Location, Location, Location -- isn't always the best thing

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The city of Koblenz sits at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle rivers. Such a strategic location has meant that the city has changed hands several times between the Germans and the French. So perhaps not surprisingly, the accepted symbol of the city is the "Schangelbrunnen", a boy with a French father and a German mother (perhaps unmarried). Schangel is a corruption of the French name Jean or John, which the Germans found difficult to pronounce.



The Schangelbrunnen is a naughty boy, a rascal, who is memorialized in a stautue of a boy who spits erratically at passing people. Schangelbrunnen also appears throughout the city on the sewage caps. Originally the name was an insult but now it just means a person from Koblenz.



Women are given quite unusual recognition in the Catholic church of the Virgin Mary. This stained glass window features women of good works. Look closely. At the top is Mother Theresa, done in fact while she was still alive. On the left is a Jewish woman (also unusual in a Catholic church), at the bottom are 5 good women from Koblenz, and at the right is ___________. Despite the fact that parish attendance is dwindling in most places, this church holds Mass for hundreds every Sunday because the progressive priest is so popular. And he's 85 years old!

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Photos

The "Schangelbrunnan" spits at passersby
This statue is the symbol of Koblenz. It's the naughty boy whose father is French and whose mother is German.

The stained glass window celebrating women
At the top--Mother Theresa, at left a Jewish woman, at bottom--5 famous women of Koblenz, at right--

Double docking
Sometimes boats are docked side by side so you have to walk through another boat to get to the shore.

The only (?) church ceiling with stars
Tour guides have their stories, some true, some garnished, some--well---who knows? And those of us following in the little pack with radio receivers and headphones (thank goodness for being able to hear the guide clearly even when stopping to take a photo) we listen intently and try to keep it all straight.

River cruisers' dock--our boat is tied up in the distance
Looking from the bridge toward the confluence of the Moselle River and the Rhine

The Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm I, who unified the German states into a federation
This gigantic statue is in the park at the junction of the two rivers. See the size of the people walking at the base of it? This massive statue is the first thing we saw of Koblenz, lit up in the predawn, as our boat rounded the corner to the docking area.

Caravan camping across the river from the giant statue
Campers get a great spot here!

Comments

[Doreen Hynd and Ed Emswiler]

Kaiser Wilhelm Statue
Martha Van Mollison - Doreen and I have been watching the play by play every morning and Doreen loves the dialogue and photos. A little side story here.. My great, great, great, great, great grandfather had a farm in Kaiserslautern not far from Koblenz. The Kaiser Wilhelm went from farm to farm plucking all of the male children from the farms to go fight his wars. Aparently, from what I hear, the Kaiser Wilhelm was a real bastard. My GGGGG Grandfather would not have it and so he packed the family up and walked across Germany to Amsterdam where they boarded a ship (The Lesbie) and went to America. Upon landing at Philadelphia he was immediately conscripted into the US Army to fight in the Revolutionary War here in the US. He left a German wartime situation only to end up in a war in America. Talk about a no-win situation. Enjoy your trip you two. Doreen says it is amazing that we are typing this and you are over there on the boat. We hope you are able to make a documentary of your trip Martha and Phil when you return. Doreen sends all of her love and admiration.

[Chris]

Outdoor dining
When we went to Europe in 1983, as 20-something backpackers, we loved the huge outdoor cafe spaces and marvelled at their ubiquity despite such frequent heavy showers of rain! Over the last 35 years Sydney has finally caught on, but still not to that extent, hey?! I’m really enjoying your pics ... and comments ... so who is the lady on the right in the Church of Mary? Could it be Martin Luther’s wife?? A Protestant reformer in a Catholic Church would be unusual but they have the Jewish lady on the left ...?

[michelleandkev]

Location, location
What great locations you are both enjoying. I'm looking forward to hearing all your tall tales and true at a future First Sat meeting! M xx