Ozbrecht 2017 - Europe's Rhine & Danube Rivers
Bamberg, Germany
Day 10 - July 2
While sailing up the Main River toward Bamberg, our onboard visitor is Karl Ittig, a glassblower from Wertheim
Notice the beautiful finished glasswork in front of Karl
Hot. He took one of these glass tubes and stretched it to about 25 feet. That’s what is done to create fiber optic cable
Hard to see - Karl invited this traveler to come up and help him create a simple but pretty colorful ball
A finished product. Not made onboard - Karl brought many finished products with him. Kathy bought some jewelry. I bought some gifts for family and friends
Bamberg. In the early 11th century, Emperor Heinrich II made Bamberg the center of the Holy Roman Empire and wanted it to become the second Rome. It is similar to to Rome in the fact that it is built on 7 hills. No hills in this picture
The Centurion
Painting on the Town Hall
A little fella escaping…watch out, river below!
Altes Rathaus - Town Hall again. I called him Curly
Bamberg Cathedral. Sits on one of the 7 hills. Every cathedral we saw had scaffolding on some part of it. Like painting the Golden Gate Bridge
Bamberg Cathedral - the Prince’s Portal
Bamberg Cathedral - let go of me!
Bamberg Cathedral
Tomb
Organ pipes
Bamberg panorama
Flowers of Bamberg
Tudor flowers
Streets of Bamberg
Schlenkerla Rauchbierbrauerei. Famous brewery
Rauchbier, or “smoky beer.” In the past, all German beers were rauchbier - drying the green malt over open fires, giving the beer a smoky flavor.
Schlenkerla has continued to smoke its beer over open beechwood log fires for 200 years now. We were warned that this beer would be different - for some, like drinking dust. It was yummy!
Day 10 - July 2
Bamberg, Germany
Again this morning we sailed toward our afternoon destination, Bamberg. While sailing, we were treated to a glassblowing demonstration by Karl Ittig of Wertheim. Karl made some very simple creations during his demonstration, and had many other more intricate designs for sale. Kathy bought some jewelry, and I ordered some gifts to be shipped home.
Another walking tour, in Bamberg. Where Wurzburg was in Lower Franconia, Bamberg is in Upper Franconia. The entire Franconian region is famous for its fine white wines. In the 11th century, Bamberg was the northern center of the Holy Roman Empire, a second Rome – also built on 7 hills (each with a church on top). Bamberg’s skyline is punctuated by church steeples. The architecture here is Romanesque with a tinge of Gothic. Bamberg later became famous in the 17th century for its witch trials. It is one of the few cities in Germany not destroyed in World War II.
Our walking tour took us past Bamberg’s Town Hall, with a beautiful painting on one side. The cathedral is pretty typical – again, not my favorite. That’s coming!
Our free time took us through the streets of Bamberg, eventually to Schlenkerla Rauchbierbrauerei, a famous brewery, and our dusty, smoky rauchbier!