Wannawander
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Posts posted by Wannawander
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1 hour ago, notamermaid said:
25 years ago, on March 26th 1995, the Schengen agreement came into being. Border controls between the original five countries that had signed the treaty ceased to exist on that day. This is what it is about: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement
Twenty-five years on, what has been able to cause the (temporary) fall is not war or a threat of that kind, but a virus. But then it has been called a war we are fighting. These are border controls and restrictions due to Covid-19 in the list: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen/reintroduction-border-control_en
France in the region of Grand Est, especially Strasbourg, is desperate. They have asked the German military for help. It is a grim day, little that can lift my spirits.
My friend who is in quarantine has got cabin fever and a bug that he is trying to fight that is not coronavirus, thankfully. Keeping his spirits up, better than me.
The news here for tourism on the Rhine is that KD (Köln Düsseldorfer), who have the largest fleet of excursion boats, have postponed the start of the sailing season to 1 May. It would normally have been around Easter. But it could be moved even further into the year.
It is sad to see no river cruise ships sailing. But they will come again. I am so much looking forward to it.
Till then, stay safe, wash hands, hide behind the sofa. Hope you all get the help and support you need and have something and somebody to make you laugh and happy.
notamermaid
Good to ear from you! I check on you twice a day and I don’t even know you! Interesting how normal life is completely on hold..... My cousin west of Cologne celebrated her 75 birthday alone a couple of days ago. 70 years ago she spent her 5th birthday fleeing from the Russians with her Mother, seven siblings and my 25 year old mother. I was her 76th phone call and not the last! She baked herself a cherry Streuselkuchen !
take care and be safe! -
5 hours ago, notamermaid said:
Thank you people for the infos.
I have returned from work and the words that hang over this day are "cancellations" and "doom". The tourism industry and events people have been hit very hard, it became so apparent today.
Public life is shutting down at an alarming rate. Yesterday I was quite pleased with the fact that there were only 52 cases in Rhineland-Palatinate, today there are 101. This map had been relatively void of major markings three weeks ago, now it has more red patches than blank ones and the shades of red are deepening in intensity: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/zahl-der-corona-infizierten-gestiegen-100.html
Doom is entering my usually positive mind, I said to my colleague that I feel there is an invisible wolf circling around me, getting ever closer till one day it will bite without me noticing.
I hope you are in good spirits despite cancellations and disappointment. Stay safe.
notamermaid
Oh notamermaid, i can’t even imagine how it is for you.....most heart wrenching. You do realize that those who have followed you for a few years feel like we have a friend living near the Rhine. Well, I do anyway. I appreciate your faithfulness to our queries regarding river levels but, maybe even more than that I value your sharing of yourself with us. Thank you for all you do and for all you are!💗
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2 hours ago, Sacramento2012 said:
In addition to Viking suspending all River and ocean cruises until April 30, President Trump just announced this evening that starting this Friday, the 13th, no one from Europe, except Great Britain, will be allowed into the US for the next 30 days. I can’t even imagine what a nightmare that is going to be. So my sister's and my upcoming trip (3/27) along the Rhine will have to wait.
Better so under the present circumstances. We will reschedule. I am disappointed not to see my cousins in Cologne but it will wait for a calmer time.
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So Viking just suspended all cruises from 3/12 To 4/30 with 100% cash back or a voucher for 125% which can be used for 24 months. A very nice letter and a video are on My Viking Journey from the Chairman Torstein. We were scheduled for 4/14 for our 50th Anniversary. So we will take a few days to decide which offer to accept. I would like the voucher because rescheduling will undoubtably be more expensive but my husband leans toward the money, wondering if the company might fold. If they do , they will not be alone! I do not believe they will! German positive thinking versus Italian drama!
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7 hours ago, Daisi said:
Wannawander, I just googled RKI, here is your link
https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete.html
I have followed things on that site for a while and did find the page with the exact info. I should have come back here and corrected my post. Thanks anyway.
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5 hours ago, notamermaid said:
Aaargh, shock!! Sorry, but our own RKI (the disease control people) has just declared the region Grand Est in France, that Alsace is part of, a risk zone. I was planning to go there in April.
Thinking this further - I had already hinted at such a possibility a few days ago - this could seriously affect your travels on the Rhine, most ships dock in Kehl in Germany and the passengers go to Strasbourg by tram or coach. Theoretically one should not do this now... at least as a German citizen.
How will the cruise lines react to this?
notamermaid
Would you kindly post a direct link to the rki site where this appears, even if it only applies to any German speaking followers? I have no ability to navigate it with my limited technical vocabulary but would like to see it verbatim. Thank you
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3 minutes ago, notamermaid said:
Thank you. Yes, that banner had shocked me for a bit. I suddenly had this big red box of text on my smartphone...
