Two different towns, two different themes

Wednesday 6/6, Jean wasn’t feeling the best so George headed off on his own for the afternoon excursion into Nuremberg and then the Documentation Centre which depicts the rise and fall of the Nazi Party prior to, during and immediately after World War 2. A tour not for everyone, but very well done and we had the services of an excellent guide (actually a Welshman) who was extremely knowledgeable. Upon return to the ship, we were treated to a Bavarian Beer tasting party (four nice but different beers) and then a Bavarian Gala Dinner.

This morning 7/6, we docked in the old town of Bamberg, one of the few German cities that were not destroyed by the allied bombings during WW2. The old town of Bamberg is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. Today was the Roman Catholic Corpus Christi celebration and so the whole town was pretty well closed as a public holiday until 11AM. Its main cathedral was founded in 1004, finished in 1012 and consecrated on May 6, 1012 (1,000 years, 1 month and 1 day ago). Jean was feeling better today so we had to discover the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas store and marvel at the fantastic Christmas decorations. We bought just one, to bring home and share with everyone. This afternoon while cruising to Wurzburg, we will be doing a tour of the ships Galley, to discover how they produce 160 breakfasts, 160 four-course lunches and 160 five-course dinners each day.

Update after the galley tour. This little ship with 8 Chefs and 2 kitchen hands produces 700 meals per day. The kitchen and dining room staff work 10 hour days and they work 7 days a week for 9 months straight, then they get a break. By the way, the daily wine consumption of the 160 passengers on this cruise is between 190 and 220 bottles. In 2011, the record was set at 260 bottles. Each ship is independently assessed for each cruise. So far this season, the Scenic Ruby (this ship) has had the top score for all but one cruise. In 2011, the Scenic Ruby got the top score for every cruise.