View off our balcony on a river boat on the Rhine in Düsseldoef. A bridge is visible.

View from our balcony looking over at Düsseldorf and the Rhine River with a large tower and brisge in the distance.

…and our cruise is over. Had a great time and very much enjoyed our time on the Rhine on Viva Moments.

Now waiting in the lounge for our taxi to the train station and then our train to Frankfurt. We’ll overnight there and fly home tomorrow morning. #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #VivaMoments

Our last night on Viva Moments and the first song out of the gate at “Disco Night” is Boney M’s “Daddy Cool”. A+

#ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #VivaMoments

We saw an ambulance meet a riverboat this morning in Rüdesheim on Rhein, and now we're making an unplanned stop at Oberwesel for a medical emergency onboard. #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #VivaMoments

Sunrise on the Rhine River. Some thin islands are visible and the west bankn of the river just beyond.

Merry Christmas from Germany! We're just arriving at Rüdesheim after spending the night at Mainz. This afternoon we sail on to Koblenz. #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #VivaMoments

Interior of the Mainz Cathedral looking west from the east chancel to the west chancel. The pews are full and people are standing.

I haven't been to Mass, let alone a Christmas Mass, in decades, but if you're in Mainz on Christmas Eve, it seems like going to the Cathedral is as good a time as any to go.

#ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #VivaMoments #mainz

Bonjour! We're in France today. Specifically Strasbourg. #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #Strasbourg

Soviet Buran space shuttle

Buran test article that traveled to space and is scarred from reentry.

Rear view of the Buran shuttle.

Buran shuttle cargo bay

The museum also has a Soviet Buran shuttle. It is OK-GLI which was used for glide testing and atmospheric flight for landing after reentry. This model included jet engines so that it could take off under its own power. I never thought I'd see one in person. #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises

Rows of cars with an airplane hanging upside down.

A 747 mounted with stairs leading up to the aircraft.

Upper deck in a 747 with two mannequins in first class seats and two dressed as crew behind them. The scene is tilted to the right.

Selfie of me standing on end of wing of a 747 with fuselage behind me.

Then the Technik Museum. This place is amazing. They have cars, motorcycles, trains, planes, spacecraft, submarines, and more. There is a 747 mounted as if it were taking off and you can climb the stairs and walk around inside with everything on an angle. #ChristmasInGermany25 #BreedersCup #speyer

A baroque church behind Christmas Market stalls and people eating and drinking.

A glass mug of blueberry Glühwein next to a Hungarian Langos with ham and cheese and garlic sauce.

A bratwurst on a roll next to a blue mug of cherry Glühwein.

Christmas market stalls and a tower with gate at the end of the street.

After the Cathedral, we ate at the Christmas Market that runs the length of Maximilianstraße from Cathedral to the Old Gate. We had a Langos, half-meter bratwurst (they double it up on the roll), and two Glühwein (one blueberry, one cherry). #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #speyer

Cathedral

Front of cathedral

Interior of cathedral with altar and a suspended crucifix.

View of cathedral looking down it's length

We were in Speyer today and elected to stay in town rather than go on the offered Heidelberg tour.

The Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site (like Köln and Aachen) and has 1000+ years of history and a crypt full of emperors and kings. #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaCruises #speyer

Four photos in one. The top left and right show the Römerburg Hotel and Restaurant in 1978z The bottom left and right show it today. The upper right shows Kristin's mother and in the one below it, Kristin is standing where her Mom was s47 years earlier.

What we did do, however, was recreate some photos from both my time here in 1987 and Kristin's mom's visit in 1978.

I need to combine mine later, but Kristin combined hers. 3/3 #ChristmasInGermany25 #Boppard #VivaCruises

A school building

We went on the ship's waking tour with a great local guide. After the tour we stayed in town so I could walk up to where the Goethe-Institut was (and get a cardio workout going up the hill). Unfortunately we were there on Sunday so nothing was open. 2/3

#ChristmasInGermany25 #Boppard #VivaCruises

Boppard river promenade with St Severus basilica to the left.

