I mentioned in my 1st Bio my new love of river cruising. Christmas of 2017 was spent on the Rhine River. The itinerary was Christmastime in Alsace and Germany, Beginning in Frankfurt and ending in Zurich. Our ship was the Tranquility II with Avalon Waterways. Avalon is a division of the Globus family of brands. Their ships are known for their panorama suites which have the open air wall and the bed facing the window. It is a real treat to lay in bed and watch the countryside go by.

I must confess I am a Christmas nut but this was truly magical. The Christmas markets we visited were so much fun with varied Christmas baubles and trinkets depending on the city we were in. The highlight for me was our excursion into the Black Forest. This on the French-German Border. We docked in Breisach the gateway to Germany's Black Forest region. We were so fortunate to have a fabulous day. The snow was freshly fallen making every direction you looked and every picture you took suitable for a Christmas card. Our arrival point was a cuckoo clock factory where they actually hand carve the clocks. We were treated to a demonstration on board ship the evening before and served cherry cake, one of the best known deserts of the region.

The following spring I again had the privilege to sail the Rhine. This time the emphasis was on the ancient castles, age old winelands, cathedrals and forts that dot the mountains that rise directly out of the river and the rolling valleys. This Cruise was with Tauck River Cruises, Tauck provided this adventure to fortunate travel advisors to become certified in their river cruise product. It was an honor to be invited to participate and again a great privilege to experience the magic of the river and Tauck's exceptional cruise product.I hope you will allow me the opportunity to introduce you to this remarkable way to experience the small towns along these rivers.