If you follow my personal Facebook page, I posted hundreds of photos (462 to be exact) of my recent European River Cruise, my second. (I also posted several on my work Facebook page).
While the saying is “a picture is worth a thousand words”, I’m sharing some stories behind some of the photos and some stories of the photos you didn’t see (and I hope they don’t exist)! You know, what happens in EuroVegas stays in EuroVegas!
Thank you for coming along for the trip again — in words and photos.
My first European River Cruise was on the Danube River in the fall of 2013. I had an amazing time and here’s what I wrote afterwards, “The food was amazing on the “MS Sound of Music” cruise and the staff was incredible”.
In retrospect, the food was amazing and the staff was incredible.
However, I had nothing to compare it to. Now that I do, it’s like comparing the Bates Motel (that first cruise) to a five-star hotel (this Rhine River cruise on the “Emerald Dawn”)!
A “WORKING” TRIP TO EUROPE
This adventure was different for me for two reasons.
The first river cruise was my also my first time in Europe and my first major trip (other than Cancun, Mexico, in 1993, when a passport wasn’t needed).
Also, this was a “working” trip. Since work promoted the trip, I was acting as a “Tour Group Leader” of forty people — most of them from Central Illinois.
OUCH!
While being responsible for 40 people, guess who was injured first! That’s rhetorical — of course, it was me! Let’s get that out of the way, so we can focus on the beauty of the trip.
As soon as we got to O’Hare Airport in Chicago, we were told to go downstairs from the drop off to get our tickets that were ready for us. They didn’t tell us about the elevator and pointed to the escalator.
A few of the people needed help getting on the escalator safely with their luggage. After successfully getting one person on, I was helping another and I was making my way back up the three or four moving steps.
Remember, I’m walking “up” the escalator that’s going “down”. And, I stumbled forward on the next to last step to the top!
Luckily, I had jeans on and the damage wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been! (Yes, I said every variation of my favorite 4-letter “f-word” inside my head with a smile on my face!)
I got everyone downstairs and went into the bathroom and cleaned my knee and bandaged it and the trip went on and I didn’t miss a beat.
The moral of the story — DON’T walk up a moving escalator going down!
I’m a quick learner — I didn’t attempt it again in Zurich, Amsterdam, Washington D.C., or Chicago on the return!
Three weeks later, I’m almost healed although it will leave a small scar — a free trip souvenir!
READY FOR DEPARTURE
Once we boarded our 9-hour flight to Zurich, Switzerland, I counted my people and two were not in their seats.
The flight attendant told me that they hadn’t closed the doors, so they may still be boarding.
I didn’t take that chance and I walked to front of the plane and started looking at everyone to find my two people that I’d just met that morning. And, there they were. They upgraded their seats!
“All Systems Go” for Zurich and I was ready for them to take off and “Dim All The Lights”! Whew, “She Works Hard For the Money” counting to 38! (The last two people in the group met us in Zurich.) “Heaven Knows” I’d have the shortest “Tour Group Leader” career if I left two people in Chicago at the start of the trip!
I sat back, enjoyed two glasses of white wine and watched the documentary, “Love to Love You, Donna Summer”! (See what I did there — I used four Donna Summer song titles in that last paragraph!
SWITZERLAND
While we were only at the airport on this trip, this was my second time in Zurich.
Back in 2013, my first real international trip was to start in Budapest, Hungary.
However, I’ve been intrigued by Switzerland since I was a youngster and since it was close, I arranged a pit stop for a day and night and boy, it was worth it!
Back to 2024, my group boarded two busses for the short drive from Zurich to Lucerne, one of the oldest cities in the country, to begin our European adventure.
We arrived in the morning and couldn’t check into the hotel until afternoon, so it gave us a chance to explore Lucerne.
While I didn’t nap on the overnight flight, I wasn’t tired when we arrived. How could you be with this view across from the hotel?
Before I got to Europe, I looked to see what was near the hotel and I noticed an Aldi. Yes, Aldi as in the ones we have here in the States. Once there, I set off to explore and find it.
I’m glad I did. Unlike the Aldi stores I’ve been to, the one in Lucerne had a bakery!
I bought a Coke Zero and several baked goods and sat by Lake Lucerne eating my feast for lunch. The pretzel cost one Swiss Franc (about $1.09) and it was incredible.
I went back the next day and bought three more (two came home with me)!
Once we were all back to hotel that evening, the group had our first dinner together. The salad was pretty and the chicken was tasty, but the Crème Brulee dessert was amazing.
Actually, I had two! I don’t know if the kitchen manager thought I looked like I needed it or maybe he sensed I love desserts, but he walked by and handed me another one.
