Bamberg, Germany

   Spent the weekend in bed with a stomach bug - had to be close to the toilet. I spent most of the time sleeping which is a shame as it was a lovely weekend. I managed to eat something today and felt well enough to go to Bridge. I left early as I was bushed but got someone to take my spot. Will try to have some dinner tonight but it will be another early night.

   Next stop on the cruise was Bamberg where we had a culinary walking tour so I had a light breakfast. We had liverwurst and a kind of meatloaf at a butchers, a croissant and rhubarb cake at a bakery. Next stop was a brewery but I didn't sample the beer - too dark and frothy! Last stop was a street vendor where we had a sausage in a bun. We had a little free time for a walk around the town and met back in the main square just as it started to rain. It was the coolest day so far. The rain became quite heavy but we couldn't use the sundeck anyway as it is still closed for the low bridges.

The town centre is on an island and this is one side of the river.

   

First Tomatoes

   Loads of tomatoes on my six plants and I have picked a few cherry tomatoes. I should start getting some of the big ones in the next week or two.

    The day started overcast and a bit windy but by noon the skies had cleared and the wind dropped. Two sets of tennis then home for a swim, lunch and a nap. More gardening and another swim - this is getting to be my regular routine. Fried fish with lemon and peas for dinner. I enjoyed it but found that my usual choice of fish, Basa, is quite high in cholesterol and salt. I will have to check the nutrients chart more carefully. 

   More about the cruise tomorrow.

Murphy's Law

   I'm not sure if this qualifies as Murphy's Law but you be the judge. Yesterday the pool guy left me a note to add 2 inches of water to the pool (we use the metric system here, believe it or not!). So I dutifully did so. This morning we had a couple of hours of really heavy rain which added another two inches to the pool so now it is up to the brim. I could have saved myself the money and the bother if I had been a bit lazy and just waited until today. Luckily water here is not very expensive - we have so much of it.

   Lunch with the RODEO ladies today at Bluffer's Restaurant down by the lake. I had a seafood quiche with a Caesar salad - all very delicious. Still stuffed so just soup and a sandwich for dinner tonight.

   Next stop on the cruise was Nuremberg - a bus tour that included stops at the Justice Court House (where the Nuremberg trials were held) and the castle, which we only viewed from the outside - rather underwhelming. We had the option to return in the afternoon but I declined - and avoided a soaking as there was heavy rain. That evening my quiz team shared a bottle of "bubbly", our prize for winning the quiz the other night!

The courtyard of the castle - didn't realize the crane was in my view!

The view of the town from the castle ramparts.

The rooms in the Court House where the trials were held.

Regensburg, Germany

   Another overcast day but still mild and no rain. The pool guy was in bright and early to balance the chemicals and do a backwash. He left a note to fill the pool a bit so the hose was on for a couple of hours. I haven't had to use much water this summer with all the rain we've had.

   Usual day at the Seniors centre and home by 3:00 p.m. I filled another bin with weeds and tidied up a border on the north side of the house. My north neighbour has really let that area of his garden go to seed so I think the weeds are blowing over from his property. I hope I will shame him into doing something about it. 
  
   I have been overdosing on "Game of Thrones" this week. It's season six and I finally got it from the library last Friday. I will watch the final episode tonight. It's very brutal but the villain was eaten by his dogs in last night's episode so things may be working out for the good guys!

   Our next stop on the cruise was Regensburg, walking tour of the town, visited the cathedral to hear the choir - wonderful organ music - and visited the Thrum and Taxis museum, an example of Baroque splendour. The boat departed at 12:45 and shortly after we left the Danube and entered the Main canal which links with the Main River and then on to the Rhine. In the evening we crossed the Continental Divide so now all the locks would be lowering us as we proceeded towards the North Sea. The sun deck remained closed for the next few days as the bridges on the canal are all very low. Don't want to lose out heads!

Another cathedral!

Entrance to the museum - the Thrum and Taxis family (fabulously wealthy) still live there.

We couldn't go under this bridge - the captain had to back up the way he had come to reach the canal.