Speyer

1. Visited the huge Cathedral, a C12th Romanesque style very cavernous inside and echoey and then did some shopping. It is another uncharacteristically warm day. Came back for lunch and then headed off up the street again for the afternoon .















2 . This time we visited the remnants of a Jewish Synagogue dating from the 1100's and went down into the Jewish ritual bath area which has been kept intact - it is very cold because it is a number of meters below ground level.











Archeological work has revealed the remains of the men's quarters and the adaptations of the building to accommodate a women's quarters. The wall has little holes in it so the women could hear what was going on in the synagogue, but could not enter.

Barges continue to ply up and down the river - the barges are on average 110m each in length, but one that just went past is a double barge one being pushed by another. We have seen them also lashed side by side. They carry sand, gravel, oil, containers, one went past today with army vehicles - tanks and jeeps etc. Then there are the host of other passenger vehicles as the tourist season gets under way. Ours, the "River Ambassador" has two levels, and we are on the lower level which is the same level as the dining room/restaurant. The upper level has the lounge and more cabins, and then above that is the open sun deck where we spent most of yesterday as we went up the Gorge. We head off tonight while we are at dinner for Strasbourg which takes us then into France for the day before heading back into Germany before going into Switzerland.
Natalie left a couple of hours ago to start her part of her journey and so it will now not be long before we meet up with her in Vienna in a couple of weeks. How exciting. We have booked to go to a concert with the Vienna Boys Choir (wow - in VIENNA!!!!!) Graeme heard them years ago on a visit they made to Australia when he was with the Australian Boys Choir. We also plan to see the Lepazaun (however it is spelt) horses - the SPanish dancing horses. We understand also that there is still much snow in Switzerland that has yet to melt which is why the Rhine is still so low. COuld be some more magnificent photos to take yet (we're upto 830!!!! so far) Blessings to all our family and friends - we think of you often and realise how priveleged we are to be able to share these experiences with you all via this medium.