Another cool day today, 3 degrees when we left for our walking tour and 10 degrees when we returned to the ship at 4pm but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the beauty of this city. At the end of the day we had an early dinner then headed to one of the Hofburg Palaces for a concert which was wonderful then enjoyed an illuminated tour of the city on the return to the ship. Happy to report my butt and legs are surprisingly comfortable after yesterday’s pushbike ride though the knees are a little second hand. Pleased overall.

The battery went flat on the camera today…...probably just as well!



Saint Stephens Cathedral is in the process of being cleaned. The façade has just been revealed nice and clean instead of black. Many of the buildings we saw were in the process of refurbishment and cleaning. Many more than when we were last in Vienna in 2008.



Our tour group enjoyed a coffee (me a hot chocolate) at Cafe Central, a traditional and beautiful Coffee house….without the smoke we remember from 2008. The exterior.



The interior courtyard where our group gathered. A beautiful space and the cakes (many choices) were sublime. No one rushed to leave.



The interior courtyard of the Hofburg Palace. Looking forward to returning tonight for the concert.



Part of the Parliament Buildings which were quite beautiful.



The Town Hall which we discovered in the distance over the tree tops on our own time exploring but didn’t have enough time to check it out fully (a third of the city is green space). There was some sort of display in there free of charge, we figured that bit out. The red under windows were geraniums. Looked great..

Bits and Bobs:



Another sign…this one for the Black Camel restaurant....the best in Vienna our guide told us. The quirky side of it is the sign under the camel. It says (basically) by appointment to the palace and there has been no monarchy in Vienna since 1918.

Another chilly morning (5 degrees Celsius) when we headed off for our walking tour of the Melk Abbey and we thought we were ABC’d out but we just loved this Benedictine Abbey which is still a functioning Abbey, school and church community. The building itself has been magnificently maintained and the history beautifully presented but in a living sense with vestments and other articles still used even though they are on display. Just beautiful. Shame it was foggy as we had potential of spectacular views from the panoramic terraces but they didn’t happen. Ah well, you can’t have everything.



Within the second courtyard of Melk Abbey. The main dome of the Church visible in the centre. Two sides of this courtyard are occupied by the school, one by the Museum, and the fourth by the monks.



The ballroom used by Imperial guests and the Abbot for audiences only



Within the Church at the Abbey which is testament to many lifetimes of work by artisans…including modern day with beautiful flowers painted on the bottom of every altar



Part of the very ordered Baroque garden at the Abbey

Following lunch I took leave of my senses and decided to do the next leg on a pushbike…….yes I know what was I thinking? Perhaps not….or perhaps I was just desperate for a ride…even without a motor? Who knows, anyway I did it and survived thankfully. The views we had as we wound along the Danube were just spectacular with numbers of little villages and settlements dotted along the river with extensive grapevines and orchards and beautiful autumn colours climbing up and over the hills and rugged rocky outcrops. I was glad I went.



On the bikes and no my hair isn’t a motley colour I had my new head hugging hat on under my helmet so the cold air didn’t give me an earache and it worked well.



Our first stop at 10kms just after we saw the ship disappear around a distant corner. We enjoyed a cold apple juice while a number of others enjoyed a beer or coffee.



A view across the Danube …every village had a church.



Waiting for the ferry to take us across the river (6kms till we’re in). It was an ingenious ferry which was a catamaran hull and operated solely with the use of a rudder and the current of the river while attached to a cable strung high above the river which keeps it vaguely in place. That's me in the red and white helmet and leather motorbike vest for which I was very grateful...also the gloves and polar fleece jacket which I took on and off as we rode depending on how many hills I encounterd!

Bits and Bobs:



Found another sign that took my fancy in Melk

After a pretty relaxed day yesterday being moored all day in Regensburg we set sail that evening for Passau and today toured Salzburg (Sound of Music territory) and Mondsee (Moon Lake) by coach on the way to meet the ship at Linz in Austria. The weather was forecast from – 1 to 6 degrees Celsius with heavy rain and snow. Thankfully we didn’t see the snow (apart from on the alps shrouded in cloud) and the heavy rain was mainly while we were in the coach but the temperature didn’t get much above 6 for the majority of the day and returned to 8 when we returned to the ship. Not to worry, however….we broke out the long johns under the jeans and with my leather vest and polar fleece jacket under my long jacket (along with my hat scarf and gloves)…I was toasty warm.