On the second day in Lucerne, our walking tour took us to the famous 14th-century Chapel Bridge where we saw the Gutsch Castle in the background.
We also visited “The Lion of Lucerne”. “The Dying Lion” attracts 1.4 million tourists each year.
CONTINUING MY SWISS TRADITION
In Zurich, back in 2013, I stopped at the most awesome grocery store, Coop and stocked up on wine, cheese, bread, and two desserts to snack on. However, it turned out to be dinner.
After stopping at a restaurant to have an authentic Swiss dinner, the Cordon Bleu I wanted was not chicken, but deer! Looking closer at the menu, it consisted mainly of deer stew, deer this, and deer that. And, if deer wasn’t your thing, there was something with boar!
A decade ago, I was just beginning to travel internationally and I wasn’t as adventurous trying new things. Today, I would have eaten one of the entrees.
But, that night, my buffet of wine, bread, cheeses, and desserts from Coop was perfect for a Zurich Saturday night.
So, since I was in Switzerland again, I decided to continue the tradition.
At Aldi, while buying more pretzels, I bought chorizo, cheese, couscous, an English cucumber, grapes, apples, bread, and wine (I brought the lemon cake home to share with Miss Xanadu).
My 2024 feast at Lake Lucerne with a view of the Alps was perfect as the sun set on a great start to “holiday”!
ÄSS BAR
When I visit foreign places, I like to walk around and explore.
Many in my group visited Mount Pilatus overlooking Lucerne. I walked around and dipped my feet into the cold waters of Lake Lucerne, went to the Farmers Market and checked out the Äss Bar!
When I posted this photo on Facebook, it got many smiley face emoji responses. Get your mind out of the gutter!
Äss Bar is a play on the Swiss-German word for “essbar” — meaning “edible”.
So, Äss Bar goes to restaurants and bakeries collecting leftover desserts and sandwiches and sells them at highly reduced prices. This cuts back on waste!
I came out of Äss Bar with these desserts on my two visits within an hour. (Yes, they added more treats between visits!)
Along with my leftover cheese, chorizo, and cucumber from the night before, my Äss Bar treats and wine made for a tasty lunch before we boarded the bus to take us to the cruise ship in Basel and to unlimited food!!!
BASEL & CRUISE
As we approached Basel and the Emerald Dawn cruise ship, we basically drove through Switzerland, France, and Germany in a short stretch of roadway.
The lobby on the very clean and gorgeous cruise ship was a spectacle. Check-in was quick and then we were off to make our way “down” the Rhine River, which was actually north!
As we passed through the first of four locks that first evening, we enjoyed the first of many delicious meals.
My first meal was seared hake fish fillet and poppy seed with sautéed vegetables and broccoli puree.
For dessert, I ordered a cheese platter to share with others at my table to go along with my lemon and nougat profiteroles, custard and chocolate sauce.
It set the bar high for my culinary adventure in the week ahead!
And, my first server on the Emerald Dawn, Ivan, was also working his first cruise.
He was very attentive and professional. Ivan is a great addition to an amazing crew. (It didn’t hurt that he was attractive and very sociable.)
Later in the cruise, when I was walking and reading on the Sun Deck, he nicknamed me “Professor”!
BREISACH, GERMANY
Breisach, Germany, and Neuf-Breisach, France, two towns divided my the Rhine River, was our first stop on the cruise.
While there was a nice scenic view of the beginning of the Black Forest from the German side, I certainly would have preferred to keep sailing on to Strasbourg, France, so that we could spend more time (or all night) in Cologne, Germany later in the cruise.
In one garden, I found a fig tree that was the opposite of mine at home.
This one, outdoors in Germany, had many figs on it and just a few leaves, while mine at home has plenty of leaves on it. However, in all the years I’ve had it, it’s only produced one fig that didn’t even mature before it fell off!
In Breisach, I did get this photo, which is one of my favorites on the trip.
The highlight of this stop from a shopping standpoint was a bakery on the French side and an ice cream shop and a souvenir store on the German side. It was here that I bought my first of three souvenirs to bring home.
I plan on having one of the miniature liquors each day leading up to Christmas this year because the packaging gives me a holiday feel!
STRASBOURG, FRANCE
Our next stop was in Kehl, Germany and we crossed the river by bus to visit the capital of the Alsace Region of France — Strasbourg.
I definitely loved the historical city centre with all the canals!
And, this captured my attention and imagination inside one of the beautiful churches.
It was also outside a candy store there that I met one of the best looking men in Europe! He was the best kind of man — he didn’t talk!
I took a cue from him not to smile to work on my sullen, sultry look.
In Strasbourg, I made the second of my European souvenir purchases.