I have now found the quote that came from Jens Spahn. He had said "... in Risikogebiete in Nordrhein-Westfalen". Which, explained for the other readers, means the risk zones within North-Rhine Westphalia. Not that I am perfect, far from it, but I wish Deutsche Welle would stick to the proper wording more. It is the second mistake I have found in two days.
Hope your family is doing well.
notamermaid
I read that Germans refer to Jens as “hyperactive Jens Spahn.” 😂 That risk area is northwest of Cologne and I read that many have been released from their house “arrest.” I Wish they would publicize more recovered cases. I have not communicated with my cousin’s daughter for the second day now because I need to find and send photos I found In my mother’s things of her aunt, my other cousin, when she visited my mom years ago....not just virus related. I have 3 female and 1 male cousin living just west of Cologne. They were little kids when they fled from the Russians with their mother, 3 siblings and my 23 year old mother....they loved her so much. Looking forward to better news soon! Thanks for all you do!
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39 minutes ago, notamermaid said:
I hope it is okay to draw your attention to the Deutsche Welle article, see entry for the time stamp 18:04: https://m.dw.com/en/coronavirus-latest-global-cases-reach-100000/a-52657896
This is a new dimension I do not like at all.
To give you more info. I do not know where Deutsche Welle got it from, but on the RKI website (disease control) it just says Landkreis Heinsberg, not the whole of North-Rhine Westphalia. Heinsberg does not border on the Rhine. The clusters are neither in Bonn, nor Cologne nor Düsseldorf, but there are cases in all of those cities.
notamermaid
Thank you. The banner only said roll calls.💗
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1 hour ago, notamermaid said:
Yes, our minister has broken away from the WHO wording. No idea if this a good idea, but it is in line with the BBC reporting about the government of the UK having issued a plan to control the virus. Perhaps it helps to keep people from panic buying, hoarding essential stuff and ensures tougher measures to keep the health care system on top of this.
notamermaid
I agree that is most likely the intent. Hopefully people will also be more conscientious about seeking medical advice if they have a “cold,” since it could be indication of a less severe case of the virus. The numbers reported are only those who have been tested as far as I have read. An aggressive plan is by far the best answer at this point.
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On 3/3/2020 at 5:33 AM, notamermaid said:
Coronavirus update
The figures for today in Germany along the Rhine: Baden-Württemberg 26, Hesse 10, Rhineland-Palatinate 2 (SWR news says 4), North-Rhine Westphalia 101. Most of those in NRW can be traced to the attendance of the Carnival event or subsequent contact with those that had attended.
Bavaria now has 35, but that includes those that have recovered from the infection due to a Chinese visitor in a company.
The whole of Germany has 188.
Looking to Switzerland, Basler Zeitung (I had called it Nachrichten before, sorry) reports that there are 45 cases spread throughout the country.
France in the region called Grand Est that includes Alsace has 8 apparently. The clusters are elsewhere.
The Netherlands has 18.
Deutsche Welle has an interesting article today: https://m.dw.com/en/coronavirus-latest-world-is-in-uncharted-territory/a-52617833
Edit: The Leipzig book fair has now been cancelled. The health authorities' requirements for large scale events could not be met.
notamermaid
My cousin’s 14 year old has been quarantined outside of Cologne since she was in contact with the teacher in her school who is infected. Her family is not going to school or work. Hopefully the Recoveries will be publicized as well as the outbreaks. We need to see the positives not only the negatives. Praying that my family and all affected are safe and recover. 🙏🙏🙏
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34 minutes ago, notamermaid said:
Coronavirus update
The figures for today in Germany along the Rhine: Baden-Württemberg 26, Hesse 10, Rhineland-Palatinate 2 (SWR news says 4), North-Rhine Westphalia 101. Most of those in NRW can be traced to the attendance of the Carnival event or subsequent contact with those that had attended.
Bavaria now has 35, but that includes those that have recovered from the infection due to a Chinese visitor in a company.
The whole of Germany has 188.
Looking to Switzerland, Basler Zeitung (I had called it Nachrichten before, sorry) reports that there are 45 cases spread throughout the country.
France in the region called Grand Est that includes Alsace has 8 apparently. The clusters are elsewhere.
The Netherlands has 18.
Deutsche Welle has an interesting article today: https://m.dw.com/en/coronavirus-latest-world-is-in-uncharted-territory/a-52617833
Edit: The Leipzig book fair has now been cancelled. The health authorities' requirements for large scale events could not be met.
notamermaid
My cousin’s 14 year old has been quarantined outside of Cologne since she was in contact with the teacher in her school who is infected. Her family is not going to school or work. Hopefully the Recoveries will be publicized as well as the outbreaks. We need to see the positives not only the negatives. Praying that my family and all affected are safe and recover. 🙏🙏🙏
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On 2/26/2020 at 12:38 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:
Well, that was a lot more work that I expected! There is supposed to be a function to let me split posts from one thread and merge them with another, but it doesn't seem to be working – so I MacGyver'd it...
