I looked up from my computer to see the scenery had definitely changed.   Long days of slow river travel are good times to catch up on writing. Notice the stone structure on the top of the hill.

I zoomed in on the computer and you can see people up there; maybe watching us cruise past.

The scullers were going down river with the current but the sea kayaker had to paddle against it. 

A hill castle for which the Rheine is famous.

Looking back down river from where we’d just come.

Our overnight stop was the marina in Oberwinter which means “upper winter.”

The small town was a short walk from the marina

DoraMac in the Oberwinter marina.

You see women of all ages with the red color but there are many who are bolder and choose the blue or green.

Gaststatte ALT OBERWINTER where we stopped to taste the local wines

When we first came in I snuck this photo: by the time we left we were all old friends and Randal had treated everyone to their drinks.  The man in the blue hat had spent about 40 years in the US working at various venues as a baker.  He became a US citizen and will be returning to Nevada where he has many friends. 

Andreas Klein who made us so welcome.

We ordered wine but then I bought some peanuts to counteract the wine.  Soon Andreas delivered a plate of wonderfully spiced meatballs to the table and then some bread squares with some kind of spread.  Both house specialties.  Both tasted wonderful even to me and I’m really cutting back on meat.

I think this is Mrs. Klein  (we weren’t really  introduced)  who is giving Mary a lesson about local wines.

Strangers become friends! 

We left with very warm feelings generated by more than glasses of local wine.

We walked back through town to the boat.

This house had a lovely garden and strange ceramic figurines all around the windows.

A lovely view the next day as we made our way towards Koblenz, our next stop.