Thank You

By Hank Schrader

My regular Thursday blog is going to be very short this week. Anne and I are driving up to Dallas-Ft. Worth to attend the Army Air Force game in the Rangers home stadium.

I’ve been to countless Army football games but that is not the reason it will be special, even though it is against another service academy. We love each other 364 days a year except for 3 hours during the game—that’s what makes these rivalries so neat—we wind up defending our country together as brothers and sisters in arms.

My 1967 picture as a plebe (freshman) at West Point

It’s my class of 1971 West Point 50 year reunion. I’m sure I’ll see a few guys I haven’t seen in 50 years. That will be special and I owe a lot of them thanks. We laughed, cried suffered, triumphed and managed to make it through 47 months together from 1967 to 1971.

We quickly learned to help one another just to survive. I owe a great deal of thanks to those who helped me and pushed me to get better.

The same goes for my Army career. An Army Officer never does it alone—you lead but it is a team and I owe a great deal to the officers, NCOs and soldiers I served with in my 20 years. Many shaped me, helped me and trusted me the lead them and helped me grow and become a better person and soldier.

Along the way, I have another person to say thank you to—my lovely wife Martha Anne Schrader. Growth comes from partnership, trust and her unwavering way of challenging me. I often seem to fight it but she is about 99.9% right. Thank you dear—I often need it and you have given my life purpose. In short, you Rock! I try to say thank you every day to her but I’m sure I missed a few, so to make up thanks for making my life better.

Next my school and coaching career. No finer thing can be said about teaching and coaching—you influence lives but again they all must trust you and allow you to help them grow up. Thanks for giving me the chance to teach and coach—we did it together but you had to let me have the chance.

Last but not least, thank you to all who have trusted us with their vacations. You have made our business great but it has always been a team effort.

We should all say thank you more. I’m sure I’ll miss saying it to someone I should have this weekend.

Maybe they will read this and remember I meant to say it but didn’t.

Again, thanks to all! I will try hard to say in person to everyone I see this weekend, but if I miss you know I still thank you! If you only read it—that’s OK also!

Please say thank you to someone today to make up for those I missed along the way!

THANK YOU TO All!!

Hank

Spooky River Cruise Ports and Places

Spooky River Cruise Ports

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Halloween is this Sunday 31 October 2021.

I thought you might enjoy some spooky places you could visit while on a river cruise.

So, let’s explore together and learn about Halloween—you won’t be disappointed!

The Origins of Halloween

According to the website of History.com, Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, in which folks would build huge bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.

In the 8th Century, when Pop Gregory declared that November 1st was All Saints Day, the time to honor and remember all the Saints.

Over time some of the traditions of Samhain were incorporated into the All Saints Day and the evening before was called All Hallows Eve.

Now, the celebration has become the traditions we observe today and we enjoy dressing up in costumes, kids and adults get to trick-or-treat and we all are reminded of scary places in the world.

Rhine River Spooky Places

Rheinfels Castle, in the Rhine River Gorge, was the largest castle in this wonderful collection of 40 castles.  While most is in ruins today, it had an extensive maze works of tunnels that the defenders could use to make surprise attacks on any enemy forces if the castle was under attack.

Rheinfels Castle ruins has a series of tunnels and catacombs that legend says have perished soldiers ghosts haunting these ruins.

The spooky facts are many ghosts of these defenders are said to still roam these areas, as explosive accidents and actual seizes cause them to lose their lives.  Paranormal investigators claim there are shadows and unexplained activity in the foundations, especially the catacombs area.  You can actually stay here if desire or like me, just enjoy the view while sailing the Rhine River Gorge.

Further down the Gorge area Reichstein Castle is another haunted place.

Reichstein Castle is said to be haunted by a ghost of a previous lord of the castle who was beheaded

According to the legend, a headless ghost wanders the castle.

Here is the story—in the 16th century, the Holy Roman Emperor, ordered the lord of the castle and his 9 sons hanged.  The lord of the castle, offered his executioners a deal—if they chopped of his head and he managed to walk past his 9 sons headless, then they were to be spared.

His head was cut off, but he managed to walk past all 9 sons before tumbling to the ground.  He saved his sons, but still roams the grounds.

Mauseturn Toll Tower

Mauseturn Toll Tower is another spooky place,

The legend of this tower is that the Archbishop of Mainz, Hatto, collected a corn tithe from the river barges. After one year of bad harvest, peasants came asking for grain.

He sent the peasants to the storage barn, locked then in and burned it down.

All died except the mice, who chased Hatto to the Mauseturn (mice tower) and ate him alive. It is empty today.

Lorelei Rock, a bend in the Rhine River south of St. Goarshausen, is another spooky place.

The legend is of a siren who lures sailors to their doom in this most dangerous part of the Rhine.  Here is the story—a beautiful maiden fell in love with a sailor, they became lovers, and he promised to return for her.  She waited faithfully for his return on a rock at the narrowest and shallowest point of this part of the Rhine River.

He never returned and she jumped off the rock to her death. 

The legend now says her spirit sits on the rock, combing her beautiful hair, and softly singing.  The spirit seeks revenge against her unfaithful lover.  Sailors are so enchanted with her beauty, they become distracted and either crash or perish in these dangerous waters.

Moselle River Spooky Places

Reichsburg is another spooky place, but doesn’t look spooky.

Cochem Castle

The tower just in front of the big square tower keep, that is white stone and a pointed roof is the Witches Tower.

Standing on a hill 300 feet above the town of Cochem, this elaborately restored castle (it was destroyed by the French in 1689) is a fun and interesting visit.  Many river cruise companies visit this castle.

The original castle, whose first purpose like many others on the rivers of Germany was to collect tolls, was rebuilt from 1868 to 1890.

While not authentic, it is still cool—great vistas, interesting rooms, perhaps most importantly, at first glance, it is an impressive structure and I enjoyed visiting it. 

What makes it spooky, is the Witches Tower, the oldest part of the original castle.  In medieval times it was used as a witchcraft trail place.  The horrible way to determine if she was a witch or not was to throw the lady out of a window.  If they died, they were given a Christian burial, since they were not a witch!

Harsh times, and very spooky!

Danube River Spooky Places

Braun Castle

In Romania, Braun Castle guards the strategic pass between Transylvania and Wallachia and is renowned as home to Vlad the Impaler, or as most folks want to remember him, as Dracula’s castle.

Most of this legend comes from the novel of Dracula, but the castle is supposed to belong to Vlad, although he perhaps spent 2 months at best here. Not really his castle, but it’s good enough for me—it is still a cool castle! 

We visited on a rainy day and after going in the strong castle doors, to get to the main floors, we had to go up the very tight, windy stairway that spiraled in a spooky fashion.

The castle rooms look quite lived in, since they have been remodeled several times, but with passage ways and small connecting rooms, it is a fun visit.

Next is the lonely Danube castle of Baba Vida in Bulgaria.  This castle is named after Vida, the daughter of a wealthy Bulgarian boyar. 

According to the legend, due to the unsuccessful marriages of her two sisters—Kula and Gamza, Vida rejected all proposals for marriage, built the castle and remained in it for the rest of her life as the protector of Vidin.  It is said her ghost roams the castle and grounds, serving to ward of enemies and evil doers of the world and the world of spirits.

Somehow, knowing the legend, and seeing this small but well-constructed castle, I could easily see her spirit standing in defense of the invading Turks.

Baba Vida castle is a common stop by many river cruise lines while sailing the lower Danube, and Braun Castle is a common post cruise land extension.

Nile River Spooky Places

Last, but not least, is the “Curse of the Nile.”  King Tut’s tomb was discovered untouched in the Valley of the Kings.  The leader of the expedition, late in 1922, the British archaeologist Howard Carter, discovered the tomb, along with the 5th Lord of Carnarvon, who financed the project.  It was full of treasures and an amazing discovery.

The news of the discovery quickly became a worldwide press sensation.  As one sensational story followed another, some writers began to tell of the Curse of the Pharaohs.

New York World magazine published the best-selling novelist Marie Corelli’s speculations that “the most dire punishment follows any rash intruder into a sealed tomb”

Then It was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous author of Sherlock Holmes fame who started the speculation when he told the American press that ‘an evil elemental’ spirit created by priests to protect the mummy” and thus was born the legend of the curse of the Nile.

When first the Lord died suddenly and then Howard Carter died next, the legend now persists to today and has been the source for many horror movies.

Visits to the Egyptian Museum and the Valley of the Kings are common on many Nile River Cruises

My Final Thoughts

Wow—Spooky Places 

We hope you enjoyed this report—but be careful out there this Halloween and during your various river cruise trips—we don’t want and ghost or spirits spooky you!.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Part 2: A Great Time to River Cruise

Part 2: A Great Time to River Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

This is part 2 of A Great Time to River Cruise.

Neil and Ginnie just finished a 14 Day Danube River Cruise.  They sailed starting on 26 September 2021 and ended their cruise on 10 October 2021.

Neil and Ginnie

She is such a good writer and so honest, I ask her permission to use her thoughts and put them into a question and answer format, just like part 1 of A Great Time to River Cruise.

We are also using their pictures to document their journey!

So, let’s explore together and learn about Ginnie’s thoughts in her own Words—you won’t be disappointed!

“The overall travel experience on our 14 day Grand Danube Cruise with AMA Waterways was superb!”

Question # 1:  What did you think about your Stateroom?

“Our stateroom was great.  We had a veranda and a balcony - what a pleasure it was to sit out and watch the Danube flow by.  We often saw groups of swans in the Danube.

  The rooms are not big but are very well designed.  We slept well - the bed was really comfortable.” 

Art on the AmaVerde

Question #2:  What was your thoughts about the Cruise Director and the Crew?

“Our cruise Directors, Pau (Upper Danube) and Florentin (lower Danube), were outstanding.  They gave presentations on all the excursions so that we could pick the right one for us, which was very helpful.   

We were always kept informed of any changes, issues, etc.  They were both positive, upbeat and fun and brought a sense of adventure and excitement to the cruise.

I can't say enough positive about the staff we interacted with, mainly in the dining room.  It was wonderful to meet so many from other countries and talk with them. 

The professionalism of the service in every area (dining room, lounge, chef's table, etc.) was impressive.

My husband and I sat at the same table for every meal (one of the COVID protocols) and our server was Andy at every meal.  He was fantastic - I think he could read our minds on what we needed!

The staff seemed thrilled to be working and enjoying having travelers on board again.

Our room was also kept neat and spotless - I certainly felt that I was in a high end hotel room (albeit a rather small one - LOL!)

Narcis was the crew member taking care of our room and his housekeeping was 1000% better than mine. I will miss the chocolate on my pillow every night.

We never met any of the engineering crew - the ones who keep the ship going!  But I have to thank them - the cruise was smooth and easy.

When we experienced some wind towards the end in the lower Danube, the ship remained stable --this was important to me because I get seasick really easily - and I had no problem at all.”

Question # 3:  How was the food and wine during your cruise?

“The food and wine were outstanding.  At every meal there was an extensive menu of choices so everyone will find something wonderful to eat. 

We also dined a couple of times at the "Chef's Table", where the Chef cooked a special meal for a small group of people - it was fabulous. 

I'm depressed thinking about going back to my own home cooking!!  The wine served at the Chef's Table perfectly complemented the food.  What a unique experience!

At dinner we were always offered a red or white wine, and the wine steward provided details about each wine. 

I should also mention that the portions were reasonable.  I had recently lost 15 pounds and didn't want to get stuffed with food on the cruise.  I was able to eat extremely well and even enjoy desserts (ice cream being a favorite) and not gain weight. 

 Of course, if someone wants a lot more, that's completely possible - you can order as much as you want.  You want 5 desserts or 3 main courses - go for it!” 

Question# 4:  Did you feel safe during your 14 day cruise?

“Safety - both from a ship/sailing perspective and COVID were primary areas of focus by the Captain, Cruise Director, and crew members.

I recall talking to the Captain when we experienced some windy weather in the lower Danube for a couple of days.  He did a superb job navigating through that area.  He told me that he'd been on boats since he was 3 years old with his dad!

With respect to COVID, there were many protocols in place to keep us safe.

Every morning our temperature was taken.

Everyone on the ship was vaccinated. 

We had to mask when walking through the ship and could only take it off when sitting to eat.

AMA also arranged for 2 COVID tests which were required by countries we were entering. 

Everything went extremely smoothly - and everyone tested negative!”

Question # 5:  We always tell potential clients that the primary reason to go on a river cruise is to see and do things.  Did the included excursions meet your expectations—did you get to see and do things?

“A choice of excursions was available in each location.  These included bike tours, hikes, and walking tours.  Walking tours were available for regular and gentle walkers. 

The local guides who took us on the tours were professional and knowledgeable.  Some were also hysterically funny.

In Passau I decided to be adventurous and hike up to a fortress - it was tough but I made it. The view was superb and I was able to get some wonderful pictures.   

My husband is more athletic than I am - he went on several bike tours and also he would often run through the local city in the early evening - he really enjoyed that.”

Question # 6:  A river cruise entertainment is quite different than big ocean cruises.  Would you please comment on the evening entertainment?

“On a few occasions we had special evening entertainment or events.

My husband Neil enjoyed a wine tasting event.   

We had an "Oktoberfest event" in Vilshofen to kick off the cruise.  Five guys in lederhosen-- I honestly thought it would be corny - but it was so fun!  Everyone was rocking and rolling!

Beer on demand.  :-)  

Another event was Serbian dancers.  Again, I thought it would be corny - but their dancing and moves were amazing   I'm 69 with a bad knee so I could only dream of doing the moves they did.” 

Question # 7:  What did you think about the cruise itinerary?

“Cruising the Danube was a beyond superb experience.

The Danube is a calm river and it was relaxing and peaceful to cruise along.  We loved seeing amazing places --castles and fortresses, older cities with unique architecture, the Wachau Valley (very special and beautiful), the Iron Gates, - too many to name here.”

The Village of Durnsteim

The Path up from the Danube to Durstein

Bratislava Statue

Bratislava Fortress

Church in the Iron Gates

Decbalus, the last prince Dracians (87-106). It is 40 meters high in the Iron Gates area.

Golubac Castle

“The visits to wonderful cities, both large and small, were fabulous - including Vienna, Budapest, Vilshofen-- too many to mention here.--We learned so much about the history of Europe. “

Hofburg Palace

The Name of Mary Church in Novi Sad, Serbia with its famous Zsolnay ceramic roof.

Budapest Parliament

Fisherman’s Bastion Budapest

Uncle Charlie Statue in Budapest—rubbing his stout belly is believed to bring you good luck!

Question # 8:  Do you have anything to add that our readers might benefit from your experience?

“I’d like to give a special thanks to Hank Schrader!

When we first started thinking about a river cruise, trying to sort our way through all the various cruise lines and itineraries, it was daunting.  Neither of us had ever done a river cruise.

My husband found Hank's website "Dream Destinations"--and we got in touch with him.  His deep experience and personal knowledge of cruises helped to guide us to pick AMA Waterways.

To be honest, I'd never heard of them before.  Hank takes the time to understand who you are, and what you want in your travel experience.  He listened to us and gave us his thoughts and recommendations.  

He NEVER "pushes product".  He genuinely cares about his clients and wants them to have a fabulous cruise experience.  He helps you work through any challenges to find the right solution.  He is fast and flexible, and always available. “ 

My Final Thoughts

Wow—what a report! 

I think you can see why we are in the travel business and specialize in Europe vacations and European River Cruises—it just is awesome to help folks have a great vacation.

We hope you enjoyed this report.  Ginnie you are a ROCK STAR!!! 

Perhaps, like Ginnie and Neil, you will love the chance to try the river cruise experience, then use us to help guide you and ultimately buy a future cruise credit after you finish your first river cruise, so you can go again. 

I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this report and, as we always say. Thanks for your trust in us!

Thanks Neil and Ginnie for your trust in us!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Stress and Travel

Stress and Travel

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Is it just me, or do you feel a lot of stress and uncertainty in travel today?

Do you long for the good old days of travel, maybe even before the 9/11 attacks?

Even in uncertain times, a new normal emerges.  Yet we can manage travel stress and perhaps this blog will help.

So, let’s look at travel stress.  We will begin by asking ourselves 3 questions about travel stress, then look at time stress during travel, and finally the stress of planning your trip by yourself.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before the Trip to Help Reduce Stress

As a coach and retired Army Officer, the most successful folks always seem to have a plan to adjust to problems.  I like to think of this as 3 possible outcomes.  They are

1.      What is the worse that could happen during my trip?

2.     What is the best that could happen during my trip?

3.     What is the most likely to happen during my trip?

Planning For the Worse

I don’t like to dwell on the negative, but problems do arise during travel and if you don’t have a plan, your stress levels often go through the roof.  So, if you can’t eliminate potential problems—what can you do to mitigate them?

