Day 18 Just a perfect end to our time in Paris

Today was to be our third of 6 days in Paris. It started off well then went downhill rapidly. Despite our best efforts we became lost many times while trying to find our way around. We don't know if it's us or the maps. Probably us though. Next up we lost our transit pass and we were able to replace it but that was our 2nd strike so we returned home and prepared for our dinner at the Eiffel Tower. On our way out of the apartment Kerry fell down some stairs and broke her left leg. We spent several hours in ER then home by taxi after sightseeing around Paris trying to find a pharmacy that was open on a holiday day so we could buy the meds, crutches (believe it or not) and a zimmer splint. Now we are waiting for the insurance company to arrange our flight home. This time in Paris has really opened my eyes to traveling in a foreign country and not being able to communicate with the local people. I know now what others have felt in Canada when traveling to us. This will be my last post until we are home.

Day 17 Paris and the Louvre

Day 2 in Paris found us walking to the Eiffel Tower from our apartment and then off to the Louvre on foot. This proved to be a big mistake as it took us nearly 2hrs to get there and we were already tired. If you have ever been there you know it is massive. We arrived at 1100 and left at 6 and still need to go back again to see the main things we missed and really wanted to see. We really should have taken the bus there but live and learn. We have decided to go some where else tomorrow, I think Montmartre. We also have a wine tasting at three and dinner at the Eiffel tower at 1830 hrs. On a positive note we were only approached by two pickpockets but escaped unscathed thanks to a local who clued us in to the first type. Two young girls and ask you for a signature to support the poor children and as for a donation. If you give it to them then they try to relieve you of other things. We have decided that anyone who approaches us is probably a pickpocket so we are just going to tell them all to SOD off.

Entrance to the Louvre. Thank goodness we have our paris pass.

Of course we had to see the Mona Lisa.

Day 16 Off to Paris we go.

Today we left the ship and flew to Paris arriving at 1230hrs. Paris shuttle picked us up and delivered us to our home in Paris. The apartment is a typical small walk up in Paris. It is about 800 square feet. We spent most of the afternoon shopping for groceries for the week and doing some laundry.

Day 14 Budapest

This is our last port of call. We arrived in Budapest late on thursday night just around the time we were off to bed. On Friday we took the guided hike again in the morning followed by lunch and then we set out on our own for the afternoon taking a very long and well needed walk to an indoor market of food and souvenirs. Most of the guided walks we have taken have been slow and deliberate as there have been several handicapped people on these walks and they tend to slow you down a bit. Of note today was the memorial to the Jewish people that were executed at the edge of the Danube in mid winter. They were required to remove their shoes before being shot and falling in the river to die. Tomorrow we leave the ship at 0730 hrs and take a shuttle to the airport to fly to Paris.

Please forgive the upside down plague but the sun was behind me when i took the photo causing shadows. The sign reads 'to the victims that were shot by arrow cross militiamen 1944-45

Day 13 Bratislava

Thursday May 24. A very quick visit to this relatively new country of Slovakia since it split from Czecheslovkia in the 1990's and Bratislava became the capital of the country. Not going to bore you with how quaint the old part of the city was or how beautiful the castle is, but I will tell you that we only spent 3 hours ashore today as we have to hustle off to Hungary to arrive by midnight for some reason that eludes me. Anyhow here are some photos of the city.

The new bridge spanning the Danube. Looks a little Star trekish doesn't it.

Monument to the non worker of Bratislava. This was placed here to symbolise the joy the sewer workers took in looking up the skirts of young ladies. The shorter the skirt the broader the smile.

Cycling to no where on a penny farthing.

This brass ring shows the distance to the major cities in the world. We were only 6879kms from Toronto at that point.