My sweet mother loved the Rhine and is very grateful to be there I am sure. As for me, 20 lashes for subjecting her to the virus! You are a very good doctor and I thank you!
6 hours ago, notamermaid said:Thank you AF-1,
hope I can keep on top of this, and the authorities even more so. Here in Germany we have excellent logistics, a very good health care system (a few minor things excepted) and I as a member of the public feel well informed without being overwhelmed with panicky announcements or false assurances. I just need to be aware of the impact my interactions with colleagues and the general public can have on me and my family. A slight worry is there, I have not stockpiled food and do not panic. Will see how things go, the figures are going up, the live feeds reacting almost every hour with more news. But tomorrow and Tuesday will be more revealing when test results of more people have come in.
A small correction to my post above, the quarantine in Heinsberg has ended for the majority of the people, but not all of them yet.
North-Rhine Westphalia now officially has 74, Rhineland-Palatinate still stands at 2, but a third case has been reported that could enter the statistics soon. For the whole of Germany the figure is now 129 due to a few new cases in Bavaria as well.
The book fair in Leipzig will go ahead. It is a huge event. There are no cases in the Eastern states of Germany yet. Risk assessment has obviously ruled in favour of letting the fair be held as planned.
Oh, and thanks for the wishes, I have had a pleasant afternoon away from crowds, exploring a local village that I had not been to for quite some months.
notamermaid
I just finished communicating with my first cousin’s daughter outside of Cologne and apparently she knows of a case of an infected teacher in her childrens’ school. Her kids have to stay home and she works in Cologne and has been asked to stay home as well until more info is available. So there is much caution which is good but she says panic has set in by some. Well, here in So Ca our church this morning had stations set up for hand sanitizer which were donated. And my daughter said Costco was out of bottled water and paper towels and staff at the door was handing out wipes. So in the whole country we have about half of the cases in Germany and people are nuts! Hoping and praying that panic doesn’t continue because it does not help anything. Why doesn’t anyone create news about people recovering ?
Thanks for all the info. I now follow the sources you have given us. It’s good I can still understand my mother tongue!
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On 2/28/2020 at 2:11 PM, notamermaid said:
No, nothing about those in Europe. I have searched up and down the internet about German companies (in German) but nothing has come up. Other than the odd general bit about Asia.
steamboats is actually closer to the industry than me, perhaps she will hear of things first.
The news tonight mentioned cancelling one's holiday. Cancellations and refunds are a tricky business and currently an official warning only stands for parts of China.
New messages in German on live tickers come up by the hour. Difficult to keep up with just reading.
Edit: there are cancellations of river cruises for the Chinese reported from Basel.
So, Coronavirus #3 is
Germany has 60 cases with 35 of those clustered in North-Rhine Westphalia.
Edit: Switzerland now has 17 cases, two of those are in Basel and its area.
notamermaid
We sail from Basel for our 50th wedding anniversary on April 14, 6 weeks away. I would love to see this virus issue stabilize or, better yet, be contained by then, not just for us but for all those affected and infected. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
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3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:
Well, that was a lot more work that I expected! There is supposed to be a function to let me split posts from one thread and merge them with another, but it doesn't seem to be working – so I MacGyver'd it...
My sweet mother loved the Rhine and is very grateful to be there I am sure. As for me, 20 lashes for subjecting her to the virus! You are a very good doctor and I thank you!
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Posted on Facebook 6 hours ago that the Viking Egil is making it from Passau to Regensburg but will probably scrape bottom, but the captain will do it. We just got off the Egil on Friday in Budapest and so it went back to Nuremberg. That captain doesn’t mess around! We scraped bottom on the Rhine last year from Basel to Trier.....you do notice it! We need rain!
California residents are getting their power turned off in the dangerous fire areas both north and south as the winds start to blow for fear of power lines causing fires. Crazy weather everywhere.
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Back from our trip. No water problems. Viking is currently doing ship swaps near the Main Danube canal, passenger posting that Monday. That is the Grand European between Budapest and Amsterdam. They were told they cannot make it through the canal, which I don’t get if water level is regulated. A ship was docked in Passau and passengers bussed there to board and then bussed to Regensburg I believe. Today no one has posted anything else about swaps. It was unseasonably warm for us between Nuremberg, especially farther down to Budapest. Locals said the last five years are bad. Budapest driver said no more white Christmas. Sad for all.
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27 minutes ago, G.M.T. said:
Me filling the rivers was not via rain dances but via 🍻🍻🍹
Have a great time.
I am German born and how know how you fill the rivers.....My Vati and brothers contributed to the cause as well!
