GenXnomad

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Twenty great things we gain from travel (and five we lose)

Twenty great things we gain from travel (and five we lose) Christmas is a time of giving, and going away. But before you go, what better time to stop and give thanks for the gifts that a lifetime of travel can bring.

Last day! Grey skies but there's always something to do in Paris. We took the metro to the Christmas market in the Jardin des Tuileries, then walked through the Tuileries, past the Louvre and over the Seine (note the half of the Eiffel tower visible! 😂), to a smaller market at Notre‑Dame in Square René Viviani. From there we wandered back to the hotel. About 10km of walking, around 10°C with a bit of rain, and plenty of people out enjoying the weekend. Tomorrow we head to the airport and start the trip home. It's been a great trip but I'm ready for some summer! ☀️

This morning we left the boat and got on a coach, and 90 minutes later we were in our 3rd country for the morning (Luxembourg and then France)! Today was the first day of rain we've had for the whole cruise, if only it had held off for another day or 2! We had lunch in Reims and toured Reims Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then back on the bus. We are in Paris for 2 nights before heading home.

On Thursday morning we visited Bernkastel-Kues, a medieval town on the Moselle. We walked through cobblestone streets lined with half‑timbered houses, saw the marketplace with its 1608 Renaissance Town Hall, an advent calendar house and the narrow Spitzhäuschen built in 1416. We finished with a wine tasting at Dr Pauly‑Bergweiler before heading back to the boat for lunch.

On Wednesday afternoon we visited Cochem, a medieval town on the Moselle. We started with a short drive up to Reichsburg Castle, rebuilt in the 19th century in Gothic Revival style, before returning to the town below.

On the walking tour we saw the medieval town gate, St. Martin’s church, the market square with the baroque Town Hall, and the Monastery.

The last couple of days have been hectic! On Wednesday we had an early start up on the sun deck in 0°C as we cruised past the Castles of the Middle Rhine, a 65km stretch of the Rhine River between Koblenz and Bingen. The cruise Program Director Jen provided a charming Rod Stewart impression, and the captain let us into the wheelhouse which was really cool for a nerd like me! We were pretty frozen after 3 hours in the cold but totally worth it! 🫶

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