Viking Cruise #26: Strasbourg, France: Dachshunds, Gutenberg, Bakeries

Today's blog continues the walking tour of Strasbourg, France and you'll meet a Dachshund, bakeries and other places the city is known for.

A CITY OF SECONDS - We learned that Strasbourg is second (to Paris) in a number of things. It's got the second largest library, synogogue and cinema in all of France.

ALL ABOUT DACHSHUNDS! - As dog dads we loved seeing dogs out and about. As Dachshund dads, we were even happier when we saw this little guy!  Dachshunds are a German Breed (and since this city once belonged to Germany, there's still a lot of Dachshunds). The dachshund was bred in Germany hundreds of years ago to hunt badgers. "Dach" means badger and "hund" means dog. The three varieties of dachshund, smooth-, wire-,and long-coated, originated at different times. The smooth was the first and arose from a mixture of a miniature French pointer and a pinscher.

 YOU LIKELY KNOW HIM... THE GUTENBERG MONUMENT - If you don't know the name, Gutenberg, invented the Printing Press. That said, you may have heard of the Gutenberg Bible- which he, of course, had printed. In downtown Strasbourg, there's a statue of Gutenberg, created by French sculptor (Pierre-Jean) David d'Angers in 1840. It's bronze on a granite base, with four bronze relief panels. If you don't know: Johannes Gensfleisch Gutenberg was born in Mainz on the River Rhine. But it was in Strasbourg, between 1430 and 1440, that Gutenberg made his first attempts at printing with movable type.

GOOD PRETZELS - We walked by a bakery called Woerle, and saw stacks of fresh, hot pretzels in the window, so we tried them. They were awesome! 

WHAT IS "SHOP FOR GEEK" - Our tour guide mentioned that there in Strasboug, Superhero graphic novels are all the rage. He pointed out the "Shop for Geek" - so after the tour we went back to the store. Unfortunately, there were no graphic novels there. Instead, it sold superhero video games and toys. So, if graphic novels are popular, they were being sold in a different store, darn it! 

NEXT: German Dinner Night and Briesach 

Idiot of the week: 140 mph Speeding motorcyclist charged with reckless driving

 This week's idiot is a motorcyclist who decided to put his life and the lives of others on the road in danger. Here's the idiot's story from Boston dot com.

N.H. motorcyclist charged with reckless driving for allegedly driving 140 mph

State Police caught the motorcyclist during a partial-day traffic enforcement initiative which recorded four drivers going over 100 mph.

By Susannah Sudborough, boston.com , June 18, 2023

New Hampshire State Police charged a motorcyclist with reckless driving and other offenses Sunday for allegedly driving 140 mph on I-93 south.

State police say they caught 24-year-old Salisbury, N.H., resident David Lacy driving 140 mph on his motorcycle while troopers were conducting a traffic enforcement initiative in Bow, police said in a news release. After a trooper in a State police aircraft recorded Lacy’s speed, he notified law enforcement on the ground, who then arrested Lacy, the release stated.

State police ended up recording 12 drivers going over 90 mph and four going over 100 mph, according to the release.

State Police charged Lacy with reckless driving, reckless conduct, and driving an uninspected motorcycle. He is set to appear in Concord District Court on July 28.

Heroes of the Week: London Fire Brigade: Greenwich, England rescue a "Sausage Dog"

This week's heroes are London Fire Brigade firefighters in Greenwich, England that had to come to the rescue of a trapped Dachshund (which the Brits refer to as "Sausage dogs."). Here's the story:

(Photo: Eltham sausage dog rescued by Greenwich fire crews (Image: LFB Greenwich)) 

Eltham sausage dog rescued by Greenwich fire crews

By Emma Fradgley, UK News Shopper, Community Reporter, June 13, 2023

Eltham fire crews have rescued a dachshund after it was trapped underneath a garden cabin.

It was the first call of the day for Eltham Red Watch as south London sees temperatures as high as 27 degrees today.

After some digging and bribing Alfie the dachshund with some ham, fire crews managed to save him. London Fire Brigade Greenwich tweeted: “First shout of the day for Eltham Red Watch was a dog trapped under a garden cabin.

“After a bit of digging and the use of a tasty bit of ham Alfie the Dachshund was rescued!”

