The river Moselle infos and river cruising experiences

[jpalbny]

@notamermaid there are subtle differences between the words but either is probably correct here.

From what I'm reading, reported with my own personal bias:

 

Ossuary is a place to store bones. It can be a small container (to store one person's bones) or a larger room where many bones are stored.

 

Charnel-house is more general. It's a building though, and not used to store just ONE person's bones as an ossuary can be. A charnel house can hold either bones or bodies (corpses). The term charnel house can also be used more generally to mean "a place filled with death and destruction" which we wouldn't want to use in this instance.

 

Beinhaus translates to "Bone House" so in this setting I think either English translation is acceptable.

 

I think of ossuaries as neater and more planned, as opposed to a charnel house which might be more helter-skelter, where bones are just thrown in any which way. The beautiful vaults under Paris or in Rome, where the bones are arranged in a way that resembles art - would be an ossuary. There are many more examples.

 

The basement of the chapel in the graveyard at Dürnstein, where the bones of plague victims were just tossed in - would be more of a charnel house in my mind. But maybe that's just me.

Edited September 3, 2021 by jpalbny

[sbjornda]

@jpalbny I think you're right. There's an old meaning of "charnel-house" as a chapel connected to a mortuary, what we might more commonly call today a "funeral parlor", and maybe that's what the sign has in mind. I think nowadays, though, 'charnel' has a negative connotation - related to 'carnage' and 'carnal' (from Latin 'carnis' I think), probably referring to fresher corpses than just skeletons. The word 'ossuary' is, in my experience, a more neutral term, and might be a better translation in this instance since it looks like the room was used to store bones specifically. 

[notamermaid]

@jpalbny and @sbjornda Thank you for you looking this up and sharing your thoughts. Interesting words, I have also asked an Englishman about this in the meantime. I think we all agree on this one. It said in the descriptions of the church online that they used it to store bones when the cemetery got too full. Not clear, but I think they mean long after the initial burial. It looked a bit like higgledy-piggledy storage to me at the window (eek!), not like those morbid decorations in other places, but the fact that charnel-house has been used metaphorically (also in references to WWII) the neutrality would make me translate it as ossuary.

 

It is weird, but the bones and the old gravestones made this place solemn and added to this feeling of connecting to centuries past for me, rather than making it morbid (okay, a tiny bit morbid). Perhaps the sunshine helped...

 

A few more photos and info to come.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Revisiting the Lower Moselle including Alken part 3

 

The plan when in Alken had obviously also been to see the inside of this very old church, having seen photos online. As I have hinted at in part 2, it did not go as planned. I checked the website and it said it is open on Sundays. So we went on a Sunday, knowing that these are special times. When we arrived at the steps, a notice said that the church is closed - the Covid restrictions. I was not surprised. It will have to be another time. There is a video presentation, this being a popular tourist town they may have an English version. Worth enquiring in my opinion. So we just made it to the lovely old door up the steps and onto the porch:

 

We had come up the steps I mentioned and through an archway and that is the way we went back (there is a back way but uneven ground - did not check it out further). So, descending, I took another photo and there you can see the window of the ossuary:

 

We strolled through the streets, past bed & breakfast places, wine taverns and shops and returned to the modern day landscape:

 

On the way home we had a stop in Niederfell again as some more cake from that nice café needed to be tested. Café Sander right at the riverside did not have apple cake this time round as it is not really much the season for fresh German apples, so it was a cream cheese cake German style that afternoon. Really nice.

 

Next visit to the area will hopefully include seeing the inside of the church and another village that we can explore.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

The peacefully meandering Moselle and its vineyards, enjoying the sun and hills, gliding along while sipping a cocktail on the sun deck..snip! Bored with that? Want to get into the hills and seek adventure? Grab a taxi or convince your cruise line that this is a must-see (even it isn't a "must-cross" - I will get to that in a minute) in the Hunsrück hills and off you go to the Geierlay. The Hunsrück is the region South of the Moselle, to the North is the Eifel. Geierlay literally means vultures' rock (or singular form depending on how you interpret the name). It is a suspension bridge crossing a deep valley and connects two villages. It is a modern design made of steel and rope that is only suitable to cross on foot. It has become quite an attraction and since last year has had to turn to one-way traffic with an admission fee. This is a bit of an adventure and not for the fainthearted. Wikipedia says 20 percent of all visitors do not cross the bridge - it is not clear though if that means that all those had fully intended to cross, but as another article says 10 percent of those starting to cross turn back ...

 

This is it: https://geierlay.de/

 

On a river cruise it is probably easiest to go from Cochem, but Beilstein and Treis-Karden are closer in a car, a coach may have to take a short detour as not all roads leading into the hills are suitable.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The Moselle in my humble opinion is fabulous in all seasons but autumn colours give the valley a special appeal. For the most part of it, it is not quite so rugged and dramatic as the Rhine Gorge but comes close. A photo of Cochem Reichsburg Castle in mists is still one of my favourites of any professional autumn photos taken of the two rivers. The photographer is Andreas Pacek who has published a Moselle travel photography book called Leuchtende Mosel: https://pacek.de/bildband-leuchtende-mosel/

 

In my capacity as a tourism marketing assistant I come across many websites, documents and strategy papers and occasionally I do find some really nice stuff that I think has a wide appeal to readers and in this case watchers. Part of the marketing strategy "Treasure Trove" are short videos on aspects of Rhineland-Palatinate. Not overdone, not spectacular, just plain inviting. I like this one, the seaplane pilot: https://youtu.be/Qa3PgQiyjsw

 

notamermaid

 

[gnome12]

Well, we are trying again. We have booked a bike and barge from Cochem to Merzig (so Mosel and Saar rivers) for early October 2022. Hopefully, this time we will be able to go.

[notamermaid]

13 hours ago, gnome12 said:

We have booked a bike and barge from Cochem to Merzig

Great! I hope it will be splendid. Merzig is an unusual port to end a cruise at. A smallish place but with a long history.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Merzig on the Saar is a town that goes back to potentially late Roman times as a settlement but is definitely a place that existed in Carolingian times. The town of today is a mix of old and new, with an architecturally important Romanesque church and many buildings of note dating to the Renaissance (a few) and mainly Baroque eras - and later of course. These are the sightseeing suggestions by the local authority (why they put a photo of concrete stelas at the top of the page is a mystery to me, but is important to them it seems): https://www.merzig.de/en/tourismus-kultur/sehenswuerdigkeiten/

 

This video gives a bit more direct sightseeing info, a town walk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCTpucmdefc

 

So, you may say that apart from the odd barge and bike tour going to Merzig, there is not much happening as regards river cruising in the area, and it is on the Saar anyway and - stop, stop, I know it is not the lovely Moselle, but the Saar has wine too, some really good wine in fact. It is nice to compare the Saar to the Moselle and this large tributary to the meandering Moselle has its merits architecturally (if you are new to this thread I recommend having a look at earlier pages) and as regards nature of course. But that is not all as the region has something the Moselle in Germany has not - huge industrial heritage. And I mean huge. But that is for us to explore another time.

 

notamermaid

 

[gnome12]

I must say it doesn't do much for me. I'd have preferred to end in Metz as in our original plan, but Cochem to Merzig is the only trip we were able to book on. I guess it means that we will depart immediately for somewhere else, either on our original plan to do the Lorraine and the Alsace in France, or our later plan (when France was having a bad time of it with Covid) to head back to the Rhine and spend some time there.

[notamermaid]

54 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I must say it doesn't do much for me. I'd have preferred to end in Metz as in our original plan, but Cochem to Merzig is the only trip we were able to book on.

Oh, well. Certainly a good idea to make the most of your time  and leave soon if nothing appeals to you in Merzig. I think I would go up to the Kreuzkapelle and enjoy the view. Then take the train. Luckily, from Merzig you have good train connections downstream to Trier, or to Metz and the Rhine valley both via Saarbrücken, i.e. at the capital of Saarland changing trains to go West (Metz) or East (Mainz or Mannheim).

 

notamermaid

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by notamermaid

[notamermaid]

On 3/6/2022 at 10:22 PM, notamermaid said:

But that is not all as the region has something the Moselle in Germany has not - huge industrial heritage. And I mean huge.

Völklingen Iron Works. In 1994 it was the first industrial place to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCRPPBJ8iyw

 

This is the website of the Völklinger Hütte, as it is known in German: https://voelklinger-huette.org/en/

 

If you happened to be on the Moselle and wanted to see this monster, it is a good hour by car from Trier and not much longer than that by train.

 

notamermaid

 

[funkyfaces]

My husband and I are taking our first river boat cruise with Viking next month. We'll be travelling the Moselle and spending some extra days post cruise in Switzerland. If anyone can give a clue as to how much cash in euros and Swiss francs we should take for this 2 week trip, I'd appreciate your input.

[PhD-iva]

46 minutes ago, funkyfaces said:

My husband and I are taking our first river boat cruise with Viking next month. We'll be travelling the Moselle and spending some extra days post cruise in Switzerland. If anyone can give a clue as to how much cash in euros and Swiss francs we should take for this 2 week trip, I'd appreciate your input.

Most purchases can be made with credit cards. It’s best to carry a credit card with low or no foreign transaction fees. Also, use an ATM from a bank to get better FX rates to withdraw cash when needed.

carrying a lot of cash is both dangerous and foolish, IMO.

enjoy your cruise!

[Host Jazzbeau]

The secret is to have a credit card with no forex charges (easy to find) and a debit card with no ATM fees (harder to find – Schwab is my choice and the main one I see recommended here – several people have mentioned opening a Schwab checking account solely to get this card)

[notamermaid]

On 3/28/2022 at 3:49 AM, funkyfaces said:

My husband and I are taking our first river boat cruise with Viking next month. We'll be travelling the Moselle and spending some extra days post cruise in Switzerland. If anyone can give a clue as to how much cash in euros and Swiss francs we should take for this 2 week trip, I'd appreciate your input.

Are you coming from Paris? Where do you board the ship?

