Sherrie Lea Morgan Blog - Sherrie Lea Morgan

Sherrie Lea Morgan

Running to the River – Strasbourg, France

4/25/2022

A friend of mine loves France. So one of the first things I did here was to buy a crepe and send her a picture of it. Unbeknownst to me, crepes do not have to be sweet at all! My sister tried a ham/cheese one, and it was delicious. Of course, it was chilly that morning when we began our tour, so I needed something hot to get me started.

Strasbourg Cathedral hosts an Astronomical Clock in amazing condition and it was built between 1838 and 1842. Gorgeous!

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this beauty!

After we boarded and the sun was dropping, the lights came on behind this beautiful water sculpture. It shimmers, don't you think?

Running to the River – Rüdesheim, Germany

4/23/2022

So much to see, so little time! Thoroughly enjoyed this place and spent way too much money on souvenirs. Yeah, I know. But if it helps the economy, I’m game.

Running to the River – Speyer, Germany

Speyer's Imperial Cathedral is one of the world's largest Romanesque cathedrals, and this image does not do it justice in any way.

A photo from inside might help you imagine how beautiful this place is from any view.

This is a ancient flooring discovered during a renovation project only a short distance from the cathedral. Cool, right?

So much beauty to see. I couldn't wait for the next port. I bet you'd feel the same way, right?

Running to the River - Koblenz, Germany

4/22/2022

Our main stop today was the Fortress of Ehrenbreitstein. This is our guide, and he rocked it as a spy drafting us into helping him get information and relating the events that happened here,

I wish I could share the video I took where the sounds of marching met us as we walked through this place. Actual stone wall damage from the shooting is still visible.

We got to see so much of the landscape, it took my breath away. We rode down from the hill and the view was fantastic.

Running to the River - Cologne, Germany

4/20/2022

One thing that kept coming back to me is the idea that I’ve read about these places and seen pictures. But to experience them is so much better.

I’m not sure the pictures really did this justice. However, I couldn’t resist physically touching this beautiful building. The phrase “If walls could talk” came to mind. I bet this building would have fantastic stories to share.

And speaking of stories…this is the Hohenzollern Bridge. It’s hard to see, but the walkway wall is filled with padlocks. Tons of padlocks that lovers have placed there to represent their love. It’s listed as one of the “Love Lock Bridges.” What if you didn’t bring a lock with you? No worries. On the walkway along the river, sat many vendors selling them!

Now that is a story to write about. Don't you agree? I might have to include something similar in one of my books. Have you read a book where this is included?

Running to the River -Kinderdijk by Vintage Barge

4/19/2022

I took this photo from my seat on the barge. It's a small vintage barge and sat very low in the water. But, it was wonderful!

It was a bit of a walk to get to the barge, but the scenery made it worth it. The barge captain obviously knew what he was doing as we went nice and slow.

While trying to look everywhere at once, my author’s mind kept wondering what it was like to live there. Luckily, we got to peek inside one windmill “home.” Simply amazing.

Running to the River - First 3 days

4/17/2022

On the second day, we went on a lovely walking tour that took us right past the store we had searched for the day before. Yes, it was much closer to the hotel! On the way, I spotted this little shop with its treasures. But no time to shop now. We had a ways to go.

That afternoon, we headed on over to the Anne Frank House. There wasn’t any way I’d go to Amsterdam and not stop here. The images of her life were bittersweet and scary.

I remember reading her diary when I was younger. There in this museum, they had a copy under glass. Very humbling. Have you ever read it? If so, did it make an impact on your life?

Running to the River - First 3 days (cont'd)

4/16/2022

Since we knew of a closer grocery store, you’d think we’d go there. But, nope. We decided the walking and sightseeing was an opportunity too good to pass up. The weather was beautiful too.

Did I mention the hotel we stayed at? It's where John & Yoko stayed for their honeymoon. (see image for more info)

Amazing places to see!

This is only one of very many decorated bikes we saw on our walk. If you didn't know, Amsterdam is also known for their biking!

Running to the River - Time to Board!

4/15/2022

One of the first things I found which tickled me pink is the "Viking Daily" -- a newsletter of sorts which gave us a Nautical Term of the Day, along with informational tidbits on where we were, where we were going, menu of the meals for the day, onboard events and scheduled excursions. Love it! I never thought to take a picture of one of these, so there you go. No pic to show you. Sorry.

Let me tell you about this picture, though! This is the bar area. In this room, every night, we gathered to hear about the next days events and such, while also enjoying a cocktail. Live music nearly every night. This is before it filled up. At different times throughout the cruise, you could find folks relaxing in here, reading books (gasp) or simply visiting with each other.

How exciting to start this trip with a welcome toast! On our first night, we were introduced to the major players of the crew (captain, etc.). All very pleasant, but the excitement came with the idea of actually getting started on this adventure.

On the top deck of the cruise ship, we found not only the putting area, but also their herb garden. Fresh mint along with many others they use in their culinary delights!

Running to the River - Arrival

4/14/2022

Late afternoon on a Sunday, we got started. With a short layover in Philadelphia, we were on our way to Amsterdam. This isn’t the first overseas flight for me, and I find that sitting in coach isn’t so bad when you’re full of excitement for the days to come. This is my first river cruise. My stomach tickled at the idea of doing something like this at least once in my life. Here’s a view from the restaurant’s outdoor patio at the hotel.

The flowers enhanced the ambience with their beauty and scents.

That afternoon we decided to get a few staples for the boat and went in search of a market. Of course, left means right…or is it the other way? Either way, we ended up way out of the way, but we found a street market! Shopping time!

This is my sister buying fabric. She's a quilter and could not allow herself this opportunity.

Is there a hobby of yours where your stock can be purchased anywhere in the world, if you should go visit there? Or, is it limited to one locale? Let me know!

Running to the River

1/26/2022

Running to the River to Relax and Recharge!

Viking River Cruise Website

Finally, after a cancellation and two reschedules, we finally got to head onto our Rhine River Cruise planned long before the pandemic hit. Why, you ask? Firstly, to celebrate my father’s birthday. Secondly, because, hey…I saved the money and who doesn’t need a break?

So come along with me and share my journey. Maybe some of these images can help you recharge too.

For the next few blogs, I'll be sharing via pictures taken and my notes on the whole trip. I hope you enjoy the trip.

By the way...have you ever been on a river boat cruise or to any of these places? Fell free to comment below if you have and please share a photo too. I'd love to see them!