Viking Cruise #26: Walking Tour of Strasbourg, France & Ponts Couverts!

Today's Blog about our Viking cruise trip on the Rhine River brings us to Strasbourg, France. Apparently, France and Germany had a back-and-forth with cities and towns along the Rhine, so this city has also been German. It was all very confusing... and to make it more confusing, north of Berlin, Germany there is a town called "Strasburg" (it's nowhere near Strasbourg, France, though. Today's blog will give you a tour of some highlights in the city.

(Photo: Tom, Mary Ellen, Mary, and Rob in front of the Cathedral.Credit: R.G.) 

THE CATHEDRAL - If you're stopping along the Rhine, there's likely going to be a Cathedral. There was one here, too. The city's Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame features daily shows from its astronomical clock and sweeping views of the Rhine River from partway up its 142-meter spire. We didn't take a picture of it, because, well, we've seen enough of them in this blog already! However, we DID get a picture outside the front door with our friends Mary Ellen and Mary!

ABOUT STRASBOURG- Strasbourg is the capital city of the Grand Est region, formerly Alsace, in northeastern France. It's also the formal seat of the European Parliament and sits near the German border, with culture and architecture blending German and French influences.

HEADQUARTERS FOR ORGANIZATIONS - The city is the seat of many non-European international institutions such as the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine and the International Institute of Human Rights.

(Photo: Ponts Couverts Bridges. Credit: R.G.) 

THE AMAZING PONTS COUVERTS BRIDGES - The Ponts Couverts (German: Gedeckte Brücken) are a set of three bridges and four towers that make up a defensive work erected in the 13th century on the River Ill in the city of Strasbourg in France. The three bridges cross the four river channels of the River Ill that flow through Strasbourg's historic Petite France quarter. The Ponts Couverts have been classified as a Monument historique since 1928.

Construction of the Ponts Couverts commenced in 1230, and they were opened in 1250. As a defensive mechanism, they were superseded by the Barrage Vauban, just upstream, in 1690, but remained in use as bridges. As built, each of the bridges was covered by a wooden roof that served to protect the defenders who would have been stationed on them in time of war. These roofs were removed in 1784, but the name Ponts Couverts (covered bridges) has remained in common use ever since. 

MY PANORAMIC VIEW -  Here's a Panoramic shot of the bridges that I took from the public restroom area! Well, most of us are retired, so restrooms are an important tourist attraction. 

BUSY DOWNTOWN - The tourists (like us) were out in force, so the city was busy. om's not a big fan of crowds so he made a face!

NEXT: Dachshunds, Bakeries and more!

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Viking Cruise #25: Pretzel Ferdinand, the Black Death, and the Old City Wall

Today's blog returns to Speyer, Germany one more time before moving to our next port on the Viking River Cruise of the Rhine River. I'll explain about Pretzel Ferdinand, misperceptions on the Black Death, and the Old City Wall. 

IS PRETZEL FERDINAND REAL? - No. This is someone who really doesn't exist. Instead, it's an observation of a carving of a man on the famous Speyer Cathedral. It appears to be the figure of a man with his arms and hands contorted (if I recall correctly), and the carving makes it look like he is holding a pretzel. If you Google him, you won't find him. I think that our tour guide was just making a personal and funny observation.

WHAT WAS THE "BLACK DEATH" - If you don't know what the Black Death was in Europe, here's a quick history lesson so you'll understand the misperception that spread in Speyer. The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causing the deaths of 75–200 million people,[1] peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351. Bubonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis spread by fleas, but during the Black Death it probably also took a secondary form, spread by person-to-person contact via aerosols, causing pneumonic plague.

THE SPEYER MISPERCEPTION - Most of the population who contracted the Black Death were Christians.  Christians blamed the Jewish people for spreading the plague because Jews didn't seem to contract it, and die as much as Christians. In reality, Christians were not as good at practicing good hygiene and thus, more Christians caught the plague.  

THE OLD CITY WALL - East of the Cathedral of Speyer are the remains of an old city wall called 'Heidentürmche" which means "Pagan Tower.' This dates back to 1281 and was part of Speyer's medieval city wall and lies behind the cathedral. It is located in a park near the Cathedral.

(Photo: Rob and Tom in the town of Speyer, Germany, hoping to find a pretzel! Credit: R.G.) 

