Day Three - Vienna -- Day Four - Melk

Today we spent visiting the beautiful city of Vienna. Our ship docked at the city port and we were taken by bus for a tour of the inner city, first by a travelogue and secondly by a walking tour in the very city center.


I was not prepared for how big is the city, although as the capital of Austria, I should have known. It is a bustling metropolis as well the home of great music and art.

In the afternoon we visited the Schonbrun Palace, the summer residence of many of the Hapsburg royalty. The state rooms were heavily decorated with lots of gilded ornamentation and the floors were masterpieces of wooden tiles. The gardens were extensive, laid out in formal patterns. Jan and I found the original "beautiful spring" from which the name Schonbrun comes.

In the evening we attended a live concert of selections from Mozart and Strauss, including, of course, the Blue Danube Waltz. The ensemble was top-notch, as the organization has just been named the official chamber orchestra of Austria.

The weather has been beautiful and we hope it continues. So, more to come!

Day Four - Melk


Our ship sailed just after midnight, again heading upstream from Vienna toward the village of Melk.

On the way, we passed through the Wachau Valley, one of the most scenic spots on the Danube. The weather was beautiful so we were able to sit on the top outside deck to watch the scenery roll by. Villages, castles, ruins, vineyards, were the main attractions.

At lunch, the ship's chef and crew put together an outdoor picnic of Austrian specialties, including sausages, warm pate sandwiches, potato salad and strudel rolls.

After lunch we took a short bus ride to the Melk Abby -- a Benedictine monastery built over two hundred years ago formerly as the palace of the ruling Austrian family before the Hapsburg ruling family took over. The abbey was turned over to the Benedictines who made it one of the most progressive sites in Austria. During a forty year period the buildings were rebuilt in a lavish baroque style -- ornate, yet beautiful.

At 4:00 p.m. our ship again set sail, this time for Passau, which we will see tomorrow.

(Internet connection is very poor, so these blog posts may come sporadically.)

Day 2 - Budapest and on to Vienna

Today was spent on a bus and walking tour of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The city has many architectural wonders, including castles, cathedrals, war monuments and government buildings. Much of the city was bombed in World War II, so much of the rebuilding has been replications. Budapest is actually a good-sized city with much to see and do. Over 1/3 of the population of Hungary lives within its confines.
Today was a memorial day for Hungary so we were able to see a military wreath-laying at the Heroes Plaza. Then we went higher to the Buda side to view the city from above and marvel at the restored St. Matthias cathedral.
After lunch we set sail for Vienna -- a trip that will take 10 hours. So the afternoon was spent basking in the sun on the open upper deck was the river rolled by, enjoying an apple strudel making demonstration by the head chef and pastry chef, with a sample at the end.

Tonight we will sleep while the ship continues on to Vienna, arriving there in the morning.

(Internet connection has been erratic today, so this blog will be short.) But, more to come...

The Adventure Begins

Our long-planned Viking River cruise on the Danube began today.

After a 6 1/2 hour flight from Newark, we landed in Frankfurt and made a transfer to the flight to Budapest, where the cruise starts. The travel went smoothly, arriving on time with German precision. The folks from Viking met us at the airport and shuttled us to the waiting ship.

Budapest is a city with a colorful history. Some of it dates back to Roman times, has a strong Christian influence but was captured by Moors in the 17th century and had churches turned into mosques. Later the Moors were turned out, Germany took over the city; the Germans were routed by the Russians and Hungary became part of the Soviet bloc. As such the city is a conglomerate of architectural styles, some stunning and others the worst of utilitarian planning.

Today we spent most of the time around the ship, waiting for our room to be ready, then given the mandatory explanation of shipboard safety (life jackets, etc.) and our first taste of the excellent cuisine we'll enjoy. We enjoyed a stroll around the outside deck where we got a view of the Chain Bridge, the first span to join the two cities of Buda and Pest. The photo is of Jan with the bridge behind.

More to come...