Schloss Mirabell (now the Town Hall) and gardens used in the Sound of Music Movie.



A view of the Festung Hohensalzburg (The Prince Bishop’s Palace) from within the town of Salzburg



A view of the Alps from the Palace, note the fruit tree in its own little garden. What a shame the Alps had disappeared into the clouds, would have loved to see their shapes. Apparently Hitler’s lair the ‘Eagles Nest’ is visible from the Palace on a clear day Austria having been a stronghold for Hitler and his third Reich. Our Austrian guide covered the wartime history well.



Salzburg from the palace with the lovely Baroque Cathedral visible with its green domes in the centre



Some majestic ancient trees within the palace walls with centuries of moss on their upper branches…no photo can do them justice…much more impressive than the dusty old furniture or Austrian military history within though the building itself was quite impressive and they are still digging up Roman foundations under it



An example of the pristine condition of the farmland we saw on our way through Bavaria…manicured to perfection!



The Lakes District…the ancient playground of the rich and famous….and still is a playground for all seasons



Mondsee Cathedral, a beautiful Italian Baroque cathedral used for the Sound of Music Wedding

Bits and Bobs:



In Salzburg they don’t allow neon signs for shops, only allowing the traditional signs, and the McDonalds store is on the site of the ‘Golden Lion Inn’ so you have to admire their ingenuity….now the Golden Lion is accompanied by the ‘Golden Arches’…ha ha. Liked it…and it didn’t look at all out of place in the beautiful ancient streetscape. We also noticed in France that their signs were often very small and inconspicuous as were all the other shops…looked much better.



We discovered municipal workers in Salzburg covering up their fountains today so that they don’t hold water to freeze and split the stone or anything else. This one was being steam cleaned and fitted with caps for the snow to slide off. We saw another being surrounded by glass panels.

We woke to a very overcast sky with predictions of rain which has arrived on and off but hasn’t stopped us doing anything we wanted to. The temperature has dropped this afternoon as the rain has developed so have been grateful of my new coat and hat and scarf.



Regensburg is another medieval town which was originally surrounded by a wall from Roman times. The majority of the wall has long gone but there are parts of it remaining which is incorporated in the foundations of buildings visible to the passer-by which is quirky. This is the original Roman gate to the city. Check out the rock….no mortar between the stones just perfect fit. Pretty good engineering!



A view over the original roman bridge now only open to pedestrians and being restored and strengthened (out of view) looking towards the salt warehouses and the city.



Inside the salt warehouse to the left of the bridge which is now a Visitor Information Centre which means you have the chance to check out the magnificent structure of the building which was spectacular. Check out the beautiful timbers!



Looking towards the main town from one of the islands at what were once mainly warehouses with accommodation for the merchants and now accommodation only.



A view from the roman bridge towards one of the mid-stream islands on the left and the town on the right and our ship is just beyond the bridge.

Bits and Bobs:

I learnt today that one of my grandchildren (kinder age) when told Grandma and Grandad were going to Skype the family and was asked if he knew what ‘Skype’ meant said it’s when you talk on the computer to someone who is on holidays overseas…….unbelievable!

We were off soon after breakfast for a walking tour of the old medieval part of Nuremberg, a lot of which was built stone by stone after WWII. We even experienced the local gingerbread cookies which are a speciality of the region. I enjoyed them and I’m not a great fan of ginger…other than ginger beer.



An ancient cemetery in Nuremberg….really beautiful if you can say that



Street scene of part of the village of Nuremberg with some of the old town wall in the background as well as the only original square tower on the wall.



Beautiful fountain in the Nuremberg town square as well as a building with a painted fresco in the background.



Many locks today and this is one of the three 24.7meter locks (the highest on the trip) as we climbed on the Main / Danube Canal to the continental divide before we start descending towards the Danube River. These were followed by three 17 meter locks and others following of diminishing sizes. A truly incredible engineering feat and we have felt privileged to be passing through them. AWESOME!!!!


