Rhine Getaway Day 4 - Marksburg Castle and Cruise Through the Rhine Gorge

Castle Chapel

Rocky Steps to the Castle

Today, I got up and went to the deserted lounge for a long time or prayer. I had felt rushed the day before but had a wonderful time as the morning dawned on another day of Rhine adventures.  We were going to hike to a nature reserve and observation deck which would have been about a two hour round trip hike, but it was very foggy, and we did not want to get lost in the fog in an unknown place. So we joined the shore excursion to Marksburg Castle even though we had done it in May 2014. It was very interesting to do again, but there was no clear view of the river like back then! I showed people the picture of the view we had in 2014 to compare with the fog of this day!

When we came back to the boat, the fog lifted from the river to a gorgeous, and we could actually see the castle we had just toured.

Marksburg Castle

We ate our lunch outside on the aquavit terrace all bundled up. I had four layers on the top and two layers on the bottom with wool socks, hat, and gloves and a blanket thrown over me, and I was toasty and warm. There was another couple out there, and I asked them where they were from, and as I suspected, they were from the good-old PNW (Pacific Northwest). Nothing seems to stop us from outdoor life no matter how cold or rainy. 


It turned out to be a GORGEOUS afternoon for seeing the CASTLES OF THE RHINE. Even though we had done this before in 2014, the fall colors combined with the castles made it a totally unique experience. And Wow! Also, Nancy, our program director did an excellent narration (compared to the program director from our 2014 cruise who refused to come on top of the deck to narrate it because ONE person out of 148 would not go up on top of the boat, and the PA system did not reach both places. This newer boat allows it to be broadcast both inside and out, but our former program director was just stubborn that way, and I got used to it, but this new program director, Nancy, is ADORABLE and SO SWEET - I must get a picture of her. But I digress.)

Below are just a few pictures of the GORGEOUS GORGE WITH GORGEOUS GEORGE!

After this many people went to a German tea/coffee demonstration while I sat on our veranda and watched the remaining castles go by as the sun began to go down. HEAVEN!

After docking in Rudesheim, George and I RAN up the hill and through the vineyards in the dark, but we had our headlamps. (We ran by some locals who probably thought we were pretty crazy, but we ARE crazy! Or at least I am.) 

Why were we running up the hill? Good question! We were racing up to make Compline with the Benedictine nuns of Eibingen Abbey. This abbey was founded by Hildegard Von Bingen and sits majestically on a vineyard-covered hillside overlooking the Rhine. Compline was at 5:30. So, we wanted to hear them singing. I will try to upload the video soon. It was HEAVEN touching earth, and so worth the sweaty climb! 

Abbey Church where the nuns sing behind the screen.

We lit a candle and said a prayer for one of our relatives as we left.

We came out of the abbey to a dazzling sight of the Rhine with the lights of Rudesheim and our boat below. Without a tripod, it was hard to capture it though. So only in our memories. We were undone. 

It was a sweaty journey, straight up a steep hill in the dark but SO WORTH IT. There are some things worth enduring in life to the blessing at the end of the journey.

We descended slowly down the hill into a Muslim neighborhood which made us smile to come through the part of town where people we love so much live.

After this, we had a lovely dinner with Mike and Marilyn formerly of Salt Lake City but recently moved to Kentucky to be near their children. We bonded over all the fun PBS shows we have watched and love (any Downton Abbey binge-watcher is a friend of mine). 

We did not opt for the glassblowing demonstration (saw one on our last cruise) and fell fast asleep by 9pm. 

Another great day on the Rhine! Now off to Heidelberg.