In Zell

Upon arriving in zell we each recieved coupons and a glass, it kind of looks like a large shot glass, but has a little leather pouch and string that hangs around your neck. if you take the glass to the town square (just off the boat) there is a table set up with wines, for each coupon they fill your glass with wine. they have 3 vinyards present each with a sweet or dry white wine. the wines were great, and it was fun to walk around town to the sound of this local band playing music. they even took some requests for the older couples who began to dance around the courtyard.

on a church just across from the square was a line of markings, each with a date, these lines represent the height of the water during various floods dating back more then 100 years.
most of the stores in town were closed, although there was a small wine store that was open where i purchased several bottles of wine. i found it neat that in the store they allow you to taste all of the wines before purchasing - try getting someone to let you sample thier wines in a store here and you're likley to get shot!!!!


Before leaving i was able to get this great shot of the sunset off the deck of the boat - the colors were just amazing!!!

The Black Cat

After diner we are heading into Zell for a wine tasting, on the way to our destination the mayor of Zell, with several others come on board to tell us the story of how wine fromt eh region came to be called "black cat" and to illustrate their tale they brought along these adorable black cats.

Bernkastel

This morning we woke up in bernkastel. we will spend about 2 hours here in town, many of the shops are just opening up when we arrive, and i spy on a side street a little shop I really want to shop in (he we would call it a new-age or hippie shop), but it is still closed. So i walked further into town and recognized a shop called SPAR with red writing & a green pinetree in a circle as a symbol, i recognized this name as a grocery store chain that I shopped at in south africa, so i walked around and waited for it to open. While waiting my mom and I decided to check out the bakery across the way, and i purchased a few small rolls then headed over the grocery store which was now open, so i could pick up a few water bottles. It did not take long after coming out of the store for other people from the cruise to approach me and ask where i got the bottles from, so i pointed out the store and headed back over to that first little shop i had spotted, and finally it was open. Since the cruise only allowed 1 cary on and 1 bag, i had to pack carefully and i did not get to pack any kind of tote bag or backpack that i could carry around, and this shop had the cutest messanger bag in the window i had to have!! for any of you who know me you may have seen me carrying it (it's black with purple buddah eyes on it) i also picked up some gifts for friends from this great little shop. so with my shopping done i headed back aboard the ship to take some photos from the deck before we head out to our next destination.

Organ Grinder

While walking in Trier this morning I could not help but snap a picture of this man standing there playing his organ, with his little dog by his side. All the shops were closed for the most part, except a few restraunts, and some arts & crafts booths. I found it ironic to see this man with his old style organ, standing in front of the high end clothing stores.

Arrival on Amadeus Symphony

We arrived about 10:30 am in Trier, and were allowed to place out bags onboard, however we were not alloud to stay onboard the ship, they were still cleaning it. Well with less then 2 hours sleep & a bad 7 hours flight, I was not in great shape (so you won't see any pictures of me)...but we headed into town, and found a nice little place to sit and have some lunch, a burger and fries. Then i wandered back down tot he waterfront, and took about an hour nap on a bench, indirect sunlgiht right by the boat, I am very lunch i did not fry like a lobster. After an hour laying in the sun i decided to move up the hill from the docks to the shade, finally i was able to find a bench in the shade that was empty where i slept for about 2 hours or so. Most of my friends have since told me i was crazy to sleep on a park bench in a foreign country on a sunday afternoon, but i was so tired i did not really care, and honestly, i think they would have done the same. So finally about 2:30 or so i wandered back down tot he boat to the lobby and asked what time it was, and how long it would be until we could get into our room, it was obvious i was very tired and not feeling well. the captain sent the receptionist to see if our room was ready and since it was he allowed me into my room, where i promptly passed out face down fully dressed on the first bed i saw, until i was called for dinner...

this shot is one of the several i took of the ship on our arrival in Trier, it was not huge, but it was too big to get it all in one shot from where i was standing.