Bratislava, Slovakia

Budapest - Chain Bridge, going through the lockes,Cei ling of the Budapest Opera House,Kink and I at the Fisherman's Bastion, St. Matthias ChurchBudapest from Buda side of the Danube. Fisherman's Bastion and ending with the Hero's Square.

Epilogue

.......

Airport (wheelchair) passenger service at each airport from Portland and back . . . was exemplary. Outstanding. A gift.

Passenger service aboard Lufthansa is the best. United Airlines culture of mediocrity is intact and will remain our airline of last choice.

For Kim, her #1 favorites (actually 4): Visiting the countries of her lineage; especially Hungary. Enjoying new friendships...she felt like she went to summercamp. Our port visit in Regensburg, Germany. “Icing on the cake” Prague.

For Harry, it was about being on the water aboard the Viking Neptune on the historical Danube. What a boat. What a time.

Final days: Prague, CZ

Final days: Prague, CZ

We ramble on a 6 hr train through east Germany country and rural Czech Republic. There is no moving air in the booth we are assigned and share with another couple. Kim n I get permission to move into another where we can open windows. Ahhhh!

Kink had been saying, “Wait till you see Prague” each time one of us would say something like, “Ohhh my” to Budapest and Vienna. Of course, we wondered how this could be.

The cab driver pulled up to an open square. Pointing right over the top of the hood, he said, “This is pedestrian only zone. We stop here.”

“Here” is the Hotel U Prince at the edge of Prague’s Old Town Square; perhaps the most visited tourist spot in the old city. The church spires and world famed Astronomical Clock peer down at our arrival. What a place! Seems like all the beauty spots we’ve seen were gathered all the way up the Danube and set down to border the Old Town Square. Our stay “here” is topnotch. It’s a thrill to walk-wheel this slice of Europe and history. Nothing stops us. Not hills nor cobblestones nor rail tracks nor tourist traffic. We simply wade into the alleys and tight streets, the Charles Bridge scene, souvenir shops and open market. The National Museum dominates the skyline from historic Wenceslas Square; a long, wide boulevard. We make it there; to Kink’s delight. A horse n carriage ride gives us a better orientation of the area and we are relieved to rest our feet. On our third and final night, we share the ‘best seats in the house’ . . . up on the roof top terrace overlooking the Old Town Square, the magnificent churches, and gaze upon Prague Castle across the river. The golden spires reflect the orange hue of sunset. We enjoy a fabulous meal and talk into the night.

Time goes, the river flows

Scenic redtile roofs of Melk.
Outside the Library at the Melk Abbey

The Melk Abbey
Arriving at Melk and going to see the famous 900 yr. old, baroque Melk Abbey, it's perched on the cliffs above the Danube...spectacular views! and magnificent building & church. Enjoy!
Oops two of me!! This is my daily routine of getting ready for the day of touring...don't want to be without anything!


Cruising the Beautiful Danube




Time goes, the river flows

Vienna seems long ago. While still eye-catching church spires, old forts, and quaint towns along the river ignite 2 (photo) shots instead of 10 of similar genre earlier on the trip. Forests and rolling hills give texture to the flat lands of a few days ago. Smart engineering of concrete slabs screwed into rock walls with iron spouts spaced in the slabs, drain pent up water in rainy times. The low end of gullies have fixed concrete or stone drains to ensure natural water flows get to the river without spreading out and causing uncontrolled erosion. How come we don’t do that?

The river is cleaner the further upstream we travel. Less fishermen compared to Romania-Bulgaria-Serbia. Nicer homes, landscapes, and buildings on the Austrian shore. The cruise has slowed some due to many locks and the time it takes to get through them.

I forgot to mention the Iron Gate region before Budapest. All the literature point to the Iron Gate (natural canyon/rock wall) as one of the most beautiful on the Danube . . . and it is. Look it up on the Internet or wait for pics from our camera.

Soon enough, we glimpse the famous abbey in Melk, Austria through the riverbank trees. A slough just before landing is when the abbey fully fills our eyeballs. Ohhhh, my! OK, go to Melk Abbey on the Internet for a look. This was one of our favorite stops. The abbey is strategically situated above the town and is fortress-like with its steep walls on the cliff. Everything about the place is centuries old. The sanctuary is stunningly captivating. Kink, Kim, n me count this as one of our most favored visits. Go find it for a look.

While Kim joined our tour group, Kink n I were told that a path (as opposed to steps) was just to the right of the parking area. We went to find it to join up with our group. Ahem, . . . the path was like 40 degrees, 50 yds down and cobblestoned; of course!! Kink’s eyes got big and he said, “I’ll stay on the bus.” I said, “Hang on.” I wheeled him around backwards and proceeded down the decline with my boots smoking (like brakes smoking . . . get it?). Ha! Hot dang, we made it and enjoyed the abbey. Kink had been here several years ago with Bobby Masuda and never thought he’d see the abbey again. The tour itself was spectacular.

But wait, there’s more! Getting support staff to the elevator . . . yonder . . . secret key and stuff takes time. Lots of time. So instead of continuing down into the village at the end of the walk-talk tour as we’d plan, Kink n I have only one way to get on the bus. UP that same (now) incline. Sheeeesh! This time Kink is adamant there is no way to get up and he’s reading me the riot act. A guy from the cruise ship appears. Only two words are spoken, “Let’s go!”

. . . baby, it was olympian.

Passau is where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers meet. Charming small city. Lots of people did shopping here. All the qualities of people mix, buildings, history etc are here.

Then we find ourselves in the most surprising small city on the cruise. Unexpectedly, Regensburg, Germany has the bones, the European feel, the elements of some of the best stuff we’d seen all in this one place. Lots of free time here. The three of us had lunch at a street side café and watched the world go by.

Nuremberg ends the cruise part of our trip. Tour guide said people don’t really like to talk about their history, so the walk-talk wasn’t much. Much about Hitler . . . so who cares.

Goodbye to our new friends Hugh & Virginia, Sandy & JB, Barbara & David, the Danube River, and to the Viking Neptune.

Next: Prague, Czech Republic.