at evening, as we sailed
towards Cologne, the ship laid
on a Taste of Germany-themed
feast. e Viking team, dressed in
Lederhosen and Dirndls, delivered
glasses of Kolsch, while a traditional
display of bretzels, veal schnitzel
and sugar-dusted kaiserschmarrn
adorned the buffet. 24 hours later,
after a day of solo sightseeing in
Cologne enriched with sweet spicy
trays of currywurst and 360-degree
vistas from the top of the Köln
Triangle, we enjoyed a direct
view of the Dom Cathedral and
an onboard performance by the
Cologne Symphony Orchestra.
After Germany came Holland,
marked by the distinctly flat
landscape dotted with wind
turbines and Friesian cows, and
stroopwafels at the coffee station.
e optional excursion du jour
took us to a cheese farm, where we
ate creamy shards of Gouda, took
selfies with the giant, wax-covered
rounds and stocked up for home.
We marvelled at the 19 windmills
that make up the UNESCO World
Heritage site, Kinderdijk.
en, just as soon as we'd fallen
hook, line and sinker for the
river cruising way of life, it was
time to disembark at Amsterdam
and head home. But not before
exploring the characterful capital:
to the tulip market for spring
bulbs, dodging bicycles along the
165 canals, window-shopping the
independent boutiques lining De
Negen Straatjes, and tucking into
sweet and savoury treats at one of
the many pancake houses.
Clockwise from
above: Rustic
windmills in
Holland; Gabrielle
on her e-bike; a
farmyard cow;
colourful town
houses; Gabrielle
samples some
local beer; rows
of Gouda cheeses
spotted during an
optional excursion
ITALY
N o r t h S ea
Rüdesheim
MOSELLE
Lucerne
Lake Como
Breisach
London
THE NETHERLANDS
GERMANY
SWITZERLAND
FRANCE
RHINE
RHINE
Speyer
Strasbourg
Basel
The Hague
Amsterdam
Cologne
Koblenz
Kinderdijk
–
C r ui s e
GETTING THERE: The 8-day Rhine
Getaway journey from Amsterdam to
Basel or vice versa, starts from $2,995pp
in Standard stateroom.
Exploring Heidelberg and Strasbourg
52
VIKING