Day 12 Beautiful Vienna

Well today we took an up close look at Vienna with a local guide using the subway system instead of the buses. I can't begin to guess at the speed these travel. But, Damm they were scary fast. As with many of the towns and cities we have visited on this trip Viienna retains its old world charm in the city centre while evolving into a modern metropolis every where else. We decided to stay in town after the tour was done and explore Vienna on our own this afternoon. We ate ate a local cafe and had wiener schnitzel and a very drinkable draft. Of course we also visited many many shops looking for just the stuff. Vienna is known for its composers such as Strauss, Mozart and many more. Tonight we are attending a concert featuring these and many more. It was an excellent time.

Ruins from 1400-1600 AD

Monument to victims who took refuse in shelter on this site from WWII bombing. Everyone was killed in shelter when it took a direct hit. All around no other casualties.

Monument to victims of several times of the plague.

Day 11 Melk Monestary and Durnstein

Today is Tuesday May 22nd. We left Germany behind last night and entered into Austria. This morning it was all about the Melk Abbey. Like so many of the other castles, fortresses, residences and palaces we have visited over the last 10 days it too was very interesting and full of history, beautiful artifacts and relics. The difference is that this is a working monestary. There are 33 monks in training in this facility and so we had to be careful where we went even with a guide. The Abbey used to make its income on crops and goods today it's income is derived from tourism, with over 500,000 tourists passing through the gates each year.. We returned to the ship after our visit and set sail for Durnstein also a small town along the river bank. We have a very short time to visit it this afternoon before dinner.

Welcome to Melk

Welcome to Melk Abbey

Ross, Kerry,Janice,Tom BJ and Wayne sitting around the fountain in Melk Abbey.

Fresco, one of many throughout the Abbey.

Tom standing beside working wooden clock dating back to the ?1700.

Rose garden within Melk Abbey grounds.

Day 10. Passau

This morning we arrived in Passau. The town of about 50,000 was started again by the Romans around 200 AD and ruled it for several hundred years before abandoning it around 700AD. Later the town became an important port of trade between the Black Sea and the town. The Danube continues from this town for almost 2100kms to the Black Sea. In the time before steam power horses were needed to pull the ships up the river but when the boat arrived in Passau it could travel no further up stream because of the way the bridge was constructed so most boats stopped there. In town there is a place that sells drei im wagel (three in a row) small little sausages with sauerkraut and a beer. This kitchen has operated for nearly 800 years. We took the walking tour in the morning, saw more churches, shops and castles before returning to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we did an optional tour to a reclaimed Bavarian forest village with more than 150 buildings and shops dating back to the 1400's. It was very hot and muggy so luckily there was a restaurant that served ice cold beer and strudel. It was a good day.

This photo shows the high water marks and the dates of the Danube over the years

Kerry standing in front of a typical long straight Roman street. The tower in the background is the town hall.

Magnificent pipe organ inside Passau Cathedral. We were treated to a 1/2 hour concert.

Bavarian village. Typical house. Construction was of timber and pegs, no nails.

Original farming equipment from the period.

Me besides a working miller waterwheel. The mill is inactive but the water wheel still works.

Beers that I have known

Today just a recap of the different type of beer I have tried so far on this trip. The numbers would have been higher had my acid reflux not reared it's ugly head about 5 days ago and I am just getting over it now. I don't think the beer,wine,coffee or rich food has had anything to do with it. Do You?

Sunday Day 9 Regensberg

Today began like so many others in this past 10 days. Awake at 0700hrs down to meet Wayne for breakfast, because as you know Kerry is not what you would call an early bird. Breakfast, for me has been pretty standard every day. Toast, juice, coffee, fruit and usually something from the omelette station plus smoked salmon. There has not been a lot of variety but there is always enough to satisfy.
Today we did not dock until nearly 1300hrs in Regensberg. However by then we had had lunch and were ready to go. Today it was just all about walking with our guide around this small town. This town was founded in approx 200ad by the Romans who occupied it for several hundred years before moving on, leaving behind a well fortified city the ruins of which can still be seen to day. After our guided tour we went to an outdoor beer garden where we had apple strudel,beer for me,wine for Kerry and then helped each other back to the ship for dinner. After dinner we were entertained by a local trio of artists who mostly sang German opera songs but finished off with a medley from the sound of music. All in all another great day. Temperatures in the high 70's today with lots of humidity.

