Festive Fairy Tale, Christmas Day

Day 5, Strasbourg

We weren't supposed to arrive in Strasbourg until 09:30 or thereabouts, but in fact we were docked by 6:00. We assume because there were no queues for the locks to get in, as it is Christmas. 

There was supposed to be Buck's Fizz at breakfast, but we weren't offered any, but we probably just as well! we After breakfast, there was a "pause for reflection", not exactly a Christmas service, and then it was time to get ready to go on the expedition.

We are moored quite a way out of town, almost in Kehl, and there was a coach that not only took us into the town, but drove all round it first. Then there was a walk around the town centre - I took an inordinate number of photographs considering that we have been here before and will come again! 

After that, a boat trip, which again we have done before, but still worth doing, to remind us of the various places. And a long, long walk back to where the bus was parked, which wouldn't have been so bad if the cruise director hadn't walked far too fast, so I ended up feeling breathless and unwell. However, I recovered during the drive back to the ship, and a glass of white wine with a judicious lunch (want to be hungry tonight!) soon finished the cure. 

I spent the afternoon reading and watching the service from Brixton Hill (not live!), and then I went into the lounge to watch the King - the Swan Whisperer had gone back into town to see the illuminations, as he always does. He is now back and we are going to ring the family before dinner. 

Festive Fairy Tale, Christmas Eve

Day 4, Mannheim and Heidelberg

I don't know what was particularly German about last night's dinner! It was OK, I suppose; one of those "tasting menus" with tiny bits of this and that, some extremely delicious soup, mussels, which I didn't take (don't like them much), Then a choice of chicken something or a pancake stuffed with mushrooms, which I chose, but didn't really like, so left half of it. Then a chocolatey set of puddings, and we thought there would be cheese, but there wasn't. Pity, I wanted something savoury! But not particularly German, I didn't think, and not really to my taste except the soup! 

Then there was a violinist, who was very talented, but it was billed as classical and carols, but mostly he played music from films. But extremely well, and I enjoyed it. No carols, though. 

This morning, we had booked on the tour of Heidelberg, which left horrendously early - well, 08:45, which is horrendously early when you're on holiday. The coach took us up to Heidelberg Castle,

where our guide, while knowledgeable and enthusiastic, told us far too many anecdotes about it, and couldn't walk more than 3 steps without stopping to say something else. I don't think he realised we could hear him on our vox boxes even if he turned round and walked on.

There was a lot of interesting stuff, though, like one of the Kings being married to the daughter of James I/VI, and being in love with her. And that the castle was destroyed by the French in the 30 years' war, but the ruins have been carefully curated since Victorian times!

The coach took us back down into Heidelberg, to the drop-off point for the Altstadt, and our guide led us into the main square and then abandoned us to look round on our own, as he was not coming back with us.  We have been before, years ago, but walked along a bit and then went down to the river - the Necker - and went under the old bridge

back to the meeting-point, where there were benches we could wait on until our coach arrived.

There were hamburgers for lunch, and then both of us had a long nap! Afternoon tea was being served today, but neither of us was hungry, so we just had a cup of tea in our room. And now we are listening to the service from King's, which is a Christmas "must" for us. Sadly, there is no service on the ship tomorrow, and we will be out when our own service is live-streamed, but never mind. Third year running we haven't been able to go to Church on Christmas Day.

Photos on Facebook, as per. 

Kingston Christmas Markets

The Swan Whisperer noticed, earlier in the week, that he was no longer taking one day a week to go for a long walk, or anything similar.  Meanwhile, I ordered something off the Amazon Treasure Truck, and the easiest place for me to pick this up is at Clapham Junction Station.  And a conversation with a Facebook friend reminded me of this article I'd read on Londonist.  So I suggested we took ourselves to the Christmas market in Kingston-upon-Thames. 

At first we weren't quite sure whether we could get there because of the strike on South West Trains, or whatever they call themselves these days (I am VERY not pleased with them, not about the strike, but because I bought my train tickets off their website and now they are making a fuss about refunding them - had I bought them on Southern, I would have had the refund within minutes of knowing the event I'd been going to wasn't happening.  Very unimpressed, and will not be using their site again).  Anyway, keeping an eye on live departures, etc, soon reassured us that trains were running quite happily, and as it was within the limits of our Freedom Pass, we set off at about 14:30 (Christmas markets are always better in the dark!), and arrived at twilight.

The market wasn't as wonderful as the Londonist article makes it sound.  It was in two parts - the Alpine Village in the churchyard,

and then another area in what I think is called the Ancient Market.  The latter was bigger, and a great many food stalls - the big problem about visiting at that time of day is that it isn't a mealtime! We pottered around and bought one or two stocking-fillers, and looked for some others, and then, because neither of us had been in Kingston before, we went to see the Coronation Stone.  This was oddly impressive, I thought. 

From there, it was only a few steps to a bus stop from where we could catch a bus to the very impressive Modernist Surbiton station, and a train back to Clapham Junction came a very few minutes later.

On balance, although the market was nothing like as impressive as the one in Strasbourg we hope to visit next week, it was fun, and a pleasant afternoon out.  And we treated ourselves to a ready-meal from M&S as a reward for not having succumbed to the lure of bratwurst and gluehwein!