The Adventures Continue...

My solo wanderings have temporarily morphed into a family affair - I'm off on a
3-week European adventure with my mom (aka Sheila).  Leaving from Vancouver, Canada we'll spend a week cruising the Moselle River in Germany from Trier to Wurzburg, then jet off to Manchester, UK for a 2-week drive around the Yorkshire Moors & Dales (with a little Peak District thrown in).  Here we go...!

Mom and I boarded the river vessel Fontane in Trier on Sunday after a long day of traveling.  The flight over had the potential to be tortuous: we had bulkhead seats beside 2 tiny infants but shortly after takeoff the purser announced that seats were available in Comfort Class for those who wished to upgrade - I couldn't even see mom's hand pressing the attendant call button, she whipped it out so fast!  Soon we were cocooned in the peace and luxury of reclining seats, down pillows and real metal silverware.  We were even presented with a rose at dinner time, “to set the table”, said the attendant!  Mom said it was my birthday present but that
isn't actually till November...perhaps she won't remember ....:-)

We had a representative of Viking River Cruises meet us at Frankfurt airport, and after 2 hours waiting for another group to arrive from Atlanta, and a 2 hour bus ride to Trier, we were walking aboard our new home for the next week.  We only paused long enough in our cabins to give it a cursory glance and slap on some
lipstick before joining the pre-cruise briefing already in progress and then headed right into dinner.  A bit punch-drunk from jet lag, I think we managed to pull off some semblance of coherent conversation with our tablemates during the 6-course meal, at least they were still talking to us the next morning!

Monday morning we were bussed off to the old town for a walking tour of Trier, known as the city with the "Oldest --" in Germany.  Oldest city, oldest cathedral, oldest city gate, blah, blah, blah, went our tour guide.  Maybe I was tired; maybe it was the grey, drizzly weather or the ho-hum tourist sites;  or just maybe it was the non-stop monotone buzzing in my ear of the cranky guide but I wasn't overly impressed.  Luckily soon after I ripped out the ear bud of the tour listening device the lady finally ceased & desisted.  We then had our obligatory one hour free for shopping, which we judiciously used to find the nearest McDonalds (toilet) and grocery store to load mom up on 7-UP for our in-room Happy Hour.

Back to the ship for lunch and a 5 hour cruise to our next port-of-call, Bernkastel.  Jet lag had me napping a bit on the voyage, but mom suffered hers just as we arrived in B. so she snoozed while I dashed around town in the 45mins we had free before our Daily Briefing & Dinner.  What a charming, charming little village.  Fancifully painted half-timber buildings, lots of colorful window boxes, and narrow cobble-stoned streets.  I dragged mom out after dinner for a wander – we decided we wouldn’t be able to stand it if all the villages were to be so beautiful!!