I was captivated the moment my eyes fell upon her, charmed by her dreamy curves and tranquil air. But she was more than just a pretty picture. She had an earthy side, as well, which I learned from a fellow passenger who told me she had worms, or more accurately eels.

"Silver eels migrate up the Rhine into the Moselle," the man said. "In the past they were overfished, but now they are making a comeback. They make a good jelly." I hoped he was joking about the jelly, but he wasn't.

This new love of mine is the little sister of the Rhine, the Moselle, that tranquil-flowing river that wiggles and swivels her way from her origins in eastern France and brushes up against the Grand Dutchy of Luxembourg before heading east into Germany's Moselle Valley and ending her days by emptying into the Rhine at Koblenz. My wife and I recently took a two-week cruise down the Rhine on Uniworld's River Queen from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam with a side trip up the Moselle. For us, the Moselle was the highlight of the cruise.

For many visitors to the Moselle Valley, the favorite destination is Trier. If it's true that all roads lead to Rome, they have to start somewhere, and Trier is a likely candidate.

In the days of the Caesars, Trier was probably called "Rome for the Barbarians," but the politically correct name was "Rome North," and it was a favorite summer home of Emperor Constantine, according to our guide, Karl. He was leading a small band from the boat through Trier's Old Quarter and working hard to hold our attention on his sermon of 2,000 years of Roman/medieval history.

Karl told us Trier is the oldest town in Germany, built by the Emperor Augustus in 16 B.C., and for centuries was a political and cultural center. We followed Karl through the 306 A.D. Roman Basilica (the largest one-room structure ever built by the Romans), Cathedral Dom St. Peter (built by Constantine in 326 A.D., it contributed to the spread Christianity) and Porta Nigra (the preserved Roman Gate of the town).

But Trier offers much more in addition to its history, architecture and monuments. An hour later found Susan and me sitting at an outdoor cafe imbibing a cold Bitburger and people-watching.

"It's always the French," our guide, Marie, told us the next day while we were on a tour of Reichsburg castle, a turreted, medieval castle overlooking the village of Cochem. She was referring to the fact that the original 1027 structure was destroyed in 1689 by Louis XIX's army, although since then it has been restored to its original splendor, providing an idyllic backdrop to the town.

In response to my wife's question about an impressive a suit of armor, Marie explained: "It's a replica of armor worn by the most acclaimed knight in all of Germany — some say a Robin Hood, some say a highway man in shining armor."

Marie went on to say that Gotz von Berlichingen, known as Gotz of the Iron Hand, was someone you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. He was a mercenary knight who at the tender age of 24 had his right arm blown off by a cannon ball. Unfazed, he strapped on an iron arm, which he called his "killing hand." Gotz and his new-found appendage, which apparently was the first prosthetic ever, went on to be a one-man wrecking crew and a bane to anyone who crossed his path, including rich merchants, the Holy Roman Empire, Turks, and, of course, the French.

"Bernkastel is the prettiest of all the pretty towns on the Moselle," our guide at the next stop told us the next day.

"I thought our guide in Cochem said that was the prettiest town on the Moselle," Susan said under her breath. Then, two seconds later: "Wow!"

We had come upon Berncastel's medieval market square. We were in a world of ornately decorated half-timbered houses of all shapes, styles and colors, right out of a Grimm fairy tale.

"At Bernkastel we have the steepest vineyards in all of Germany. They are so steep that when the grapes are picked, the workers must be tethered by ropes," our host at the Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler wine cellar told us at a wine-tasting soiree. As she poured a splash of Pauly-Bergweiler 2007 Riesling Kabinett, I placed my hand over the bottle to keep it running. She laughed; Susan rolled her eyes.

At last the slow-flowing Moselle met her end at Koblenz, where she merged into the faster-flowing Rhine. To detail the history of Koblenz and the armies that passed through with Julius Caesar, Charlemagne, the Normans, Louis XIV and even the Russians would require a semester course in European history.

"Why don't I take a picture of you right there," Susan said while we were on a walking tour of Koblenz. By this time I was onto her game. Every time we went to a German-speaking country, she'd trick me into standing next to a jewelry store. The German word for jewelry is "schmuck," and she loved showing our friends pictures of me standing in front of the sign. Later we relaxed on some granite-chiseled love seats along the banks of the Moselle.

During World War II Koblenz was the command center of Army Group B, and like many cities along the Rhine, it was heavily bombed by the Allies. Today the city has been rebuilt, and like all towns and cities along the Rhine and Moselle, it welcomes visitors with open arms.

IF YOU GO

We traveled on Uniworld's 14-day "Legendary Rhine and Moselle" cruise. The itinerary runs between Amsterdam and Basel, Switzerland, with cruise-only prices beginning at $3,299. Cruises run from April through November. Shorter Rhine cruises are also available. For more info, contact Uniworld at www.uniworld.com or call 800-733-7820.

Other cruise lines offering Moselle/Rhine itineraries include:

AMAWaterways: www.amawaterways.com or 800-626-0126

Avalon Waterways: www.avalonwaterways.com/-cruise-vacations/moselle-river or 877.797.8791

Viking River Cruises: www.vikingrivercruises.com or 800-304-9616

For more on European river cruises: www.europeanrivercruises.com

Jerry Farlow is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.