In Branson, Missouri, last October, my sister, Tammy, and her boyfriend bought me one of these plaques in English. Miss Xanadu was not impressed — whether in English or in French!
That night at dinner, I had one of my favorite appetizers. Asparagus is in season there and the white asparagus was incredible.
I could have eaten just asparagus that night and been in heaven. On the other plate, grilled vegetables, shaved Parmigiano and balsamic sauce.
I worked it off that night by feeling like an extra in “Mamma Mia” and dancing to almost every ABBA song Benny performed. I think the last time I danced was about ten years ago in Chicago!
LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY
As we cruised along the Rhine River, I enjoyed another fantastic breakfast.
Before the trip, I hoped that smoked salmon and capers would be served for breakfast. The “Emerald Dawn” did NOT disappoint and I had it for breakfast all seven days of the cruise.
While I had already sampled the real thing, at this breakfast I made my own version of Black Forest Cake with a chocolate swirl cake and cherries (and walnuts).
We visited Schwetzingen Palace, which featured pretty gardens and a beautiful fountain.
Once we toured the palace, I had one of my best meals (for lunch, even) — Pangasius fish Finkenwerder style with bacon, shrimp, onion, dill, potatoes and leaf spinach!
KOBLENZ, GERMANY
As we sailed through the Rhine Gorge, it was breathtaking seeing the lush green fields and vineyards on both sides passing medieval castle after castle.
We docked in the 2000-year-old town of Koblenz, where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers come together.
After the walking tour, I took a fun cable car ride over the River to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.
This fortress was part of the Prussian defense against the French in the 1800s. The American military used it a headquarters during WWII.
Then it was back to the ship for “Tea Time” before I went back out to walk around near the River.
COLOGNE, GERMANY
Don’t get me wrong — the trip was amazing and the food was unbelievable. However, my only disappointment (or the one thing I’d change) is something I mentioned earlier — skipping the first stop and spending more than just a few hours in Cologne (Köln) — the fourth largest city in Germany.
Even while walking around the Old Town of the city founded by the Romans gazing at the UNESCO World Heritage gothic cathedral, I’m sidetracked by baked goods!
We then visited the gorgeous Cologne Botanical Gardens.
The beauty was just a preview for the mind-blowing Keukenhof Gardens near Amsterdam, the Netherlands the next day.
While people started boarding the bus back to the ship, I noticed a Ferris Wheel and walked over to look at the Cologne Zoological Garden entrance and watched this adorable creature having salad for lunch.
Back at the ship late that afternoon, I gathered my group for a cocktail and a group photo. I had a “Ginger Spritz” (Prosecco, ginger and mint).
That evening, it was the Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner and maybe because I was a “Tour Group Leader”, I was asked to join the Captain at his table for a five-course dinner.
You probably gathered earlier that I love, love, love smoked salmon since I had a large portion at breakfast all seven days. I also had it in another form at lunch one day.
And, for the Captain’s Dinner, I had it as an appetizer.
That’s Smoked Salmon Carpaccio (salmon mousse, apple celery salad & citrus vinaigrette). It was followed by a Grilled Watermelon & Rocket Salad with a goat cheese crostini & raspberry vinaigrette.
The third course was something out of a Hannibal Lecter dinner party (sans human body parts) — lemon sorbet with sparkling wine and rose flower.
For my entrée that night, you can take the boy of Kentucky and put him in Europe, but he’ll still find white beans!
That’s seared pollock fish fillet with a bouillabaisse sauce and creamy white beans. And, for dessert, we had chocolate fondant with a berries sauce.
Once the captain departed, our stomachs were full and the wine glasses were emptied, it was time to dance it off at “Disco Night”.
While I danced again and there was no Donna Summer (yet, we heard “YMCA” by the Village People), Benny did play “Padam Padam” by Kylie Minogue for me — so European!
At last, the night was over and the glow stick was retired. The next morning would be the last full day of our European adventure.
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
Back in the summer of 2017 on my way to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, I was at the airport in Amsterdam.
But, flash forward back to 2024, this time I saw Amsterdam in all of its glory and beauty.
As we arrived at the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens (the “Garden of Europe”), it was cold and rainy.
That didn’t dampen our spirits with the stellar beauty of 7.5 million tulips smiling at us. How could you not smile back?
For six weeks in April and May, these tulips are center stage for an average of 13-thousand visitors each day!
We also heard why the gardeners at Keukenhof were “beheading” the beautiful flowering tulips. (It allows the plants’ energy to make the bulb stronger so it grows to top size.)
Here were two of my favorites: This one looks like Jack Frost visited overnight!
And, this one may not even be a tulip (?)!
