The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-12-15
PART 5.


A trim IN the Rhine from Cologne 70
Mainz was one of the most delight
PHI incidents OF our trip. We LETT AM
sterdam August 16 for Cologne travel
Ing for miles along water that was
lower than the sea. For miles the
railroad ran straight az an arrow.
Arriving in Cologne, we stopped at
the Hotel Disch and found the service
entirely satisfactory. we visited the
famous Catholic Cathedral and found
interest alike in its massive size and
ARCHITECTURAL beauty The building ~
$40 feet long and $50 feet wide. IWo
hugh spires, each 525 feet high are
milf Of stone and adorned with Deau-
tiful carvings. y y.
what they call the new city" Ia
"a beautiful section with good streets,
of which the Boulevard IL best.
The gates OF the old walled city
are kept intact as in the days when
thew served to protect the inhabitants
from the barbarian hordes.
The city has a population or De-
tween 100000 and 100000 and merits
the attention of every observant tour
ist There are two large bridges oV-
er the Rhine.
r was in Cologne that we first saw
a pontoon bridge In operation. Inese
bridges are built on boats that rest
on the surface or the water.
The morning OF August 81 we left
Inv steamship up the Rhine to Malnz.
The dry season had been on for three
months and the water was low. IraV-
u was, therefore, rather tedious We
passed numerous large tugs Attached
NJ coal and other commodities. On aD
nroaching this sort of craft our steam
er was obliged to slow down to avoid
grounding.
n the travel was slow there was
CONDENSATION for. Its tedium, for we
were thus enabled to feast our eyes
on the magnificent scenery OF which
poets from the earliest civilization
have sung.
There were literally millions of
crane vines between the hills and ter
races and the stone remaining walls
made a beautiful landscape.
Arbor after arbor seems to climb up
the hills and the whole mountain
seems covered.
This is the country In which the
famous Rhine wine Is grown and
served in Germany wherever one goes.
We arrived at Mainz at 1870 q. m.'
two hours later.
Next morning we left for Heidle-
burg, the seat of the great university
where we arrived at noon. After
lunch at the Grand Hotel, we started
for the university, the famous castle
and museum. In the museum we saw
the largest wine barrel in the world.
ut holds $4,000 gallons when filled. IL
has never been filled but three times
I'm history and has not been filled for
u number of years. We were disap-
pointed in the university. The build
ings are not large and they are more
than TOO years old. In the earlier day
it was considered large.
Especially interesting was our visit
to the boys and girls prison. There
lis a sort of unwritten law that no boy
or girl can graduate from the univer-
sity until he has done time" In the
prison.
We also visited the dwelling
grounds of the boys. There were
blood marks on the ground to advise
us OF recent conflict in which some
youthful seeker after distinction had
marks without which no Heidleburg
student cares to leave the university.
We left Heidleburg the morning of
the 23rd for Interlaken, Switzerland
whence We went BY rail to Bale and
Berne.