NEXT: A Walking Tour of Strausbourg, France

Viking Cruise #24: Speyer's Big Bowl, Old Gate and Statues

 Today's blog about our Viking Rhine River cruise keeps us in Speyer, Germany, where I'll tell you about a big bowl and other statues around the famous Cathedral that we explored in an earlier blog. 

(Photo: Mary and Mary Ellen at the Speyer Cathedral Bowl. Cr: R.G.)

STORY BEHIND THE GIANT BOWL OUTSIDE THE CATHEDRAL - A sculpture (?) of a giant bowl about 12 feet in diameter (my guess) sits outside the front entrance of the Speyer Cathedral. Since its construction in the 14th century, a giant bowl played a significant role in the execution of a prison sentence: whoever had broken a state law and fled to the cathedral bowl was protected from prosecution. 

It has been a long time since the cathedral bowl fulfilled these historical functions. 

But a beloved Middle Ages custom continues to be observed in modern times. On special religious occasions, the cathedral bowl is filled with wine. With a capacity of over 1500 liters, many citizens and guests are thereby able to enjoy a taste of the juice of the grape. This occurred most recently at the 950-year anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral of Speyer on October 2, 2011.

CATHEDRAL GARDEN STATUES - There are several statues in the garden around the Cathedral, but I couldn't find any information about them on-line. 

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THE OLD GATE - The Old Gate (German: Altpörtel) is the medieval west city gate of Speyer, and is one of the original 68 towers in the old walls and gates. Today it is one of the largest (55 metres or 180 feet tall) and most architecturally significant of the remaining city gates in Germany.

HISTORY OF THE GATE - The Old Gate was built between 1230 and 1250 on the ruins of a previous tower. The bottom of the 13th century tower remains as the foundation but, in 1511, Speyer's mayor ordered that the tower be rebuilt, so the top portion is newer. It was completed in 1514. It was originally built as an exterior gate, connecting the old town with the suburb of St. Gilgenvorstadt. A 20-meter-high (66 ft) roof was added in 1708.

The tower narrowly survived the destruction of Speyer in 1689, during the War of the Grand Alliance.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE? - The old gate was constructed to mark the end of a "Via Triumphalis" that led from the cathedral to the city walls. On major religious occasions, the Emperor and his court would enter the city through the gate and proceed along this roadway—which was 25 to 30 m (80 to 100 ft) wide and 700 m (2,300 ft) long—to the cathedral.

NEXT: Pretzel Ferdinand, the Black Death, and the Old City Wall

Viking Cruise #23: The Famous Speyer Cathedral

This is the second part of my blog about our Viking Cruise stop-over to Speyer, Germany. The most famous landmark in the city is the Cathedral.

(Photo: Everyone, except me (Rob) was looking up to the top of the Speyer Cathedral, and I thought this pic was fun. Behind me, Lisa and Carter. Tom to the right. Cr: R.G.)

 

(Photo: Here's the top of the church that everyone was looking up to! Cr: R.G.)

ABOUT THE SPEYER CATHEDRAL - Speyer Cathedral is an Episcopal church. It is a basilica with four towers and two domes, was founded by Conrad II in 1030 and remodeled at the end of the 11th century. It goes by other names, too: it's officially the Imperial Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption and St Stephens.

FAST FACTS - The cathedral was consecrated in 1061 to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Protomartyr Stephen. In 1981 the Speyer Cathedral was admitted to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

TOURS - There are crypt and emperor tombs, and a tower. Both can be toured in addition to the church tour. They offer guided tours in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch and ask you to book in advance. Contact: E-Mail domfuehrungen@bistum-speyer.de For information about the church, visit: https://www.dom-zu-speyer.de/en/.
 

ODD NOTE - The cathedral is dedicated to St. Mary, patron saint of Speyer, but the Cathedral isn't named for her. Instead it's also known as St. Stephen (Imperial Cathedral of Speyer).

(Photo: The tour guide gave Carter, our friend from the cruise, his tour leader "paddle." Tom is on the right. Credit: R.G.) 

ARCHITECTURE NOTE - The original building was made with wooden roofs, and its reconstruction is replaced by stone vaults of edges; foreclosing highest space; raising. 

