Archive for: June 2007

At noon, it’s back to the ship for departure to Koblenz. If the morning’s activities caused a need to refuel, lunch was available.  The range of cakes and other desserts looked very tempting, …

This morning we arrived at our first port of call which was Cologne.  After breakfast, most of us went on the viewing deck and it was exciting to see the towering spires of Cologne Cathedral.  As the boat …

Amsterdam is 700-year old city, so rich in history, and if you only had a day here, it’s a tough choice as to whether to spend time outdoors, wandering along the canals (the Jordaan is the best area, I think) …

After a pleasant evening’s rest, we experienced our first breakfast on board.  By the time we got to breakfast, many of the early risers had already finished.  Waking up at 6.30 a.m. on holidays is a bizzare concept for …

Zaanse Schans is a museum village dedicated to preserving the traditional Dutch way of life.  Situated on the banks of the river …

Arrival procedures at Amsterdam airport was a breeze and there was hardly any security checks at all.  We couldn’t resist a stop for coffee and a croissant before making our way to to the NH Center Hotel where …

When we did our first European river cruise in 2005, we predicted that river cruises would become one of the fastest growing tour options in Europe, as evidenced by the large increase in the number of riverboats …

This afternoon as we prepared to depart, the scheduled coach transfer sort of didn’t happen.  There was some panic and chaos in the hotel lobby as people were concerned about getting to the airport on time.  In the …

This afternoon we visited a carpet factory and our host, an affable gentleman with a very big grin, showed us around the floor and told of us the improving quality of Egytian carpets and how they were catching up with …

Saqqara is one of the richest archaeological sites in Egypt and today we visit its Step Pyramid of Djoser.  Saqqara’s monuments span some 3,000 years, with monuments including the earliest ancient funerary structures to Coptic monasteries….