Wittenberg

Going back in time to June 20, our first night on the Viking Astrid, our (now) floating Hotel.

 

View from our room on the Astrid, docked near Wittenberg on the Elbe River during a perioid of low water.  Normally, the river's level would reach the middle point of the post on the right.     (See this post).    

 

Low water blues?

The picture above  was taken quite late in the evening (for me anyway).   It was the first day of summer and the longest day of the year.  On the ship, it was German night and we'd enjoyed a good, but heavy,  welcome aboard dinner.    After the road trip from Meissen, unpacking and  organizing our new room, the big meal, the evening's entertainment and the staff's review of tomorrow's activities  some  quiet time on our stateroom deck was welcome.  We enjoyed the last of the daylight.  The river view was lovely, even if we weren't moving along on it.

 

The next morning tour bus  transported us into the city of Wittenberg where we had some time on our own to stroll  through the historic city.  We then met our guide for a  tour of the Museum in the Martin Luther House.  The famous theologian lived here in the early 1500s; it is where he founded the Protestant Reformation.

Wittenberg Castle Church Door where Luther may have hung his 95 Theses document.  Historians have  differing views.

Other than the most basic of facts about the Reformation, we didn't know a lot about Martin Luther.  And I had never really thought about wanting to learn more about his life since we didn't grow up in that faith.  But I paid  attention and took a lot of pictures because of relatives and friends who  did.   And it was far more interesting than I had thought it would be.   

 

Among  his other writings, Luther translated the Holy Bible  into German while living in this house in Wittenberg.

Lectern in the part of the home that was used for Church services.  

 

The pictures above are of  Luther and his wife Kathe (about whom I had never heard).  Their union was important in the Reformation because it set a precedent for marriage and family life in the clergy.   

 

Like all good tour guides, ours had a way of bringing history to life with knowledge, respect and a dash of humor.   She told us that Kathe was the practical woman behind the reformation, keeping the family afloat so her husband  could carry on  his work without thinking about the problems of everyday life.    She said "I think Luther's quote under their portraits above means that he appreciated her."    (It translates as: "I would not want to exchange my Kathe for France nor for Venice to boot." )  

This mosaic panel in the rectory depicts the ten commandments 

After our tour  we enjoyed a pleasant lunch on our own in a local restaurant before returning to the ship.    We were always happy with the quality of the meals on Viking, but it is also fun to eat where the locals eat.  We enjoyed both the food and the people watching. 

We learned something new, we ate good food, we got just enough of a walk in nice weather –all good parts of travel (and of life, really).  It was a good day.

 

LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts.

MOSAIC MONDAY;  THROUGH MY LENS;  TUESDAY TREASURES;   MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;  SIGNS SIGNS;    THANKFUL THURSDAY ; and SKYWATCH FRIDAY.