First, evaluate your risk for medical problems, trip interruption and/or trip cancellation.  The most obvious answer is travel insurance.  To help remove that stress factor, we always travel with insurance and recommend our clients also do so. Once you have your travel insurance, just make sure you know how to contact the provider if an emergency comes up.

COVID-19 issues are a big concern for both domestic and international travelers (much more internationally), but just some simple steps can really reduce this stress.

 First, get vaccinated and have proof.  Second, have a digital copy and a paper copy of your vaccination.  Get a PCR test 72 hours before you depart overseas.  Load up a QR code on your smart phone.  Wear a mask when required.

This is our mobile hot spot. You can rent these or buy it as we have.

In our recent trip to Europe in August 2021, we learned we could reduce our stress by bringing some items to deal with these challenges. First, a smart phone and back-up power supply charger for all our electronics. Second, our own hot spot internet connection device. Third, Anne carries all our documents in a passport/wallet type purse that is relatively easy to carry everywhere.

This is my travel vest. Lots of pockets that zip up.

I am also dusting off an old idea—seems like a great time to start bringing my travel vest, with multiple zipper pockets. This solves having to carry a lot of extra things and have a place for each item.

Transportation hassles.  Airport delays and cancellations are the most often cited by travelers as huge stress factors.  Another problem, while not common, is rail strikes in Europe.  So, what do you do?

Air—make sure you buy a ticket with a no-change fee.  We always look for a direct flight to our destination, especially to Europe—less chance for a problem.  But the most important, don’t make the travel time so close to the key events (like a river cruise sailing)—allow a day or 2 extra.

Train—how can you get there by alternate means, a different route or maybe air, a bus or car?  Could you stay an extra day or 2 and then get to your destination?

Unfamiliar Places.  This one may be the easiest of all—just line up your transfers, hotels and maybe even a language APP.  Or, better yet use us, our guides, and most of all, our experience.  It also helps if you look at it from the perspective it will be great new experiences instead of being potentially scary.

Almost all of these problems seem a lot worse than they actually are—trust me we have faced them all and still love to travel, even in these uncertain times.

Planning for the Best

Not many worries here, but just don’t rush things.  A reasonable plan means time to see the key sights, but down time to just explore something new that pops up or to just chill.  Changing cities every day works when you are 21 and eager to see it all.  It just doesn’t work at your 60’s and later.

Planning for the Most Likely

The key is to eliminate the worst as much as possible and make the plan for the best more likely.  I promise you, stress almost goes away when you get the plan just right.  A little tip—use us and it will almost all go away!

Time Stressors for Travelers

There are many time stresses when you travel.  Moving from one place to another in an uncomfortable or rushed manner is often a big stress factor and can make the trip really horrible.

We love train travel in Europe. It has a lot of advantages, especially, high speed train (almost all require an advanced reservation). They are more environmentally friendly than short flights, avoids security checks at airports and a couple of hours waiting for the flight to take off. With a train, you just hop on, and find your seat.

But even these advantages has challenges. Boarding the trains with too much luggage is always a challenge—short boarding times, limited storage space on the train can turn a great method of travel into a stress filled event.

One solution—take twice as much money and half as less clothes. We never have really gotten there but are getting closer.

Even great ideas of train travel can go bad, as the following story will explain how we caused a lot of unnecessary stress on an overnight train.

A Rookie Mistake—A Poor Overnight Train Story

Let me share a story about traveling way back in 1990—we were in Europe during the World Cup soccer tournament.  To save money, we decided to take an overnight train from Paris to Amsterdam.  It was our first time on an overnight train in Europe.

Seemed like a great idea—we would save one nights hotel cost.  The only problem was that our sleeping compartment was not for us alone—when we got on the train we found we were sharing the compartment with 2 strangers from Argentina who were following their soccer team.  It was a very uncomfortable situation to say the least, but luckily since I am fluent in Spanish, we were able to communicate our discomfort and work out who would sleep where.

The train was not air-conditioned or it was not working, so our options were a very hot night of little or no sleep or constant screeching noises with the windows open as other trains roared past us.

When we finally arrived the next morning and found a hotel in a smaller town outside of Amsterdam, we slept for a whole day.  And to add to our discomfort, we both had heat rashes on our legs. 

So folks, we saved some bucks, but lost almost 2 days of our trip.  This is poor travel and our stress levels were through the roof.

 Now we still use overnight trains on occasions but have learned to carefully research all the details and levels of service—a great lesson learned!

Hotel Stressers

Another time stressor is searching for the right hotel.  If you are winging it, this can be another problem.  If you expect a certain level of accommodations, you could be aced out.  

Also consider noise—we once stayed in a very wonderful little village but it was less than 50 meters from the train tracks. You guessed it, all night long we heard constant trains screaming along the tracks. Here is a photo of how pretty it was:

What a wonderful German Village but a hotel too close to the train tracks will often result in a poor night’s sleep, even with ear plugs!

Another stress factor is spending too much or being located in an unsafe part of town—trust me, we had also made these mistakes. The solution—do your homework, or better yet let us plan it for you.

Seeing the Sights and Avoiding Waiting in Long Lines

Even if you get the moving from place to place correctly, and find the right place to stay, perhaps the biggest stress factor is missing a chance to see what you came to see or waiting in long lines to see or experience the sights.

Most key sights are closed on certain days or holidays and can require advance reservations.  For example, few people want to stand in line to see the Vatican Museum for 4 or more hours in the blazing sun during July in Italy—we have witnessed many who have made this travel mistake—if they had reservations, they would have skipped the line altogether.

The Vatican is always crowded. These folks are going towards the Vatican Museum and may have very long waits if they don’t have a reservation.

To get in St. Peter’s Basilica, you must wait in line. This just gives you an idea how many will wait in line and it is worse at the Vatican Museum.

Perhaps one of the most common errors is how many travelers try to see the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam at the last minute—unless you make reservations 2 or more months in advance, you will not get in.  The same goes for the Last Supper painting in Milan—reservations required, often a month or so in advance and only 15 minutes viewing time to see this masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.

The Stress of Making Your Own Plans

Another stress factor is making your own plans.

Will your selections match your expectations (are you sure or just guessing it will be OK)?

Will you miss out on a key experience you did not know about?

Did you forget the transfer from the airport to your hotel?

Did you allow enough time to make a train connection?

Are you in the right place on the right day of your cruise to see the sight you just spent thousands of dollars to see?

Are you prepared to travel during COVID?

The list goes on and on.

Addressing the Stress Factors

To me, this all boils down to two factors—trip satisfaction and convenience.

Every time we plan our own travel, and I see how complex it is to get the trip right, I just can’t understand why some folks believe they can achieve trip satisfaction by doing their own planning.  Maybe they get satisfaction from extensive research. Maybe it is a control factor—I’m just not sure.

Time value experts often ask this question when evaluating convenience and satisfaction—what would you be willing to pay someone to do the work for you?  This is a great question in my mind, and my answer is even better—it usually costs you nothing extra, as the vendors pay us—the price of our services is already factored in to the vacation price.

The reason is simple—the vendors alone can’t reach enough folks to sell their products by themselves, so they use travel professionals like us, to find customers for them.

It is a huge win-win—you are hiring us as your travel expert for free in most case.

 As Anne likes to say, “Free is good!”

My Final Thoughts

Get rid of the Stress—let us figure it out for you.  Trip planning is not easy.  Time and money issues are complex—we all want the best at the least possible price.

We help you solve those complex issues, saving you hassles, time and worry. 

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

72 and Lucky

72 and Lucky

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Yesterday I turned 72.

Hard to believe I’ve been around so long in some ways, but in others I still think of myself as a young man.

I consider myself very lucky.  I’ve had a great life for the most part; done some amazing things, laughed a lot, cried on occasion, loved, and faced the many challenges we all face in life.

My West Point classmate Jeff and I share the same birthday but he is one year older than me

So I thought I’d hit a few highlights and tell you how it lead to our current journey as travel advisors.

My Early Life and High School

My Dad was a career military officer and we moved quite a bit as I grew up.  I liked parts of school and didn’t like others and although I was a pretty good student, I really was not a great student, as I got easily bored in classrooms.  The only thing I constantly excelled in was physical education and sports.

Perhaps the two defining aspects of my early life was earning my Eagle Scout at the age of 13 and living in Okinawa in my junior high school years.  What any eye opening experience to live in Asia as an early teen.  In many ways, it started my lifelong love of travel.

Arriving in Okinawa. My Mom and Dad are in the background

My high school years was a constant climb to improve my grades and by my senior year I was doing very well in school.  But the real story is my track success and playing football. I was number #15 as a running back and wide receiver, we went 9-1 and were third in the state in 1966. I earned 3 varsity letters in track, was named the most valuable track athlete my senior year and was a state track level athlete.

West Point

At 17, I began the next phase of my life for 47 months.  In many ways, I was over my head—I struggled with math and engineering subjects, did alright in social studies, Spanish and physical education.  I was always fighting the many regulations and rules and occasionally got into trouble and was punished for violating this or that, so you can see, I was not a model cadet. 

Photo of me as 17 year old Plebe (first year) cadet

The one constant was the track team, where I earned 5 varsity letters, never lost to Navy in my career during our dual track meets and had some success as member of the mile relay team in some of the bigger national track meets.

Indoor track meet against Navy, where I ran the 2nd leg of the mile relay on the way to a win against Navy

Outdoor track meet against Navy, where I ran the first leg on the way to another victory

At West Point, you are being constantly evaluated in your academic standing and out of 729 members of my 1971 Class, I just managed to rank above 50 of my classmates.

Graduation Day 9 June 1971

So on 9 June 1971 I graduated and my Dad swore me in as a second lieutenant in the US Army. Great day for me and during our 2 month leave period, I traveled to Europe for 6 weeks. Loved it and decided to go there as often as possible.

My Army Career

I served 20 years as an Infantry Officer.  After airborne school, ranger school and the infantry officer basic course, I was finally ready to lead soldiers. I served in the First Infantry Division, then in Panama in the School of the Americas (teaching military subjects in Spanish) and later as a Company Commander of B Company 4/20 Infantry Battalion; next as a physical education instructor at West Point; then in the 7th Infantry Division and my last assignment was an instructor in the US Army Physical Fitness School.

West Point Founder’s Day in Panama with 2 other classmates. From left to right, Hank, Rich and Larry

I' have just finished swimming my command track B6 in Panama—I’m in the turret.

The officers of 4/20 Infantry ready for a field exercise

Ready to hit the jungles of Panama

I retired in 1991 with the rank of Major.  I made many lifelong friends, faced some difficult situations, but for the most part really enjoyed these 20 years.

The best part was meeting Anne and getting married to her in 1987 at Fort Ord, CA.  Best decision I ever made!

Prior to our Wedding Ceremony with Anne and our daughter Kelly.

The second best part was teaching and coaching rugby at West Point—it was the prelude to the next part of my life as a coach and teacher in the civilian sector.

1983 at Sandhurst, England as a coach of the West Point Varsity Team

There were many travel opportunities during this period of my life and Anne and I have always had a passion for European travel, so any chance we could, we visited the Old World.

My Teaching and Coaching Career

I spent the next 20 years as a coach and teacher.  My football coaching career and teaching jobs were at St. John’s Military Academy, Brookfield Central HS (both in WI), at Bellevue, WA (where I helped our team win a State Championship in 2001 as their Defensive Coordinator) and last in TX at Westbury HS.

My football team at St. Jon’s—I was the Head Coach.

2001 State Champions Football team—the Bellevue Wolverines

Since I taught most all the social studies subjects, Anne and I often traveled whenever we could, especially to Europe. I used these travel experiences to help my students learn more about the world around them.

The best part, aside from winning a State Championship, was knowing I helped some young folks develop into productive, educated citizens of our country.

My Travel Advisor Career

In 2011, I retired a second time, this time from teaching and coaching and went full time into our travel business, which we started in 1995.

We have had a lot of success for a small mom and pop company.  We have helped dozens have better vacations, led special tours in Europe, become some of the top river cruise advisors in the US and won a couple of awards in the travel industry.

The best part of business—making vacations better for our clients at no extra cost to them.

Anne & I at the Captain’s Table on a river cruise.

At the Regensburg Christmas markets, each of us wearing our hats made by owner of the Hutkoing

As Anne likes to say “Please remember, it doesn’t cost you anything extra to have us book for you.  The prices you see on vendor’s websites is the price we quote, it just means they pay us a commission and you don’t have the hassle of trying to reach them if you need info or assistance.”

Trust, service, unique knowledge and a quest to give the best possible advice—these are the hallmarks of our business and our core values

72 and Lucky

By now, you probably get it, I am a lucky man with a great wife.  A lot of life experiences have gone into our business.  We never forget how lucky we are.  We use it to help you. Here is how we celebrated last night:

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure Anne and I have shared in life and the travel business.  Thanks for sharing this journey with us!  We look forward to helping you in the future.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

A Great Time to River Cruise!

A Great Time to River Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We have wonderful clients on the 14 day Grand Danube Cruise, who have been sailing on the AmaVerde since 26 September 2021. It is their first river cruise and first time sailing with AmaWaterways.

3 weeks prior to their departure, Amsterdam closed down for 5 days, then reopened (it was their first stop prior to the cruise; it looked like Prague was closing down, then their flight to Munich was cancelled.  They decided to cancel the cruise reluctantly and then Amsterdam reopened.  We scrambled; AmaWaterways rebooked them (thanks Jennifer Maddox who made it all happen at the last minute) and they are presently sailing on the Danube.

The couple, Ginnie and Neil, are really enjoying their cruise and her updates were so good, I ask her permission to share them with you.  I have put them in a question and answer format and basically used her words exactly as she wrote them, with as little editing as possible.  I have tried to use quotations to be clear it is what she wrote to me.

I want to make this clear, it is her report, and I’m sure you will find it fascinating to hear from her about the state of river cruising on AmaWaterways on the Danube during these unique travel times.

She titled her email to me as a great time to river cruise, so she even wrote the title of this blog.

To help add some spice to the report, I have included some of our pictures of the places she and Neil have visited on their cruise.

So, let’s explore together and learn about what it is really like to cruise right now with AmaWaterways in late September and early October 2021.

So, Ginnie tell us about Vilshofen, your embarkation city.

“We arrived yesterday at AMA! And finally had a great sleep.  We enjoyed a lovely dinner and breakfast this morning.  :-) 

Neil went for a run yesterday - which is very important to him - and he loved running through Vilshofen.  It's raining this morning, but I will likely go out for a short walk through town before the ship sails at 11:00 am.”

What about your experience on the AmaVerde?

“AMA is wonderful.   The staff and service are fantastic.  There are only 36 people on board-- the adventurous travelers!   Our room is lovely and very comfortable.  We're going to do the Chef's dinner tonight.”

What are other passengers saying about their trip?

“We had a chat this morning with a gentleman from Sacramento. To our surprise, they were able to easily enter Prague with no issue at all”

Do you find the COVID rules confusing?

“It does seem that while countries are setting out COVID procedures on the internet, there doesn't appear to be enforcement.  We saw that in Amsterdam - and now Prague.”

What did you do in Passau?

“We're having a great time.  Loved Passau - I did the hike up to the fortress (nearly killed me but I did it)!  The view was worth it.

Ginnie walked up this hill in Passau

Another view of the fortress

Her view would have included this great view of the town of Passau

Neil did a bike ride and enjoyed that - once they finally found a helmet for his big head!!! ha ha.”

What did you do on the next day?

“Today we did the Salzburg tour-- the long bus ride was a pain, but once there we went off on our own, enjoyed a bite to eat, hit a museum, and people watched in Mozart Platz.

Mozart Platz

The castle is above Old Town Salzburg

The Salzburg Cathedral

Chef's dinner last night was wonderful, but seriously, as you know, the meals and wine are fantastic.  Staff is great - lots of new folks but they are very friendly and helpful.”

Have you had any problems so far?

“We had an interesting blip in a restaurant today.  It was an outside cafe - and the waiter asked us for our vaccine certificate or COVID test results.  Seriously - we're outdoors and the tables are spaced - what a dumb procedure.  Anyway, we did not have our vaccine certificates as they are kept with AMA.  We were slow on the uptake, but remembered that our phones had the COVID certificates - so we were able to stay in the restaurant and eat lunch.  Even the waiter said "the COVOID procedures are changing every day".  It's so ridiculous.  So much "Covid Theatre" going on - doing stuff to be "seen to be doing something" but minimal impact, if any, on reducing risk.”

What’s next?

“Durnstein, Melk and Wachau tomorrow.  Really excited!  I don't think I’ll do the hike - I found the last one rather tough.  Neil will do the bike ride again.

Neil would ride a bike similar to these.

During his bike ride, Neil would probably wave to the AmaVerde during a break on their bike ride in the Wachau Valley

Schonbuhel Castle, about 3 miles from Melk, is known as “The Watchman of the Danube”

The village of Spitz and vineyards in the Wachau Valley

Hinterhaus Castle ruins in the Wachau Valley

Durnstein Castle ruins—not sure if Ginnie did hike up here or just enjoyed the small village

Europe is amazing!  So beautiful.  We are so glad we made the decision to come.”

