The post On the Scene: Travel Daily Media Experiences Europe with Avalon Waterways – Day 2 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.
Travel Daily Media CEO Gary Marshall is currently aboard Avalon Waterways’ vessel Avalon Envision, making his way north up the Rhine.
On the second day of the voyage, Gary and other guests sailed to the French town of Colmar in Alsace which is known as the country’s Germanic province.
Gary said of the Day 2 experience: “It was an adventurous day that took us through three countries, including Germany and Switzerland, and that was actually all in one morning!”
Indeed, the schedule for the day was a fully-packed one that began with an exercise session early in the morning with Avalon Adventure Host Raluca to get travellers warmed up for a day of exploration.
Into the heart of Colmar
The shore excursion into Colmar is actually an optional one for those on Avalon Waterways’ northward Romantic Rhine cruise, but it is one that we highly recommend that travellers should go for.
One specific district in Colmar is referred to as La Petite Venise [Little Venice], and the city’s tourism department explains that this is because the lines of buildings flanking both sides of the Lauch River which runs through the city gives those on the water the feeling that they are sailing through one of the famed Venetian canals.
Located in the Quai de la Poissonnerie [The Fishmongers’ Quarter], La Petite Venise starts behind the Koïfhus, goes through the fishmonger’s district, and to the bridges Turenne and Saint-Pierre.
This area also marks the entry into another district, the Krutenau, which is home to a community of market gardeners on the outskirts of the urban zone.
It must be noted at this point that the Krutenau was once home to tradesmen, mostly market gardeners, vintners, and boatmen.
Today, it is considered one of the more picturesque areas in Colmar, as well as in all Alsace, and travellers take their time walking through its cobblestoned streets or sailing down the Lauch.
A whimsical alternative
For those who weren’t up for the excursion into Colmar, Avalon Waterways took them to Germany’s famed Black Forest to see one of the region’s most popular artefacts: cuckoo clocks at the House of Black Forest Clocks in Hornberg.
Cuckoo clocks actually began as a way of coping with the winter doldrums in an area that was primarily agricultural until well into the 20th century.
Farmers who found time heavy on their hands took to wood-carving throughout the winter months, creating incredible items that were both beautiful and, in the case of the clocks, useful.
Even now that we are well within the 21st century, a new generation of artisans in Hornberg continues the work of their forebears, crafting intricate timepieces that display a high level of craftsmanship and quality.
This voyage is getting mediaeval
The afternoon brought the intrepid voyagers to Freiburg, Germany’s southernmost city, which has changed relatively little over the centuries and stands as one of the prime examples of mediaeval architecture anywhere in Europe.
Historically, Freiburg has long been known as one of Germany’s most fiercely independent cities, and its name actually translates into English as “free town.”
Founded in 1120AD as a mercantile community, the city has prospered throughout the centuries thanks to significant silver deposits within the surrounding area as well as its position at the crossroads of several key trading routes connecting Germany with the rest of the continent.
Freiburg is also a university town and has been home to the University of Freiburg (originally known as the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität) which was established in 1457, making it one of the country’s oldest institutions for higher learning.
This distinction has also made the city fertile ground for artists and other creatives as it is one of southern Germany’s leading centres for culture and the arts.
While most of the guests opted to explore Freiburg, more adventurous types mounted their bikes to follow Adventure Host Reluca on a cycling tour of the town of Breisach.
Come four in the afternoon, everyone made their way back to the Avalon Envision for a spot of Kaffee und Kuchen [coffee and cakes] as a welcome restorative after an eventful day with the vessel making its way to the gourmets’ paradise that is Strasbourg in the night.
Travel Daily Media’s tips for intrepid travellers
When in Colmar, don’t miss out on a quick sail down the Lauch in La Petite Venise to get a feel of the city’s ancient past.
At the same time, Colmar is also a centre for gastronomy, so it is worth hunting out Alsantian specailities that have a distinctively German accent like chocroute garnie [braised pork and sausage cooked with sauerkraut], nid d’abeilles [bee-sting cake made with honey, cream, and almonds], as well as the local cheeses and foie gras from nearby Strasbourg.
For those making their way to Freiburg, the city’s Old Town is always a joy to explore with its beautifully preserved structures that date as far back as the Middle Ages.
Also not to be missed: the Schlossberg, a hill that offers some of the most awe-inspiring views of the city; one can get there via funicular train or they can hike up on one’s own arched insteps.
Read about Gary’s Day 1 experiences aboard the Avalon Envision here.
For those looking into a European experience of their own on the water, get in touch directly with Avalon Waterways’ Asia team at https://www.avalonwaterways.asia/contact/ or contact their country-specific call centres at the following numbers:
All photos: Gary Marshall on Instagram
The post On the Scene: Travel Daily Media Experiences Europe with Avalon Waterways – Day 2 appeared first on Travel Daily Media.
Source: traveldailymedia