[Third Female Post]

Well, we´ve managed to find a niche here on our first cruise, a certain comfort level despite feeling like aliens. The Viking riverboat itself is extremely nice and the staff fabulous. The 24-hour coffee and tea station is killer! The staff of 50 is constantly cleaning, smiling, bustling about us privileged wankers.

 We crossed into Germany yesterday, and all the German employees seem perkier.  We´ve survived two land tours without dying of shame for following a man with a numbered paddle: one of preserved windmills and another of the old part of Cologne. There´s not much to the latter, as it was mostly flattened in WWII and rebuilt postwar as ugly squat structures. But the enormous cathedral was spared, and the omnipresent brauhauses serve refreshing beer in small, almost shotlike glasses.

Life aboard ship has become more routine as jet lag fades. We´re trying to avoid eating three meals a day, but nonetheless I think the caloric intake may exceed the output in walking tours. Today we have a more rigorous climb around Marksberg Castle that should help. The scenery along the Rhine is starting to change from industrial-rural to picture-postcard.

I think we still stand out from the group as a whole, but people are mainly friendly and there´s always the staff to talk to. I actually discovered someone younger than us yesterday: a teenager absorbed by his devices, hiding out in the library. Poor kid must have been dragged along by his grandparents. We had a nice chat about wifi reception...

Last night we met our friend Lisa in Cologne and went via subway to her brother´s house for a wonderful meal of green sauce and schnitzel. It was great to be in a real home with friends in a strange town... a much-appreciated break! Johann drove us back to the boat at the stroke of 10:30, just in time for our 

night´s departure... we felt like Cinderellas.

[Male Post] Oh Gawd we're posting photos of food...