Day 11 – Wednesday 10th September –
Warnemunde, Germany
In the Lido
restaurant for breakfast and the area is full of people.,
as the ship is manoeuvring alongside her berth in Warnemunde at the mouth of
the River Warnow. Formerly in the German
Democratic Republic (East Germany), this is an important
port and industrial centre of Rostock, which is now part of a re-unified
Germany.
 |
| Train |
Ashore at
10.30 and the train station is 5 minute walking distance from the
quayside. The ticket machines with clear
instructions are easy to operate.
 |
| Tram |
We boarded a
train for Gustrow and after a twenty minute journey got off at the main
station, Rostock Hbf. A walk down to the
tram station, based on the lower level (A), the tram took us to the centre of
Rostock, Neuer Markt , only a five minute journey.
 |
| Town Hall |
 |
| Steinor |
On another
warm sunny day, the Neuer Markt is surrounded by colourful houses and the
market square is a busy place.
On one side
of the Square is The Rathaus (Town Hall) consisting of three houses, the
earliest dating from 1230; not too far away is the Steinor, one
of the surviving gates to the city.
 |
| Kropelin Gate |
Leading off
from the square is the main pedestrianized shopping street of Kropeliner Stasse
at the end of which is Kropelin Gate, part of the largest of the original
gates, dating from the late 13th century.
While in one
of the open air cafes in the square; I had been told with the aid of a local
map, where the most interesting places are to visit in the time available. Most insistent, I should look at the GDR
houses.
 |
| GDR Houses |
These flats
were built in the 1950’s, when under the Communists rule and all refurbished in
the 1990’s. The street where they are
built; runs parallel to the main shopping street and for me; the refurbishment has
taken away the drabness associated with Communism.
 |
| Fountain of Joy |
Half way
down the main shopping street, you come to University Square with
this beautiful Fountain of Joy and its fine surrounding buildings.
Going off to the left, you come to the Abbey
of the Holy Cross, a former Cistercian convent, founded by the Danish Queen
Margaret in 1270. Through the gardens
and up some steps and you are outside the medieval town walls. There is only a short section remaining but
this takes you towards the city harbour with its promenade and restaurants.
From the
quayside, we got the 14.00 ferry back to Warnemunde, a forty five minute
journey down the river which was very interesting. The port was very busy with numerous ro-ro
ferries using the facilities. A naval
dockyard and apparently a thriving shipbuilding facility, in which side by side
in the dock, were two large river cruisers being built.
 |
| Windmill Ship |
While
outside lay an unusual vessel with extendable legs, which is used for the
building of the latest environmental friendly offshore wind farms.
 |
| Ferry & Queen Victoria |
When we
disembarked from the ferry there was still a little time left to have a look at
the town of Warnemunde.
 |
| Warnemunde |
The town is very
compact and everything is within easy walking distance.
Alter Strom
is the main street – shops, restaurants, views across the busy fishing. There were a lot of visitors here mostly,
from the ship.
Back on
board Queen Victoria and headed for the Queen’s Room and High Tea, which is a
wonderful affair and very enjoyable.
We sailed at
17.30 and into the Princess Grill for pre-dinner drinks and dined on salad.
Barramundi fish and finished off with sticky toffee pudding, delightful.
Most of
people I had met, I had told them if possible, not to miss the theatre
tonight. The artist, I had first saw on
the Queen Elizabeth, he is called Ben Makisi, born in New Zealand of Tongan and
Samoan descent, though he now lives in Bristol, England. His tenor voice is remarkable and he did not
disappoint, his performance was wonderful.
After the
show, went off to bed very happy after another wonderful, enjoyable day in
Germany.