The photo above is on the approach to the largest Lock on the Amsterdam to Budapest river route. An incredible example of effective infrastructure. The link below will take you to some video footage on You Tube as we progressed into the Lock.

Click on the link: http://youtu.be/WoWQEUi3CSo


Bits and Bobs:



The universality of children…the tail end of a group of enthusiastic school kids on the walls of the castle in Nuremberg who spotted a group of tourists (us) and gave us an enthusiastic welcome.

Actually feel a bit sorry for the captain and his crew…they have had what seems to be a major generator problem throughout the day yesterday and early in the evening but it seems to have been sorted now. Mind you that is without any interruption to anything we have wanted to do so they have managed it well. All this with two massive generators which they take it in turns to use for a few days at a time and also a smaller one in a soundproofed box for night time running).

We didn’t go to the wine tasting at the ancient winery last night……we just wanted to stay put in the warm ship but we still enjoyed the quiet start and sailing this morning before we left the ship without the hangover I suspect many of our sailing partners experienced.

We woke to a sunrise on the right hand side of the ship this morning where it was the left hand side yesterday. It looked great….then the captain told us just before breakfast it was 3 degrees Celsius and the frost on the fields beside the river confirmed it was still very cold so we were grateful we were cruising (and having a lecture about the European Union which was surprisingly good…and a sampling of multiple varieties of bratwurst…again surprisingly good).



The Bamberg Town Hall built over a canal after the Prince Bishop refused for the third time to allow the citizens to build a town hall on any of his land…so they didn’t. Love the sentiment.



With ancient cities there are many challenges in the building department. Check out this building front on our trek to the cathedral.



An attractive restaurant within the walled city of Bamberg which is a beautifully maintained city



A view across the rose garden behind the new Bishop Princes Palace to what was previously a monastery and is now an old people’s home.

Bits and Bobs:



This was the second double length lock we were in today and we have 3 locks coming up some time in the future with a level difference of 24.7 meters which will be interesting to watch. This was a shot out the front of our ship (with satellite stuff collapsed)and looking to the back of the barge in front. There was a reasonable amount of jostling by the two vessels to fit!

Okay so I went over the top with photos yesterday like a slow-moving video so I promise I won’t do that again but it’s just way too hard to only have one or two when there are so many great things to see and I’m not trussed up in bike gear and riding past it all….probably an advantage when I’m on the bike actually. Much better behaved today….see below:



We woke up to spectacular views of incredible buildings across the River Main from us complete with the morning mist rising from the water. This is the Prince Bishop’s former fortress.....he built a new ‘Residence’ as he wanted something more modern......poor little darling! One of the many barges motoring up and down the river coming under the bridge.



After breakfast we headed to the Wurzburg Residence….the new home the Prince Bishop had built for himself in the main town of Wurzburg….man did this man have a HUGE EGO! Magnificent building and many beautiful features but OH MY GOD! This is a view of one wing from the garden.



After lunch we headed by coach to the medieval walled city of Rothenburg which was just beautiful. The walls still intact (some of which we walked) and wandered through the many streets after our walking tour. This is the tower we climbed to see the city from above. Just over 200 steps to the top getting more narrow and steeper the higher we got ending up with a ladder and a climb out onto the platform…but worth the view.



Walking the streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Rothenburg on the River Tauber….I think)

Bits and Bobs:



A bit of an unfortunate sign pinted on the wall for a bakery in Rothenburg….okay so the spelling isn’t the same but phonetically it’s a bit yucky.



The second hat with scarf at the Wurzburg Residence

We are missing being on the bikes something chronic and find ourselves ogling at any motorbike we see...a bit pathetic actually, but also enjoying the luxury of this beautiful boat and being looked after. Such a lovely experience! Very comfortabe and the food is wonderful and staff incredible.



Leaving the Rhine River (RHS) and entering the Main River (LHS) yesterday evening and soon after entered our first lock and have negotiated many since and still more to come. The Main is still a large body of water but not quite so fast flowing as the Rhine which is not surprising.



