Where is Chris - Wobbly Bridge

As I write this post I'm watching Lego Masters episode where the challenge was to build a strong bridge out of Lego pieces.   The winning team will have the bridge that holds the most weight.  We've had opportunities to visit many bridges during our travels.   This bridge is one of the most famous.
Can you guess where I am?

If the kids can't guess where this bridge is located, perhaps they'd enjoy building a bridge out of Lego blocks as well.  #KeepTheKidsEngaged

We hope you are enjoying this series of  "Where is Chris" posts.  We'd love your feedback on our social media.

Where is  Chris (Scroll on image) -     Learn More (Click)

Where is Chris?

Here is today's post: See if you can guess where I am. 

As promised, we've updated yesterday's post, Where is Chris - Dreaming of Paradise, with the answer to the puzzle.  Revisit that post and just scroll over the image to reveal the answer.  You can also click on the link below the picture to read more.    

Make sure to follow us on our social media, so you don't miss any destinations. 


If you can't wait for tomorrow for the answer, you can take my quiz in my Instagram story.

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Sail-Away from Strasbourg

Strasbourg Reflections

Lights from a nearby ship and a bridge, which we will soon pass under, reflect in the waters as the captain and crew prepare for our departure from Strasbourg.   Our ship arrived here at 3 AM last night and now, shortly after 10 PM, we bid good-bye.

Our next stop will be Mannheim, Germany (technical stop only) at 7:30 AM.

click on images to enlarge

Captain at the Controls 

Since we didn't sail until after dinner, it was possible to be on the Sky Deck for the actual sail-away and see all the action first hand. The previous nights we had sailed sometime during dinner.

 Sailing Under the Bridge

Shortly after departing we were sailing under the bridge that could be seen while we were docked.  As you can see, there's plenty of clearance in this case.  Everything on the Sky Deck is designed to collapse if necessary for any bridges that have low clearance.  Even the ship's bridge can retract if necessary.

 Approaching the Locks

During our cruise, we would go through 35 locks, some of them multiple times.  After passing some river ships docked along our path, we saw a bridge in the distance.  Once beyond that bridge, we could see the locks straight ahead of our ship.

It was now almost 11 PM, so we decided to head to the cabin to get some sleep, as tomorrow was another day of exploring with an early start.

We hope you are enjoying this virtual tour of the Rhine & Moselle Rivers.

Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page:

Strasbourg - Sail-Away

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Cruise Industry Safety Standards Changes

Concordia Disaster

Brings More Changes

In the wake of the Costa Concordia accident, the cruise industry has examined the current safety standards and made modifications.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and European Cruise Council (ECC), have jointly announced new recommendations.  The new policies address issues related to personnel access to the bridge, passage planning and life jackets - all of which came under scrutiny during the Costa Concordia investigation.

Bridge Access

The new policy announced by CLIA states "bridge access will now be limited to those with operational functions during any period of restricted maneuvering or when increased vigilance is required." 

The period for increased vigilance is defined  as "any time a vessel is constrained in its ability to freely navigate, such as in a restricted waterway/channel, entering a port, or an area where there is an unusually high volume or compression of vessel traffic." 

The policy changes will most likely impact bridge tours, which are often part of "behind-the-scenes" activities offered to certain passengers, such as those with higher loyalty status with the cruise line.

Passage Planning

Voyage plans have always been a requirement under the International Maritime Organization's SOLAS conventions, however consistency and level of detail in the plans was previously not detailed in the formal polices.  The new language, adopted by CLIA and ECC, explicitly requires for the plan to be "drafted by a designated officer and approved by the master" well in advance of the sailing,  Recall that the master of Costa Concordia claims that he was authorized to do the "sail by salute".

Life Jackets 

The change in life jacket policy calls for ships to carry more life jackets than are currently legally required.   SOLAS currently dictates that ships carry life jackets for every berth, which may be higher than the number of persons onboard, plus five percent. In practice, the majority of cruise ships carry many more life jackets than is required, but the new policy will raise the official mandatory minimum. 


Some Concordia passengers indicated that they had to return to the cabins in the dark in order to retrieve their life jackets.   The new limits will mean the muster stations will be required to increase the quantities available for passengers unable to return to their cabins in an emergency to retrieve their life jackets.

