Cruising the Main River......


There will be no port stops today, just a leisurely transit along the Main (pronounced Mine), navigable for shipping from its mouth at the Rhine close to Mainz for 246 miles to Bamburg.  Since 1992, the Main has been connected to the Danube via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal.  The Mine has been canalized with 34 large locks 12 meters across allowing vessels to navigate the total length of the river.

By, the way, we were wise not to wait up until midnight to see Frankfurt on a previous night's transit down the Rhine.  We would still be awake as Frankfurt is on the Main river!

Around Frankfurt are several large inland ports.  Because the river is rather narrow on many of the upper reaches, navigation with larger vessels and push convoys requires great skill.  The river has gained enormous importance as a vital part of European "Corridor VII", the inland waterway link from the North Sea to the Black Sea.

The view of the landscape is very bucolic.  Enjoyable from the front deck only because all the topmost deck's furnishings and tents have been removed to fit under some of the low bridges.

Susan with the trove of travel clothes back home bought a jacket yesterday, hence the sunshine.

Because we are boat bound today we have a visitor who will expound on glass blowing.  We had a good laugh at breakfast this morning remembering all the warnings about smoking and dropping butts overboard.  Apparently glass blowing in the lounge is acceptable!  

Hans Ittig from Wertheimer Glaskunst in Wertheim has brought his propane torch and collection of colorful decorative art glass and jewelry to the lounge.  The family settled there in 1950 after a stunning escape from East to West Germany and became one of the official founders of the scientific glass industry in Wertheim.

Hans followed in father Karl's footsteps, specializing in medical grade glass but after more study found his niche in art glass.  Perhaps he foresaw the demise of the glass thermometer. He made a name for himself working the Christmas markets which he still attends as a vendor, employing over fifty employees.

He and his father teach their specialized glassblowing techniques at the Pilchuck Glass School, founded by Dale Chihuly, the first American student to train in Murano outside Venice.  He is known for his beautiful installations at Las Vegas' Bellagio and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, to name but two, and a wonderful traveling show that has graced Arboretums all over the world.  Hans and Karl also co-founded the Eugene Glass School in Oregon as a non-profit.

Hans is very funny and gives a glass blowing demonstration along with an amusing and ribald running commentary.  He chooses one of the cruisers and together they blow a clear glass Christmas ornament with a small bottle's worth of Jäegermeister sealed inside.  After much deliberation Paul made two purchases and got a mini bottle of Jaegermeister in the deal.

After Hans' presentation we went top side to view the scenery.  It had warmed up quite a bit so it seemed the perfect time to be topside as we pass through the locks and slide under some very low bridges.  Only the recessed area nearest the bow is open. Situated in front of the wheel house there are sofas and tables and chairs placed around.  The wheelhouse is retractable in order to pass under some of the lower bridges.

The wheelhouse in its upright position

The wheelhouse retracted with the white control panel to the right

The crew warns us to remain seated as we approach the second lowest bridge on our route.  The wheelhouse comes down and the pilot moves to a control panel behind which he will duck at the right moment.  I do not have to be reminded to stay in my seat.  In fact, I lay my head down on the table only to pop up after the fact to snap this shot of how little clearance we had.

This shows our tight squeeze under the beam of the bridge

I hung out our cabin window to show our tight position in the locks

So the rest of the day passed quietly with beautiful scenery and an introduction to the German language.  I'm a sport about learning languages, but German is one dark hole I would never want to go down.  We had dinner in the back deck restaurant Bistro tonight watching our wake ripple through the still water.  After dinner there was a travel trivia jigsaw contest....we did not fare too well in that.

Tomorrow in Würzburg and Rothenburg.......