The Rhine has been the focus of Central European history ever since Julius Caesar built a bridge across it. The river formed the border between Roman and Germanic tribes for 400 years. During World War II the towns along the Rhine suffered heavy damage. Many bridges were blown up and, by the end of the war, shipping was at a standstill until the debris could be cleared away. In the years since the war, the river traffic built up again, and today boats, barges and craft of all kinds, flying the flags of several nations, make their way up and down the river.
Many barges have a car neatly parked astern and often a bicycle as well.
Lace curtains cover the cabin windows of some barges and there may be a line of laundry fluttering in the wind. The river resembles a giant international neighborhood, with the crews aboard the various barges and boats waving to one another as they pass on the river. Cruise ships, such as those operated by KD River Cruises of Europe, travel up and down the Rhine between Amsterdam, Holland and Basel, Switzerland, a trip of more than 800 miles. But the most popular part of the river is the mid-section between Koblenz and Bingen, where castles stand like sentinels on the cliffs. KD has cruises of two to four nights, stopping at villages and cities for sightseeing.