Generally speaking, you will not need much cash at all before you leave your country, i.e. you may even plan on getting your first cash at the airport. ATM's are plentiful in all larger towns but not sure about airports. As others have said, credit card and debit card for ATM with few or no charges. Personally I would go for a small amount like 100 euros per person before setting out and then get from ATM's. I really depends on how many days you want to cover before you are on the all-inclusive experience on your ship and much you want to actually spend. Expensive activities, gourmet lunches? Such things can mostly be paid by credit card, small places like bakeries may demand cash so you will need some. Also for market stalls usually. Swiss Francs, no idea. Isn't it the case that you can pay in euros in Basel? Perhaps you can leave getting Francs to when you arrive there, but others can give you more tips on that. I spent little money on my river cruise and most of what I did went to a couple of expensive souvenirs. The post-cruise is mostly where your money will go - and Switzerland is expensive.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

I remember our tour guide in Switzerland was very happy to be tipped in Euros – since she goes to Germany for shopping (much lower prices).

[funkyfaces]

Thanks for all your answers. We are flying into Paris, spending a full day there before being bussed to our ship at Trier. I wasn't sure if was easy to find ATMs in any of our stops at Cochem, Koblenz, Mainz, or Speyer. A friend who has travelled in Germany said that Germans prefer cash over credit cards. Since we have never been there, I appreciate all advice.

[notamermaid]

2 minutes ago, funkyfaces said:

A friend who has travelled in Germany said that Germans prefer cash over credit cards.

That used to be true and is certainly true for me! But quite a few years ago a slow change set in and the last two years have accelerated that. I would say that in my local supermarket a bit more than half of all people that are in the queue before me pay by debit card/credit card now. It could be even more cashless in other places. The smaller places like bakeries may not have put the facilities in place because there is not much need and stalls on markets may just not bother for logistical reasons. I forgot to mention that a few places may have a lower limit for cashless payments due to the charges placed upon them, i.e. they may accept credit card payment only from five euros upwards for example.

 

A typical thing to look out for to find an ATM is the bold red Sparkasse signs. They are local banks to be found almost everywhere. But there are also several other banks that have ATM's at their offices. Postbank would also be an option. No idea how they differ in charges for international withdrawals.

 

You are boarding in Trier. Hope there will be enough time for you to appreciate this city. It is very interesting and the Porta Nigra is definitely worth a photo. You can also go into it.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

It has been raining a lot in the Moselle catchment area and nearby. The Saar river is on flooding status and will bring all that water to the Moselle. The Moselle has risen a lot in France and some of that water is of course already in Germany. Trier gauge was at 282cm at 9pm on Thursday, today at 9pm it was 665cm. It hit a Viking river cruise ship in that the landing stage at Trier (at the Zurlaubener Ufer embankment) was flooded. The video: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/trier/hochwasser-an-der-mosel-106.html

 

A further rise is expected to happen until tomorrow morning, Possibly up to 7.20m.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Viking Alsvin stranded

 

I reported yesterday that the river rose fast and in Trier the landing stage was flooded. The poor passengers and the crew on Viking Alsvin are stranded as they can neither get off the ship nor are allowed to sail as safety regulations mean there has been a ban on river traffic. The level has peaked at Trier so hopefully the Alsvin can sail very soon, if they have not left yet. Police and fire brigade were alerted to stand by just in case any help would be needed: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/trier/kreuzfahrtschiff-sitzt-in-trier-wegen-hochwasser-der-mosel-fest-100.html

 

Certainly a very rare event, the river rose so fast it took the ship by surprise.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

7 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Viking Alsvin stranded

 

I reported yesterday that the river rose fast and in Trier the landing stage was flooded. The poor passengers and the crew on Viking Alsvin are stranded as they can neither get off the ship nor are allowed to sail as safety regulations mean there has been a ban on river traffic. The level has peaked at Trier so hopefully the Alsvin can sail very soon, if they have not left yet. Police and fire brigade were alerted to stand by just in case any help would be needed: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/trier/kreuzfahrtschiff-sitzt-in-trier-wegen-hochwasser-der-mosel-fest-100.html

 

Certainly a very rare event, the river rose so fast it took the ship by surprise.

 

notamermaid

Sorry for the jocularity [not sorry...], but the ship name and its unhappy fate here reminded me of Alvin and the Chipmunks.

[CPT Trips]

Why in the world did Viking name a European river boat after a Chinese car?

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

Why in the world did Viking name a European river boat after a Chinese car?

When you are building as many ships as they are, you quickly run out of names.  [What would you name your 8th child?]  I guess the Norse pantheon has an unlimited number of minor gods, so they can keep going until nobody can sail at all because every river is completely blocked with Viking ships!

 

 [The ocean ships are named after planets.  They have trademarked 'Pluto' – has anybody told them it's not a planet any more?]

[notamermaid]

Not being a fan of the Viking business model and conduct myself, I nevertheless find it an ingenious idea to use Norse mythology for the ships. And yes, there are many names to choose from it seems. Happy to acknowledge the achievements and popularity of Viking of course.

 

An unfortunate occurrence in Trier but all is good. I see my link has been updated, the Alsvin is sailing again.

 

Trier gauge is down to 589cm. Cochem gauge is also past the peak.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by notamermaid