We found Jesus in the Attic

Matt suggested that title of this post and I love it.  It's a kind of twist on a house church we visited in Amsterdam. "Our Lord in the Attic Museum".  Three C17 houses with the top stories given over to a Catholic church.  Such an interesting place, it even had a pipe organ!  Apparently even after the Catholic church was chucked there was freedom of religion - so while the churches and cathedrals changed denomination, churches set up and privately run were OK.  Downstairs was three separate homes (including the priest's house) while the upstairs floors had been converted.

Photo stolen from https://www.opsolder.nl/en/discover-house/attic-church because no photography was permitted inside the museum.

We later boarded our ship, TravelMarvel Diamond, our home for the next 15 days.  Y'all know I get sea sick crossing the road so let us draw a polite line under my stomach and move on...

A windmill in Old Amsterdam.  No little mouse wearing clogs to be seen.

We cruised overnight and awoke in Cologne where, after a morning visit to Augustburg Palace and a far too brief trip to Falconlust Hunting Lodge for some Rococo brilliance we had the afternoon to visit the chocolate museum.  Oh and we did manage a visit to the astonishing Kolner Dom as well, truly one of the most magnificent churches I've ever seen.

Gardens at Augustburg through the windows upstairs - again, no photos allowed of the interior to preserve the colours from flash lights.

The next day we awoke to find ourselves in the beautiful Rhine Gorge where we drank coffee on the sundeck and took many many, photos of castles and towns.  None of the men on board were tempted to a watery grave by the singing of the Lorelei.  OK I confess, I was disappointed. 

Afternoon found us visiting the fascinating museum of mechanical musical instruments in Rudesheim.  All sorts of marvels were demonstrated to us, from tiny mechanical singing birds to entire orchestras!

Organ Grinder or monkey?

 

Of course the highlight of the cruise so far was the Abba tribute show in the lounge.  We did wonder what the non-Australian guests made of that!  :-)



Cruising today was a relaxing way to spend a rainy day, bird and castle spotting.

 

We're having a lovely holiday and cruising really is an easy way to see the world without having to unpack more than once.  And I'm NOT the youngest passenger on board as I feared I might be.  I'm the second youngest!