vango

We had already decided not to take the optional tour when we got to Spayer which is why where weren't disappointed when it was canceled. We decided to do our own thing. Spayer is a lovely little mideveal town that no one has heard about. The boat stopped here to do the afternoon excursion to Heidelberg. Since we were already stopping they offered a town highlights tour. There was only one highest that we wanted to see and that was the Spayer Technological Museum.

This museum caught our attention when we were last on the Rhine for Christmas 2012. We were traveling the other way so we got only a glimpse of it when returning to our boat. One of the most striking things to see is what appears to be a full size 747 landing in the middle of a park.

The Technological museum offers lots of other exhibits but we really wanted to experience the 747. You see it is mounted on a 100 foot tower making a slight bank as it comes into land. It about killed us off but we still enjoyed the experience. The climb is a series of straight and spiral stairs to a platform just under the the belly of the jet. From that point there is a view over the entire park. Then you climb a spiral stair that leads into the passenger cabin. The back third of the cabin had been stripped of all the interior so there is a view to the cargo hold. The center third has half of the seats as they would have been for flight. There has been a door cut into the side wall at the emergency exit row and from there you walk out onto the wing.

There is a quick exit from the platform below can be had if you remembered to pick up a mat. There is a slide to the ground. Otherwise it is back down the stairs. By the time we were descending the crowds were starting to show up. By noon when our taxi came people were streaming into the place.



There are other things to see. The museum owns a Buran, the Russian Space Shuttle. There was an incredible collection of cars including the Moon (only 2 made) and the Mercedes Black Knight with a round windshield and a v shaped grill. The museum was having an event with old tractors. That had several giving rides around the park.



We returned to the ship for the “Grill Lunch.” It was a limited lunch for 35 passengers on the sun deck featuring grilled meats, salad and corn on the cob. At one the bulk of the guys left for there tour of Heidelberg. The boat sailed around 3 for Mannheim where we would pick them up at 6 pm or so. We enjoyed a stately ride down the Rhine. People were out in speed boats and jet skis enjoying their Sunday afternoon.