Lots and Lots of Castles

It’s late so today’s pictures will mostly have to speak for themselves.

We took an early morning stroll on the Sun Deck and were greeted by St. Killian’s Church in Wiesbaden.

St. Killian

We left the Main for the Rhine during breakfast and enjoyed castles all morning.

Castle Brömersburg
Germania Monument
Castle Ehrenfels
Mäuseturm
Castle Rheinstine
Castle Reichenstein
Castle Sooneck
St. Mariae Himmelfahrt and Castle Honeck
Castle Fürstenberg
Castle Fürstenberg
Bacharach
Gutenfels Fortress and Pfalz
Gutenfels Fortress
Castle Schönburg

We docked in Oberwessel; Diane and I took a short stroll before lunch.

Diane and River Empress

Even though we’d docked in Oberwessel, the excursions were in Bacharach, a few kilometers upstream. Most passengers went for a wine tasting, but Diane and I climbed up to Castle Stahleck to enjoy the view.

Castle Stahleck – we made it!
Rhine Selfie
Stahleck Tower

Our guide, Paul, took us on a stroll through Bacharach; they’re already getting ready for their annual Weinfest.

Weinfest is coming!

The only Jewish content today was a brief glimpse of the former Jewish Quarter – it was, of course, outside the walls.

Former Jewish Quarter

We said goodbye the Bacharach and Oberwessel and boarded the Empress for tonight’s cruise to Cologne. We passed the Lorelei soon after departing.

Loreley Statue

There were more castles before dinner.

Katz Castle
Katz Castle
Rheinfels Castle
Maus Castle
Liebenstein and Sterrenburg (note the wall between them)

And during dinner.

Marksburg Castle
Stolzenfels Castle

We sailed past the confluence of the Moselle and the Rhine just in time to see the Kaiser Wilhelm I statue before it got too dark.

Deutsches Eck

I took nearly 300 photos today…and I still have 182 of them in Lightroom. Maybe when I’m more awake….