Yesterday was day 3 of the cruise, and I was enthusiastic to venture off the ship. I had several options for activity in Regensberg which included a walking tour, visiting Thurn and Taxis castle, or walk through town and into the Christmas markets. I bundled up with layers: coat, hat, gloves as it is hovering right around 30 degrees. The moment I stepped off the boat, I felt I was walking back in time in one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities. It contained an astonishing variety of buildings spanning every imaginable European style of architecture. Add plenty of attractive open-air cafes and traditional taverns for an authentic German beer. Another marvel was the 12th century Old Stone Bridge over 1000 feet long. It made me chuckle how we cannot even keep our bridges in the States in decent shape, but they have found a way to preserve this bridge over 1000 years....Amazing!
Words really cannot even explain the feeling one experiences when in Europe. If you have ever visited Europe, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. The longer I walked, the more beautiful and interesting it got. You really start understanding why they say that River Cruising gets you into the “heart” of a country as I felt enveloped by the warmth of everyone. The Christmas markets are breathtaking and the vendor’s goods are so unique and different. In fact, I have met travelers on the cruise that love River Cruising this time of the year just to experience the Christmas markets. The shopping was amazing as there were so many eclectic and unique items to purchase. I perused the vendors booths for hours while drinking warm spiced wine, ate lunch at a local pub, and even though it was cold and a little rainy, I barely noticed. My only regret for the day is that I didn’t take the Castle tour - everyone that took the tour was so impressed by it. I heard some even “buzzing” about it hours after.
From a travel agent’s perspective, I really don’t see how River Cruising is only for the older adult. I would think anyone that would love to experience and travel throughout Europe on one trip, would love River Cruising. In fact, many of the other travelers I have met find “River Cruising” the ideal vacation of choice. Being a small ship and under 200 cruisers on board, you really get a chance to know everyone. From farmers to millionaires, and even a couple who met on E Harmony were among some of the passengers. I think the other travel agents on board also found it interesting, as I did. Their perception of River Cruises was not what they had originally thought.
Today, we have arrived in Passau, which they say is the city of Three Rivers, and I am anxious the start exploring.
My final day of the blog, I’ll share with you the pros and cons of River Cruising. I will also share with you some of the interesting stories of some of the other cruisers and why they choose River Cruising over other types of vacations. But I can tell you that now on day 3, I have a completely different perspective than I did on Day 1. And I think I may just be starting to relax....a little!
Words really cannot even explain the feeling one experiences when in Europe. If you have ever visited Europe, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. The longer I walked, the more beautiful and interesting it got. You really start understanding why they say that River Cruising gets you into the “heart” of a country as I felt enveloped by the warmth of everyone. The Christmas markets are breathtaking and the vendor’s goods are so unique and different. In fact, I have met travelers on the cruise that love River Cruising this time of the year just to experience the Christmas markets. The shopping was amazing as there were so many eclectic and unique items to purchase. I perused the vendors booths for hours while drinking warm spiced wine, ate lunch at a local pub, and even though it was cold and a little rainy, I barely noticed. My only regret for the day is that I didn’t take the Castle tour - everyone that took the tour was so impressed by it. I heard some even “buzzing” about it hours after.
From a travel agent’s perspective, I really don’t see how River Cruising is only for the older adult. I would think anyone that would love to experience and travel throughout Europe on one trip, would love River Cruising. In fact, many of the other travelers I have met find “River Cruising” the ideal vacation of choice. Being a small ship and under 200 cruisers on board, you really get a chance to know everyone. From farmers to millionaires, and even a couple who met on E Harmony were among some of the passengers. I think the other travel agents on board also found it interesting, as I did. Their perception of River Cruises was not what they had originally thought.
Today, we have arrived in Passau, which they say is the city of Three Rivers, and I am anxious the start exploring.
My final day of the blog, I’ll share with you the pros and cons of River Cruising. I will also share with you some of the interesting stories of some of the other cruisers and why they choose River Cruising over other types of vacations. But I can tell you that now on day 3, I have a completely different perspective than I did on Day 1. And I think I may just be starting to relax....a little!
No comments:
Post a Comment