Bamberg

We had a great night's sleep and a slight lie-in this morning. As we returned to our cabin from breakfast I could hear my iPad ringing - it was Andrew calling us on Skype, and not only had we arrived just as he called, but internet access was also good at that time. Just after we started talking to Andrew, he was called on FaceTime by Ross. We could hear Ross talking through Andrew's Skype connection. So, it was great to be able to talk to them both at the same time, nice and clear. Andrew's hockey in Wellington had been cancelled on Saturday because the water turf was flooded. Ross had won his game of hockey on Sunday, playing in a blizzard. Ross and Annette have sent us photos of the snow in Christchurch and we have been following the news via a Stuff App and a NZ Herald App on my iPad. The boat also puts out a double-sided A4 news update daily, offering a separate news summary for each country represented on the boat. So, that's a nice touch.

At 9:30 am Marion, our cruise director, gave us an update for our arrival in Bamberg for the afternoon, and tomorrow's tours in Nurenburg. Everyone loves mimicking her intro each time she starts an announcement. She always starts with a long "Sooooooooo,......" it was funny when the boat arrived late yesterday, with us waiting on shore. As the boat pulled up, with Marion standing on the deck, some one on shore calls out "Sooooooooooo........... where have you beeeeeennnn.......?" We all burst out laughing, and so did Marion.

At 11:00 am was a traditional German Fruhschoppen in the lounge. This is a big kind of morning tea, with German sausages, sauerkraut, beer etc. I was able to try some GF sausage. David had a couple of beers (11:00 am) so he could at least say he'd taken part. But none of us have much of an appetite after the big breakfasts and other meals we've been having!

We had a great chat through the morning with a lady from Sydney who is a Coeliac, and who was pleased to have found someone else who was GF that she could relate to. She also takes USANA vitamins, uses homeopathic remedies, and has Bowen therapy. We had a lot in common!

At 11:30 am we had an extremely interesting and informative hour-long lecture about the European Union, its history and reasons behind its development, also a look at the future in political and economic terms. This was taken by an excellent lecturer in History. Andrew, you would have found it really interesting, from the point of view of your role at Treasury.

We didn't feel much like having lunch by 1 pm, but I'd like to report that someone I know who typically at home has either no dessert, or "just a small amount, please," returned to the table with TWO caramel eclairs filled with cream ;-) . After lunch we had a quiet period until 3 pm. David had a short nap to help overcome the beers from the morning, plus the other glutenous delights from lunch.

We've found out that the lady who fell yesterday, was taken to hospital for a checkover, and is back on the boat, with bruising. She is staying in her cabin to recover. Actually, many people are ill with some sort of virus that's doing the rounds - feeling yuck, with a nasty chesty cough. They are spluttering all over the place, and mostly just coughing into their hands instead of into their arm as we are taught these days - ugh, we cringe when they cough and are constantly using our hand sanitiser! Actually, Marion has organized a doctor to come on board to check people out if they would like, and quite a few are apparently seeing her. I must say, the boat has excellent sanitary practices. The cabins are cleaned with staff wearing a fresh set of gloves for each cabin. The stair rails are cleaned every hour. We have to gel our hands each time we come back on board, or enter the dining room. And all unused cutlery from tables is removed and washed. If people would just learn how to cough.....

Anyway, back to the tour. At 3 pm we were taken a short distance by bus to the town of Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage town. We had an hour and a half tour of the old, central area, seeing the market square, some of the streets, and the Old and New Residences that the Bishops used to live in from Medieval times. Also the Cathedral that dates from Medieval times. We had vouchers to try the local beer, but descriptions of it were so off-putting (that it tastes like bacon, and that you need to have three glasses to actually develop a liking for it) that David just asked for a regular beer, and I just had a lemonade. This was probably the city of least interest to us so far.

After dinner (and I need to mention that a GF tiramisu had been made for me!) we sat and enjoyed the entertainment that was provided - a singer named Valerie May who performed her European Songbook, with songs from Piaf to Puccini, and Mozart to Lili Marleen - songs that represent different places or stories from Europe. She was an excellent vocalist! Michelle and Lydia, you would have been impressed! (Michelle, she even sang Danny Boy).

The AmaVerde sailed towards Nuremberg during the evening and overnight, via the Main-Danube Canal.