And, I bought my final souvenir at the garden, a bouquet of wooden tulips!
Back on the boat at lunch, I had herring for the first time. While fishy, the cream cheese and garlic made it tasty and edible.
It must not have been that bad — I had herring again for dinner that night as an appetizer. This is marinated herring, potatoes, red onion, quail egg & vinaigrette.
But, before dinner, a group of us took a boat canal ride to see Amsterdam.
By the way, Amsterdam has more canals than Venice!
THE FLIGHT BACK TO THE U.S.
Luckily, the flight to Europe and the two flights back to the U.S. were on time, even though it was a 25-hour day on the return.
On the flight back, the Mediterranean chicken dish served by United Airlines was tasty and so was the Pesto Pizza Twist snack before we landed in Washington D.C.
During the flight home, I watched the first season of Max’s “Julia”, about Chef Julia Child.
Why not? I had just gained four pounds eating French and European food and drinking many glasses of wine!
While the meals were tasty, the dessert makes it into the next topic.
MARY SUMMED IT BEST
On the evening of the Captain’s Farewell Dinner, I had a lot going on — getting my group together for a drink and a group photo and sitting at the Captain’s table.
I got dressed and I rushed out of my room and ran into Mary, a woman in my group, in the lobby by the reception desk. She alerted me I still had a Q-Tip in my ear! LOL
She said to me, “We can’t take you anywhere”!
And, that was before the flight home when I let the meal dessert — the European version of “Hershey Kisses” — melt in my seat pocket. Not knowing that, I gracefully placed the opened package in my lap.
Let’s just say, I’m glad most of the chocolate was on the front of my jeans than on the back!
Needless to say, I used my jacket to try to hide the mess and after we got through customs, I grabbed a pair of jeans out of my suitcase before re-checking my luggage!
HELLO MISS XANADU — IS DADDY FORGIVEN FOR LEAVING?
Once I knew I was getting Xanadu in early 2023, I didn’t even renew my expiring passport when I returned from Turkey in November 2022.
Although I said when I got #Pug20-something, I’d still travel and not have a problem boarding her.
That was easier said than done once the trip got closer. I was a basket case worrying how she’d handle being away from me for the first time and away from her home for 12 nights!
She handled it much better than I did and actually enjoyed herself.
Our reunion was great just nine hours after I returned home.
Now, I’ve decided if I get a chance to see Kylie Minogue in Vegas, Miss Xanadu can go visit her puppy friends again.
During the trip, a friend shared this with me and it made me smile.
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?
A few days after we returned from the amazing trip, I had a post-mortem (that sounds so ghoulish — how about “ex post facto” meeting?) with Becky from Tour Group Planners in Decatur, Illinois, that organized the trip.
She asked if I’d be a “Tour Group Leader” on another trip and without hesitation, I said, “Yes”, and then she asked where I’d like to go.
While I mentioned two trips on my “bucket list”, an extended visit to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and a trip to India, I don’t think those would be high on other people’s dream vacation list.
So, if another opportunity arises to be a “Tour Group Leader” again, I’ll go.
Becky, if a trip to Iceland, South Africa (with a safari) or another cruise comes up (Alaska or Mediterranean), you have my number!
By the way, here is my group (all but two people) on the Tulip/Rhine River adventure.
ONE MORE REGRET IN LIFE…
Now that I experienced being a “Tour Group Leader”, I wish I had pursued a venture in the travel industry in my 20s instead of waiting tables while waiting for my television news career to start.
I would’ve seen the world in youth instead of waiting until I was 49-years-old!
However, since I got that first passport in 2013, I’ve been fortunate to use it many times. Here are a few photos of my favorite trips:
Israel (2014)
While I’ll never top my 50th birthday with a Seine River Dinner Cruise, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and sipping champagne at the historic Moulin Rouge right at midnight, my few days in Tel Aviv on that same trip were fun.
This was my post-50th birthday dessert at Yotveta — waffles, chocolate syrup, bananas, diced fruit and whipped topping with coconut, pistachio, caramel, and vanilla ice cream!
But, one of my favorite meals ever was also in Tel Aviv at Benny the Fisherman, right on the Mediterranean.
This was the “salad” before the entrees!
Scandinavia (2017)
Morocco (2018)
Greece (2021)
Turkey (2022)
That’s Eleanor and Allison with me with Greece and a beautiful sunset behind us.
We had such a great time together in Turkey that Miss Xanadu and I are planning to visit them next summer, which will be my first visit to New England!
THANK YOU AGAIN!
Becky and Amy of “Tour Group Planners”, thank you again for organizing this incredible trip and allowing me to be a part of it!
THAT’S IT
With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!
Anthony
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