Viking Cruise #35: The Toll House, Farewell Dinner, Flight Home

This is the FINAL BLOG of our Viking Cruise on the Rhine River that covered The Netherlands, Germany and France (and wound up in Switzerland at 1am, but we never toured it). It's a wrap of Germany's Black Forest, a big farewell dinner, and the tedious flight home. 

(Photo: L to R: Tom, Laurie, Mary Ellen, Carter, Mary, Rob, Marti, Lisa. Credit: R.G.)

THE BLACK FOREST TOLL HOUSE - We had one more photo from the Black Forest adventure- and it was the toll house. Which is fitting, as there were a lot of toll houses set along the Rhine River. This one happened to be in the forest. A bridge toll and "road duty station" was established in the 13th century for people who traversed the Black Forest valley-trail path called the "Steig." The tolls were split up among the government, Duke, Earl, and hotel landlords. The toll house building that stands today was built in the 1980s in the style of toll houses of the 18th century.

  

(Photo: Rob and Tom outside of the Toll House in the Black Forest. Credit: R.G.)  

CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION - We managed to get a large table in the dining room of the Viking River Cruise, but it wasn't big enough... and we couldn't find Sue and Jim, Kate and John to join us. But we did manage to enjoy dinner with our Pennsylvania adopted family: Mary and Mary Ellen, and our adopted Arizona family: Lisa, Marti, Laurie and Carter! At the writing of this blog, it was a month since the trip, and we are in touch with everyone. All our new friends are likely reading this and hopefully enjoying re-living the trip. 

THE TRIP HOME - Since it was a brutal 24 hours from the time we awoke (at 3:30 a.m. Switzerland Time) to the time we arrived home in the U.S., I won't dwell on it. I will mention that we had to take 3 flights: Switzerland to London. London to Chicago. Chicago to Baltimore. One caution: Never, ever, ever go through customs in Chicago. As a "bonus" - it seemed the several of us on the cruise got breakthrough cases of COVID, too, despite all being 5 times vaccinated. Fortunately, thanks to the vaccines, it was congestion and headache and gone in a week. 

BOTTOM LINE - It was a wonderful trip. Worst part: Flying and traveling without sleep. 

(Photo: Tom and Rob in one of the 3 airports we had to fly through to get home - over 24 hours. Credit: R.G.) 

Best part: Meeting Sue & Jim, Mary Ellen &Mary; Marti, Lisa, Laurie & Carter; and John and Kate. We all got to make some pretty wonderful memories, and those are the BEST gifts. 

Hope you've enjoyed sharing our adventures and it inspires you to take a similar vacation!