We had a very lazy start to our day today, cruising down the Main all morning and not reaching Bamberg until lunchtime. This suited me just fine as in my usual predictable fashion I’ve started a cold with a good scratchy sore throat. Catching a bug on holiday is definitely becoming a habit of mine!
Neil went up to the lounge during the morning to view the “German lesson” from the cruise director but I used the time to catch up on some hand washing. Laundry follows you everywhere! As I rinsed we passed through yet another lock, some of them really do block the view, and our cabin is on the top deck of three!
Inside Lock view
One bonus today has been the lovely weather, clear blue skies and sunshine. It was only 17 degrees at most but it felt balmy.
After lunch we all climbed on the buses to take us for the short drive into the centre of Bamberg. It’s a lovely city, built on seven hills, its entire Old Town area is a UNESCO World Heritage area. We were unloaded at the river and strolled along the banks in the area known as Little Venice. This was a working mans domain back in the days when all the towns refuse was pitched in the river (ewwwww!) but now the homes along the banks here are highly desirable.
From there we wandered through the town past the Schlenkerla, an ancient tavern ( 1405! ) where Bambergs famed smoked beer is served on tap.
Scherlenka Tavern
We climbed the cathedral hill to the Domplatz where we popped into the Old Court which was the original Bishops Palace before they built the magnificent New Residence across the square in the 17th century. Here we walked through a little gate into the Rose Garden but we’re a little too early in the year to see the 4500 rose bushes in flower, maybe next time!
Our local guide for today was Christian, a student currently doing his masters degree in English at the university in Bamberg. For our walking tours we have audio receivers which mean we can wander away from the guide but still hear all the details.
Steve (at left), Gae (middle) and Greg and Neil (at right) listening to the description of the Old Court
On the terrace of the Cathedral looking across to the New Residence
Therese and I enjoying the sunshine in the Bishop’s Rose Garden
The interior of the huge cathedral of St Peter and St George is surprisingly stark for a catholic cathedral but it does have the tomb of Pope Clement II and a grand carving of St Stephen astride a horse dating from about 1225. It also had a lot of noisy recentlyonstruction workers, which I imagine would make it a less than desirable place for quiet prayer and contemplation.
Our guide then led us down the hill to see frescoes on the Old City hall before leaving us to have some free time on our own. The stone bridge near the Old City Hall was packed with students sitting on the walls eating ice cream and drinking beer on the first sunny day for months.
Queen Kunigunde keeping an eye on the students
We used the free time to grab the classic Bamberg photo of the City Hall as it juts out over the river before finding a nice beer garden to sample the towns famous dark smoked beer, Rauchbier. It smells just like liquid bacon and Neil thoroughly enjoyed it. I chose a nice, fresh lighter beer called Ringlass Hell.
Back to the boat for another tasty dinner and a late afternoon departure down the Main-Danube Canal.