- Trip down the Rhine
We went on bard at 7.00 p.m. and thankfully we had fine weather for the final entertainment of the trip which was drawing to a dose all too soon for us. Things soon warmed up, and from what I could see of people on the upper deck, everyone was making the most of their final bottles of German beer. My money at least was almost gone, and I had to impose on the kindness of my hosts in order to raise the price of a beer.
The Rhine was as beautiful as it could be in a city plagued with heavy industrial suburbs discharging all and sundry into it.
Speedboats charged past us as we slowly made our way upriver, and as darkness gradually fell the lights of Cologne glared out on either side of us. On the return trip we all went below deck, where there was community singing of old favourites in English and German. Then, to put a nice finishing touch to it all. we were presented with interesting books about Cologne which gave a wealth of Information about the city.
Our last sights before we left the boat were of the Cathedral which was illuminated by Spotlights. Altogether an entertaining evening out which brought to a dose a holiday which I am certain none of us will ever forget.
Trip down the Rhine / Words
trip on the Rhine Rheinfahrt
thankfully Gott sei Dank, zum Glück
final entertainment letzte Veranstaltung
to draw to a dose zu Ende gehen, s. dem Ende nähern
to warm up s. erwärmen
things soon warmed up man wurde bald lustig, es wurde bald gemütlich
Upper deck Oberdeck
to make the most of It möglichst viel aus etwas machen
final bottle die letzte Flasche
to impose on missbrauchen, s. verlassen auf
kindness Freundlichkeit
host Gastgeber
to raise auftreiben (Geld)
to plague plagen, peinigen, heimsuchen
the suburb die Vorstadt
to discharge entladen
all and sundry allerlei
speedboat Eilboot
charged beladen
to pass vorbeifahren an
upriver stromaufwärts
darkness Dunkelheit
gradually allmählich
to glare out blenden, starren auf
on either side auf beiden Seiten
on the return trip auf der Rückfahrt
to go below hinuntergehen
favourites Lieblingslieder
to put a nice finishing touch to alles zu einem guten Ende führen
to present with schenken
a wealth of information eine Fülle von Information
last sights die letzten Blicke
illuminated erleuchtet, angestrahlt
the Spotlight die Scheinwerfer
altogether alles in allem
entertaining amüsant
to bring to a dose zu Ende bringen, beenden
Trip down the Rhine / Questions
1. What was the weather like?
2. What were people drinking?
3. Could this writer buy a beer?
4. What sort of boats did they see?
5. Did they stay on the upper deck?
6. What was happening on the Iower deck?
7. What was the last thing they saw before leaving the boat?
8. What drinks are popular In England?
9. Does one travel faster upstream or downstream?
10. What is a Spotlight?
Discussion and essay topics
1. How far does the Rhine influence the German economy?
2. The pleasures of a boat-trip.
Trip down the Rhine / Notes
1. Das englische Bier ist stärker als das deutsche. Man trinkt „ale" (dunkel und stark) oder „stout". Man sieht sehr viele Gasthäuser, fast an jeder Ecke, die aber nur immer zeitweise geöffnet sind, zur Mittagszeit und von 6-10.30 Uhr abends.
Hier treffen sich die Stammkunden (regulär customers), sprechen und trinken miteinander, ohne dass sie irgendwie befreundet sind. Bier ist das Hauptgetränk, nur bei größeren Dinners oder Banketts wird Wein serviert. Wein ist gewöhnlich sehr teuer in England. Whisky, der besonders in Schottland hergestellt wird, ist eins der beliebtesten Getränke, gemischt mit Sodawasser.
2. Die Hauptflüsse in England sind die Themse, der Severn und der Tyne. Im Sommer sieht man viele Boote und Vergnügungsdampfer.
