Antiope Cruising: On the Lake

Before heading back to New Zealand, we take time out to visit friends in Friedrichshafen on the shores of Lake Constance and use the time to explore the area.

We take a cruise on the Rhine !

It seemed bizarre to be to be on a cruise ship almost 400m above sea level. We were on Lake Constance known as the Bodensee to the locals. The lake is fed by the infant Rhine river close to where it flows from its source in the Swiss alps. Glaciers during the last ice age carved out this 536 sq km lake. The river then takes shape again after spectacular waterfalls and becomes the commercially navigable Rhine waterway to the sea just a few kms later at Basel.

The infant Rhine winds its way up this valley to the foot of the Swiss Alps.

In recent years we have cruised Antiope in stages from Basel to the sea, so it was an experience to explore these upper reaches.

The 'Santis' mountain peak seen from across the lake

On a day trip to the Swiss alps, we take the gondola to the peak of 'Santis mountain', 2502 metres above sea level and one of the highest peaks in Switzerland that is accessable by cable car. While there was October snow on the distant peaks, we learn that the alpine glaciers are receeding at an alarming rate. It is no wonder that the lowland waterways, which are fed from the Rhine and Rhone rivers and rely on the alpine spring melt, are drying up each year.

On Santis peak, among the clouds at over 2500 metres

We are well rugged up

Global warming has left this alpine ridge with scant snowfall in recent years.

The Santis 'Schwebebahn' cable car

'Aescher' restuarant literally clings to the side of a mountain.

Before flying back to New Zealand, we have been staying with friends on the German side of Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen and taking day trips up and down the lake and across the water to Switzerland and Austria.

The Bodensee is the German name for Lake Constance, the Swiss alps beyond

In 1900, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin made his first ascent in a rigid airship from Friedrichshafen. By 1935, the massive airships Hindenburg and Graff Zeppelin were circling the globe, carrying passengers in luxury.

This 33m replica of the Hindenburg hangs n the Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen.

An Airbus A380 size compared to Hindenburg

Hindenburg and liner Queen Mary in same scale

A modern small airship does tourists daily tours over Friedrichshafen .

A passenger boat trip down the lake took us to a bronze age archeological site showing a recreated stilt village.

The materials needed to built the original dwellings would have all been found nearby.

This pile dwelling site dates back more than 3,000 years, and the recreated stone to bronze age village seemed eerily authentic. The remote area and shallow lake shore has revealed pile stumps, tools and pottery which all indicate a once extensive settlement.

The remains of crude dugout boats were also found in the lakebed silt

Another 2 hour lake cruise took us to the medieval town of Lindau. It is now very much a tourist destination, however without the summer crowds we were able to take the time to absorb the atmosphere of lakeside life through the centuries. It was once a fortified island and to walk around the island would take less than two hours.