ROSTOCK, GERMANY

                                                      Our position today
WITH THIS POSTING I AGAIN SUGGEST YOU GO THROUGH IT READING THE CAPTIONS UNDER THE PHOTOS.  THEN GO BACK AND CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO MAKE THEM LARGER TO GET FULL VALUE OF THEM.
In case you wonder how long it took me to do this blog posting, would you believe 2 1/2 hours.  I spend a lot of time doing this so hope you will enjoy it.

Background Info:
        This northern German port is due south of Denmark across the Baltic Sea and is kind of a sea gateway to Berlin.  Rostock is Germany’s largest Baltic port, and as such, its economy is driven mainly by shipbuilding, shipping, and other maritime industries.  For example, Caterpillar manufactures diesel engines for ships here.  Rostock was founded in 11th century by Slavic people.  It is noted for high church steeples and gable architecture which denoted wealth back in those days.  The population is around 200,000 but is decreasing due to younger people moving to the more industrialized regions of Germany for jobs.  This area is more agricultural and little industry.  So today agriculture and tourism are major economy drivers.   Rostock receives the highest number of cruise tourists in Germany per year as it is just a 3 hour drive from here to Berlin.  Warnemunde has one of the nicest and largest beaches in Northern Europe.   It is also home to one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1419.  Most of the city was destroyed by British bombers during WWII because it was major manufacturing area for submarines, aircraft, and war ships.  St Mary's church was spared being hit but windows all broke out due to concussion from bombs.

                                                                                                University
        We are actually docked in the town of Warnemunde just outside of Rostock.  This is where all the cruise ships dock.  Warnemunde has the old lighthouse still in use today.  It is 120 feet high and was built in 1897.

                                                                                         Lighthouse
         We arrived here at 7:00 am and have overcast skies with at temperature of 64F but it is suppose to be mid 80's later today.  A "bunker" fuel ship is tied up next to us, just below our balcony, so guess it is double green stamps here too.  I wonder how much is costs to fill the tanks up on this ship.

Our 3 1/2 hour tour this morning.

                                                  On bus heading for Rostock, 20 miles away.

                      Johanna, our great guide but almost too much detail info which wore me out.

City tram

                                                                "The Seven Sisters"

 Rostock used to be a walled city back in 12th, 13th, 14th centuries to keep pirates and Danish out.  Most of the walls were destroyed by war.  Only 3 of the seven gates into the city are left.  This is one of them.

We had a rain light rain shower that lasted about 10 minutes.

                                       Old wall.  There was a moat on outside back then too.

     "Abbey of the Holy Cross" an old Cistercian convent/monastery.  This church was added later.

                                                        Monastery entrance

       Buildings where the 60 nuns, who taught at the monastery, lived.  Now commercial buildings.

                                                            University square

University and scholar who flunked out!

                                                     More gabled buildings

Germany is not as clean as Norway was.

                                                    Fountain in University square.

                                                     These are now apartments.

                                       At end of the street is the entry gate we passed earlier.

                                                    I had to pay to pee at McDonalds.

This is "Line Street" and newer part of city.  1980's

Best example of gabled architecture.  Built in 15th century.

"Goat Market" monument at site of where the old market where cows, pigs, goat, and other domestic animals were sold.  It is next to St Mary's church and was there on purpose.  They thought the sellers would not cheat them since market was next to the church.

 Our guide called this church "St Mary's" but my city map calls it "St Marien Church".  It was built between the years 1290 to 1440 because it took 3 years to make the bricks they used.  There are millions of bricks. As I said it was not hit by Allied bombing during WWII but windows were broken.

                                                  This stain glass window is 85 feet high.

                                                                   Main altar

                                          Baroque style organ from 1770 with 5702 pipes.

 This astronomical clock was built in 1472 and is the only medieval clock of its kind still in working condition with its original clockworks.

                                               City Hall on the main square of the city.

                                              Second of 3 old city gate still around.

                   We stopped at an old micro brewery, now a restaurant, for a beer & pretzel.

      This is the name of the beer from the micro brewery.  It is now brewed in a town near by.

 Note the brown triangular thing they call a "pretzel".  It was much better than a pretzel.  I bought two more to take back to the ship and give them to Gami, the restaurant manager on the ship and good friend.

                                                               Cheers, everyone!

                                           They gave each of us a beer stein to take home.

              Notice that Regent does not fill the tour buses.  We always have plenty of room.

 Back on the ship for lunch and a photo from top deck of our ship of charming town of Warnemunde.

Short walk into town from the ship so I went to take some photos for you and check it out.  The Rebecca and Charlotte went in after me to shop and see it.  Jane went on another tour this afternoon which we cancelled.

   There were lots of cruise passengers (another big ship besides us) and Germans on holidays.

               Warnemunde is basically a tourist town with lots of restaurants and nice beach.

                                   This is Antonio, the maitre'd of Sette Mari restaurant.

                                        Colorful flowers on most houses and other buildings.

                                                                      A park.

                                           Like a board walk along the beach but is stone.

                                                                 

 This is the nicest and biggest beach in Northern Europe.  Lots of people on this warm, sunny Sunday.

        

                           Different food stands on board walk.  This is dried fruit and nut stand.

                                                        Crew members getting free wifi near restaurants.

                                             Lots of nice restaurants lining the canal.

                                                       Our ship in background

 This is a Wind Star cruise ship.  It uses engine and sails to power it.  Really beautiful with sails up.

                                           A guy balancing rocks near this souvenir shop by cruise ships.

                                                                              Two sand sculptures