This is how the side walls are attached to the roof by the same material, replacing the bucket abstracto sealed horizontal, for a space defined by semicircular arches. (I'm sure you needed to know that, right?)

NEXT: Speyer Statues and Mary and Mary Ellen's Big Bowl 

Viking Cruise #22: New Friends and Speyer, Germany

 In today's blog about our Viking Cruise on the Rhine River, we stopped at the town of Speyer, Germany. Although the town was nice, there were not many highlights other than the Cathedral. Most importantly to us, I'll introduce you to some other cruisers we befriended. They really made the vacation! 

(L to R: Tom, Laurie, Carter, Mary Ellen, Mary, Rob, Marti and Lisa)

NEW FRIENDS - We befriended two great couples, Sue and Jim from Florida (they both kept making us laugh), Kate and John (a librarian and author, whose book I'm now reading), and a family of four: Marti, Lisa, Laurie and Carter. We fell in love with all of them and are keeping in touch with them. One night, I arranged for Mary and Mary Ellen to meet with the family, so all 8 of us had dinner together at one big table. Yes, even on vacation, I'm a social coordinator. But it was so much fun. On other nights, we got to dine with Jim and Sue, and Kate and John. It seemed like there wasn't enough time! 

(Photo: We were adopted into the family! L to R: Rob, Lisa, Marti, Carter, Laurie and Tom)

(Photo: Enjoying dinner with Sue and Jim!) 

ABOUT SPEYER, GERMANY - 

Speyer is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the river Rhine, Speyer lies 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim, and 21 km south-west of Heidelberg. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities.

WALKING AROUND SPEYER - Speyer is a large town, and there was a good deal of things to see. Next blog we'll talk about the Cathedral, which is the most well-known structure. But there was also Wood Market Square with outside cafes and shops. 

STONE HOUSES- Indicates that they were owned by wealthy people. 

ANCIENT HOSPITAL - We walked by a gate that belonged to an ancient hospital, which was identified by a man with a peg leg on the sign. Because Laurie from the cruise was a nurse, I asked her to pose for a picture in front of the hospital. 

SHOPPING AREA- There were a number of streets that had shopping areas and they were all busy. Speyer was a lot busier than I expected. 

NEXT: Speyer Cathedral and the Statues

Quincy, Mass. Blog #7: An Epitapth to Ponder

Today's blog brings us back to the Mount Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy, Massachusetts (which we visited in an earlier blog) It was there we found an epitaph carved on a  small tombstone with a saying that struck us as something odd. 

An Epitapth is a phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone. The epitaph read "He Tried to Be Helpful." 

If he was helpful, it should have said "he helped everyone he could," or "known for being helpful to others." It seems odd that it says "he tried"- which indicates he didn't succeed.

What would you want on your epitaph? 

NEXT Quincy Blog: Visiting Wollaston Beach! 

 

Idiot of the Week: Pokemon cards help tie suspect to series of explosions in Md.

 This week's idiot literally left his "Calling Card" for police to find him. Here's the story:

Pokemon cards help tie suspect to series of explosions in Md. neighborhood 

Matt Small | msmall@wtop.com, June 16, 2023, 9:25 AM

Authorities in Maryland have charged a man following a series of explosions over the last several weeks in Aberdeen — and they say his collection of Pokemon cards helped connect him to the blasts.

Jeremiah E. Burnette, 34, of Aberdeen, faces charges of possessing and using explosive devices, following a joint investigation by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, Aberdeen Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Burnette was arrested Tuesday after Aberdeen police officers responded to a reported explosion in the area of South Rogers and James streets around 3:30 a.m.

The “loud explosion,” as described by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, happened in the same area residents had reported hearing explosions in the middle of the night since mid-May.

Responding officers discovered a crater near a wood line littered with Pokémon cards. One of the officers recalled a similar stack of cards when previously arresting Burnette a few days earlier.

In what authorities called a coincidence, another resident called Aberdeen police that same day to report arguing with Burnette, who reportedly ended the conversation saying, “Boom.” That resident reported finding a Pokémon card on his front step a few days later, according to authorities.

At the scene of Tuesday’s blast, members of law enforcement, including deputy state fire marshals and bomb technicians, discovered more Pokémon cards and wrappers in the area further connecting Burnette to the explosion, authorities said.

