Viking Grand European AMS-BUD Aug 2016 photo journal with pre-cruise Amsterdam

[mimmy52]

 

 

Our Viking Daily said we were to be back on board at 5:15 and would depart shortly thereafter, so I went up on the top deck. The umbrellas were up and I found a shady table.

 

 

A little after five, I saw the bus arrive from Salzburg and watched everyone get back on board.

 

 

There was a Nautical Talk scheduled for 5:15 in the lounge, but I wanted to watch our departure from Passau. They had taken the umbrellas down and it looked as if we were ready to go. But we waited. The boat that was docked in front of us left, and then a Uniworld boat pulled into its docking space. And yet we waited. One of our usual dinner companions came up on deck and said a taxi had just pulled up to the ship and a couple got out. Both Sam and Nina were out there waiting. He heard the late couple explaining that they kept telling their driver they had to be back by 5:00 and the driver kept saying, "No problem." That was around 5:30. The perils of going off on your own. After that they pulled up the gangplank, but we still waited.

 

It was at least 5:50 before we left port. I had to take this picture of the ice cream shop as we left.

 

 

And the Rathaus and beer fest

 

Edited September 10, 2016 by mimmy52

[mimmy52]

Now that we were on the Danube, it was great to be able to use the sun deck again. There was low clearance under the Danube bridge, but I didn't think to get a photo in time. I did make one last attempt at photographing the confluence.

 

 

 

After enjoying the top deck a little longer, I went down to my room to get ready for dinner. The appetizers didn't appeal to me. The recommended main course was Osso Buco, but I had the seared halibut and mashed potatoes. I asked if I could have a half order of the Caesar salad, and Buzz said he could bring a small salad as my appetizer.

The salad was a perfect starter, with lettuce, tomato and parmesan cheese and two anchovies, although the first thing I did was remove the anchovies. The halibut was delicious.

 

 

 

At our table, we were talking about the couple who had arrived late at the ship and someone who'd been on the Salzburg excursion said when their lunch was taking so long, the guide made them all leave so they could get their touring finished and be back on the ship on time.

 

Cheese plate for dessert tonight.

 

 

Tonight at 9:00 there was a "Music Quiz" in the lounge. As usual, I passed. I don't do well on quizzes, and I enjoy some time on the top deck before getting ready for bed.

[jpalbny]

Great pictures of Passau. Familiar, yet some very different perspectives. Liked the different perspectives of the confluence, and the walk along a small part of the Ilz.

 

Such a shame about the footpath to Veste Oberhaus being closed! That was a good way to burn a few calories!

 

The Uniworld ship that you captures in a few of your shots made me feel homesick... :( Welcome to the Danube, and looking forward to the rest!

[mimmy52]

jp, I thought of you when I passed the Uniworld ship.

 

For me, it didn't really matter that the footpath to Veste Oberhaus was closed. My legs are not as young and fast as yours and Chris's.

 

And your photos of Passau put mine to shame. As do your pics of Vienna and Budapest.

[mimmy52]

Melk and Krems, August 15

 

I must be getting as reluctant to end my trip report as I was to end my trip since it seems I keep posting more pictures every day.

 

I did not get enough sleep last night. I woke up at 3:00 and realized I hadn't heard from my grandson in days, and he was supposed to send me an email every day. I'm a worrier anyway, so I immediately thought something must be wrong at home that they were keeping from me. After tossing and turning, I finally got up and emailed my daughter. Hurray for the time difference. She responded immediately that everything was fine, that grandson had been emailing me every day, but for some reason I didn't get them.

 

So I was a little groggy this morning when the Vili pulled into Melk around 8:00. Two departures for the Abbey are planned this morning, one at 8:45 and the other at 9:15, but we didn't know which group we were in until this morning. I picked up my boarding pass on my way to breakfast and saw I was in the 8:15 group. We were bussed to the Abbey and from the parking lot herded to a flight of stairs.

 

Today is a bank holiday and the religious observance of the Assumption, so shops (except for souvenir stores and cafes) are closed and the Abbey Chapel will be closed during services.

 

First view of Melk Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

Main entrance to the Abbey

 

 

 

Entrance to the garden and the restaurant

 

 

 

We waited in the courtyard while PD Sam passed out tickets and we waited for our guides.

 

 

 

The ticket office in the courtyard

 

[mimmy52]

A wood sculpture of St. Coloman is in the courtyard. He is shown with a pilgrim's staff and a pilgrim's shell. He was on his was to Jerusalem when he was mistaken for a spy, tortured, and was martyred. In 1014 the Babenberg family transferred his remains to their fortress at Melk and had him venerated as a saint. (No idea how the Babenberg family acquired his remains.) St. Coloman became Austria's first patron saint in 1663.

 

 

Melk Abbey is a Benedictine Monastery founded in 1089. The current building was built 1702-1736.

 

 

 

 

 

Our guides finally arrived at 9:15 and we were led inside

 

 

 

The prelate's courtyard

 

 

 

[mimmy52]

 

 

Up some stairs, to guest rooms which had been built for Empress Maria Theresa who stayed there only once. They are no longer furnished but instead house museum pieces.

 

 

 

 

Each room has a theme. The first is "Listen with your Heart," which seems to be how Benedict encouraged monks to seek God.

 

 

 

In room 2, a portable altar given by the Babenbergs.