Should folks sail now?

Sure, feel free to use my stuff for a blog   I think I'll also write you a piece about how this is really a great time to travel - fewer crowds.....I've never felt unsafe re: COVID.  While we were lounging on the sundeck yesterday, one guy said "it's like having your own private yacht"   But it won't last forever.....now is the time to grasp the opportunity. We've seen lots of river cruise boats on this trip - things are coming back”

What happened today?

“At the moment, we're cruising towards Durnstein.  Very relaxing and peaceful. I hate to make you jealous, but I had eggs benedict for breakfast.  :-)   We had lamb for dinner last night - it was fabulous - Neil and I both love lamb. The red wine (a Bordeaux) was a perfect match.”

Why do you think it is a great time to cruise?

“My husband and I are currently cruising down the Danube - watching the amazing scenery and river.  Heading towards the Wachau Valley in Austria.  We are having a wonderful European river cruise.   So, why is it a great time to do a river cruise NOW?  Here are my thoughts: 

1.   We have always felt very safe.  From our departure in California, to Amsterdam, then Munich and Vilshofen in Germany, onboard and in each place we've visited, every hotel, every restaurant, there have been COVID safety protocols in place.   Everyone on our cruise must be vaccinated.  Everyone has to get a COVID test before boarding a plane to Europe and coming on board the ship. 

2.   Because river cruises are just now starting up again, the numbers of people on board are low!  On our cruise, we only have 36 people on a ship that holds about 160.  There's no crowding whatsoever so it's very safe.  And - best of all - you get fantastic personal attention from the staff who are thrilled to see you and to be back doing the work they enjoy.    For example - there are no buffets where you have to fight and elbow your way through the crowds to get your food!   There is personal attention from your waiter at every meal. Everyone has a private assigned table where you eat your meals.    What a treat!  We laughed with some of our fellow passengers that this is a great time to travel because "this is like our own personal yacht"!!!   Why wait till the crowds come back?? Why???   This is an incredible and rare experience.   Take advantage -don't wait for the crowds. 

3.  On the subject of crowding, we have wandered the streets of wonderful European cities, visited the restaurants, museums, gone on canal cruises, relaxed in town squares, etc.  - With NO TOURIST HORDES!!!  It's wonderful and relaxing, and you can fully enjoy the places you are visiting!  You can see what you want to see. You can take amazing pictures without strange people wandering into your shots.   There is space.   Why wait for the tourist hordes to return and fight your way through the crowds?  Why wait till the cruises are full? Right now you can enjoy Europe peacefully and fully embrace and enjoy the beauty and history.   It's a great time to relax in a German Biergarten, an Amsterdam restaurant, walk the local streets, cruise the Danube or the Rhine. 

3.  After a rough year and a half of "the pandemic" and lockdowns, etc. - it is time to enjoy life again. We can't live like hermits for years and be afraid to travel.  Let's learn to live and travel with the pandemic - SAFELY.”

You like to call minor travel problems blips, so what are the blips you have encountered?

“So - now on to "travel blips".  As travel is starting to come back in the world, you can expect some surprises and blips along the way.  Here are some that we have encountered.    

1.  Travel protocols in each country can change quickly.  Stay informed!   Example:  One city put on a 10 day quarantine for US citizens, then surprisingly removed it 5 days later.  In their airport, there were still signs remaining about the need to quarantine, but there was no enforcement!  There seems to be reliance on the airlines to check vaccination cards and covid tests.   Be sure that you are clear on exactly what Covid test is required to enter the countries you are visiting, and be sure to get those within the required timeframe!!  On a positive note, Covid testing seems easy to get.  In our case in Amsterdam, our hotel booked the test for us - with a 10% discount, and the place to get tested was a 2 minute walk away.  We got our results on our phones very early the next morning.   Perfect and easy! 

2.  Some restaurants require vaccination cards or results of Covid tests.  That was a surprise to us when we sat down for lunch in one country in an outdoor restaurant.  Fortunately, we had our covid tests on our phone, as our ship was holding our vaccination cards. Put a copy of your vaccination card and your Covid test on your phone so you always have them handy!!!

3.  Have a supply of masks.  They're required almost everywhere.  While the internet said that Europe required a specific type of mask - we found that this was not really required - people wore all kinds of masks.   You MUST wear your mask in the airline terminals and planes, all transit services (trains, buses, etc.) and in some cases it's enforced.  I was told by one transit checker to "move my mask up over my nose".  

4.  The technology can sometimes be challenging. .  We've had some glitches with VPN and setting up the cruise APP.  Unable to get US versions of online papers.  Mildly annoying.”

5. Because of constraints on #'s of people entering museums - tell people to get their tickets online months in advance!!!  I do mean months.  We could not get in to see any museums in Amsterdam that we wanted to.  ”

Any Final Thoughts?

“We are in the Wachau Valley now.  You were right - incredibly amazing!!!  The peace and solitude....is wonderful.” 

My Final Thoughts

What an awesome report—it just doesn’t get more real than this.  Candid, insightful and really makes the point—it is a great time to river cruise now in 2021!!

It is another reason we love sailing on AmaWaterways in Europe so much—they under promise and over deliver! 

We hope you enjoyed this report as much as we enjoyed bring it to you.  We also hope the pictures helped you visualize the places and experiences she and Neil are having.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Flexibility

Flexibility

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Anne had some good thoughts about flexibility in travel.  We got to talking and I ask her to write down her ideas as an opening for today’s blog.  Here is what she wrote in quotes:

“Last week we celebrated 35 years of being together. It will be another 13 months before we celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary.

Needless to say, there have been a lot of changes during this time: job changes, residential changes, losing and gaining family members and friends.  We’ve learned patience, adjustability and a lot of give and take.  But the one constant that has existed through these years is the need to adapt to changes, regardless of how much control we have over any situation.

The ability to adjust and adapt has never been more important than it is now in the present world of traveling during COVID.  

Just like any relationship, patience is also a required trait to be able to travel and enjoy your trip.  Being open to whatever the experience provides, rather than being locked into a single, set in concrete itinerary will make the trip much more fun.”

So, let’s explore together and learn about flexibility during travel—thanks Anne, for sparking the idea for the blog and providing a great opening!

Pre-planning for the Trip

During this time of ever-changing regulations, there are some steps that can help you still realize a trip and possibly enjoy it even more than any initial plan you had originally scheduled.

Obviously, it is very important to check with the correct government entity to verify what is required for your destination.  Our first advice—make sure you know the requirements of the places you want to visit. 

Knowing the documents needed and procedures will help you plan for an easier trip.  This is easier said than done, as government regulations seem to change often and add concerns. 

We believe most of this is misunderstood requirements but some, like the possibility of a quarantine, cause people to become extremely over anxious.

Even Anne, with her knowledge of the various travel requirements of the 4 countries in Europe we were planning to visit, was apprehensive about various face mask requirements listed on websites—she packed 4 different types; medical basic, FFP2, Kn95, N95, and even face shields.  We only needed the basic medical ones—you just can’t use the cloth ones.

Wearing masks in Europe can lead to some great experiences—these 6 pictures are at a small restaurant locals eat at—Anne found it from asking our hotel staff—it was so good we went back a second time!

Masked up and ready to go inside

Going inside

Looking great Anne

Hank ready to eat

My Meatballs—they were excellent

Anne’s Vol-au-Vent—a wonderful chicken dish so good, we came back a second time so I could have a whole dish

The other concern is COVID testing to get back into the United States or perhaps will be required in the future for entrance—relax, Europe has great testing sites in all the airports that are easy, quick and reliable.  We should note what a great job some vendors, especially AmaWaterways has done to make this process easier—Europe certainly ahead of the US in testing for COVID.

Now that you have determined the government requirements to travel, then determine what you would do if part of the trip is cancelled, interrupted or needs to change (this is where we can really help—we can fix most travel difficulties that might arise—as you know we are a text message, phone call or email away). 

Here is some sound advice—don’t try to do too much in a short time.  This is what I like to call the rookie Europe travel mistake—you want to see everything and fear missing out on something that the trip becomes so hectic it is not fun anymore.

Opportunistic Time Costs

In travel, I believe there are things you can do that will increase the value of your time.  Some may cost more money, some may just involve careful planning and some may just be a special opportunity that suddenly comes up.  

While planning a great trip, I think you need to balance all three of these factors to get the best results.  The last factor is just more important nowadays—you need flexibility!

So, how do you make the perfect balanced trip?  I think the first step is to identify your core values of travel—why are you going and what do you want to experience?

 Here are my core values when I travel or think about planning a trip—perhaps these will help you understand why you travel and what you want to experience on your future trips.

My Core Values for Travel

When I travel I do so for several key reasons.  They are:  

• ·       To add balance to my life,

• ·       To look for beauty,

• ·       To satisfy my curiosity about a place,

• ·       To help me grow as a person with new experiences and cultures,

• ·       To help me to gain knowledge and learning, and

• ·       To help me seek pleasure, happiness and wisdom.

8 Rules We Use to add Flexibility to our Trips

They are:

 1) Make sure there is time to share with your travel companions;

2) Remember and celebrate important dates (milestones);

3) Connect with the locals;

4) Put away devices for most of the trip;

5) Laugh and be positive;

6) Make your significant other feel special;

7) Show kindness to others, and

8) Be thankful.

Photo bombed—we always get along with the locals and it adds fun to our experiences

Brugge is known for mussels—Anne’s large meal

An Example—Our Recent Trip Required Flexibility

We were in Europe in August 2021, traveling in COVID times.  Yet it was not COVID that changed our plans—it was our rail connections!  Here is a tip to avoid these problems—always ask the hotel staff if they know about any transportation disruptions—even though we did, at check in, the rail workers decided to extend their work stoppage longer than originally planned and we learned about the problem the day before we had planned to leave Brugge.

Ready to go to Brugge after a wonderful river cruise on the Rhine

What a wonderful view of Brugge at night

Ready to go 2 days later

As seems to happen at times in Europe, the German rail workers decided to strike on Mondays and Tuesday during the month of August 2021 for better wages. As a result, we had to alter our plans and spend the last 2 days of our trip in Brugge—Anne was delighted to say the least!

It does bring up a lesson learned—always check your transportation arrangements prior to the next segment.  Anne cancelled our hotel arrangements and made a new seat reservation for us. We lost a minor $11 or so for a previous train seat reservation that we decided just wasn’t worth the hassle of standing in line at a rail station ticket office for a refund.

It is true we lost 2 days to visit Frankfurt and stay in the old town area, but here is what we gained—2 more wonderful days in Brugge!  Since Anne is always making great connections with hotel staff members, it was easy to fix for the most part. 

The truth of the matter—we just used our 8 rules to add flexibility to our trip, but we really didn’t think of them as a checklist—it just has become our way of travel and as you can see—it is all about your attitude and being flexible.  

It was relaxing, Anne found a local artist who made awesome jewelry that was one of a kind and not cost prohibitive, we wandered, and we revisited 2 great restaurants a second time and it was just plain fun!  We only used our devices to fix the connection problems and just spent time together.  

Awesome rings

Some of the wonderful items Anne found while wandering

Relaxing in Brugge

Please go back and re-read the list above of our 8 factors—we used them all (the milestone was the return to Europe after almost 20 months) and you will see we just adjusted our expectations and had a blast!

My Final Thoughts

I think it is clear that being flexible during your travels will help make the experience better.  We would encourage to apply flexibility to your travels and the experience can be wonderful!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Our Europe 2022 Battlefields Trip

Our Europe 2022 Battlefields Trip

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

As most of you know, we are leading a 2022 Battlefields Tour. Here is a detailed day by day summary of our tour. The tour will be from 3-13 October 2022.

We expect final confirmation by October with prices from our vendor Europe Express. We will then start taking deposits.

So, let’s learn about this awesome trip together!

Day 1 3 October 2022 Brussels

Check in to hotel (no transfers or air included in tour price)

Welcome no host Cocktail hour

Day 2 4 October 2022 Waterloo Battlefield and Bastogne

Coach to Waterloo (0900 departure with all luggage loaded) Driving time about 1 hour.  During our entire tour, we will be guided by Johan Serpierters, who has been our guide on both D Day Anniversary tours we led in 2014 & 2019.

Today we will learn about the final battle of Napoleon’s career as a general.  There is a good museum that explains every facet of the battle.  You will use your own headset with your smart phone (COVID adjustment).  Takes about an hour.  Next we will visit the Panorama Painting of the Battle (about 20 minutes).  Also we will view the British Lion Monument but not climb the 226 steep steps.  We will lunch at the restaurant (on your own).

Inside the Waterloo museum

Panorama painting at Waterloo

Lion Monument at Waterloo Battlefield

Our next stop is Bastogne, after about an hour and ½ drive.  We will check in to the Hotel Leo Station, which will be our home for the next 3 days.  The hotel has a great restaurant and there are 10+ restaurants directly across from hotel, so finding a great place to eat should be very easy during our 3 day stay in Bastogne.

Day 3 5 October 2022 101st Airborne Museum      Bastogne War Museum Overnight Bastogne

Our first stop is the Bastogne War Museum.  It is a short coach ride to the museum (we depart at 0900).  This museum covers WW II, with key events but the main emphasis is the Battle of the Bulge.  Using multisensory 3D technology, you will explore the past first be placed in the Allied General Headquarters in southern England, then place you in the Ardennes forest during the Battle of the Bulge and finally a visit to a local café with shelling exploding around you during the battle.  I must warn you this is a very real experience and some think it is rather intense.

We also will have time to visit the impressive Mardasson Memorial, erected in gratitude of the Belgium people for the soldiers who risked their lives to help free them.  It covers all the units and individual states in this very large memorial.

Marsden Memorial

Marsden Memorial shows all units in the battle in this huge monument

We will next visit the actual battle positions of Easy Company from the Band of Brothers DVD series.  While the foxholes are not that impressive, you will see the place where some of these brave soldiers died during the artillery barrage, and see the Foy village objective that was taken from the Germans.  If you are a fan of the Band of Brothers series, this will be a meaningful look at one part of the battlefield during the Battle of the Bulge.

Easy Company Monument

The dense trees of the Ardennes

Foxholes of Easy Company

Looking from their foxholes this was the distance Easy Company had to attack over to seize Foy.

The actual church in Foy that was captured by Easy Company in 1945

After returning the hotel area, and lunch on your own, we will take the 5 minute walk to the 101st Airborne Museum.  This cross roads village became famous for the defensive resistance put up by the 101st after it was encircled during the Battle of the Bulge in late December 1944.  Housed in a former military officer’s mess, this museum is dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge/Ardennes and the amazing defensive stand made by the soldiers of the 101st Airborne.  In the 4 floors of the museum, the focus is on the units, their weapons and uniforms, and realistic war scenes using mannequins.  There is also an immersive experience of a cellar basement shelter that recreates the terror of bombardments during this battle. 

101st Airborne Museum

We will overnight in Bastogne.

Day 4  6 October 2022          Patton Museum (Ettelbruck 25 min coach ride) National Museum of Military History (Diekirch 30 minute coach ride)

Our first stop is the Patton Museum.  You will learn about Patton’s life, and see displays of military equipment.  The spotlight of this museum is on the Battle of the Bulge.  We will eat lunch here (on your own).

Cover of brochure of Patton Museum

Our next stop is the Luxembourg National Museum of Military History.  Using large scale dioramas, is a fascinating look at the fighting that took place around Diekirch.  Also on display are weapons, military vehicles and other items used during WW II.  There are also sections about the Resistance and WW I. 

We will overnight in Bastogne after the return coach ride..

Day 5 7 October 2022          Luxembourg/Reims

We will depart Bastogne at 0900 (please have all bags loaded so we can depart on time).

Our first stop is to Luxembourg City.  We will have a guided walking tour of the most important sights in Old Town Luxembourg, to include walking the Promenade of the Corniche with its great views, the historic square and the Grand Duke’s Palace (if open a tour of the palace).  Lunch on your own.

Defensive walls of Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Our next stop is at the American Cemetery, where LTG Patton is buried along with over 5,000 American soldiers, most whole lost their lives in the drive to the Rhine and the Battle of the Bulge.  This is a tranquil resting place for these heroes but a somber reminder of the cost of war. 

Luxembourg cemetery where Patton is buried

We will continue on to Reims and check in to the Best Western Premier Hotel De La Paix.

There are many restaurants near our hotel for the next 3 days.

Day 6  8 October 2022          Verdun Battlefield Tour (1 hour, 15 minute drive to Verdun from Reims) Afternoon Champagne Tasting in Reims

Today’s tour will help us understand more about the 300 day battle of Verdun.  We will depart at 0900.  We will visit the 2 floor Verdun Memorial Museum, L’Ossuaire Cemetery and two forts—Fort Douaumont (with the nearby Trenches of Bayonets) and Fort Vaux. 

Lunch on your own after the morning tour in Reims.

Our Afternoon tour is at a local champagne house in Reims.

We overnight in Reims.

Day 7  9 October 2022          Epernay & Route de Champagne (we will visit 2 champagne houses)

On the route of Champagne, we will view vineyards and sample champagne at 2 of the great wineries of this special region.

We should be able to find a nice place for lunch—TBD.

We overnight again in Reims.

Day 8  10 October 2022        Châteaux de Vaux-Le-Vicomte/Paris

We will check out of our hotel and depart for Paris at 0900 (please have all bags loaded).

On the way we will visit one of the most impressive Châteaux’s in France.  We will tour the Châteaux de Vaux-Le-Vicomte.  The chateau and its gardens were designed to exist in harmony between the building and the gardens.  This was one of the key inspirations for the Palace of Versailles.  Lunch on your own during this stop.

Brochure of the chateau we will visit

We will continue on to Paris and check in the Villa Pantheon.

Day 9  11 October 2022 Paris           Visit Army Museum and Napoleon’s Tomb            

Today we will visit the Hotel de Invalides which covers many of the conflicts fought by France and use this to help us understand how all these battlefields changed the world from the 1800’s to present.  Some highlights include medieval armor and arms, Napoleon’s battles, WW I trench warfare and battles, WW II battles starting from the Blitzkrieg, occupation, the D Day campaign, liberation, the end of the war and the atomic bomb resulting in an allied victory.  It also is the tomb of Napoleon, who rests under a gold dome.

French Army Museum

The afternoon is free

Lunch and dinner are on your own—we know many great places to eat and would be happy to offer suggestions.

Day 10            12 October 2022        Free Day in Paris

Maybe a boat ride on your free day!

Day 11             13 October 2022

The tour ends today.  Check out of our hotel.

We have extensions available and an AmaWaterways Cruise on the Rhône River starting on 13 October 2022.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—a true look at the history of Battlefields in Europe from 1815 to 1945—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!  We hope you will enjoy this trip as much as we will enjoy escorting you on it!.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Traveling in Europe in August 2021

Traveling in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who plan to travel in Europe in 2021 want to know what the experience will be like.

So, here is our report

Our Airport Experience in Frankfurt

We flew on United Airlines from Houston. I described the service and our thoughts about flying first class in an earlier blog a couple of weeks ago but it is clear that while comfort and service is still very good, the food just doesn’t measure up.

Getting into Germany was very easy—we just showed our passports and vaccination cards. We were a little worried that a recent negative COVID test would be required, and even though we had taken 2 less than 72 hours prior to our flight, the border control officer did not ask for any test results.

This is probably a good place to point out there is a constantly changing landscape of entry requirements, so make sure you stay updated prior to leaving the US.,

You are required to wear masks in the airport public areas, except when eating or drinking. At passport control, you must unmask so they can check that your face matches your picture—even the border control officer smiled when we unmasked—it is surprising how different people look wearing a mask and provided a little comic relief for the new travel environment.

Coming Home from Frankfurt Airport

Leaving to come back home was not hard but we learned some valuable lessons about the required negative COVID test to re-enter the US. We had the self tests offered by some companies and featured as a good alternative by United Airlines, but we could never get it to work. First, we needed to update the App and even though we had a hot spot, could not get the App to work or update. It also appeared we would need two different devices to get the technician to talk us through the test procedures. After over an hour of trying, we gave up.

The fortunate thing was that at Frankfurt airport, there is an excellent testing site. It took less than 15 minutes, and we had our results in about 30 minutes. All reports are digital but you can also get a printed copied, which we did.

Our advice is clear—use the airport testing facility, do not waste money and effort trying to use a self testing kit. Just make sure your departure airport has a testing facility.

Getting Around in Europe on Public Transportation

We arrived by train and taxi after spending 3 days in Switzerland. Trains seem to have changed very little except the mask requirement. We used trains in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

I should point out, there is an increasing reliance on smart phones and contactless ticket checks. Both Anne and I had smart phones, but our batteries were weak and we were constantly using our back up chargers or the power supply on the train to keep the phones charged. A great lesson learned—please make sure your phones are in top shape.

As seems to happen at times in Europe, the German railworkers decided to strike on Mondays and Tuesday during the month of August for better wages. As a result, we had to alter our plans and spend the last 2 days of our trip in Brugge—Anne was delighted to say the least!

It does bring up a second lesson learned—always check your transportation arrangements prior to the next segment. Anne cancelled our hotel arrangements and made a new seat reservation for us. We lost a minor $11 or so for a previous train seat reservation that we decided just wasn’t worth the hassle of standing in line at a rail station ticket office for a refund.

A second lesson—always check connection times and tracks if you are changing trains. We knew we had only 18 minutes between trains in Brussels prior to the train to Frankfurt, and we pretty much almost jogged between tracks. I will note the Brussels Midi station is easier than past times with our slightly heavier luggage load, as more lifts and signs are better than in the past. It was far easier than we expected and we made the switch with 10 minutes to spare.

Hotels

We stayed in 3 hotels during our trip. In Switzerland, the Hotel Des Alps was wonderful as in our previous stays. Again the only thing was masks in public areas.

In Brugge, Martin’s Relais, was the same—great hotel, no noticeable change except the morning breakfast. To help insure social distancing, there were 2 meal times—0800 to 0915 and 0930 to 1030. The quality was the same—great spread as in the past. Again, waiters and all employees wear masks at all times. Since it was a buffet, all guests wore masks when away from their tables and there were clear arrows on the floor to direct the flow. All seem to us sensible changes.

The Sheradon Airport hotel in Frankfurt was not much different except their breakfast included 4 breads (all very good) in a paper bag, juice, coffee and tea and some fruits. My only complaint was that there was too much bread in the paper bag—we just couldn’t eat it all and we hate wasting food.

All employees wear masks. Also, there were no glasses in the room and ice machines are not allowed. You have to call room service for these items.

Dining

Here is a report about our how dining has changed.

Only in France, during a stop on the cruise in Strasbourg, did we have to show our passports and vaccine cards.

In all of the many very good places we ate on this trip, all waiters wore masks. We never saw a dip in the quality of service or food—it was all excellent.

In Brugge, we were exceptionally delighted with the restaurants. This is due to Anne and her smart decision to reach out to the hotel and get recommendations of places locals would most likely eat. It was so good, I plan to write a blog about our great finds.

Anne’s scallops in Brugge

Steak in Brugge

Another tip for you, seek out local suggestions for great places to eat. Be clear what type of food you want and price point you are willing to pay for and the results can be amazing.

Site Seeing and wandering in the Towns

We stayed at 3 different locations.

In Switzerland, we stayed in Lucerne and visited Bern for the first time. Here are some photos of Lucerne.

Lucerne

Lucerene

I will write about Bern in a new blog, as we will update our city guide but we enjoyed the visit. We managed to take over 20,000 steps during our visit (about 10 miles or so), so we really got to see a lot of the historic old town area and the top sites.

A couple of photos to let you know about this interesting town:

Clock Tower in the Old Town Bern

Bern Flag

Bruuge was wonderful and we updated some photos of the interesting sites. Here is a sample:

Church of the Holy Blood Brugge

Brugge at night

Brugge

I took a recon trip to Waterloo and Bastogne for our 2022 Battlefields tour (3-13 October 2022). It was a whirlwind visit, but affirmed how good this tour is going to be. Again, this will be the subject of a future in-depth blog.

Lion Monument Waterloo

Marsden Monument Bastogne Beliguim

Bastogne

My Final Thoughts

Here is the bottom line—Europe is open, safe and fun based on our experience!

What a great adventure—our return to Europe was wonderful—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!  We hope you enjoyed our report and these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Cruising on the AmaMora in August 2021

Cruising the AmaMora in August 2021

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

As I began to write this, I’m on the AmaMora on the Rhine.  It is our first trip on this river ship, but it already feels like home—we have sailed on 19 Europe river cruises and this is our 18th cruise with AmaWaterways . There are 53 guests onboard on a ship that can handle 167 in normal times:

We have sailed with at  least 5 of the crew in the past, and the AmaWaterways family really glad to see us again—we quickly start laughing and friendly banter of good times even though the crew is never permitted to remove their masks except for pictures.

The Route 

Our cruise started in Basel, Switzerland and ended in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  We have sailed this direction downstream 3 times and upstream twice.  The amazing scenery has not changed much—the Rhine River Gorge and its’ over 30 castles is probably the best stretch of sights in all of Europe on any European River.  The gorge is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so there are no bridges to interrupt the views.  

On the Rhine River Gorge, with castles dotting almost every hill, and it is like turning back the hands of time to the age of land barons, defending their turf and collecting tolls for passage.

But I managed to get ahead of myself—this cruise will port in 4 different countries.  We started in Basel, after 3 days in Switzerland staying in Lucerne, and a day visit to Bern.

Then we were off to France—Strasbourg and Riquewihr.  The tour to Riquewihr was very good but you are required to wear masks on the bus and during the guided tour.  I went off on my own and used my mask part of the time if an area got crowded.

Riquewihr

The town of Riguewihr

Watch Tower

Great little Winstub

Colorful building

Strasbourg

In Strasbourg, Anne and I used the AmaWaterways tour bus to get to the old town  city center.  We had to wear masks on the bus. It was about a 20 minute ride.  I was a little surprised by how many people were out—some wore masks even outside.  To go in a store, you must wear a mask.

To eat in a restaurant, we had to show our passports and vaccination certificates to be seated. The waiters wore masks. France just announced a health vaccine app download but our documents were fine.

We ate at a small café outside.  We had some local cold beers (the temperature was 87 degrees) and flammkuchen (flatbread pizza bacon, cheese and an onion sauce).  This is an Alsacien speciality and very tasty!

Flammkuchen (flat bread special pizza)

Le Gutenberg Brasserie Strasbourg

Cool Strasbourg building

Strasbourg half timbered buildings with the Dom Steeple

Some tours in Rudesheim

Entrance to the gondola

Riding the Gondola

Niederwaldd Monument (commemorating the unification of Germany)

Outside Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Museum —a tour option

Cruising the Rhine River Gorge

Burg Katz

Pfalzgrafenstein toll fort with Burg Gutenfels in the background

Cruising on the Rhine Gorge

Loreley Rock

Cruising the Rhine

Castle Stolzenfels

Lahneck Castle tour

We took a quick bus ride up to the castle. We had to wear masks during the entire tour.

Outside of Burg Lahneck

Lahneck Castle

Chapel Lahneck Castle

Portrait of Victoria Lahneck Castle

Doll house Burg Lahneck

Cruising towards Cologne

Deutsches Eck Koblenz

Remagan Bridge ruins. This bridge was captured by the allies during WW II and allowed tanks to cross the Rhine before it collapsed.

Cologne

Hohenzollern Bridge over the Rhine River in Cologne

Here is a brief day by day description of our tour stops:

In Germany, Heidelberg and  Speyer, were the morning tours and after an afternoon sail, we arrived in Rüdesheim for a night visit.

 The  Monday morning tours  options are a gondola ride in Rudesheim, or a hike or bike tour; then sailing the Rhine River Gorge and it’s wonderful castles and a special tour of Lahneck Castle.

On Tuesday we were in Cologne.

We ended in Amsterdam on Wednesday.

 All are great stops.

What are the Onboard Programs?

The wellness program and the Sip ‘n’ Sail cocktail hour just before dinner continue strong. Both are real hits in our opinion with guests.

While most who know me well, would say my favorite change is the new included Sip ‘n’ Sail free cocktail hour, but, I was most impressed with the wellness program (I got to learn first-hand about this program on our summer cruise on the AmaCerto in 2018). The wellness program was on 6 ships for the 2018 season and  it is now on all the AmaWaterways river cruise vessels.

The wellness person, will conduct stretching classes, yoga, core strengthening classes and lead bike rides. Based on what I saw again this summer, what impressed me most that it was all age appropriate, scientifically sound, and the response on board the 6 roll out vessels has been very good.  As a former nationally certified physical fitness instructor in college and for sports teams, it was interesting to see how well the programs were conducted and how the cruisers enjoyed adding a little fitness to their daily routine last summer.  

Another great feature is the Sip ‘n’ Sail program.  Free (included) drinks prior to dinner is a great idea and well received by guests.  Wine, beer and a good selection of well drinks—even martinis are included.  Great improvement!

What remains the Same With a Few New Procedures?

Anne always reminds me that consistency is the key to great travel.  On AmaWaterways, the good things remain the same or are slightly better than past cruises.  

Food and service is excellent—always well planned meals.

 All meals are served and each guest has assigned seating.  Each morning there is a temperature check just before going into the dining room. You wear a mask until you sit down at the table. Now all items are ordered off the menu—there is a great variety and a special each morning.
If you want to sleep in or want a light breakfast, here is what was available one morning on the AmaMora.

Late Risers Breakfast on the AmaMora

Here are some breakfast pictures:

Breakfast menu

Fruit starter

My Egg Benedict

Steak and eggs breakfast

One of the ship’s chefs cooks breakfast

Fruit table items served by wait staff to guests

Here are some lunch pictures

Lunch menu

Page 2 lunch menu

Appetizers

Lunch Salad

Chicken Tandoori

Dinner photos

Dinner menu

Veiner schnitzel

Apple Strudel

Our wonderful dining room service staff wearing their Chaîne des Rôtisseurs aprons

Lunch is available in two locations. In the lounge, there are hamburgers, wraps and sandwiches.

Most guests eat in the main dining room. Again, you sit at your assigned table, and order off the menu.

Every evening on the dinner menu (a 4 course affair of an appetizer, a soup course, a main course and dessert) there are 3 Entrée’s—usually a meat dish, a fish dish and a vegetarian option.—all are excellent!

There is an Always Available Menu that features a steak, a grilled chicken breast or a vegetarian or pasta option.The meal features a white and red wine from the region you are sailing on, and they change daily (not every river cruise lines changes wines every day).

Each year, the included (yes, no extra charge) Chef’s Table menu changes.  I liked the meal this year, and the wonderful view from the stern of our river ship.  It is the little extras that make the difference—the Chef’s Table remains a hit.

Bar service is outstanding and the wines were particularly good with meals.  It still amazes me how generous the pours are by the bar staff—the idea is to give you enough and not too much.

I can’t say enough about the crew—they work 18 hour days, and every detail is about making your vacation better.

Our Cruise Experience

We are traveling during COVID-19 and some new procedures are in place that I have highlighted in this blog. It really wasn’t much different except for the masks.

We felt very safe and it was a great trip!

My Final Thoughts

When folks find out we have sailed this route before, they want to know why—wouldn’t it be boring?  

Our response —it never is!  You can’t see it all on the first trip and when you consider the different seasons, it changes.  Spring brings new life, summer is full of flowers and green trees, autumn is ablaze with color and Christmas is a festival not to be missed.

These are wonderful places to visit and we hope one day you will let us plan a trip to one or all of these great places.  AmaWaterways has the right procedures to protect you in our opinion.

When you are spending your hard earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Sailing on the AmaMora in August 2021

Sailing on the AmaMora in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who have a river cruise scheduled in 2021 want to know what the experience will be like.

So, here is our report

Our Airport Experience Flying Frankfurt

We flew on United Airlines from Houston. We flew first class in Polaris class. It was required to wear masks at all times except to eat and drink, even when sleeping.

It is amazing how quickly you forget some travel skills after an 18 month absence. We have TSA pre check (it’s awesome) but I forgot to tell them of my hip replacement, so as always I have to go through special screening device. In the old days, I would have remembered.

Prior to boarding the plane, we had to show passport and vaccination card. Even though we had electronic tickets on our I-phones, when we checked our 2 suitcases, we had them print out boarding passes. Probably a good idea, as at gate the agents marked OK on our boarding passes.

First class travel has really changed since COVID for food and beverage service. For dinner, I had braised beef short ribs. There no longer are courses served—everything comes at once. Anne had ravioli and her dish was much better than mine. The meat of my dish was very tough and with a small bowl of gravy, I was in a constant battle to avoid dripping on my shirt which I won only because my cloth napkin protected me from a couple of dribbles.

Wine is served in plastic cups. My mash potatoes were real but soupy with just a little too much liquid added. The salad was good and the frozen mango sherbet in a cardboard cup was refreshing and tasty.

My Malbec was OK but not great and I was offered a second glass but declined. Anne had champagne and put her sherbet in it—it is amazing how she upgrades food and drink!

My grades for the flight—food D+, service B+, comfort A-.

Getting to the Ship

We arrived by train and taxi after spending 3 days in Switzerland.

Here is our train report:

After landing in Frankfurt, and a very long walk (a quick note—our gate had one area of steps and even though there is an elevator it was a little bit of a struggle with our carry on bags as we walked up the steps) we went through security very easily. The only extra document is vaccination card and you must remove mask briefly so guards can see your face. Passport and vaccination card was all that was required— there were no health questions to enter Germany at the border control point.

Frankfurt airport is huge, our flight was delayed for about 40 minutes and finding the long distance train was very hard. With 2 rolling suitcases and Anne’s small rolling carry-on, the escalators were a challenge for me with trying to handle the two 24” rolling suitcases. After about 25 minutes of walking, we finally got to the right track. Luckily for us the train was about 15 minutes late, so we made our first of 3 train connections.

Our second train went well from Mannheim to Basel with one minor exception. Upon approaching Basel, we got off at Basel Bad and quickly realized our mistake and almost missed scrambling back for the short 8 minute ride. The train conductor helped us load up—still we are too heavy for quick loading and unloading but for a 20 day trip it may be the cost of having enough clothes and travel items. Perhaps the saying bring half as much things and twice as much money is great travel advice.

The 3rd train was another challenge. We missed our desired train by 3 minutes but knew there was another in an hour. We had a great ride to Lucerne and after a short walk to our hotel, we have arrived after about 20+ hours.

Daily Life on the AmaMora

Since this is our 18th cruise on AmaWaterways, we can give you a very good comparison on what has changed.

Here are some photos I took on the AmaMora in 2018 on a quick visit with permission of the captain as it was docked next to the AmaCello.

Lounge area

Bar area

Dining Room

Wine Bar Room in the Main Dining Room

Chef’s Table

Chef’s Table Menu

Boarding was easy. A temperature check and passports, vaccination card with the security guard, a warm welcome by the pursor Adam who we have sailed with before and a quick document check and off to cabin 204.

The only changes onboard are masks in public areas, no bar stools at the bar, and some plastic dividers in the lounge.

There are 2 pictures at the end of the blog of the lounge changes.

My Final Thoughts

We believe travel is safe. It is different but there are some advantages to traveling now. Less crowded, only minor inconveniences, and travel folks are welcoming you back with open arms.

What a great adventure—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!  We hope you enjoyed these pictures and our report as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

AmaMora bar 2021

Docked in Basel

Lounge with dividers added

The Restart of River Cruising in Europe in August 2021

The Restart of River Cruising in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps the burning question on many traveler’s minds is how the restart of river cruising is going in Europe?

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who plan to travel in Europe in 2021, want to know what the experience will be like and will it be safe.

So, here is the latest information I can find about resuming sailing and health protocols.  I will provide sources to help provide as factual a report as possible but we have no real inside knowledge, so please accept this as an overview and, under no circumstances, consider this a source of the current requirements of each company—you must go to the individual company’s website and read their updates. 

This is only a snapshot of 5 August 2021.  The sailing dates and number of vessels sailing should be very accurate but policies will and have changed, so do not rely on this as a definitive source.

I want to emphasize this changes daily as governments and cruise lines adapt to the ever changing situation, but knowing a little about the return to the rivers is an important step in learning about how the 8 companies we follow are restarting their operations.

Overview

None of the cruise lines are at full operations, as they gradually restart. Some lines will not reach full operations in 2021.

It seems pretty clear the trend is you must be vaccinated against COVID at least 14 days prior to your trip, or you will be denied access to many activities in Europe.  Even with vaccinations, there will still be some mask requirements during your travels.  7 out of 8 lines now require vaccination proof and I am almost certain Tauck will soon follow suit.

Some European countries are requiring up to a 10-day quarantine period for unvaccinated travelers (Source: Insider Travel Report 5 August 2021).  It is clear to me and all the river cruise lines that they just can’t provide the proper guest experience with unvaccinated travelers.

At present, all meals will be served on all river cruise lines, as the traditional buffets for breakfast and lunch are not being used by any of these 8 lines.

It is also clear, each line takes safety and health very seriously and all seem to have excellent procedures in place.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways resumed sailing in Europe on 3 July 2021.  They are currently sailing on the Douro, the Rhône, the Danube and the Rhine.

Vaccinations are required and you must answer an online health survey and provide details of pre and post travel.  At embarkation, there will be a temperature check.  Luggage handles will be sanitized before delivery to your staterooms.  Masks will be required at interior public locations but protocols continue to change.  Ample hand sanitizers are available in several locations on the ship.  There is no recirculating air in the stateroom.  Limitations on the number of guests on each sailing is currently in effect.  Bikes are sanitized after each use.  No visitors are allowed on the ships.  Shore excursions will be in small groups. The crew is well trained in protocols for health and sanitation and will wear face coverings.  (Source:  AmaWaterways website).

Avalon

Avalon, owned by Globus, has restarted sailing in July 2021.

Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination is required for all Avalon cruises.  Avalon has instituted a “Cruise with Confidence” policy to insure health and safety without taking away from the joy of traveling with them.  They emphasize smaller number of passengers sailing on each ship (no more than 150 guests), a commitment to clean ships, fresh air inside and out (air is not circulated between staterooms), a safe crew who will take measures to ensure guest comfort and health and safety procedures and new technology to help ensure cleanliness.  (Source Avalon River Cruise website).

Crystal

The 4 ships of Crystal have not returned to cruising yet in Europe.  The Crystal Ravel and Crystal Debussy plan to return to sailing on the last days of August 2021.  (Source Sea Trade Cruise News).

As of 27 July 2021, Crystal requires all guests to be fully vaccinated.  Crystal protocols are named “Crystal Clean+--version 6.0).  It starts with secure online Declaration of Safety, providing them a true picture of your health.  The next item is vigilance aboard and ashore, with temperature checks, disinfected all off shore luggage and compliance with all local health regulations.  They emphasize “in space we trust” by fewer guests per square foot in the river cruise industry on 135 meter ships.  The next item is called ‘purified to perfection” with each guest stateroom frequently disinfected and electrostatic fogging with medical grade disinfectants.  These are also used in the next protocol, named “high-frequency purification” of public areas.  “Fresh air” is achieved by not having recirculated air onboard.  Thy also use a “responsive mask policy” by remaining nimble but meeting government compliance.  They will also display common-sense precautions reminders called “our pact for safety”.  (Source: Crystal Cruises website).

Emerald

The Emerald cruise line just restarted sailing on 31 July 2021 on the Douro River.

Emerald requires all guest to be fully vaccinated.  Emerald emphasizes its “Peace of Mind” pledge to provide their guests “comfort, well-being and assurance you need on your journey”.  These include a medical evaluation prior to boarding which include a vaccination for all guests.  Their dedicated crew will ensure health and safety protocols will be practiced on a daily basis.  Guests will be looked after by a healthy crew.  They also emphasize contact free check-in and check-out; frequent briefing and screenings; enhanced cleaning commitment in staterooms and public areas; socially aware dining; no recirculated air in the ship; small groups during shore excursions; carefully selected local partners to ensure safety and health; and wellness throughout your journey. (Source Emerald Website).

Scenic

Scenic has already started sailing in Portugal on the Douro River.

Scenic requires all guests to be fully vaccinated.  All guests will be required to complete a pre-departure medical health evaluation.  Your temperature will be check during embarkation.  Scenic is the parent company of Emerald and has adapted the same procedures as Emerald, which I covered in more detail in their section of this blog.  (Source Scenic Cruise website).

Tauck

The famous tour company.is not currently sailing in Europe but will resume operation on 25 August on the Rhine. 

Tauck is not requiring that all guests be vaccinated, however if a country, establishments or public transportation require vaccination, all guests must comply.  If the guest is not fully vaccinated, they must present a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure.  All Tauck guests are required to sign their Travel Wellness Pledge and COVID-19 Liability Waiver.  (Source Sea Trade Cruise News and Tauck Website).

I expect Tauck to require vaccinations to travel.

Uniworld

Owned by the Travel Corporation, Uniworld began its 2021 season on 20 June 2021 on the Po River in Italy, then in France on 27 June 2021.

All guests traveling between 13 August and 31 December are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel on their ships.  All guests must complete a Travel Declaration prior to embarkation and during boarding there will be a temperature check.  Hand sanitation will be required before entering public spaces.  Housekeeping will disinfect public area touch points often daily.  Contactless payment procedures will be practiced.  Stateroom will be thoroughly cleaned daily.  Crew will be trained on enhanced health protocols.  (Source Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Website).

Viking

The largest river cruise company is sailing in Portugal, France and now on the Rhine.  Viking is celebrating its anniversary today—they started sailing 24 years ago today.

All Viking sailings are available exclusively for vaccinated guests, until further notice.  (Source Viking River Cruise Website Frequently Ask Questions).  They are also recommending, but not requiring a PRC test 72 hours prior to sailing.  Viking has partnered with VerFLY to upload a digital copy of the vaccination certificate that will be required for each guest.  Viking has instituted a Health and Safety Program which includes a saliva PRC test, new air purification technology installed on all Viking ships, and additional health checks, sanitation and physical distancing to protect Viking guests and crew during the journey.  (Source Viking River Cruises Website).

My Final Thoughts

It sure has been a strange 18 months for the travel industry but I truly believe river cruising in Europe will rebound strongly.  Each of these 8 lines have instituted sound procedures to enhance the safety and health of their guests.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

European Wanderlust

European Wanderlust

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Have you ever returned home from a trip and immediately started to plan another one?  Do you day dream about being in Europe often?

You are not alone—many of us face the same dilemma—why can’t I travel more?

You are suffering from wanderlust!

So, let’s explore together and learn about wanderlust— a common aliment among many of our travel clients and friends.

Wanderlust Defined

Wanderlust is “an impulse, longing or desire to wander or travel” (according to

yourdictionary.com).

This strong desire to travel is quite common among our clients and the Schraders.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, it states that the word has German roots.

“Wandern” (German) means to wander (it is from Middle High German) and “Lust” means desire (also from Middle High German).

Literally, Wander Desire is the definition of Wanderlust.

Doesn’t this sound familiar to you?—I’m pretty sure it does.

Our Advice—Start Planning and Booking Now!

We have been through many ups and downs as travel advisors, but the recent shut down of travel by the pandemic is the most challenging event we have faced. 

Changed bookings, restarts, uncertainty, fears and closures were so frequent we had our heads spinning, as we tried to help our clients and friends navigate the new normal.

But the end is here—it is time to act on your wanderlust feelings.

Maybe you miss sailing on the Danube

Why Now?

It is an excellent question—is it too soon or how do I proceed in the new travel world?

There are really 3 reasons to consider booking quickly. 

First, most folks who regularly travel on ships have future cruise credits for both ocean cruises and river cruises.  There is a large group who are currently booking in 2022 and vendors are reluctant to discount the value of these vouchers. 

What this means is there are fewer “deals” than normal and many are taking advantage by quickly booking their preferred cabin or ship cruise at a pace faster than previous years such as 2019, and booking earlier than usual.

There is fear that in the last part of 2021 we are not ready to return to fully normal travel conditions prior to the pandemic.  These include restrictions of comfort (masks, social distancing), but the biggest fear is getting struck or limited venues or restaurants not being open which devalues the vacation experience.  This includes vaccination requirements and documentation to prove vaccines; quarantine requirements; if any; and testing prior to departure, during the vacation and upon return to the US.

 I personally think many of these fears are overblown.

There is the pent up demand factor—I haven’t been able to travel for almost 18 months or more and folks want to solve their wanderlust problem.

The result—2022 is going gangbusters.

Maybe a nice glass of wine and some treats

Our Cruises Recommendations

There is a continuous roll out by both the river cruise lines and ocean cruise ships.  The restart has limited sailings with good safety procedures in place.  Some of these early sailings offer very good pricing, especially for October thru December of 2021.

Most of the wanderlust tribe, which we are charter members, are ready to travel and they are fully vaccinated and are willing to accept the safety rules of each individual country as more inventory and sailings become available.  We will be able to give you our first-hand experience, as we will be in Europe in August and sailing on our 19th European River Cruise on AmaWaterways.

We will get to see these castles on our Rhine Cruise in August

If you are looking for really good pricing, less crowds than usual, we can help you solve the wanderlust problem many of us faced for the last year and a half with a 2021 booking.

My Final Thoughts

Wanderlust in Europe—it always a great adventure!  It is just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!  We can’t wait to get back and we would love to help you solve your wanderlust problem.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Our Battlefields of Europe 2022 Tour

Our Europe Battlefields Tour

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We are planning another exciting tour in 2022.  Similar to our two D Day Tours of 2014 and 2019 in concept, we are going to visit key places in France, Luxembourg and Belgium that shaped the history of Europe from the 1800s to 1945.

By understanding these conflicts, we hope to help our guests learn about how present day Europe has developed into its modern nation states.

It won’t all be just military conflicts and warfare—we also will drink some champagne in Reims and visit 3 great capitals—Paris, Luxembourg and Brussels.  Our plans are to lead this tour in the fall of 2022.

While still in the draft stage, we are going to Europe in August to make a recon trip and begin finalizing our plans for the tour.  There is also a possibility that we start in Brussels and finish in Paris.  Either direction, it should be a great trip—first class all the way!

We are sharing this information now, so that if you have any interest, you can get your name on the interest list.  We will probably have room for only 30-34 folks and we anticipate this will sell out quickly, so don’t hesitate if you are interested.

We have not been able to figure out the pricing yet and with the fluid travel situation in Europe at present, may have to modify some plans based on hotel availability.

So, let’s explore together and learn more about our tour plans.

Trip Overview—Start in Paris

We are planning a special 2022 trip with a visits to 3 countries.

In France, we will start in Paris, then visit Reims to learn about military history and taste great champagne.  We will also visit the WW I battlefield of Verdun.

In Luxembourg, we will visit this great capital city and learn about the Battle of the Bulge, with an emphasis on the American role in the battle with visits to 2 small town museums in this tiny country.

In Belgium, we will continue to learn more about the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne.

We will finish up with a visit to the battlefield of Waterloo and then on to Brussels.

An additional AmaWaterways 7 day on the Rhone cruise as either a pre or post option.

Why Should You Take this Trip?

Here are 7 reasons you should take this trip:

•        Learn about French Army Military History in Paris

•        Learn about & taste Champagne in the Reims Area

•        Learn about the 300 day WW I Battle of Verdun

•        Visit Luxembourg City and 2 small towns in this tiny country

•        Learn about the Battle of Bulge with visits to the American Cemetery, Patton Museum, 101st Airborne Museum and the Bastogne War Museum.

•        Visit Brussels and the Waterloo Battlefield

•        Have fun with Anne and Hank

Day by Day Draft Plan (Direction Paris to Brussels—might be in reverse order)

Day 1 Pre tour            Paris    Welcome Cocktail hour

Day 2 Paris     Visit Army Museum and Napoleon’s Tomb Afternoon free Overnight Paris

Hotel de Invalides in Paris

Today we will visit the Hotel de Invalides which covers many of the conflicts fought by France.  Some highlights include medieval armor and arms, Napoleon’s battles, WW I trench warfare and battles, WW II battles starting from the Blitzkrieg, occupation, the D Day campaign, liberation, the end of the war and the atomic bomb resulting in an allied victory.  It also is the tomb of Napoleon, who rests under a gold dome.

The afternoon is free

Day 3 Reims   Transfer to Reims (TGV/coach? 3 hours)      Champagne Tasting & Tour (3-4 hours) (Overnight 2-3 days might be reduced to 2 days)

Day 4 Reims   Epernay & Route de Champagne      visit cathedral on your own

Day 5 Reims   Verdun Battlefield Tour (1 hour, 15 minute drive to Verdun from Reims)

Today’s Tour will help us understand more about the 300 day battle of Verdun.  We will visit the 2 floor Verdun Memorial Museum, L’Ossuaire Cemetery and two forts—Fort Douaumont (with the nearby Trenches of Bayonets) and Fort Vaux. 

Day 6 Luxembourg     Transfer to Luxembourg (visit on way in American Cemetery about 3 hours 30 minutes—2 hours, 15 drive directly to Luxembourg City)          City Walking Tour Overnight Luxembourg

Today our first stop is at the American Cemetery, where LTG Patton is buried along with over 5,000 American soldiers, most who lost their lives in the drive to the Rhine and the Battle of the Bulge.  This is a tranquil resting place for these heroes but a somber reminder of the cost of war. 

The American Cemetery in Luxembourg

Our next stop is to Luxembourg City.  After checking in to our hotel, we will have a guided walking tour of the most important sights in Old Town Luxembourg, to include walking the Promenade of the Corniche with its great views, the historic square and the Grand Duke’s Palace.

Luxembourg City Walls

Promenade of the Corniche

Day 7 Luxembourg     Patton Museum (Ettelbruck 25 min coach ride) National Museum of Military History (Diekirch 30 minute coach ride) Overnight Vianden

Our first stop is the Patton Museum.  You will learn about Patton’s life, and see displays of military equipment.  The spotlight of this museum is on the Battle of the Bulge. 

Our next stop is the Luxembourg National Museum of Military History.  Using large scale dioramas, is a fascinating look at the fighting that took place around Diekirch.  Also on display are weapons, military vehicles and other items used during WW II.  There are also sections about the Resistance and WW I. 