Local artwork depicting the fall of the Berlin wall

Bridge built in the 1200's spanning some 300 meters it may be the oldest bridge still functioning in germany

Gate way to the old bridge which separates the city in two.

And of course the beer gardens

Part of the entertainment on board. Two female singer/dancers and a piano player all classical music of course.

Day 8 Nürnberg

Today is Saturday May 19th. When we arrived in Nurnberg we had a couple of hours of free time before we went on our guided hike and so we went into town to explore on our own. We ended up in the toy museum where we spent most of our free time. This museum had stone and wooden toys dating back to the time of the romans. This place was an original toy manufacturing plant that did not convert to making war supplies but rather continued to make non war time type toys. The plant was blacklisted and therefore had a tough time getting raw material for production. Here photos were not allowed so we had to buy post cards.

We returned to the ship for lunch and to prepare for our city walking tour in the afternoon. We were met at the dock by an english speaking german guide who over the next 2 1/2 hrs showed us around the nazi parade grounds and the documentation centre before continuing to show us more of the city centre and town highlights. I must stress that our tour guide eluded several times to just how crazy Hitler and his plans really were. We concluded our guided hike and had another hour of free time which we spent shopping AGAIN. I have not mentioned that during our journey from Amsterdam to Hungary we have passed through 68 locks' some small some as many as 81 ft in lift. Today at around 2200hrs we passed through our last lock going upstream and started dropping back to sea level when we meet the Danube tomorrow morning.

This house with the smile has a working sundial that was fairly accurate.

inside the fortress walls of the nown of Nurnberg

inside HItlers parade ground. He figured that after they won the war that the olympics would always be held in germany and therefore he wanted a stadium capable of holding 400,000 spectators. Crazy I think so.

Entering a lock. This lock will lift the boat 66ft

Day 7 Bamberg

This morning was spent cruising along Mien river on our way to the Danube. We arrived in Bamberg after lunch. Here we visited yet another 11th century cathedral. The city center is styled along a medieval city. This was a very short visit in town and so did not get a chance to sample any local fare or beer.

11th century Cathedral

this is a replica of a block or stone lifter. The masons built this to show us how they moved large blocks of stone to the heights at which they were working. workers would be inside the wheels much like a hampster and while walking the block would be lifted into place

Day 6 Würzburg

We arrived in Würzburg today shortly after breakfast. Our guided tour included an excursion to an impressive baroque Bishops residence. This palace is one of Germany's largest and a UNESCO World heritage site. It was modeled after the palace of Versailles and is about 1/5 the size. It took some 70 years to build beginning in 1720 and was only occupied for about 70-80 years as the church and state split and everything changed. The main purpose of its construction was to unit the aristocracy of Europe as Würzburg is approx halfway between Paris and Vienna. The residence was only partially destroyed during WWII bombing by the allies. Later that day we visited the prince bishops fortress perched high on a cliff overlooking Würzburg which had been the seat of power for some 800 years before they decided to move to the city to be among the people. Both places we're magnificent in their own way.

The Prince Bishops residence in Würzburg

The Würzburg fortress seen from the residence

View of Würzburg from the fortress

Day 5 Koblenz to middle Rhine

Today we sailed in to Koblenz which means confulence or according to the Romans who first settled it a place where three rivers meet. We are going to visit a castle today the only one on the Rhine not destroyed during WWII so it is still in its original state After our tour and lunch we sail all afternoon along the Rhine to meet up with the Mein river and start a journey through 68 locks which raises the ship from sea level to 1149 ft. and then back down to sea level on the Danube. This afternoon as we sail towards the mein we pass over 30 castles. I will let the photos do the talking.

MarksBurg Castle

Entrance to Castle

Two brother castles separate castles as they were finding over an inheritance.