May 19, 2024
In my last post I described cruising along the Middle Rhine through the Rhine River Gorge which ends at Bingen. From Bingen, our ship continued on the Rhine until Mainz where we turned and entered the Main River. Today marked our first full day on the Main.
Unlike the Rhine, of which it is a tributary, the Main is not a superhighway in terms of river traffic. It veers off to the left or right, doubles back on itself and seems to be in no rush to get to its mouth at the German city of Mainz. One of the ancient names for the river is “Moine”, which is said to mean “crooked snake” – a very apt description.
The 20th century was a time of rapid development along the Main, which today contains 34 locks and 33 hydropower stations and carries ships with payloads of up to 1,650 tons. This transformation culminated in the 1992 opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, which connects the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea to the Black Sea and allows passage by river ship across the entire face of Europe. yet the traffic remains sparse compared to that of the Rhine, and today you are likely to experience the Main much as the Celts did – as a river in no hurry.
Viking
We had a leisurely morning today as the ship would not dock until mid-afternoon. After breakfast, at 10 a.m. the four of us joined with our shipmates in the Lounge for a glassblowing demonstration. The artist (Hanz) from a glassmaking family had come aboard earlier and set up his demonstration area and shop along the bar.
Glassblowing Demonstration
On display were some beautiful glass pieces that Hanz had created including some elaborate bowls and works enclosing what looked like various sea creatures. He also had some jewelry that his wife had made. All items were for sale and could be shipped right to your home if desired. I loved several of his larger pieces but decided they were too fragile for RV life. Instead I selected a necklace. Betty and Linda brought home some gorgeous smaller pieces as well.
At one point during his demonstration, Hanz invited an audience member to assist him.
Hanz comes from a family of glass makers. He’s been working in this craft since a young boy and has been formally educated in the art. He has a passion for explaining and demonstrating the traditional methods used in German glassmaking. Watch the short video on the left to view a brief segment of his presentation.
Mid-afternoon the ship docked in Freidenberg and the four of us disembarked for our afternoon tour of Miltenburg. As we walked to our assigned bus, I managed a quick photo of our ship. Note that all of the sturctures on the top deck have been lowered. This was necessary to sail under the low bridges along the Main. The top deck would remain closed for several days.
After a short bus ride we arrived in Miltenberg for our (included) walking tour.
The Franconian town of Miltenberg on the Main River is lively and romantic, nestled amid one of Germany’s fine wine-producing regions. Along its cobblestone streets and crooked lanes, medieval timber-framed houses are plentiful, giving a feeling of stepping back in time. The 13th- to 14th-century Miltenberg Castle dominates the town and the beautiful Renaissance Zum Riesen inn, hosting travelers since 1411, stands out for its rich history. The town prospered when it gained escort rights along the Main River; two forts once guarded the river crossing here.
Miltenberg Walking Tour.
Description: Take in the fairy-tale charms of Miltenberg, one of Germany’s most delightful riverside towns. Begin your tour in the Old Town, following its cobblestone streets past medieval houses fronted with flower-bedecked balconies. The town square, lined with half-timbered facades, is one of the most picturesque in all of Germany, laid out on a narrow strip of land between the hills and manicured banks of the Main. Nearby, the handsome and richly hued hotel Zum Riesen (“Inn of the Giant”), Germany’s oldest inn, is a Renaissance treasure; it first opened its doors as a hotel in 1411 and has been open ever since. You will also see the Mainz and Würzburg town gates and catch a glimpse of Miltenberg Castle, built in the 13th and 14th centuries, high over the roofs of Miltenberg.
As we exited the bus and walked along the promenade by the river, one of the first things we saw was a bronze statue of three men taking a leak into a square pool. How odd you say? It turned out that this statue was a historical comment on Miltenberg’s long-standing struggles with flooding. In the old days in times of severe flooding, the water would often flood the entire historic town center, making it virtually impossible for many of Miltenberg’s residents to leave their houses. The problem was that houses at that time didn’t have modern toilets. Most simply had a hole dug in the ground at the backside of the house, possibly with a wooden box as a seat. During the floods these accommodations could not be reached, so the male residents would simply relieve themselves off the main entrance of the house straight into the river water.
Leaving the promenade, we made our way to the oldest part of Miltenberg, the Schwarzviertel (the “Black Quarter”). The area is so named not because of any sinister history but rather from the fact that the adjacent Greinberg Hill casts its shadow over the district. In the winter months hardly any sun shines into the street. This is an area where there are many beautiful half-timbered houses, quaint restaurants and small shops (all closed unfortunately since we were there on Sunday).
