In
Koblenz, Germany we were moored at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine
Rivers.
After
lunch I decided to stroll back to the point to better see the Kaiser Wilhelm
statue. It only took a few minutes to stroll the cobbled promenade to my
destination.
We had unseasonably hot weather on this trip all the
time we were in Germany and Austria. The normal temperatures of 72-75 became
mid to high 90s with several days over 100. This was a 90s+ day. My travel companion decided it was too warm for her
and elected to stay aboard the boat.
The
bronze statue of Wilhelm on his horse is huge. The original
statue was destroyed, but replaced in 1990. Many concrete steps lead up to the
monument, but I chose not to climb them. I walked all around the statue and
then strolled along the Rhine River for a short way.
It seemed as
if I should be able to cut over to the Mosel River by taking any street as the two rivers
form a triangle of land. I walked through a residential area for some time, but
the Mosel was elusive. I was just about ready to turn around and retrace my steps
when I saw a couple of young men speaking to a girl getting into a car. It
sounded like English.
“Do you
fellows speak English?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“I’m trying
to get to the Mosel. Can’t I cut across here somewhere?”
They started
to give me directions and then said, “We’re headed that way. We’ll show you, if
you like.”
As we walked
I learned they were Mormons doing their missionary work in Koblenz. It’s hard
to miss them dressed in their black pants and white shirt and tie. They were
most pleasant and we had a nice visit while walking. I was grateful to the
kind boys for their help.
When we reached the alley/road, which
I would never have given a second glance to, I was glad they had walked along
with me. I made a right turn and suddenly I was on the Mosel only a few feet
away from the boat.
After
a tram ride to Helsinki’s city center we decided to do a bit of site-seeing before
returning to our hotel that was a bit out of the city center. Our guide had
taken us on a city orientation jaunt. The tram stopped right in front of our hotel.
My
regular travel companion has a great sense of direction so on the trips we make
together I defer to her to get us around. This trip I was with a new travel
companion so I paid close attention to
how the tram traveled as we planned to walk back to the hotel. Since this gal knew
it all I caved on her insistence that she read the map. We started out okay,
but before long nothing looked familiar and I said, “I think we missed a turn.
We should have followed the trolley tracks.”
She
was sure we were going the right way, so we kept walking. It was a nice walk
through a neighborhood, but it still is not smart to wander around in unknown
places in a new and strange city. To make a long story short we walked our
bloody legs off for three miles. The streets were quiet and of course there was
no car, cab or bus any where in sight.
Finally
we spotted the hotel and as it turned out we had taken the VERY long way back
following the waterfront. After that and a bit of annoyance on my part she
spent the rest of the trip proving to me she could
read a map, and we never got lost again! The following day we walked downtown
and it took us less than 15 minutes----easy when you go in a straight line!
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