“Once a year go someplace you haven’t been before.” ~ Dalai Lama

Today was an unusual day for this trip so far.  Instead of rain we has sun and almost 85 degrees.  It was wonderful.  We opted out of  a six-mile walking tour to sleep in and enjoy a late breakfast and a enjoy the last part of cruising down the Rhine River.

After lunch we went on a walking/audio tour of Mainz where among other things the Gutenberg Museum is a highlight.  There was a marathon in town that day so it was crowded, and much to my disappointment (and Skip’s delight) it was Sunday so the shops were closed.

We toured the Cathedral at Mainz, learned about it’s history through the ages.

I was not a fan of the city when they refused to let my friend Pat use the elevator despite using a cane to help her walk as that was exclusively for the joggers.

We ended the evening with a special dinner for our group at the Chef’s table in a private dining room.  There was wine ( seems to be a theme ) there was good food, and there were good friends.

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

~Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky