We docked early before 7:00am to fog and overcast skies. We encountered a lot of rain during the night, getting here, but none in Rostock or Warnemunde. Temps were pleasant and we liked that as we did a lot of walking today.
After a short bus ride from the pier to Rostock, our guide, Durden, walked us through the town and its historical sites. The city was walled with 4 main towers, of which only the main Kropeliner Tower remains. Sections of the fortress wall and ramparts remain as well.
We were foiled by a lot of construction but finally made our way to the Convent Gardens and the University Church. The convent was self-sustaining so the garden was planted extensive with herbs, vegetables, etc. The University Church and convent has a lot of bricked up windows. This was due to a tax placed on windows -- the more windows one had to allow sunlight in, the higher the tax that was assessed.We then headed to the downtown area and saw the main university building which is celebrating its 600 year anniversary and the Fountain of Joy in the square. A lot of this area was damaged by World War II bombing but most of the building facades have been artistically restored to their original design.
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| Downtown Shopping Area |
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| Restored Building Facade |
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| University Main Building |
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| Fountain of Joy |
Further down the main street, we took in the Lutheran church of St. Mary's and its old astronomical clock from the 15th Century, still functioning today
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A quick stop on New Market Square where fruits and vegetables are available for purchase in season.
A final stop of the the tour was to a 3-D sculpture depicting the city of Rostock and where the original fortress walls and the 4 towers were in relation to the other structures.
After returning to the ship and a quick stop in the stateroom, we journeyed out again to walk through the port city of Warnemunde; a very small, quaint town with canals, a large rail station, and sites for the tourists, from the old church to the 1866 Meyer's Mill windmill. A nice end to a very nice port of call.
But we can't forget about the sand sculptures that are below, preserved from the annual contest, that draws artists from all over Europe.
Tonight, the ship's chef is celebrating our day in Germany with a real German Buffet at pool side, featuring all sorts of weiners and brats, pretzels, breads, spaetzle, sauerkraut, red cabbage, etc. -- Robbi thinks she died and went to heaven -- she loves that German food!!!
Love the sand castle sculptures. Those are amazing! I can't believe that there wasn't a revolt on that stupid tax based on how many windows you have. That is ludicrous!
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