Burnette was arrested with the aid of Harford County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team members after a search warrant was conducted on his home, where authorities said they turned up several packages of Pokémon cards.

The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal said Burnette admitted detonating M-80 explosive devices during questioning. The illegal explosives can cause severe hand, eye and facial injuries, along with hearing loss.

Burnette didn’t give any specific reason for the detonations and there’s no evidence linking him to any threat against national security, according to authorities.

After being charged with two counts of possessing a destructive device and two counts of using a destructive device, Burnette was released from the Harford County Detention Center, after posting a $10,000 personal unsecured bond.

Hero of the Week: Anonymous donor clears Santa Fe man's water bill, ends dispute with city

Here's a story of a hero who chose to remain anonymous and helped a senior by paying an exorbitant water bill that didn't make sense. Yet, the city of Santa Fe cut off his water and didn't investigate for a leaky pipe. Hopefully, they do now. Here's the story of the hero.

(Photo: Spencer Snyder cleans a bathroom after shaving Thursday, the day after his water was restored after being shut off for two months. He's grateful for the anonymous benefactor who paid his disputed water bill but said he's left with a "terrible mess of a house." . Jim Weber/The New Mexican)

Anonymous donor clears Santa Fe man's water bill, ends dispute with city

By Margaret O’Hara mohara@sfnewmexican.com Jun 8, 2023

A man approached Spencer Snyder at the gym Thursday morning and asked whether the city water service at his home had been restored.

Snyder happily reported the good news: Yes, he has running water again. He also has no balance due on his city account, thanks to an anonymous donor who paid his bill.

Snyder, 82, lived without water at his Santa Fe home throughout April and May, after racking up more than $5,000 in unpaid bills from the city’s Utility Billing Division. While he maintained he wasn’t the cause of that water usage, city officials insisted their records of his water consumption were accurate.

The Utility Billing Division waived fees and a month’s worth of water. Still, Snyder was left with a nearly $4,000 bill with a looming deadline of June 19 to pay, documents show. He contemplated selling artwork or even his house to cover the steep sum.

On June 2, however, the day The New Mexican chronicled Snyder’s water dispute, an anonymous donor paid his water bill in full, Snyder said.

Kristine Bustos-Mihelcic, a spokesperson for the city, confirmed in a message the account was paid.

From a stranger checking in at the gym to a close friend offering a $1,000 check, people have come together to support him, Snyder said.

“One of the positive things that came out of this dreadful experience — and it was dreadful — is that all of these lovely people were interested in helping me,” he said.

“I am moved by other people’s compassion,” he added.

Even though the bill is paid, Snyder — who said he didn’t learn of the bill being paid or his water being turned back on until Wednesday — has more to do to recover from the two months he lived without water.

There’s the cleanup, of course. Snyder said he has a “terrible mess of a house” on his hands, including a kitchen floor and bathtub that haven’t been deep-cleaned for a long time. Piles of dirty dishes remain on his kitchen counters.

It will take a while to recover from the depression and isolation the water issues brought on.

“This is one very bad thing: It really has affected my sense of well-being and my confidence. [I’m] suddenly really feeling my age,” he said.

One of his first actions after learning he had water again was booking a July trip to Boone, N.C., for a wellness retreat, part of his regular spiritual and mental health practice.

Amid the water and financial issues, Snyder had canceled a visit to California with the same purpose, opting to save the money and stay close to home, instead. Though he’s not sure he’ll be up to traveling to Boone, it may be a chance to build his confidence again.

There is one big factor of the situation that, from Snyder’s perspective, remains unsolved: What was the problem? Why was he charged for water he claims he didn’t use?

To city officials, there’s a straightforward answer: The water was used on Snyder’s property. City staff even examined Snyder’s meter to ensure it was working properly and double-checked Snyder’s billing numbers, Bustos-Mihelcic said in a prior interview with The New Mexican.

But Snyder remains concerned something else — something unrelated to a jump in water usage — triggered the sky-high water bills.

“I’m totally grateful. I mean, this was a terrible experience for me and a lot of money and something I felt was unjust in the first place,” Snyder said. “But it was never examined, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be.”

