Our morning was still cruising so we had a casual start, although complicated by us failing to make our breakfast order correctly, the outcome was acceptable and we eventually headed upstairs to the Sun-deck to enjoy the ever-changing scenery of the Rhine.
Around midday we arrived in Cologne with the huge cathedral looming on the horizon. We endured a really awful commentary from the cruise director, the less said the better!
It was amusing to watch us berth alongside another boat from the same company, and the staff prepare gantries across the other ship, and then fifteen minutes later remove them all and disengage so the other boat could leave - what ever happened to communication?
After our regulation buffet lunch we headed off on the extra-cost tour to the Drackensburg Castle some 40 minutes away. Our guide was a medical student, studying Altzheimers - this prompted a whole raft of inappropriate joking from the Australians - they have a 'decorum bypass' - I found it rather uncomfortable. It requires a journey up a mountainside on a funicular to the Schloss. The castle guides were all confused and missing and late, but we were magnanimous in our understanding, even the Aussies.
The schloss was most interesting, the private rooms of the owner were lovely, even though he never actually lived here. In fact he was a naughty man, involved with the Panama Canal company, he made vast fortunes by insider-trading and ripping off his clients - just like bankers today? - and he built the castle to impress rather than for any other reason.
There were several weddings scheduled today and we saw two, they were clearly having a great time in the beautiful schloss but that did mean we couldn't get into one long room. The views from the tower and the gardens were splendid.
A quick journey back to Cologne then we headed to the enormous Cathederal. Monstrous is possibly a better word, as its black, looming facade is visible for miles, yet when you approach it can't really be described as beautiful. The facade is extremely intricate but dirty from years of pollution. Indie isn't very inspiring either, it's quite drab and dull. Add to that thousands of people and the whole ambulatory closed off, we made our escape very quickly.
Cologne was in the middle of Pride weekend so it was chaotic, crazy and teaming with overentusiastic people, and really not our idea of fun, so we beat a hasty retreat back to the ship for a lovely cooling swim before dressing for dinner.
Sadly we were the only men who chose to dress, which may have prompted a curious scenario - the captain escorted us to a table away from the main dining room and into an off-set area which was much quieter - success! On the subject of dining, although it's got better I have to say that I'm still not happy, there are some serious shortcomings for which I feel there's no excuse, last nights misdemeanour of note was tinned carrots! What possible excuse can there be for that? It would never happen under my watch. There are plenty more but I will restrict my writing to at most one per day. First world problems of course!
After dinner we headed up to the deck and enjoyed a couple of glasses under the almost full moon as I prepared our photos for FB.
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