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Thank you to all for keeping us updated about water levels, ports and other tidbits of info. I am also quite disconcerted about the increase of tourism and crowds everywhere you go now in many European locations. It is overwhelming in large cities and villages as we have noticed in our travels....which are primarily by tour bus with our high school teacher daughters students and parents...small groups. Last year in our first river cruise on the Rhine we chose to leave Strasbourg after the included tour because it was like Disneyland on a bad day, and very warm as well. I couldn't believe all the cheap tourist stalls in front of stores with made in China and India garbage. I was so disheartened. I wont buy anything unless made in the country we visit. We relaxed on the ship for the rest of the day!
Tomorrow we leave for Prague and then Nuremberg to Budapest! Thank you notamermaid and G.M.T. for doing the all rain dances and filling the rivers.
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Just found the coolest site if you want to track your ship, get weather and other info about each port.
https://www.fleetmon.com/ports/regensburg_dereg_18012/?language=en
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5 hours ago, dairymancruiser said:
Our cruise leaves on 12-27-19 out of Nuremberg and was wonder if they keep the Christmas lights and decorations up through out most of Europe until New Years Eve? Thanks
We travel to Europe with our high school teacher daughter and students/parents often during this time of year, leaving USA on 12/27. Christmas markets are gone for the most part except last year in London Leicester Square, open until 1/6. Street decorations were up and trees were up in some restaurants and public areas in Berlin as well, including Checkpoint Charlie. It snowed in Berlin last Jan 2,3! Great time to be there but cold! Brrrr!
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11 hours ago, notamermaid said:
Nuremberg to Budapest is a huge area! With little time this is the best map I have ready. There are some better ones. We need to exclude Nuremberg of course, being on the canal. This is from the French Wikipedia site: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Bassin-du-Danube.png
The red line to the left is marked as the canal, at its end you meet the Danube at Kelheim. A little West of the letter D of Danube on the map is Ulm, which is often mentioned on weather maps.
Hope this helps.
notamermaid
Thank you notamermaid. I didn’t realize it was so obvious as it seems to be.
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4 hours ago, notamermaid said:
A quick look at Pfelling this lunchtime. As predicted the level has fallen, now being at 272cm. This is quite a drop, but I am only mildly surprised now, having followed the level for a few weeks now. To expand on my post last week about the difference in reaction to rain on the Rhine and Danube, here is what I noticed in lack of rain. In the last 12 hours Maxau on the Rhine has managed a drop of 11cm, Pfelling in the same time span 26cm.
If I was a forecaster in Bavaria I would probably give up my job out of desperation (yes, they were wrong by more than 4cm again).
This is rather unpleasant and we could see a tiny change for the worse during today. Tomorrow looks, hmm, similar to today... if one still wants to go by the forecast.
Rain just as drizzle today, with a fair bit spread over the catchment area of the Danube tomorrow. Also rain in the Austrian Alps which is good for Austria's stretches and further afield - hoping some direct rain as well as the water will reach the countries further downstream.
Thank you to jo-b and everyone else reporting from Hungary and further afield, it is really helpful. Have fun!
And now, in my next post that is, let us have a break from river levels.
notamermaid
Thank you notamermaid! We are leaving for Prague a week from today and then to Nuremburg for Romantic Danube in Viking. I have been following weather on several German weather sites and would like a reminder please of the catchment areas for the stretch of Danube between Nuremburg and Budapest. Thank you!
p.s. Wish we had time to find my uncle’s grave in Nuremburg but knowing his address from letters to my mom I could Google and look at the picture of his home. A thrill!
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7 hours ago, G.M.T. said:
Notamermaid, there was an interesting program on BR TV last night about the problems people are facing from the cruising ships in Passau:
https://www.br.de/br-fernsehen/programmkalender/ausstrahlung-1902632.html
Interesting and sad. I am sure you have seen the news as of late regarding Amsterdam working on controlling tourism by moving their famous IAMSTERDAM sign around the city to keep areas less congested. Also Venice has or is planning not to allow large cruise ships in the canal. Recently I also saw a post about Barcelona not allowing as many cruise ships in their port due to overcrowding. It seems that cruising has become more affordable which is good to some degree, but the consequences for local people, the environment and our beautiful historical sights being adversely affected is greater than sad! The world is getting smaller.....
Rhine water levels 2020 and similar topics
in River Cruising
Posted
Thank you for the link to the Cathedral. We were planning to be there two weeks from today on our a Viking cruise and hopefully attending Mass on that day, but, “Oh well!” Instead we Zoomed with our daughters and grandkids over Chinese food for our 50th Anniversary. I have been able to attend German daily Mass with my cousins at exactly the same time, as “together” as we will be for a while. Thanks for the flowers and other info. Take care and be safe!