Today we left the Danube River behind and entered the Main-Danube-Canal, which links the Black Sea to the North Sea. We attended an interesting lecture on board about the canal and the lock system that we were travelling through, and learnt that the canal crosses the Continental Divide. The locks on either side of the divide are 25 metres high and they are not much wider than the ship, as you can see in the two photos below.
A very good parking job!
All railing has been flattened for the journey along the canal and passengers are limited to the top deck in front of the wheel house as there are many low bridges, built 50 years ago for cargo boats. We've been told that, when the Captain yells 'sit', do it! The wheelhouse itself has also been lowered in this picture and the captain opened the hatch to stick his head out at one point, reminding me of a tank Commander.
A bus and walking tour of Nuremberg
(Nurnberg in German, but with two dots over the u) followed shortly after docking. This is a view of the cemetery through the bus window. Relatives must maintain the family graves and they were all planted with flowers.
Nuremburg is Bavaria's 2nd largest city and has an ancient medieval centre. In the background of this photo, you can see a castle tower.
Peter is standing on the bridge over the moat, which was
always a dry moat due to the sandstone base. The castle entrance was cleverly designed. An uphill road led to a very narrow walkway bridge, which took a strong curve to the left before reaching the front gate. Attackers were prevented from using a battering ram with this design, as they lots momentum with the left turn and the long battering ram would jam in the narrow pathway. If they did manage to force open the gates of the castle, a small courtyard, followed by a tunnel awaited them. If arrows missed them in the courtyard, hot oil and boiling water rained down through holes in the tunnel roof.
View of Nuremburg from inside the castle
walls.
Medieval workmanship, recreated after WW2 saw damage to a lot of the castle.
The tower below is original and remained intact after the bombing raids of WW2, as it was deliberately left alone as a landmark for the aeroplanes.
The only way up the tower was via a rope ladder on the left hand side. A round tower was considered to be safer than a square tower as cannonballs would deflect from the surfaces. This tower was always round but the others were 'rounded' in the 15th century.
When rebuilt after the war, they were constructed in their original square form.
A delightful garden in the castle grounds.
Why am I standing at this gate. It's a well door
and the name of the well is Margarethenbrunnen!
This wagon caught Peter's eye.
Looking up at the castle.
This house is the home of Albrecht Dürer, famous for
the Praying Hands, which I think was an engraving.
Looking back at the castle from outside the walls.
How gorgeous is this building with the water
running underneath it?
Our evening ended with dinner in the formal
dining restaurant, where we were treated like royalty...until we were asked to leave so that they could lock up the restaurant!
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