View this morning on the river. We enjoyed a tranquil trip and it confirmed how the Germans are serious about caravanning with many parks lining the river



A view of Freudenberg from the river before we docked and climbed into our coach



Walking tour in Miltenberg an ancient city which avoided being obliterated during WWII. The main square



A view of Miltenberg from the hill at the entrance of the castle (and yes most of these towns and villages have castles)

The afternoon walking tour followed a coach ride from Freudenberg to Wertheim..…again another city spared from WWII destruction other than losing bridges on the Main River from retreating Germans. We were very impressed with our walking guides handling of WWII history. It was sensitive, realistic and touched both her and our humanity



The Castle at Wertheim dismantled during the 30 year war and then abandoned by the Count. The locals have since purchased it and are restoring it.



The main square at Wertheim



A view from the castle at Wertheim across the village of Wertheim at the junction of the Main River (RHS) and the Tauber River (coming in from the LHS). The town understandably has many serious floods as you can see with the marker beside the Tauber River



Check out the years and levels

Bits and Bobs:



A work shot…container cranes loading barges at Mainz. Very impressive

We had a quiet but spectacular morning on board and once the fog cleared we enjoyed gliding through the Rhine Valley looking at many different castle ruins but many more intact along with picturesque villages and countless vineyards chiselled into the sides of the valley up incredibly steep valley walls. So many picture postcard views especially with the changing autumnal tones of the foliage. Very beautiful. We have also continued to be amazed at the huge number of commercial freight barges and the sheer volume of what they carry including gravel and coal, gas, oil and heaps of other stuff covered so we couldn’t see it as well as huge numbers of containers, not to mention the freight trains which run each side of the Rhine every 4 – 5 minutes apart. We have seen bulk liquid and gas tanks, cars, flatbed trailers both full and empty, containers of all sizes and construction. Also saw a police boat stop and board one barge so interesting!



The first view along the Rhine this morning before the fog set in heavily (you can see a steeple in the background already shrouded in fog)



An idea of how large the castle is on top of the ridge is gained when you realise how large the buildings on the shore are



An example of both ancient castle (this one abandoned) and terraced hillside vineyards



Riverside village view with autumn tones in foliage and vines



The music museum at Rudesheim (started in 1969) and housed in this building dating from the 13th century. The museum was incredible and also entertaining which I hadn't expected



Rudesheim town square which we found on our trek back to the river

Bits and Bobs:



Norm at the Emergency Drill. Note the lock gate behind him. We didnt use the lock to lift us here and it was only the second we went through on the first day out. We will be entering the land of many locks tomorrow....so no one allowed on the sundeck then.

The sun was shining this morning and we enjoyed a comfortable walking tour of some of the old city of Cologne as well as visiting the Cologne Cathedral which was one of the few buildings still standing after the WWII bombardment. The Cathedral houses the relics of the three Magi (the 3 Wise Kings) who visited baby Jesus in the Bethlehem Stable and has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. The cathedral was in fact also the tallest building in Europe until the Eiffel tower was built in Paris. A quirky bit of town planning has placed the city railway station right beside the Cathedral and 1,200 trains a day move through it..…apparently this was considered a good thing in the times that the station was constructed.



A view of the Cologne Cathedral from the riverside with the Museum of Modern art visible to the left hand side



The building on the corner is the only building to survive after the WWII bombardment on the Haymarket Square in Cologne

After our walking tour of Cologne we hopped on a bus and went to the medieval city of Maastricht back in the Netherlands where we had another walking tour and some free time to explore ourselves. This was a pretty city. We lunched on the square where Andre Reieu has his annual concerts and drove past his small palace on our way out of town on our way back to our ship which had moved on to Andernach.



The Town Hall in Maastricht designed by the same architect who designed a palace for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in a similar style though hers is somewhat larger



Some of the original Roman walls surrounding the old city of Maastricht. Similar ruins complete with towers and arches are visible still throughout the old city

A sample of Barge traffic on the Amsterdam to Budapest route. Check out a short video on You Tube to give you an idea of the incredible volume of the barge traffic. AWESOME!

Click the link: http://youtu.be/FZLnuZLGLIQ


Bits and Bobs:

Some of the parking we have seen throughout our travels in Europe has been an exercise in ‘touch feel and bump’ but we were intrigued with this parking in 2 disabled parking spots across the road from our coach in Cologne (4 cars in 2 spots) and two people who got out of cars that I saw were as disabled as me!



A better example of the space used but a bit blurry