Half-timbered house

Half-timbered house

Ruins of a Roman fortress

Yesterday our cruise stopped in Boppard, the city where I studied German at a Goethe-Institut in 1987.

It was neat to be back, but a bit strange. After 38 years things change (new train station, Goethe-Institut closed) and memory gets fuzzy. 1/3

#ChristmasInGermany25 #Boppard #VivaCruises

I'm only posing the occasional photo from our trip here, so head over to Facebook or Instagram to see those.

#ChristmasInGermany25

An effigy atop the tomb of St. Engelbert depicting a man dressed as a bishop reclining on his side with his head resting on his arm supported by his elbow. A cherub is arranging his robes.

Close up on the head and the arm of an effigy atop the tomb of St. Engelbert depicting a man dressed as a bishop reclining on his side with his head resting on his arm supported by his elbow.

While touring Cologne Cathedral on Friday, I came across the tomb of St. Engelbert. For a guy who was murdered in 1225 by his cousin while Archbishop of Cologne, he seems pretty nonchalant about the whole thing here on his tomb. #ChristmasInGermany25 #koelncathedral #koeln

A river boat on the Rhine River at the sock in Düsseldorf. It says “Viva Moments” on the bow. A bridge is in the background.

A wide angle photo of a river boat on the Rhine River at the sock in Düsseldorf. It says “Viva Moments” on the bow. A bridge is in the background.

After a short train trip from Köln to Düsseldorf, we’re ready to start our river cruise on Viva Moments. #ChristmasInGermany25 #VivaMoments #VivaCruises

Stained glass windows in a cathedral apse

Close up of some stained glass windows.

An octagonal chapel.

A gilded wooden medallion of the Virgin Mary.

More scenes from the Aachen Cathedral... #ChristmasInGermany25 #Aachen

6/6

Of the aforementioned relics, the remains of Charlemagne are authentic. The textiles... not so much. #ChristmasInGermany25 #Aachen

5/6

Shrine of gilt silver in the shape of a basilica.

Shrine of oak and gilt silver.

Cathedral apse with tall stained glass windows

View of the Marienschrein over which hangs a wooden medallion of the Madonna and Child carved by Jan van Steffesweert of Maastricht in 1524

The tour gives you access to the choir and you get up close to both the Marienschrein (its relics: swaddling clothes & loincloth of Jesus, the dress of Mary, and decapitation cloth of John the Baptist) and the Karlsschrein (contains the remains of Charlemagne). #ChristmasInGermany25 #Aachen

4/6

A four meter wide wheel chandelier made of gilt copper hangs in the Palatine Chapel at Aachen Cathedral. Our tour guide is standing below and to the left of thr chandelier.

The roof of the Palatine Chapel decorated in the Byzantine style.

Statue of St. Mary and Baby Jesus dressed in identical outfits.

Mosaic of Christ in the Byzantine style

The original part of the Cathedral is Charlemagne's octagonal palace chapel. There you can see the Barbarossa Chandelier, the Miraculous Image of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, and the beautiful mosaics. #ChristmasInGermany25 #Aachen

3/6

The Throne of Charlemagne, a simple throne made of four pieces of marble and sitting on a platform with steps.

The Throne of Charlemagne and our tour guide.

Lines etched into one of the throne panels in the shape of a Nine Men's Morris board.

Another view of the Throne.

One of the things you can only see on the tour is the Throne of Charlemagne. The throne was used in the coronations of 31 German kings, but not for Charlemagne. It is made from four pieces of maarble supposedley from the floor of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. #ChristmasInGermany25 #Aachen

2/6

View of Aachen Cathedral from the east.

View of Aachen Cathedral from north side.

View of entrance to Aachen Cathedral and the courtyard from the west.

We visited Aachen yesterday. Toured the Cathedral and Christmas market.

Definitely book the tour if you go because you get access to things you won't otherwise get to see. #ChristmasInGermany25 #Aachen

1/6

Selfie of me standing below and looking up at a sign that says "Aachen Hbf"

Guess where we went today. Here's a hint. #ChristmasInGermany25