Walking and Wading in Tasmania's West Coast Rainforest

I was in our "overseas" state for 9 days last month and it rained every day! Though to give credit, the sun will sometimes break through at just the right moment for a good photo opportunity.

But as I say to tourists who complain about the weather: "You're in a cool temperate rainforest, and without the rain, you wouldn't see such an abundance of greenery!"

On the west coast, they learn to manage an umbrella very early in life!

Walking on the platform at Queenstown station

I greatly enjoy my tourist travels on the West Coast Wilderness Railway, which runs for about 35 kms between Regatta Point (Strahan station) and Queenstown. It is an Abt system rack and pinion railway, due to very steep grades in parts - 1:20 and 1:16 being extreme. (So glad that I didn't have to walk these tracks!) The system was designed by Ronald Abt (the name is sometimes written incorrectly in upper case), a Swiss locomotive engineer. The first use of this system was on the Harzbahn in Germany (opened in 1885); on the Mount Lyell railway, from 1893.

 

Plenty of walks along the route as the train stops at stations along the way. These photos were taken at Lower Landing. The wire netting laid on top of the wet wood makes walking a lot safer.

These are young Huon Pine trees growing along the King River view at Dubbil Barril.

Yes, that's the way to spell it!

The rain helps to keep the carriage windows very clean. I walked along the platform at Rinadeena and didn't realise that I'd also captured a wonderful reflection.

The carriages have been crafted and fitted out using Tasmanian native timbers

and are modelled on original carriages.

 

According to records, Abt locomotive No.1 steamed into Queenstown for the original railway's official opening on 18 March 1897. Here it is, carefully restored and well maintained, on the turntable at Queenstown in April this year, at the end of its daily commute between Strahan and Queenstown.

But the sun does shine in Queenstown at all the right times. I took this photo of the almost-deserted main street (Orr Street) on the morning of ANZAC day, while waiting for the crowds to gather for the annual march.

Luxembourg and Trier

This seems to be turning into a travelogue, but I've tried to stick to mainly including photos of places where I have walked. The shoes are still going strong and are very comfortable. 



This is one of the shopping streets in Luxembourg.

The country has a highly developed economy, reported to have the world's highest nominal GDP per capita.



Smooth pavement outside the National Library

Although what I saw looked "new" compared with the older towns we'd passed along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, Luxembourg's history and strategic importance date back to a Roman era fortress site and a Frankish Count's castle in the Early Middle Ages.

Guard in front of Grand Ducal Palace, Luxembourg.
No, I didn't dare walk in his footsteps.

The "political" stuff about Luxembourg is that it is a representative democracy with a constitutional monarch. It is ruled by a Grand Duke - hence the need for a palace! It is now the world's only remaining sovereign Grand Duchy.


And on to Germany's oldest town . . .





Walking along Simeonstrasse, looking back towards Porta Nigra, fortified Roman
gateway  to the old town. The building dates back to the 2nd century AD.





Looking the other way, towards the Market Square and the
Church of St. Gangolph.





In the Market Square, and still more of the bags that I left behind.



A Cable Car and an Important Corner

Still in Germany, a morning with light fog at Rüdesheim am Rhein.

The Rhine river levels were still low - look at that long gangway - long this time, instead of steep!



However the streets of Rüdesheim, winding up & down from the river, made up for the steepness.

The little tourist train saved me some breathless steps on the way up,
though I did enjoy the careful walk back down to the ship after my exploration.



I was pleased to walk on the cobblestones in a relatively flat area at the top of the town.



I headed quickly to the cable car ticket office
and was on the first ride of the morning.

From my little cabin there were great views
over the golden vineyards.

The views were misty across the Rhine towards Bingen.

Heading towards the Niederwald Monument with the figure Germania, 250 metres above the Rhine, built between 1877 & 1883 to symbolise the re-establishment of the German Empire & Germany's unity. Unfortunately on this visit, it was having some restoration work done, so was all wrapped up!

But climbing the steps to the upper viewpoint was well worthwhile to me,
even though the misty conditions remained on the Rhine below.

After our morning in Rüdesheim, we cruised through the famous Rhine River Gorge. Perhaps one time I'll be lucky enough to enjoy travel via the train lines that seem to follow the river for much of the way, but either way, I don't think my footsteps will echo along the route!

Deutsches Eck
After the 65 kms of the Rhine Gorge, the end seems to be marked by seeing the first bridges across the river for a long time and we are approaching Koblenz, unmistakedly marked by the German Corner, which also marks the point where the Moselle River joins the Rhine.

A popular place for locals & tourists in the late afternoon sunshine of an October Saturday.

The equestrian statue is of the German Emperor Wilhelm I.

After our ship had berthed, I went ashore at dusk & walked a little in the town then out to the Corner.



The long river cruise ships that are staying overnight in Koblenz negotiate a very sharp turn into the Moselle River, where mooring is a lot smoother than on the fast-flowing Rhine.
As the sun sets, I'm walking back from the German Corner to my ship's landing place.



Gambling and Education

Still walking through Europe - Germany mainly. Looking for pictures that show where I have trodden, I find that it's not natural to take photos looking down at your feet! Bad composition.

On a cool morning in late October, we were driven by bus from our overnight landing place at Gambsheim, through light fog and mist, to Baden Baden, famous casino and spa town. The grass was a little damp for walking and fortunately there were many paths.

Here in the Casino, I walked on the thick carpet, reflecting on the many the "rich and famous" who would have had lost money here. With no active patrons, it was a quiet experience of grace and opulence.

The streets of Baden Baden are also graceful, with many expensive shops. So presumably not everyone loses everything at the Casino!

Heidelberg, a City of Education

A much clearer morning the next day, saw us in Mannheim and travelling in yet another bus to Heidelberg, known for its university, the oldest in Germany (founded in 1386).



Heidelberg is situated on the beautiful River Neckar.




Heidelberg Castle towers above the town



We were fortunate in that we didn't need to walk all the way up to the castle, but there was plenty of walking around the castle area, rewarded by spectacular views.



We had a hearty lunch at the Hotel Ritter in the Old Town, which gave plenty of energy and time to to wander around the shops and stalls in the Market Place.

Walking on through Europe

SWITZERLAND

21-24 October 2011

I arrived in Zurich by plane, but almost the first steps away from my hotel brought me right beside the railway station - the platform almost merging with the roadway of Zollstrasse.

So I walked inside the busy Hauptbahnof precinct several times - an excellent place to pick up a quick snack or meal and a short-cut through to the main city area.

I took a cruise tour to Rapperswil at the far end of Lake Zurich, tested the beautifully laid out cobblestones there, then rested on the perfect afternoon 2 hour ferry trip back to Zurich.

It was a lovely sunny Saturday afternoon and it seemed that everyone was out enjoying the fresh air. I enjoyed the walk back along Limmatquai to the Hauptbahnof. There were many around carrying Turkish flags - guess there was a Soccer match, but I never found out the result.

On the Monday I was in the Marketplace at Basel, getting ready to board another ship. I think my preferred mode of travel is by boat or ship, where you can just sit, relax and watch the scenery glide by, as is the case with the current popularity of River Cruising.

 

A short gangway, but still quite steep!

For the rest of that cruise, I wondered how I made the mistake of booking a cabin as far from the public areas as possible - a very long walk every time for dinner, or when returning from a shore tour.

Sailing on the Rhine out of Basel.

The length of these river cruise ships is amazing! One of the few times that I went up on the top (sun) deck - no elevators like on large cruise ships! But worth it so see the start of the journey and the first  of the many bridges along the mighty Rhine River.