As an added bonus, we are planning to stay in the Victor Hugo Hotel near the town of Vianden.  We will visit the Vianden Castle, one of the largest fortified castles west of the Rhine.  We will stay overnight in this great Victor Hugo Hotel.

Day 8  Vianden to Bastogne (44 min coach ride)    101st Airborne Museum            Bastogne War Museum Overnight Bastogne

We will begin today after arriving in Bastogne, with a visit to the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne.  This cross roads village became famous for the defensive resistance put up by the 101st after it was encircled during the Battle of the Bulge in late December 1944.

 Housed in a former military officer’s mess, this museum is dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge/Ardennes and the amazing defensive stand made by the soldiers of the 101st Airborne. 

In the 4 floors of the museum, the focus is on the units, their weapons and uniforms, and realistic war scenes using mannequins.  There is also an immersive experience of a cellar basement shelter that recreates the terror of bombardments during this battle. 

Our next stop is the Bastogne War Museum.  This museum covers WW II, with key events but the main emphasis is the Battle of the Bulge. 

Using multisensory 3D technology, you will explore the past by first being placed in the Allied General Headquarters in southern England, then you will be placed in the Ardennes forest during the Battle of the Bulge ,and finally a visit to a local café with shelling exploding around you during the battle. 

We also will have time to visit the Mardasson Memorial, erected in gratitude of the Belgium people for the soldiers who risked their lives to help free them.  We will overnight in Bastogne.

Day 9 Waterloo and Brussels (about 1 hour 30 minutes coach ride)

Today we visit the Waterloo Battlefield, just outside Brussels, before continuing on to Brussels.

We plan to visit the Wellington Museum, see the Lion’s Mound (120 foot high memorial) and visit the Visitors Center and the panorama painting of the battlefield.

We will overnight in Brussels.

Brussels Square in the Old Town

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—another chance to visit Europe with a special tour we are leading. This will be a once in a lifetime experience and we hope you can join us!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

19 Years Old--Happy Birthday AmaWaterways!

19 Years Old—Happy Birthday AmaWaterways!

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

On 30 June 2002, Rudi and Kristin sat at their kitchen table and started a river cruise company that was then called Amadeus.

19 years later, they have become the best River Cruise Company for most of our clients.  As Kristin told me once just before my first guest appearance on AmaWaterways webinar for other travel agents, her vision and dream was to have 2 river cruise ships in Europe. 

Little did she know how far the company would come 19 years later.

The company has grown into a company we trust to deliver a vacation that will exceed your expectations.  As Kristin always says, their vision was to create a company that they would be proud to sail on.  They certainly have achieved this!

In many ways, their growth parallels our growth as European River Cruise Experts—we learned about European river cruising by taking our first cruise on AmaWaterways in the summer of 2009 and realized this was a great vacation that would become the most important trip we offer to clients and our core product.

We have documented many of these achievements in older blogs—if you want more in-depth information, please visit our river cruise blog archives on our website https://www.dreamdestinations.com/europe-river-cruise-blog-archives

So, let’s explore together and learn about AmaWaterways’ history and river cruise firsts—you won’t be disappointed!  There is so much to cover, I won’t be able to include it all but you will be amazed how far this great company has come in 19 years.

Company Founding and Overview

Founded in 2002 by river cruise pioneers Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy, AmaWaterways sails on Europe’s Danube, Douro, Main, Moselle, Rhine, Rhône, Garonne and Seine rivers.  It has expanded into Africa and Asia.

Hank and Rudi

Anne, Kristin and Hank

The line now sails to more than 24 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia, including Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Kenya, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Some Important Year By Year Changes

2006

The company launched its first originally designed and built ship, the AmaDagio (we sailed on her in 2013). 

The AmaDagio Ship Bell

The AmaDagio

Along with a great ship designed by Rudi, there were two firsts in the river cruise industry—they were the first to carry bicycles on board and to have internet, free of charge, on board.

AmaDagio Bikes

I heard a funny story about the internet from some older cruise managers about the internet.  When other cruise lines companies learned about the internet being used on AmaWaterways, the would try to dock next to AmaWaterways ships to try and use the free Wi-Fi since their ships did not have this feature.

For me, this was the start of the exceptional trend setting of the AmaWaterways’ product—almost every other river cruise line now offers what AmaWaterways started in 2006 and later years.  Here is what I wrote in 2016 on a blog about their bike program:

Explore on Two Wheels.  AmaWaterways carries a fleet of bicycles on board (they are free of charge), so you can see Europe’s enchanting scenery on riverside pathways while getting some exercise.  They dock close to many city centers and small towns, where you can ride along the locals. Options are to ride on your own, which has always been available since we started cruising in 2009, or join one of our exclusive guided tours, like a trek along the beautiful Danube River in Austria’s Wachau Valley. 

Bike on the ready 2018

Cycling group from our 2018 Danube cruise waving to us

This guided tour concept is new and we have had clients who love these tours (an update, these are now led by the on board wellness host and have 2 guides).

We have had clients take a ride along the scenic shores of the Inn River in Passau and along the banks of the Mosel around Cochem.  Both reported, it was fun and a great experience.  We also rode into Wurzburg on our own and really enjoyed our short ride—the bikes are very good and it was fun. 

2009

AmaWaterways builds the Zambezi Queen and begins sailing in Africa on the Chobe River.  Holding only 28 passengers, this is an experience of a lifetime.  We sent 4 clients on this cruise in 2016.

2010-2012

AmaWaterways builds the AmaVerde and the AmaBella, with ship design innovations and features that changes the river cruise industry.  Among the changes:

The Chef’s Table.  In Europe, each AMA ship has the chef’s table specialty restaurant.  This program began in 2012.  This small dining venue (usually no more than 28 guests) features a kitchen where your meal is prepared right in front of you.  This unique menu is paired with carefully selected fine wines.  It is truly a great experience. 

The Chef is ready to make our meal

AmaWaterways spends more than most other river cruise lines on the food and wines and it shows, especially in this unique dining venue.  We always go during our cruises and always arrange for the groups we led to dine together—it’s always a superb experience!

Our 2019 group in the Chef’s Table

AmaWaterways is the first river cruise line member of the invitation-only La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, one of the world’s most prestigious culinary organizations.

Ship Design Improvements.  The newer designed long ships (135 meters) have 4 great new features. 

First, the twin balconies have been added to some cabins—one is a French balcony with a sliding glass door and the other is an outside balcony to sit and watch the river glide by. 

Outside of a twin balcony

Inside the twin balcony—the glass slides open for a French Balcony

The second feature is an enhanced pool topside, that includes a swim up bar.  It is a nice upgrade from the hot tub on earlier riverboats. 

Ported in Cologne, this is the pool on the AmaKristina

The third is two separated larger tables that can seat 10 in the front of the main dining room.  These also serve as a wine storage area, so it’s like dining in a wine cellar. 

The last design feature is the lounge library area-- a reading room complete with an electronic fireplace.

2015

In 2015, AmaWaterways expands into SE Asia, sailing on the Mekong on the AmaDara

2017

AmaWaterways added a wellness host on every sailing by expanding the program they started in 2017. 

We got an early look at the program in the winter with the onboard wellness host, Selena on the AmaKristina. It was very good—as I have earned a master’s Degree in Physical Fitness, I think I have the credentials to properly evaluate the program.

Let me be clear—it is robust, fun and I was taken back about how many different activities were offered—it by far is the best fitness program on the Europe rivers by any company!

Among the features:  They offer stretching, Yoga, resistance bands, core exercises, bike tours and jogging tours. All are professionally led—Marcello, from Portugal, was our onboard wellness host and he did an outstanding job on the AmaKristina in 2019!

Selena, now the overall director of the program, has created a wonderful addition to Europe river cruising—well done!  Here is a sample of another great off board program that I had previously written about:

Go for a Hike.  The beauty of Europe doesn’t just lie in its architecture and landmarks – there are also great views to see and unique experiences when you venture out into nature.  

AmaWaterways has designed special hikes that will take you a bit off the beaten path in some very beautiful destinations.  Examples include making your way up to Dürnstein Fortress (great views of the Wachau Velley), or walking the Philosopher’s Path in Heidelberg (an optional tour around the famous castle area). 

You can see this would be a great hike for views of the Wachau Valley

2018-19

AmaWaterways expands its partnership with Adventures by Disney, and Backroads.  The Adventures with Disney is focused on kid’s activities.  Backroads is a premier cycling company.

2009-2021

It is not just the improvements of the sailing vessels, without a doubt, the most important improvement is the expanded tour options.  Here is a brief summary of the key changes we have seen:

Limited Edition Tours.  These tours are specially designed to give small groups an opportunity to be even more immersed in the places they are visiting.  Best of all, these tours are included in the cruise fare—there is no extra charge!  Popular options include a Belgian waffle and chocolate tasting in Antwerp, a beer and sausage tour in Nuremberg, or a chance to see Vienna’s hidden treasures, like the romantic Schönlaterngasse. 

We have done the waffle tasting and the sausage and beer tour—both were awesome! 

Anne also helped make a traditional soup in Bratislava—it was a fun experience. 

We have had clients participate in the Vienna tour and they really liked it (one great benefit for us—we discovered a great schnitzel restaurant which we managed to eat at as a result of their tour—it was the largest schnitzel I’ve ever seen, and just melted in our mouths—a really neat experience!). 

Limited Edition Tours are also a great option for a cruiser who is sailing on the same route a second or third time—it provides a new experience that enhances your trip.  Along with the Bratwurst and beer tasting at the oldest brewery in Nuremberg described above, here are 2 other unique culinary experiences:

Learning how to knot a bretzel (German for pretzel) at a German bakery

Sampling regional specialties at the Les Halles market in Lyon (we have been on this tour—it is excellent).

Les Halles Food Tour

Special Wine Themed Cruises

In 2013, we went on our first wine themed cruises.  Since then, we have been on 3.  There is now over 60 wine themed cruises a year.  I have also written 2 special blogs about wine cruises on AmaWaterways (3 June 2021 and 24 September 2020)

2019

The double wide AmaMagna debuts and begins cruising on the Danube.  It is the best river cruise ship in Europe. We have several clients sailing on her in 2021.

2021

AmaWaterways resumes sailing starting on 3 July 2021.  In September, they will begin sailing on the Nile with the new AmaDahlia.  We plan to experience this new 10 day route in December of 2021.

2022

AmaWaterways s partners with Ancestry—I covered this in last week’s blog (24 June 2021).

2023

AmaWaterways offers a new 7 rivers journey, 46 night cruising experience.  I wrote about this in a blog on 17 May 2021.

My Final Thoughts

What a great story—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!  We hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you.  I think it is very easy to see why we think AmaWaterways is the best river cruise company.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

AmaWaterways Partners with Ancestry®

AmaWaterways Partners with Ancestry®

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

AmaWaterways just seems to be on a relentless mission to enhance their offerings in river cruising –their moto “Leading the Way in River Cruising”—still rings true.

Their latest partnership, just announced on 23 June 2021 is amazing—a true home run in my opinion.  AmaWaterways has partnered with Ancestry to offer a specialized Ancestry themed cruise on 30 July 2022.  If you subscribe to Ancestry or are interested in genealogy this is the cruise for you!

They are calling this specialized cruise Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience

We anticipate this cruise will sell out fast.  We are waiting for final approval but may soon be able to offer $250.00 off the listed price on this cruise per person—please don’t wait!  Space can be reserved by a non-refundable deposit of $1,550.  The cruise will have an extra fee of $1,500 for the Ancestry® services added to the cruise prices. Your total price will depend upon what type of cabin stateroom you select for this special voyage.

Please don’t wait—if this appeals to you, call me at 713-397-0188 or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com—at max there will be only 156 spaces but I suspect even less, as AmaWaterways will need to provide a cabin stateroom or 2 for the genealogy experts from Ancestry.

So, let’s explore together and learn about this special partnership and the new river cruise.

The Route

Your route. Map from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

The route is a modification of the Captivating Rhine Cruise we have taken in 2016 and 2018. 

A couple of disclaimers here—this is still in development, so there could be changes but I would not anticipate any big changes.  Second, with AmaWaterways’ permission, I have copied much of this almost word for word.

Itinerary Overview

Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience

• The sailing dates are July 30 – August 6, 2022

• 7-night journey on the Rhine, Amsterdam to Basel aboard the AmaStella (135 meter vessel)

• Optional 2-night in Amsterdam pre-cruise and/or 4-night in Switzerland (Lucerne and Zurich) post-cruise packages

Your Cruise Ship—the AmaStella

The AmaStella is a twin balcony designed ship with 78 staterooms and has a max capacity of 156 passengers. As with all AmaWaterways ships with this design, there is a Main Lounge, a Reception Area, the Main Dining Room, the Chef’s Table, a Massage & Hair Salon, a Fitness Room, an Elevator, and a Swim-up Heated Pool on the top Sun Deck. These style ships are wonderfully designed and tastefully decorated.

While we have never sailed on this ship, we have sailed on several other similar riverships with AmaWaterways and they are first class in every respect.

Each sailing has a dedicated Cruise Manager and Certified Fitness Host and an outstanding crew to make your vacation experience special.

The meals are outstanding; the service is excellent and you become part of the AmaWaterways family and will want to come back to sail with them soon.

The best part of your journey will be the outstanding standards AmaWaterways uses on all its sailings coupled with the Ancestry Cruise—a true winning combination!

The AmaStella. Picture used with permission from AmaWaterways.

The Chef’s Table on the AmaStella. This wonderful dining option is included in the price of the cruise—there are no additional costs to dine here. Photo from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

One of the 2 wine rooms that are part of the main dining room. Picture from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

Please note, guests will have opportunity to see Floriade if they take a pre-cruise in Amsterdam. There is no opportunity to visit Floriade on the main cruise, as guests will be taken from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium for the Ancestry specific excursion on Day 2 of the main cruise.  

If you are not familiar with the Floriade, it is a once a decade horticultural show, that runs from April to October in 2022.  The theme is “Growing Green Cities.”

Optional 2-night pre-cruise in Amsterdam:

Day 1 Amsterdam  Hotel check-in; on Day 2 in Amsterdam a Walking Tour and on Day 3 prior to embarkation, a visit to the Floriade.

Amsterdam Canal.

The famous Gabled Roofs on the narrow buildings. Most were built as narrow as possible to limit property taxes that were assessed by the width of the building.

This is a former gate entrance to the city. All the walls have been torn down of this former walled city. It is now a restaurant.

The Cruise

Day 3 Embarkation - July 30, 2022

Day 4 Amsterdam  Transfer to Antwerp  by bus

Antwerp “In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors”: Visit to Red Star Line Museum, accompanied by an expert genealogist 

Ancestry Specific Excursion Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp, Belgium

This excursion is exclusive to the Heritage on the River sailing and allows guests to go in the footsteps of the emigrants who were in search of a new home in North America.

Guests will arrive from Amsterdam to Antwerp by bus and start the tour from the Antwerp Central Station.  For many who immigrated to the New World, this is where their story began, and the accompanying genealogist will bring that history to life in this grand hub.

 Later, guests will have a unique experience at the Red Star Line Museum, considered Europe’s counterpart to Ellis Island. There they will follow in the footsteps of three million emigrants as they embarked Red Star Line Ocean liners in Antwerp between 1873 and 1934 on their way to North America. 

This excursion includes time for guests to personally search the Red Star Line’s database for ship manifests that may uncover the names of your relatives. Following the excursion, guests will transfer to Utrecht where they will re-join the ship.

For more information on the Red Star Line Museum, please visit their website:

Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp

Day 5 Cologne  “Holy City” walking tour and cathedral visit;  OR Kölsch beer tasting; OR Cologne bike tour 

This wonderful photo taken by Anne shows this magnificent Cologne Cathedral.

Day 6  Rhine Gorge  Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising / Rüdesheim

In Rüdesheim you have several options--wine tasting, OR a Gondola ride; OR Vineyard hike; OR Guided bike tour of the Rheingau region; Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum; OR Rüdesheimer coffee

Rüdesheim narrow streets. On the far right, with the yellow lollipop sign, is Chris, the cruise manager for the cruise when Anne took this photo in 2016. Guides use the lollipop signs for the small walking groups when on tour.

Hank (right) with his West Point Classmate Jim, drinking Rüdesheimer coffee (coffee, whipped cream and Rüdesheimer brandy)

Day 7 Ludwigshafen  “Romantic Heidelberg” excursion  OR Heidelberg Philosopher’s Path hike; OR “Secrets of Speyer” tour; OR Ladenburg bike tour 

The Gate Bridge entrance to Heidelberg over the Neckar River..

Heidelberg Castle ruins in the snow—there will not be any on your 2022 trip.

Speyer pilgrim statue..

Speyer Cathedral

Day 8 Strasbourg “The Gem of Alsace” tour; OR Strasbourg bike tour 

Strasbourg

Stasbourg

Day 9 Breisach  Riquewihr walking tour OR Freiburg excursion; OR Black Forest hike; OR Breisach wine country bike tour 

Riquewhir watch tower.