Related Posts:

Cruise Industry Adopts New Muster Policy  

Carnival Corp Taking Steps to Address Safety Concerns

Walking Tour of Rome from Vatican

Castel Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo is located in the heart of the city of Rome, on the banks of the river Tiber. It is close to the Vatican, so it became our first stop after we left the Vatican and had some lunch.

This Fortress was built as a mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian (AD130-139), but it has also been a prison and a papal residence. It was used by former Popes seeking  protection in times of danger. There has been a covered passageway which still connects Castel Sant'Angelo to the Vatican. 

Via della Conciliazione (Road of the Conciliation) is the main street in Rome that runs from the Castel Sant'Angelo on the western bank of the Tiber River to Saint Peter's Square and Saint Peter's Basilica as seen in the distance.

The National Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo inside retraces its history. The castle has various exhibits ranging from Renaissance paintings and pottery to antique military weapons.  We didn't have time to view the interior of this fortress - perhaps on another visit we will.

The Sant'Angelo Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in Rome, built in the 239 AD. Many medieval pilgrims made their way to St. Peter's walking along this bridge to cross the Tiber at Ponte Sant'Angelo.

Several Bernini Angels line the bridge on either side. Nowadays, this is a pedestrian bridge which connects  the rioni (Roman districts) of Ponte and Borgo.

Angel with the Column (Throne)
Angel with the Whips
Angel with the Crown of Thorns
Angel with the Sudarium (Veronica’s Veil)
Angel with the Garment and Dice
Angel with the Nail
Angel with the Cross
Angel with the Superscription
Angel with the Sponge
Angel with the Lance

 More Photos:  Walking from Vatican Photo Album

 Palazzo di Giustizia 

(The Hall of Justice), Rome

Continuing our walk along the Tiber River, we came to another bridge that leads to the Supreme Court of Cassation (Italian: Corte Suprema di Cassazione) which is the major court of last resort in Italy.

From here we made our way to Piazza del Porto di Ripetta and continued from there to Piazza Navona (view photo album).

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




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Oasis of the Seas Back to the Bridge

Captain William Wright on the Bridge of Oasis of the Seas - Courtesy Royal Caribbean International

While crossing the North Atlantic Ocean on its way to Port Everglades, Florida, Oasis of the Seas encountered strong winds and high seas. Due to the inclement weather, Oasis of the Seas is now scheduled to arrive at Port Everglades on the morning of November 13, 2009, two days later than originally scheduled. The late arrival will not impact any inaugural events, promotional activities or revenue sailings.

We continue our coverage of the Oasis of the Seas' first crossing by visiting with Captain Bill on the bridge. Joining him on the bridge are two well-known retired Captains of Royal Caribbean International: Captain Kent Ringborn (Ret.), also known as the "signing captain" to those of us that had the great fortune to sail with him, who was at the helm of the Radiance of the Seas when it was introduced and Captain Ulf Svensson (Ret.), who brought the Grandeur of the Seas into service. Both retired captains were amazed at the ship and how stable it was and how well it handled the rough seas of the North Atlantic.

Hear their comments and see their reaction to the ship in the following video.

Captains Log Day 10 Video: Back to the Bridge (click here)

In the following video, Captain Bill provides a detailed explanation of the equipment on the bridge of the Oasis. Then, you will get a behind-the-scenes look at the Turku, Finland shipbuilding yard where Oasis was built. Learn more about shipbuilding on STX Europe website.

Captains Log Day 11 Video: Shipbuilding in Turku (click here)

Related Blog posts:

Oasis of the Seas - Entertainment

Oasis of the Seas vs North Atlantic
Oasis of the Seas Continues Journey
Oasis OTS Ducks Under Great Belt Bridge
Oasis of the Seas - Crossing the Atlantic
Oasis of the Seas Heads for Home
Oasis of the Seas Takes to Water

Watch Additional Oasis of the Seas Videos Here!

EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER
November 15th at midnight (EXTENDED!)

Book a 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise aboard the Oasis of the Seas by November 15th and receive $100 Onboard Credit Learn more about Oasis of the Seas and applicable sail dates.