very pretty paint jobs.

Yesterday itwas up and on the bus to tour Nuremberg town and then to the grounds where Hitler held the rallies. We were surprised that we immediately recognized the place. We had a very funny German guide (Funny and German) who was a history professor and very passionate on the subject of the history of the Nazi party. We finished at the museum of the Nazi Party which was very interesting. It has only been opened since 1992 and Nuremburg is making a name for itself as a human rights centre winning acolades and awards for that. It seems that the younger generation are getting a handle on how to handle their history the best way. Also we were told that if we did a Nazi salute even in jest and were spotted by the polici we would receive a hundred Euro fine. When the Neo Nazis hold public meetings they have to have bandages over the swasticker tattoo's as it is also illegal to display that sign.

We had dinner last night in the area at the front of the boat called the Portobello where they serve Itlian food. This is a small area that you have to book for but has a lovely view out the front of the boat. Turned out to been a good night to do that as we went trough the biggest lock on the trip and so had the best view. This lock is 90 feet high. We have been trough about 1 million locks but have just finished the going up locks and now doing the going down locks. During the night however we passed through the most noisey locks. I think they need a big can of CRC. What I never realized was you have only been able to get from the Mine river to the Danube through a man made canal that was finished only about 12 years ago. So this trip on three rivers has not been possible for that long.

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