Train to Salzburg

 We traveled in the carriage dedicated to the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I with respect to the 100th anniversary of his death in 2016. In accordance to this claim the baptizing of the carriage took place in October 2015 under the honorable patronage of Herta Margarete and Sandor Habsburg-Lothringen.

Many details bring back glamourous memories of the pompous Emperor´s era. High grade fabrics with lavish deco elements emblazon the walls, affectionately squiggled brazen lamps round up the aristocratic ambience coherently.

 The history of the imperial-royal train has deep roots in the nineteenth century, the great age of railroads. During this time, powerful trains were created for the ruling families of Europe. The quest for technical precision and splendid furnishings led to the creation of elegant palaces on rails. The imperial train of Austria-Hungary was built by the renowned wagon and locomotive factory Franz Ringhoffer in Prague-Smichov.

Regensburg

Along the course of the canal there are 16 locks with lifting heights of up to 25 metres (82 ft). The 16 locks are managed from four remote control centres (Neuses since 2007, Kriegenbrunn, Hilpoltstein, and Dietfurt from the beginning of 2007).

 These centres are manned with one worker on the night shift, and two on the day shift. The locks were modernized from 2001 to 2007, replacing the outdated relay technology with computers and a PLC. The cost was approximately $ 1.3 million per lock.

The summit water level is maintained by pumping water from the canal stretches below; and some water is drained into the summit level from local natural sources.

 Thirteen locks are designed to conserve water, which they do by piping first the top third, and then the middle third of the lock water into side tanks during the down cycle. On the up cycle, these tanks replenish first the bottom third and then the middle third of the lock volume.[4] The remaining top third is supplied by water from the upper level of the canal.

Nuremburg

Zepplin Field: The Nazi party rally grounds (German: Reichsparteitagsgelände, Literally: Reich Party Congress Grounds) covered about 11 square kilometres in the southeast of Nuremberg, Germany. Six Nazi party rallies were held there between 1933 and 1938.

Nuremberg, a city in Bavaria, is distinguished by its medieval architecture, including the fortifications and stone towers of its Altstadt (Old Town).

At the northern edge of the Altstadt, surrounded by red-roofed buildings, stands Kaiserburg Castle. The Hauptmarkt (central square) contains the Schöner Brunnen, the gilded “beautiful fountain” with tiers of figures, and Frauenkirche, a 14th-century Gothic church.

Bamberg

Bamberg is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany, laid out over 7 hills where the Regnitz and Main rivers meet.















Its old town preserves structures from the 11th to 19th centuries including the muraled Altes Rathaus, which occupies an island in the Regnitz reached by arched bridges.

The Romanesque Bamberg Cathedral, begun in the 11th century, features 4 towers and numerous stone carvings.

Rothenburg

Rothenburg is a German town in northern Bavaria known for its medieval architecture.
Half-timbered houses line the cobblestone lanes of its old town.

The town walls include many preserved gate houses and towers, plus a covered walkway on top.

Along the Main River

 The river was still- not a breath of wind and perfect for reflections.

 Reflections as we travel along the Main River

 The Miltenberg Town Square. A lovely little town.

Urban Art work on the river bank. Scratched into the lichen :)

Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum

 Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum is housed in Brömserhof in Rudesheim.
The museum covers an exhibition space of more than 400 square metres and has one of the largest and most beautiful collections of mechanical music boxes. There are approximately 350 exhibits of mechanical instruments dating from the 18th to the 20th century – from delicate musical boxes to a gigantic piano-orchestrion. The museum also includes tools and machines for manufacturing barrel organs, cardboard music, piano rolls and musical box plates.

 Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum provides an insight into music boxes in the past and its place in society as well as traditional techniques in making the musical boxes and the music rolls.  It’s interesting to understand how these instruments work and to be able to listen to its fine music.

 The Hupfeld phono Liszt Violina are amazing mechanical violins. Because these instruments musically and technically surpassed all expectations they have been described as the eighth wonder of the world.

Bernhard Dufner’s band of 27 automatic dolls, each one playing a different instrument. This is the largest Doll Automaton calliope that was ever built. It is almost 4.0 metres wide, 2.80 metres high and 1.0  metre deep and is an impressive example of black forest Orchestrion architecture.

A snuff box with a musical songbird which was produced in the first half of the 19th Century by J. Bruguier in Geneva. When the mechanism is activated, it opens the oval lid and a tiny bird appears, moving its beak and flapping its wings.  The small songbird music boxes were very popular with wealthy people who snapped them up for their collections .  The smaller the bird and the more life-like the singing, the higher the prices these “little toys” fetched.  The workmanship is amazing for this miniature music box.

Cologne, Bonn and Andernach

 The last time I saw Cologne Cathedral in person was in 1980. I never expected to be back here again :).

In fact the cathedral is all I really remember about Cologne.  The lovely building were not amongst my memories.

The sculpture is newer than my last visit. The owner of the apartment building placed this art work on the building wall so the mayor would see it every time s/he looked out their window.

It was Saturday when we were in Cologne and a wedding photography session was taking place in the square- this guest caught my eye.

 Flower boxes everywhere. Gorgeous.

We didn't go to the Eau de Cologne factory but found that the 4711 comes from the street address of the company.

Amsterdam- Wijk BijDuurstede

 Zaanse Schans (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈzaːnsə ˈsxɑns]) is a neighbourhood of Zaandam, near Zaandijk in the Netherlands.

It has a collection of well-preserved historic windmills and houses. From 1961 to 1974 old buildings from all over the Zaanstreek (nl) were relocated using lowboy trailers to the area.[1] The Zaans Museum, established in 1994, is located in the Zaanse Schans.

 The Zaanse Schans is one of the popular tourist attractions of the Netherlands and an anchor point of ERIH, the European Route of Industrial Heritage. The neighbourhood attracted approximately 1.6 million visitors in 2014.[2]

 The Zaans Museum locates next to the Zaanse Schans. The Zaanse Schans houses seven museums: The Weavers House, the Cooperage, the Jisper House, Zaan Time Museum, Albert Heijn Museumshop, Bakery Museum.