56 | Viking Explorer Society News
Winter
WONDERLAND
A snowy trip along the Rhine River on board the Viking
Hermod proves to be a magical experience
A
fter much anticipation, the
departure date for our Rhine
Getaway river journey finally draws
near. We know from experience
that Viking is good and its service is second to
none, so we are excited to get going.
The day of travel arrives. The previous week
has seen unseasonably warm weather across
Northern Europe so we are prepared for all
weather conditions.
We have explored Amsterdam before
but never by canal. There are only the four
of us and our guide on the boat so we get
very special treatment. There was free time in
Amsterdam before meeting up to board
the ship.
On board the Viking Hermod, we go to our
stateroom where we introduce ourselves to our
lovely bubbly stateroom steward. Our
afternoon is taken up with safety and
information talks, introductions and finding our
way around. We explore the different areas on
the ship and we love what we see. There are no
set places at dinner and we are joined tonight
by a family from Newcastle, one of the very few
parties from the UK, most other passengers
being American.
Day one is Kinderdijk to see the windmills. We
are moored almost alongside them and on this
sunny morning, it makes for a very enjoyable
walk. In the afternoon we attend the port talk
and we chat with a couple from Los Angeles
before going to the Captain's Welcome Drink
followed by a delicious dinner.
The next morning, being early birds, we go to
breakfast as soon as the World Café opens.
Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and
Viking never disappoints. We moor at Zons and
from here passengers have a choice. They can
either stay on the ship to sail to Cologne and
forgo the guided tour of the city or they can
depart the ship here and travel by coach to
Cologne. We have opted for the guided walk
of the city.
In Cologne, we head to the Cathedral and our
guide leads us to shelter before giving his talk.
In these conditions, the Quietvox listening
devices that Viking provides come in very handy.
After lunch we head to a shopping area and
enjoy browsing the shops for souvenirs. Then it
Clockwise, from left: A dusting
of snow on the Black Forest; a
festive alleyway in Strasbourg.
Heidelberg to Strasbourg