Before we continue, you may be asking what exactly is a half-timbered house?
All medieval structures, from the lowliest hut to the grandest palace had one thing in common: building material had to be close at hand. In a rocky area the buildings were stone; and in heavily forested places they used wood for construction. So Europe’s half-timbered houses are concentrated where the thick forests were, at least in the 16th Century. France, Germany, the UK, and Eastern Europe have the largest collections of these lovely houses. Standard construction rules didn’t exist at the time, so the building process varied from place to place. But each house needed hardwood trees of a similar size, split down the middle and cut into ribs which would be joined with wooden pegs. After the split-log frame was built, the spaces between the structural members were filled with bricks, plaster, or wattle and daub, which is a clever concoction of woven twigs and branches that were smeared with clay or mud. The finished product was a house turned inside out with the skeleton on the outside. In some cases the entire structure was covered with a mixture of plaster and lime, and in others only the panels between the ribs were covered. But tourist villages today want all the medieval charm possible, so they leave the ribs visible and paint the stucco panels a kaleidoscope of colors.
Half-timbered Construction
Our walking route through the town ended in the Schnatterloch (Old Market Square) home to a storybook setting of half-timbered buildings, restaurants, and the Old Town Hall. These structures were in practically pristine condition despite dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. In the center of the square was an octagonal Renaissance fountain called the Marktbrunnen (in German, “markt” means market and “brunnen” translates to fountain). Dancing cherubs surround the fountain’s slender column.
Also standing in the Schnatterloch was a Maypole (the second one we saw that day). I found this curious as May was more than half over. Luckily, our guide explained the tradition.
The month of May in Germany and Europe is not only the first month when it’s nice to be outside again, it is a month of many traditions. It all starts on the eve of May Day, on Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht), the night that passes from April 30 to May 1. In many parts of Germany and Northern Europe this is a night of bonfires and other customs welcoming the arrival of spring and bidding adieu to winter. The next day, May Day, in most parts of the world is Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit in German). The first day of the month is more than just a day off. It’s a real beginning in many ways: The new annual Maypole is set up (or the old one is freshened up). Today’s Maypole, a tall tree trunk with a green top and a “crown” near the top, dates from the 16th century in northern Europe. It is difficult to place a specific date and location, but the Maypole tradition seems to be a mix of pagan and Christian rituals related to the advent of spring and the departure of winter. Every Maypole begins as a tree – but not just any tree. Someone has to find the right tree, cut it down, and then process it to create a Maypole. A week or two prior to May 1, the Burschenverein (like a 4-H club) members go out into the forest to find a suitable pine or spruce tree, strong and straight, and usually 65 to 80 feet in length. The chosen tree must be trimmed, smoothed, and painted before it is ceremoniously raised in a prominent spot, usually the town or market square. Before it is set up on May Day, the pole needs to be painted in the local or regional colors and design pattern. In Bavaria this means a blue-and-white (Bavarian flag colors) spiral turning from left to right from the bottom to the top. In Franconia (Franken) the pole displays red and white stripes. (In many smaller communities the Maypole is left bare.) Near the top of the pole a circular “crown” with garlands hangs on support lines. Fancier Maypoles are also decorated with the signs of local guilds and clubs on horizontal metal or wood bars. In most cases there is a procession and some sort of ceremony on May Day to commemorate the new Maypole. A key part of the Maypole tradition is called Maibaumstehlen (stealing the Maypole). It is assumed by all involved that there will be an attempt by one village to steal another’s Maypole. In fact it is such an integral part of the Maypole ritual that there are rules for stealing a Maypole! In some communities the Maypole may be kept up all year long.
German Way
At the conclusion of our walking tour, we walked back along the promenade to the bus parking. The promenade which was completed in 2003. It forms the first main section of the redesign of the river embankment, which will ultimately extend over a length of 1.5 km to aid in flood protection. From the promenade we could see the Miltenberg Bridge over the Main River. The original bridge was built in 1898 and was destroyed during WWII. Only the pillars and the gatehouse were preserved. It wasn’t until 1950 that the present bridge was completed and opened.
We had a short bus ride back to the ship in Freudenberg. Once everyone was back on-board, the ship set sail for Würzburg while we settled in for the now familiar evening schedule – get-together in the Lounge, port talk, dinner, and evening entertainment.
