Baden-Baden and Speyer 27 November 2019

Our Ship - River Rhapsody

Baden-Baden and Speyer       27 November 2019

Lufthansa 747 on the Roof

Today was a quiet day as we had already been to both Baden-Baden and Speyer on our Rhine and Mosel River Cruise.  The group going to Baden-Baden left at 8:30 AM and our ship departed shortly thereafter for Germersheim where we will dock for our stay in Speyer.  We arrived about 11:30 AM and after lunch on board we took the shuttle bus into Speyer.  As we approached Speyer, we passed the Technical Museum which featured a Lufthansa 747 sitting on its roof.  Quite a sight!  It was a drizzly morning as we disembarked from the bus in Speyer.  As we had also toured Speyer on our last river cruise, we were more interested in the Christmas Market.  It was just opening as we arrived, so we walked around, Glühwein in hand, all the little stands.  At the rate we are going, we are going to need another suitcase just to bring home our Glühwein mugs!  We also spent some time trying to use an ATM but for some reason Bill’s debit card kept getting rejected.  Time to email our local bank and find out what the problem is.  Note:  After several emails back and forth with our bank insisting there should be no problem and rejection and after rejection from the local ATMs we gave up and used my credit card to get some money.  At least now we have enough to get us through the cruise – if we don’t buy too much Glühwein!

Speyer Christmas Market

Speyer Cathedral

Speyer Christmas Market

Speyer Christmas Market

After returning to the ship, we enjoyed some wine as we listened to our Trip Directors give us a briefing on tomorrow’s activities.  Tonight’s dinner theme was Hollywood with the various dishes named for famous actors – Will Smith’s Soup (Corn Chowder with Ham), Frank Sinatra’s roasted spiced beef sirloin or Tony Curtis’ salmon, and for desert Henry Fonda’s Chocolate pancake filled with chocolate pastry cream.

After dinner we were serenaded by the MGV Frohsinn Speyer Choir.  They were very good and some in the audience, like Patrice, joined in the singing.

Since we are in Germany, our daily newsletter had a short article on Jagermeister.  So, here is your lesson for today.  Jagermeister is a German herbal liquor that can be traced back to 1935, when Curt Mast discovered the original recipe of the liquor after his father died and he inherited his vinegar factory in Wolfenbuttrel, Germany.  Curt spent many years experimenting and perfecting different liquor and wines until he found the perfect recipe for Jagermeister – a blend of liquor and 56 herbs and spices.  This recipe has not changed in over 75 years and is still served in its signature green glass bottles.  Prost!