Riquewhir cobblestone streets. This colorful village was used as the inspiration of Belle’s village in the Disney production of Beauty and the Beast.

The old Merchants Guild Hall in Freiburg.

Day 10 Basel  Day 10 DISEMBARKATION, August 6th, 2021

Optional 4-night post-cruise in Switzerland:

Day 10 Basel highlights tour begins with a Transfer to Lucerne by bus; Lucerne walking tour  and Hotel check-in.  Day 11 Lucerne  Lion Monument and medieval city walls. Day 12 Lucerne  Lucerne Lake cruise and scenic drive to Zurich by bus, Zurich Hotel check-in.  Day 13 Zurich  “Little Big City” tour.  Day 14 Zurich  Return flight home 

Lucerne’s famous covered bridge.

Alpine art in Lucerne.

The old city walls and watch tower in Lucerne,

Lion Monument in Lucerne. The Lion Monument is a tribute to the 1000 Swiss Gurads who died trying to protect King Louie XVI of France in 1792 during the French Revolution.

Old Town Zurich.

Zurich Grossmunster.

What’s Included Before the Cruise

• The journey begins the moment you make a reservation. An expert Ancestry genealogist will begin performing research into the your family history.

• A welcome call with a designated expert genealogist (about 1 hour).

• A five-hour consultation and introductory research to study aspects of your family that are of particular interest to them. (Additional hours are available at extra cost)

• A summary of findings from the five-hour consultation and introductory research. (The summary is completed as part of the five hours). Through this research, Ancestry will look to identify places guests will visit or pass on the river cruise that may be connected to their ancestry.

• Guests will also have an option to add-on an Ancestral Home Visits.

 What’s Included in the Cruise

In addition to AmaWaterways regular inclusions, the Ancestry experience includes:

• An expert genealogists will be with our guests for the entire river cruise, personalizing their experience, setting the historical context, and answering questions about their family, history, and the next steps they can take to research them. This expert will connect the places we are visiting to the guests’ family history. The expert will also explain changes in national borders and regional politics over time, all while providing a glimpse into the guests’ ancestors’ likely experiences and daily lives.

• The expert genealogist will deliver at least two historical and genealogical presentations during the cruise. These presentations will help guests learn more about what life was like for their ancestors and what records are available to find out more about them.

• Each participant will receive one private consultation with the expert genealogist while on board. (They will sign up during the cruise.) T his is a great opportunity to review their Ancestry Tree with their expert genealogist.

• An Ancestry-specific excursion with the expert genealogist

My Final Thoughts

What a great opportunity to learn about your ancestry.  Not only will you get a fabulous vacation, the added benefit of 5 hours of personalized research is amazing.  If you really want to learn about your family tree and history, this is amazing opportunity.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Anne's European Photos--Some of My Favorites

Anne’s Photos—Some of My Favorites

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know that the heart of these blogs is the pictures we take.

But to be perfectly honest, it is almost all Anne’s great eye, patience and most of all, skill as a great photographer.

To me, the essence of a really good travel photo is that it tells a story.

It is engagement that spark’s your imagination and Anne excels in telling a story captured by her lens.

Don’t expect any real rhyme or reason or great organized method to this collection of pictures—I just decided to organize them by subject.  The hard part will be selecting only a few by topic. I will start with six topics on this blog and perhaps do another blog or two with other topics.

So, let’s explore together and learn about some of my favorite pictures taken by Anne and why I like them—you won’t be disappointed!

River Scenes and Ports

The story here is beauty in half-timbered buildings and the irregular shaped market square. The workmanship is amazing. This picture is well framed—the well is off center a little (adds interest) , bikes, in the fore ground and people add perspective. It is easy to imagine a market here.

The next picture for me is the story of Amsterdam—canals, bikes, flowers and narrow buildings. The bike and flowers in the foreground add interest to the long canal whose lines draw your eyes to the building in the distance. Classic composition.

The next story is the castle on the hill over the village below on the Moselle. The large castle dominates but needs the village for support. It is also clear the river twists in a bend, which adds symmetry to the walls of the castle.

The next story is of beauty of a unique town hall, built on a river when the city bishops refused to grant the citizens land to build their town hall. The slightly off center building, the striking yellow half timbers and the river current really add interest to the out of place structure.

This picture is the story of the history of the Rhine River Gorge, greedy barons seeking taxes and tariffs, a small village perched on the river banks and growing grapes to make excellent wine. The far left fort, is balanced by the castle in the far right upper corner above the village. The tax station fort in the foreground tells the story—no escape for the boats loaded with goods, helping the lords of the castle prosper.

In Passau, a fortress looms over the Danube. It is clear the fort dominates in the background, but is supported by the buildings in the foreground. The contrasting colors add interest.

At the entrance to the Wachau Valley, a fortified abbey guards the waterway, rising 130 feet above the river. It was owned by the Bishops of Passau and is known as the “Watchman of the Wachau”. The flowing river, the exposed rocks and 90 degree cliff of the fortified position clearly show how this position could restrict movement on the river and protect the inhabitants.

This stunning picture is the story of Budapest’s struggle for independence. At almost 880 feet long, and 315 feet high, designed in Gothic Revival style, the building used 88 lbs. of gold on the exterior. No wonder it is lighted at night! Anne did a great job capturing the entire building on the banks of the Danube. During the communist rule, a large red star was placed on the building but removed in 1990.

In the Iron gates, suddenly, an orthodox monastery pops up during your passage. The Iron Gates separate Romania and Serbia. The monastery was first built in 1523, destroyed several times by invading armies and finally rebuilt in 1999. Anne captured this unique building, the granite cliffs on the far shore and the Carpathian Mountains in the distance.

Gardens and Flowers

The story here is a spectacular rose garden in Bamberg with about 4,500 roses in the New Residenz Palace garden. Anne did a good job displaying the vast grounds, the centerpiece statue and the different types of roses.

Flower markets are important to the lives of Europeans. This is one of the several flower stalls on market day in Freiburg, Germany.

The story here is the importance of tulips in the Netherlands. Tulips are an obsession in the Netherlands and these tulips in Kuekenhof Gardens are part of about 7 million planted each year. They bloom for only 5-6 weeks each year in the Spring. By taking this photo at an angle, it is easy to see the depth of this indoor flower bed and the different types of bulbs that have been cultivated.

Amid the white homes of Mykonos, dramatic splashes of colors, among doorways and windows makes one wonder who lives here. The composition is excellent, staircases on the right, a flowering tree, the white buildings and blue balconies in the left-invites you to study this photo.

The story here in this Roman square is how it is used during the day and during the night. The flowers are vibrant and soon will be gone. In the background is a restaurant that will expand into the square for more al fresco dining in the evening.

The story here is a garden created by Arabs in Spain. Water was very important to the invaders from Africa who came from dry lands and creating gardens that featured fountains and lush plants were especially important—it was almost like a heavenly place for them. These linear water features and well trimmed plants are peaceful and relaxing. Anne’s photo conveys this tranquil area superbly.

Castles and Palaces

This well framed picture is the entrance to a small protected courtyard of this German Castle. The height and sturdy white towers stand out from the dark stones at this entrance.

It would hard to imagine a castle with more turrets, and defensive walls than this storybook castle in Wales. With the contrasting red phone booth, the fish and chips eatery and people in there foreground that all contrast but still doesn’t detract from the castle built in the 1300’s, it is easy to see the size of this structure but realize it is very old.

Life inside castles in medieval times is often a mystery for most of us. In Marksburg Castle, kitchen ware and game hanging helps bring this to life.

Who wouldn’t want to live in Peles Castles? The inside is even more fashionable and ornate.

The story of the Tower of London is the key history of England since 1066. These 4 towers were built by Edward the Conquer in the 1070s after the pivotal battle of Hastings. The tower has served as a fortress, a palace and a prison—it is the most secure castle in England and a symbol power, awe and fear.

The Norman Gate in Windsor Castle is one of the symbols of power of the English monarchy. The gate is named as recognition of the lineage of the 4 Norman kings who ruled from 1066 to 1154. The contrasting garden and bench sitting area adds both interest and prospective to the stone defensive tower.

Street Signs

This wooden sign in Germany is inviting way to let folks know of this establishment. The Golden Fleece is a good tavern in this German city.

Wrought iron sign tells patrons that a good time and good beverages await inside.

If the food is as good as the outside looks, it must be great. The flower boxes and half-timber construction first grab your attention but then lead your eye to the purpose of this building—a grill type restaurant.

In an age when many could not read, this sign told people what they could find inside. Is there any doubt that shoes and boots are available here?

A lantern was the symbol of an inn during the middle ages.

In Miltenberg, this well crafted sign tells quite a story. It is the sign outside perhaps the oldest inn in Germany—since 881 according to the sign. A coat of arms decorates this ornate sign of the Hotel Zum Riesen (the giant)

Colorful Places

The Merchants Hall in Freiburg, with its dominate red facade, adds a eye-catching focal point in the colorful Munster square. It is located on the south side of Munster Square and it has been in use since the 1400s. The decorations on this building are tributes to the House of Habsburg.

In perhaps the most colorful and quaint villages in Europe (Riquewihr, France), this tavern invites all in for a good meal and drink.

In Old Town Stockholm, colorful buildings sourround the main square.

In this protected harbor pocket, the colorful town of Portofino, with a luxury yacht ported, tells the story of the transition of a small fishing village on the Italian Riviera in Northern Italy. By 1950, tourism had replaced fishing as the top economic activity of this gem.

Stacked on top of each other, this small port village’s buildings are colorful and built side-by-side in a seemingly endless jumble of buildings into a steep cliff. Anne did a good job of capturing the height and jumbled town plan. It is a well known holiday vacation spot on the Amalfi Coast.

The Greek Isles dot the Aegean Sea, and Fira on Santorini in the south Aegen looks spectacular on the steep cliffside. The best way up these steep cliffs is by Cable Car.

You really don’t need words to look at this inviting, bubbling pool and the view and I’m sure you want to jump in.

The red tile roofs, splashes of color by paint and plants characterize the Alfama section of Lisbon, Portugal. The steep streets have stores selling traditional crafts and cafes for your pleasure. These streets lead to Sao Jorge Castle (not shown).

Dramatic Castle Scenery

Castles are built to dominate and defend. Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified place in Europe; it has been a royal residence and a military garrison. Its height makes it a good defensive position but it is the most besieged fort in Britain. It houses the crown jewels and the Great Hall has hosted many royal events. For many Scots, this is the most important place in Scotland, and is open to visitors.

This defensive structure is a story of invasion and occupation. Built in the mid 13th century by Arab invaders, the Alhambra was the last Moorish stronghold to fall in 1492 during the Christian crusades or Reconquista as it is known in Spanish.

In the Julian Alps, overlooking Lake Bled, this castle is strongly positioned at almost 390 feet above the lake. This castle has defended the area for over 1000 years. It is now a museum. Anne really did a good job showing how well positioned the castle is on the heights.

A romantic fantasy land, this Portuguese Palace is constructed in the Romanticism style of architecture. It is a mixed palace of vividly painted structures amid the green vegetation that surrounds the palace. Anne took this unusual view to contrast the palace from the gardens.

The snow creates an eerie feeling to this large castle ruins 300 feet above the city of Heidelberg. The rust red facade seems to sharpen in the white snow but also holds secrets of past glory and power.

In this castle picture, during a rainstorm, Anne captures a strong castle fortress protecting a passage way in Transylvania. The small courtyard and protected passageways project strength. It is known as the castle home of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula. The rain adds to this picture effectiveness as a spooky place.

4 of Anne’s Favorites

This is a photo of Anne’s favorite city in Europe. The reflection of the canal, the contrasting light and distance bell tower make this one her best pictures. It is a photo worthy of her favorite city in Europe, Brugge.

Doors fascinate Anne—this is among her favorites. The contrasting colors make this plain doorway pop and peaks our curiosity—what is inside?

Another door, but quite a story here—the Swiss guards still stand watch protecting the Pope. Today it is the world’s smallest Army—about 135 strong. This guard is on Honor Duty with his traditional halberd. It is much like the guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in our Arlington National Cemetery as an honor guard position. The guard stands in silence, in the duty considered today as the most important among the guards duties, except for protecting the Pope. In 1527, 190 Swiss Guards were killed defending Pope Clement VII, and allowed him to escape during the Sack of Rome. These guards proudly continue their 500+ year service to the Pope.

I have to end with a sunset—Anne just loves these images! I picked this picture taken just off the island of Santorini because there is almost a cult like following of folks who just stop and watch the sun go down. This picture just makes us members of the cult!

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—Anne’s Photos—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!  We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels. She really captures the essence of a place, doesn’t she?

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

14 June--Flag Day and the US Army Birthday

14 June—Flag Day and the US Army Birthday

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

This June 2021 is a milestone year for me.  On June 9, 1971 I graduated from West Point after 47 grueling months.

This next week on Monday, 14 June we will celebrate the 246 years of the US Army serving and defending our country.  It also is the US Flag Day.

So, this week, I thought I’d tell you a little bit about these 3 events and their impact on my life.

West Point 1967 thru 1971

Graduating on 9 June 1971.

On 9 June 1971, I stood with my classmates and took the oath to “support and defend the Constitution of United States against of all enemies, foreign and domestic” during my commissioning ceremonies in the morning of 9 June 1971.  I was fortunate to have my father, then a Major General and recently returned from Vietnam, swear me in with the oath that all officers take.  I was now a commissioned 2LT, as an Infantry Officer. 

I was 17 when I reported to attend West Point. This is my 4th class year picture (freshman year).

My cadet days were a struggle of rigorous academics in the engineering subjects, relative success in languages, social sciences and my favorite subject, physical education. 

My success at West Point in many ways was connected to being a varsity track athlete, as a long sprinter in the 440 yard dash.  I earned 5 letters, a few medals in competition , but it was the closeness of the team and how important track was to me that help me overcome my academic studies difficulties and graduate. 

On the way to earning my first Army A letter in 1969 in the indoor tract meet against Navy. I ran at about 155-160 lbs in those days!

Handing off in the mile relay in 1970 against Navy in the Army Navy Track meet. In all varsity sports, if your team beats Navy, you get a gold star to wear under your varsity letter. In my 3 years on varsity track (under the old rules freshman could not compete on the varsity) we never lost to Navy and I proudly wore 5 gold stars under my Army A letter.

I would return in 1981-1984 to West Point to teach physical education and help coach the cadet rugby team.

In 1983, as a coach on the Army Rugby team, we took the A side to England to play the the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst Rugby team. I am on the right , second to last in the front row.

My lifetime has been always associated with the Army in some form—it started as an Army Brat (my Dad was a career officer), as you read above I went to West Point and returned to teach in the physical education department. 

I served 20 years in the Army and once a soldier, always a soldier—I have tried to help in various military organizations and causes since my retirement.  It was an honor to serve.

50 years ago—in many ways a long time but most of all it seems as it was just yesterday.

So, I guess it is just fitting to tell you about the significance of 14 June in my life.

US Army Birthday

First, the US Army Birthday deserves recognition.  On 14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized expert riflemen to serve the United States Colonies for one year.  Another act on that day was special for me also, as the first and only branch authorized that day was the Infantry—my branch.  Other branches were authorized on 16 June 1775 but my branch was first.

It was a difficult task that faced the members of the Second Continental Congress in 1775. 

On 19 April 1775, the American Revolution had begun with the engagement at Lexington and Concord, a local rebellion of New Englanders against the British.  They surrounded the British troops that occupied Boston and appealed to the delegates of the 13 colonies for help. 

The delegates also learned that Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had taken the British forts of Ticonderoga and Crown Point.  It no longer was a local rebellion, the military action had changed the situation.

They decided to take the next step by establishing the Continental Army and transformed a local war of rebellion into a war of independence for the entire 13 colonies.  They resolved to “raise 6 companies of expert rifleman immediately from Pennsylvania, 2 from Maryland and 2 from Virginia and, as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under command of the Chief Officer in that army”.

The US Army and the Infantry Branch were born on that June day.  On this Monday 14 June 2021 both the US Army and the Infantry Branch will be 246 years old.

So, how many serve today in the Army?  The active Army has about 480,900 in an all-volunteer force.  There are also around 336,000 in the Army National Guard and 188,700 in the Army Reserves. 

To all of you who have donned the US Army Uniform, thank you for serving our country—there is no doubt in my mind you have made it possible for us to enjoy the freedoms that come from living in America!

Happy Birthday US Army!

June 14—Flag Day

The French and American flags in front of each grave in the American cemetery in Normandy, France on 5 June 2014. The French have never forgotten we came to help liberate them on D Day 6 June 1944.

Flags have been used throughout history as a way to identify military groups, ships, states and provinces, and nations.  The most popular use of flags is to symbolize a country or nation.  These symbols represent the pride of a nation and are used in times of celebration, protest and tragedy to express the feelings of the nation.  Perhaps no one item can so eloquently capture the spirit of a country.