Viking Cruise #21: Docking at Rudesheim, Germany

In today's blog about our Viking River Cruise on the Rhine River, we docked at the town of Rudeshiem.  What's interesting about this stop, is that the cruise offered a day trip to a winery (which we didn't do), but didn't mention we could walk the town. Fortunately, we love to explore and we had to figure out our way to get there. We were glad we did. Rudeshiem turned out to be a highlight of the trip, we got to explore it with fellow passengers and new friends Mary Ellen and Mary and we even splurged on tee shirts for ourselves. :)  

(Photo: L to R:  Rob, Tom, Mary Ellen and Mary - we met in the town and enjoyed walking around together. Credit: R.G.) 

WALKING AROUND - Mary Ellen, Mary, Tom and I agreed that the town has a nice feel to it. There were some brick-lined streets, and there were quaint little shops. We also stopped and got a Pretzel. It's Germany, and the country is famous for them, and rightly so. The Pretzels are delicious!  Fortunately, the day we got to the town, the sun finally came out, and temperatures warmed into the 60s, so it was a vast improvement over the earlier part of the week (cloudy and in the low 50s). 

MARY AND MARY ELLEN - We were so fortunate to meet Mary Ellen and Mary - We immediately bonded with them and befriended them. They are best friends who live in the same town, same block, and were special education teachers - who both still meet with their now adult students. They both have dogs, too, so we had lots to talk about. Meeting and befriending them really made the trip. In tomorrow's blog you'll meet others we bonded with. Walking the town with Mary and Mary Ellen really made it super-special. 

ABOUT RUDESHIEM - Rüdesheim am Rhein is a town in the Rhine Valley, Germany. It’s known for winemaking, especially of Riesling wines. In the center, Drosselgasse is a lane lined with shops, taverns and restaurants. Nearby, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a museum of automated musical instruments. Medieval Brömserburg Castle is home to the Rheingau Wine Museum, exhibiting wine paraphernalia from ancient times to the present. **However, we didn't visit the castle, the wine museum or the museum of musical instruments. Instead we really just enjoyed walking around this very quaint town!

PASTRIES - Every town we visited in Germany had a bakery or two or three. Rudeshiem was no different, and I had to take a picture of the amazing cakes in one of the places.

QUAINT STREETS- Walking around really gave a feeling like we were in another country (other than the U.S.). The brick-lined streets, the lantern-type lights, and the shops filled with goods made for a quaint town. 

NEXT: On to Speyer, Germany! 

 

Viking Cruise #20: The Rhine Middle River: Legend of Lorelei

Today's blog about the Middle Rhine River in Germany examines the legend of the mysterious Lorelei!

THE MYTH OF LORELEI - Lorelei, or in German, spelled Loreley, is a German legend of a beautiful maiden who threw herself into the Rhine River in despair over a faithless lover and was transformed into a siren who lured fishermen to destruction.

WHAT DOES THE NAME LORELEI MEAN IN GERMANY? - The name comes from the old German words lureln, Rhine dialect for "murmuring." and the Celtic term ley "rock." The translation of the name would therefore be "murmur rock" or "murmuring rock."

(Image: German illustration of Loreley (Lorelei) on a rock. Credit: Visit World Heritage Com) 

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE STORY?  According to Visit World Heritage's website, the name Loreley first appeared in the romantic ballad by Clemens Brentano in 1801 about a pretty woman disappointed by love called Lore Ley, from the village of Bacharach. Spurned by her lover, she wanted to die. 

Men were fascinated by her beauty. Even the Bishop could not ignore her grace and charm, so he sent her to a convent, but she never got there. In her grief, she wanted to look once again at her beloved castle and her lover, and then, in desperation and despair, she jumped into the river. 

Brentano wrote several variations on the same theme and in his Rhine myths and fairytales, the Loreley appeared as the sad Frau Lurley, sitting on a cliff and combing her long, blond hair.

In Heinrich Heine’s 1824 version, fishermen passing below would be so fascinated by the lovely maiden Lorely combing her hair on the clifftop, that they would neglect to watch out for the treacherous rocks and strong rapids and drown. The ballad was put to music by Friedrich Silcher ‘Song of the Loreley’ and has since become famous across the world. 

(Photos: (top) Rob and Tom on the Viking Cruise in the Middle Rhine River, near the statue of Lorelei (bottom) )

NEXT: Docking at Rudesheim