Around the World with Marsha & Joel

Another city that considers itself the Netherlands oldest. That claim is contested by Maastricht where we recently toured, but the conundrum is matched by the question, “what’s the difference between Holland and the Netherlands”. That question, though is neatly defined by this relatively short, must-watch YouTube video. Watch it now and come back here for some more on Nijmegen:

https://youtu.be/eE_IUPInEuc?si=wRjLhHrx3rLPqWG-

So, now you know…right?

Nijmegen lies on the south bank of the Wall river, home to one of the Netherlands’ largest universities. It’s also famous for being the site of a three-day battle between Allied and German forces during WWII’s Operation Market Garden.

Nijmegen’s origin dates back to the first century BCE. The Romans established a fort on the strategic hillside overlooking the Waal and Rhine rivers. The 8th century Carolingian chapel is still there among the remains of a castle that was demolished in 1874.

WWII reshaped the city when Americans carpet bombed the city center, and Nazis shelled it. Lovely streets and architecture are on the way down to the 16th century Lower Town.

A memorial plaza commentating the many Jews who were taken from the city (all listed on the monument. And, again, plaques in front of houses where those Jews were removed to the Nazi camps. This one probably a family of four and a tenant renting the third floor.

The Grote Markt has been the life blood of Nijmegen since the 13th century…kind of the Columbus market of Nijmegen. Although the area was damaged badly during WWII, the medieval and baroque-era buildings escaped pretty much untouched.

Back at our dock below the old city center, we were wondering about all the tents, stages, audio speakers, and exploding numbers of people?

It turned out that this was the arrival and preparation day for the The Vierdaagse ( ’four days event’), an annual walk that has taken place since 1909. Based at Nijmegen since 1925, it now takes place in the third week of July. In 2016 it celebrated the 100th edition. Originally a military event with a few civilians, it now is a mainly civilian event. Numbers have risen in recent years, with over 45,000 taking part this year, including about 5,000 military, and is the world’s largest walking event. Participants walk up to 31 miles each day. Many take part every year, including several who have taken part in over 60 annual marches.

However, today was preparation by partying day! The celebration went on, LOUDLY, beyond our 1:30 am departure…when the people on that side of the boat finally could fall asleep. Here’s something for your “enjoyment” —

Tomorrow we detour into the German city of Wesel and the archeological progress in Xanten, exposing its time as part of Rome.

We boarded the bus after lunch for an afternoon excursion to Aachen and Charlemagne’s Cathedral and Treasury.

We walked through the courtyard past the cathedral toward the treasury.

The cathedral treasury holds about 120 extraordinary works, unique in their amazing artistry and craftsmanship. The works impress with their high artistic and craftsmanship quality and their uniqueness. They all bear witness to the founding of the now Aachen Cathedral by Charlemagne, the 1,200 year history of the church, the pilgrimages to the shrine, and the historical significance of the church as the coronation church of German kings.

To this day, no other work of art determines our idea of ​​Charlemagne like this portrait.

Created five and a half centuries after Charlemagne’s death, the ideal image of the ruler is presented here. It contains an important relic – part of Charlemagne’s skullcap inside the head – making the portrait a reliquary.

The Lothar Cross was created in the last quarter of the 10th century. It is one of the most famous gemstone crosses of the Middle Ages. Its sides, which are symbolically equivalent, are designed very differently. One side shows Christ at the moment of death on the cross in a fine engraving, the other is decorated with magnificent gemstones.

The Golden Book Cover is a testament to the interplay of Eastern and Western art in the Ottonian period. The Byzantine ivory panel, formerly part of a private folding altar, shows an image of the Virgin Mary that was particularly revered in the Byzantine Empire, the Hodegetria (ancient Greek for “guide”), pointing to the Christ Child. The panel was placed in the middle of a book cover that was to be used at the beginning of the 11th century to re-cover the Carolingian Gospel Book, which was already 200 years old at the time.

One incredible work of art after the other…literally could have spent the day…or a week more to admire, but time on a tour is limited, so on to the cathedral.

The impressive metal entry doors show evidence of the damage done by a nazi machine gun…left as a reminder.

Entering gives just a quick glimpse of one of the most impressively appointed cathedrals we’ve ever been in.

Although Charlemagne’s throne was inexplicably not the way we think of “his/her majesty’s royal throne”. But many, many monarchs were crowned in this “chair”.

The gold, mosaics, marble, glass were examples of the best seen anywhere in the world. The craftsmanship beyond measure.

The golden reliquary contains actual bones from Charlemagne — confirmed by scientific testing based on reports about his exceptional height (often said to be over 7 feet tall — in actuality these bones came from a person just over six feet…probably a full head over all his contemporaries).

Back to the ship for the daily orientation talk about tomorrow’s activities and other local information, cocktail hour, dinner, strolls on deck in the waning light…that goes on until well after 10 pm. Always shocked that it’s really time for bed.

Nothing to do with Maastricht, but thought you would be interested in how our stomachs are treated by the kitchen crew on board the Kvasir. This is their version of eggplant Parmesan Marsha ordered last night. Every day, for both lunch and breakfast, there is a standard menu that is unchanging, and a non-repeated menu of culinary specialties reflecting the food of the city or region we are currently in.

Straddling the Meuse River, Maastricht (where the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet) is one of the Netherlands oldest cities. Students come from all over Europe to its university enhancing its rich immigrant population. There are over 1,600 National Heritage Buildings.

Winding cobblestone streets and beautiful churches still feel like the medieval era when the city held important status in the Carolingian and Holy Roman Empires.

In the 20th century, Maastricht took its place as the city where the Maastricht Treaty was signed establishing the Euro as the single European currency.

Bonnie thought she was going to get a mint teabag on one of our breaks.

A clothes line with “drying” violins we thought might be an advertisement for an upcoming concert by the famous comedy violinist (at least locally), Andre Rieu?

We also had enough time to at least drive the bus through the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial where many of America’s war dead still remain.

After a lunch back at the ship we set off for an excursion to the mouth opening Charlemagne’s Cathedral and Treasury. Join us in a few minutes….