Our Flag and Flag Day

When our flag was adopted, it was created by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.  The resolution stated that the flag "be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."  So, that is how the Stars and Strips was officially created and described by our forefathers.

There were several attempts to recognize our flag, especially after the Civil War, but it did not receive official recognition until 1916, by a Presidential Proclamation.  It is not a national holiday but a day of observance to recognize the creation and importance of our flag.  In 1949, by an Act of Congress, National Flag Day was created.

We all seem to know a lot about our flag and its meaning, but it got me thinking about flags in Europe.  Here are some facts about European Flags, I hope you will find interesting.

Some Interesting Europe Flags

Dannebrog

According to Wikipedia, the Dannebrog (translated to Danish Cloth), the national flag of Denmark, is the oldest national flag still in use.  This flag was adopted in 1478.  The cross design has been adopted by the Scandinavian flags of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. 

The flag of Norway, is an adaptation of the Dannebrog.

The oldest national flags often use the cross. Here are some examples:

Swiss National Flag

The Scottish Flag—one of the oldest used in Europe.

The Union Jack

Probably the most recognized flag in the world, the Union Jack is a combination of three flags: England, Wales, and Scotland and their patron saints.  It was first flown on ships, hence the nickname Jack, refers to a ship mounted flag.  The flag dates to 1606.  Due the large colonial British Empire, it is the most common flag in the world, and is included in some form on 23 flags.

The Union Jack flies over Parliament in London, England

In Guilford, England another example of the Union Jack that flies over the castle ruins.

Tricolor Flags of Europe

There are two types of tricolor flags.  They are vertical and horizontal designs.  Tricolor flags are associated with republics, liberty and revolution.  The French, Italian Romanian and Irish flags were all created on the formation of republics in those countries.  Here are some of our favorite pictures of Tricolor flags:

Vertical Tricolor Flag

Belgium Flag in Antwerp, Belgium

The Italian National Flag at the Victor Emmanuel Monument, Rome Italy.

The French Flag on display in Bratislava, Slovakia at the French consulate with a whimsical Napoleon gazes at the square.

Horizontal Tricolor Flags

The Croatian Flag flies over the walled city of Dubrovnik

The German Flag on display in Berlin in front of the Reichstag

Ship sailing on the rivers display the flag of the country they sail through. This is, of course, the German Flag on an AmaWaterways rivership.

To my knowledge, there are only two countries that have the exact same flag.  They are Romania and Chad.

The Romania Flag in Brasov

The Flag of Turkey

The flag of Turkey, in many ways, recognizes the importance of the old Ottoman Empire.  It is very similar to the last flag of the Ottoman Empire.  The modern flag of Turkey is also has been the inspiration for flags of other Muslim countries.  The crescent and star on the flag is a symbol of Islam.

The Turkish National Flag on display in Istanbul

It is quite common in Europe to display multiple flags. Here are some examples

The flags from left to right, Athens City Flag, the Greek National Flag and the EU flag (hard to see the stars on the EU flag) in Athens

Flags in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Blue Flag is the Canton Flag of Lucerne. The red flag is an adaptation of the Swiss National Flag.

Flags in front of the Sacher Hotel in Vienna. From right to left, European Union, Austrian National Flag, the Union Jack and the American Flag.

Flags in Vukovar, Croatia at a war memorial. From left to right, EU flag, Croatian National Flag and the town flag of Vukovar.

National Coats of Arms

In Europe especially, there are often flags that display a national coat of arms. A flag of a country represents its population; the national coat of arms represents the government. These are displayed in different forms, sometimes on a flag, but usually on a building or perhaps a coin.

Here are just a few we have seen on our travels in Europe:

The national coat of arms on the Matthias Church window, in the Buda portion of Budapest, Hungary.

Presidential version Standard in Prague, Czech Republic The moto translated means “Truth Prevails”

The double eagle crest. The double eagle is the symbol of power and domination and used by empires. It was most notably used by the Byzantine Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, the Ausrto-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire. This crest is in Austria

The Double Eagle in gold at Peterhof in Russia—of course the czar would settle for anything less that gold on the crest.

My Final Thoughts

Nations and their borders are created by man.  Most counties have a strong sense of national identity, with ethnic groups that have common languages, religions and customs and traditions. 

Some of these countries have been created peacefully but many are a result of war or struggles of independence.  Flag Day makes me proud to be an American.  It makes me prouder yet to have served our country—Happy Birthday to the US Army and more importantly to all who have served. 

It also makes me recognize there are many other wonderful folks who live in other nations and it inspires me to want to visit Europe more often.  I want to be a good representative of our country and have more European experiences. 

We hope this will inspire you to remember who were are as Americans, remember the importance of our flag and what it represents, and honor the US Army. 

We also need to recognize many of our traditions and ideas came from Europe and by traveling to these places, we learn about our similarities and hopefully learn to embrace our differences. 

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Great Wine and Dining Experiences on AmaWaterways

Great Wine and Dining Experiences on AmaWaterways

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is how well most seem to eat and drink responsibly—it is amazing!

This same tradition is carried on to river cruise ships, and to us, the best river cruise line for food and wine is AmaWaterways.

So, let’s explore together and learn about wine and dining experiences on AmaWaterways—you won’t be disappointed!

Different Regional Wines are Served on all AmaWaterways European Cruises Each Night

On our first cruise on AmaWaterways, along with the good food, I was really surprised to have my glass constantly refilled during the dinner meal.  It was always a different red and white selection that changed each night and often during lunch.  In the 17 cruises we have taken on with this great line, the free-flowing wine service remains and the quality keeps improving.

Hank on his first river cruise in 2009, selecting one of the two wine options at diner in the main dining room.

Wine Cruises on AmaWaterways

There are over 60 wine cruises each year on AmaWaterways.  You will sail along some of the most famous wine regions of Europe, depending on the route you choose. Here are some vineyards you could sail past on your cruise:

The vineyards of Spitz in the Wachau Valley on an Upper Danube cruise

The vineyards just outside Rudesheim, Germany.

A vineyard on the Rhone

On the Moselle in the fall.

Another picture on the Moselle

These wine cruises cost nothing extra of regular cruises and have 3 great benefits. 

First, you will have a special wine host to tell you about and let you taste the wines they have created. 

Mark Thomas preparing for an on board wine tasting hosted by Ledson Winery

Hank during the wine tasting using corks to make a trivet

Second, you will get to visit some of the premier vineyards and have cellar tours and tastings. 

Champagne tasting on a special tour in Lyon

The 4 champagnes we tasted

Wine tasting in Tournon

Wine server and Dejan, our cruise manager (right)

Hank and Anne at the wine tasting in Tournon

Another tasting room

The wines we tasted

Beaujolais tasting

His Beaujolais wines

Bordeaux winery

Barrels in the winery

Third, you will learn about pairing wines with food.

Here is a link to a blog I wrote about Wine Cruises on AmaWaterways

Wine Pairings—Learn about the Art of Wine Paring

I really like wine, especially when it is properly paired with food!

Wine is a complex subject but it doesn’t have to be—it really is about what you like and how you can best enjoy it.  I am sure part of the fascination for me is how it enhances food as well as how it is enhanced by food but also the complex process involved in making quality wine.  Wine producers wear many hats—entrepreneur, farmer, chemist, blender, and business person.

Certain foods go well with certain types of wine.  In particular, cheese is one of the simplest to pair wine with, but most foods are enhanced with a good wine, in my opinion!

During an AmaWaterways cruise, you can expect to learn more about this art.  There will be at least 3 pairing chances—two in the main dining room and one at the Chef’s table.  In the main dining room, the wine host will have a special pairing dinner featuring their wines.  The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dinner is a feature on each AmaWaterways cruise and they match special wines that pair very well with the menu.

Dining Options on Your Cruise

You will be pleasantly surprised at the quality and different dining options and food available on so compact a ship. The fare is regionally-inspired cuisine, always fresh and locally sourced.

Most dining is in the main dining room. They often have special themed nights and lunches. For example, the German festival is served on the top deck when the weather cooperates, but is equally good in the main dining room.

Germany meal

In the Lounge area, there is a continental breakfast, a light lunch option (usually one entree, a soup, salad and desert) a snack hour with homemade deserts and tapas. The Specialty Dining Room, at the rear (aft) of the ship is a unique feature and included in the fare.

Sweet treats in the lounge

It is often an option to get a cooking class on-board or as a shore excursion—they are included at no extra cost. There are also food tours of famous food markets, like this one in Lyon.

Les Halles food market

Meat stall on the food tour

The Main Dining Room

The main dining room serves most of the meals you will eat on board this river ship.  Breakfast and lunch used to be buffet style with options to order off the menu, but now all items are served to guests. 

Our group in the main dining room 2015

Our group in the main dining room 2015

The one of the two wine rooms on the AmaKristina 2019

Most days I select the Eggs Benedict along with complimentary unlimited sparkling wine and fresh juices to start my day.  All breads are freshly baked every day and they even make homemade ice cream for dessert at lunch. 

Here is a sample lunch menu (quite an impressive selection, in my opinion):

The lunch menu

Every evening on the dinner menu (a 4 course affair of an appetizer, a soup course, a main course and dessert), there are 3 Entrée’s choices—usually a meat dish, a fish dish and a vegetarian option.—all are excellent!  To help you, at both lunch and dinner there is a Chef’s Recommendation for that meal, what he considers the best offering for that meal for all the courses. Many use this to try new food experiences.

Anne’s fish entree

Don’t be surprised if special celebrations happen during your meal—maybe a surprise desert or a special cake to celebrate a milestone event.

Baked Alaska 2013

Happy Anniversary Irene and John 2019

There is an Always Available Menu that features a steak, a grilled chicken breast, and a vegetarian or pasta option. 

The lunch and dinner meals feature a white and red wine from the region you are sailing through and they change daily (not every river cruise lines changes wines every day or offers included wine and beer).  There is also beer and other beverages.

One item of note—portions are slightly smaller in recent sailings and for the baby boomers of our generation, this is a smart move.  You can always have more food, but even for big eaters like me, the portions were properly sized.

I do have to point out that on the Always Available Menu, I usually get the steak once during the cruise.  It always is large, and very tasty.  Here is a photo—looks very good, doesn’t it!

My steak from the everyday menu

On every cruise, there is a special captain’s dinner. All guests have a great meal and the captain dines with some select guests. Here are some photos of the Captain’s Table.

A well presented starter

Anne’s salad

Hank’s dessert

Anne’s dessert

Hank and Anne at the Captains table

The Chef’s Table.  In Europe, each AmaWaterways ship has the chef’s table specialty restaurant.  This small dining venue (usually no more than 28 guests but up to 38 on the AmaMagna) features a kitchen where your meal is prepared right in front of you. 

The chef ready to prepare our meal

The Chef’s Table

Seating at the Chef’s Table

Our group on the AmaKristina 2019

This unique menu is paired with carefully selected fine wines.  

The menu board

It is truly a great experience.  At least each year the menu changes, so we will look forward to our next sailing to see what great new features will be added to this fun dining experience.

The fish tasting course

The meat tasting course

AMA spends more than most other river cruise lines on the food and wines and it shows, especially in this unique dining venue.  We always go during our cruises and always arrange for the groups we led to dine together—it’s always a superb experience!

Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Meal

AmaWaterways has another unique culinary achievement—they are the only river cruise line inducted into the La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, a prestigious international gastronomic society dedicated to fine cuisine.  There is a special Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dinner meal on each cruise.

The entire European fleet and President Rudi Schreiner were honored.  According to the AmaWaterways website, the society was:

“Founded in Paris in 1950 to honor the royal Guild of Goose Roasters (whose origins date back to the 13th century), it is the oldest and largest food and wine society in the world. Membership to La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is by invitation only and is extended to those possessing world-class culinary acumen.”

AmaWaterways Awarded Best Onboard Dining (River Cruise) by TravelAge West Magazine for 2020

After sailing on AmaWaterways 17 times, we agree wholeheartedly with this award.  There is no extra charge for all these options, so this makes it even a better deal.

If you want good food and wine on a river cruise, go on AmaWaterways—it seems a lot of other travel advisors share our opinion!  Pretty easy to see why the won the Best Onboard Dining Wave Award for River Cruising in 2020.

Maybe you will get to share a meal with good friends, or comrades like we do when escorting our clients.

Jeff and Hank 2018

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—great wine and superb food—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much and river cruising on AmaWaterways!  We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed eating, drinking and seeing the many venues that emphasize food and wine in Europe. We have loved them during our travels and hope to share them with you in the future.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Memorial Day 2021

Memorial Day 2021

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps the most misunderstood holiday in our country is Memorial Day.  Memorial Day honors those who have died while on duty in the military services. 

However, I am sad to say few folks understand the significance of this solemn day of remembrance.  For many people in our country, it is the start of summer and a way to gather with friends and families for a break from work.  It is also about selling and buying for many—deals are offered in a dizzying amount to all of us. 

Somehow, to me, the whole patriotic purpose has been pushed into the background.  It should be a little somber, about fallen comrades, but I guess that with less than 1% of our nation who have served in the Armed Forces, it is understandable.  Maybe the best way for folks to understand is the loss of a family member—there is an emptiness that never goes away.  We who have served feel the same way about our lost comrades.

Many will say to others—“Happy Memorial Day”, thinking it is an accurate way to say thanks.  It really is not a happy time—it is more about refection and recognizing there is something in life more important than a happy holiday.  It doesn’t mean we should not express some joy during Memorial Day—just let’s express the joy about those fallen lives and remember them for their sacrifice and the good times we got to share with them.  Their loved ones and comrades feel their loss every day but especially on this day and we should also pay our respects, even if for just a couple of minutes or so.

The Memorial Day holiday has its origins from the end of the US Civil War—it was originally called Decoration Day.  Although the correct purpose of this holiday is to recognize those who actually died while on active service, for most American it also includes those who served their country and have passed on.  I know I personally honor my Dad on this Day, even though he did not die on active duty but later in life after his retirement.  He was lucky—he served in 3 wars and made it out alive.  Many he served with did not.

In some functions in the military, especially formal dinners, we always toast our fallen.  Almost all who have served, know a comrade who made the ultimate sacrifice.  It is deeply personal—usually a vibrant life taken way too soon.  One of my classmates, a 3 star general, always carried a notecard with every soldier’s name who died during his command assignment in Iraq wherever he went.  He told me it was a constant reminder of decisions he made during combat came with costs, and those costs were soldier’s lives.  It is not an easy profession, leaders very often put their soldiers in harm’s way—it is unavoidable but necessary to accomplish the mission.

Maybe as a tribute to these fallen, I will tell you most often they reflected in their wartime service, the values of Army soldiers.  These values are: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.  While these are the official Army’s values, maybe they should be our national values.  There would be no better way to honor these soldiers, if we could all live our daily lives embodying some or all of these values.

This is a hard blog to write—the sheer numbers are staggering from the 5 major conflicts from WW II to present that have affected my 71 years on this earth.  According to Wikipedia, combat deaths were:

WW II (1941-1945)                                                    291,557;

Vietnam War (1955-1975)                                        47,434;

Korean War (1950-1953)                                           33,686;

Iraq War (2003-2011)                                                4,424;

The War in Afghanistan (2001 to present)               1,833.

This does not count the other operations during my lifetime or the American Civil War and World War I.  From 1775 to 2019, there is a total loss of 666,441+ by combat deaths and 673,929+ by other causes during these war periods.  It also does not count the missing 44,031+ missing or the 1,498,240+ wounded.

Despite this tragic tale, most of these fallen are buried in our national cemeteries in the United States and Overseas and are the symbol to us of their sacrifice.  These places are dignified and respectful. 

The American Cemetery in Normandy, France

The American Cemetery in Luxembourg

It is like Arlington Cemetery, where my father and mother are buried—they use similar markers for each deceased, regardless of rank, but each has his or her legacy engraved on the markers, including their war time service and highest military decorations.  It is a very fitting tribute to their service of our nation.

My Dad’s Grave marker in Arlington National Cemetery

June 9, 2021 will be the 50 year anniversary of my graduation from West Point.  I never served personally in our declared conflicts in a war zone but shared the grief of loss of too many I personally served with.  They upheld the Army Values and I remember them, as do others who served with them.  The helped make our country a better place and deserve our respect and thanks.

Maybe this would be a good day to reach out to someone who has lost a soldier that you know—I promise you it will be meaningful to those left behind.

My Final Thoughts

While researching this blog, I realized how many members of our Armed Forces scarified their lives against nations determined to defeat us and impose their will upon our country. 

I hope you will take a few minutes to reflect on this monumental effort and the cost to many who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

They deserved to be remembered and honored.  I hope this blog did them justice and I hope you will remember them also. 

May we never forget—be thou at peace to each who gave so much for our country.

Hank Schrader, Major (Infantry) USA Ret.