 

 

 

Room 2

 

[mimmy52]

Room 5 was mirrored

 

 

 

Reliquary of St. John the Baptist

 

 

 

A gem-studded chalice

 

 

 

In room 6

 

 

 

Room 8 is "The Whole Person." "In 11 steps, the nearly complete image of a human body appears gradually in this room. The 12th step, which is man in his entirety, is the visitor himself."

 

 

 

In room 11 where there's a miniature layout of the Abbey exterior (but my photo of that isn't very good so instead there is the stove).

 

[mimmy52]

We moved on to the marble hall. Some of the marble is real, some fake.

 

 

 

Ceiling frescoe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there we moved onto the terrace which had some nice views. The water in the photo is a channel. The Danube is in the distance.

 

 

 

[mimmy52]

 

 

Looking down into the Coloman Courtyard

 

 

 

The church

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The terrace we were standing on

 

[mimmy52]

Our next stop was the library. Impressive! Unfortunately, no photos allowed. I suppose too many forget to turn off their flash and the library houses a lot of old manuscripts. After the library, our tour officially ended and we were shown the way to the church. Again, no photos allowed but only because a service was being conducted. The people in the group that left the ship at 9:15 got to the church after the service had ended, and I'm supposed to get some pictures from one of them. It was another beautiful place.

 

Then we headed out, passing through the Coloman Courtyard. You can see the viewing terrace above.

 

 

 

The inner courtyard with a group from another ship starting their tour.

 

 

 

Dee, El, and I went into the garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mimmy52]

 

 

 

 

Dee and El walked into town to shop, and I climbed the stairs of the North Bastion for what was said to be good views of the Abbey grounds. You can see the North Bastion in a previous photo where there are tables and chairs.

 

 

 

There was quite a wide ledge around the viewing area which really cut down on what I could see.

 

 

 

 

 

When I turned to go down the stairs, I saw there was an elevator. Oh well. There were Viking people at the start of the path into town who made certain you knew where you were going and who told you to follow the blue pavement pieces to find the way back to the ship.

 

Stairs down to the town

 

[dreamcruiser53]

Thank you so much for your very detailed description of your trip! We are taking this exact same cruise on this same ship starting September 30th. We are also staying in a lower level room, so I am just loving your travel journal. Beautiful photos too.

[mimmy52]

Looking back up toward the Abbey. I rounded a curve and as I got to the town there was a family of four with bikes who were headed up the slope. They didn't speak English, but I think they might have been surprised when they got to the steps since the little boy was already complaining. You don't have to speak the same language to know when a kid isn't happy.

 

 

 

The Abbey looms over the town

 

 

 

The market fountain with a statue of St. Coloman

 

 

 

El had been to Melk before and said it's famous for its pottery. One pottery shop was open and I ran into Dee and El in it. There were a couple of other souvenir stores open and a number of cafes. We walked through the rest of town window shopping. Naturally since the shops were closed, I saw some things I wanted to buy.

 

 

 

 

 

Dee and El stopped for coffee, and I continued on my way back to the ship. It was easy to follow the blue pavement.

 

[mimmy52]

Thanks, dreamcruiser. I'm being detailed because I'm a planner, and before my cruise I wanted details. I hope you have a lot of fun, meet people as great as those I met, and have good weather.

[Riversanddale]

Just a quick thank you for all your descriptions and photos. I'm the planner in our family so I'm devouring them. We've done the trip in reverse order to you but are going next month on your itinerary. There are so many more options now on the itinerary than we had a few years back. Of course, you went at a lovely time of year and we went in late October-November the first time so cooler weather (terrible in Vienna) and lots less flowers. We're going just a little earlier this trip so who knows. Anyway, I'm sure enjoying the trip with you. Can't wait for the next part.

[dln929]

I am reliving our wonderful Viking cruise through your trip report! Great job and thanks so much for doing it.

[mimmy52]

Riversanddale, I think it would be very interesting to do the same cruise in reverse. Maybe some day.

 

Deirdre, I relive my own trip when I post a trip report, so I probably enjoy it more than anyone else.

[mimmy52]

The blue pavements bring you to a street and across the street is the St. Leopold Bridge.

 

 

 

Photo is taken from the bridge

 

 

 

And looking the other way

 

 

 

A look back at the Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

After crossing the bridge, the path back to the ship was wide. There looked to be another, more scenic way that I remembered another poster (jpalbny) had taken, so I figured the worst that could happen would be it didn't get me back to the Danube and I'd have to retrace my steps.

 

[mimmy52]

It was a lovely and not long walk to the Danube and only one small group of bikers took this way. And it got me back to the river.

 

 

 

I also got a nicer walk along the river

 

 

 

Not surprisingly, there were a lot of ships docked in Melk.

 

 

 

A restaurant is right by the Danube, but it was almost time for lunch on the ship.

 

 

 

And back to the Viking Vili

 

 

 

The Vili was not departing Melk until 1:45, so you had until then to be back on board if you preferred to spend more time in Melk. I preferred to see what had been prepared for lunch on the ship.

 

At the buffet table, the chef was preparing Farfalle Fruitti di Mare which is what I had, although most had chosen the BBQ baby back ribs. I also had an appetizer with smoked salmon.

 

[mimmy52]

My dessert was yogurt terrine and it was good.

 

 

 

From 2:00 to 4:00 it was time for scenic sailing in the Wachau Valley with commentary from PD Sam. There is something about cruising through a scenic area on a weather-perfect day, especially with a glass of wine, that seems sybaritic. And I loved it.

 

 

 

Some of the passengers opted for a bike tour Melk to Krems, including the man who had turned 90 on Saturday. Two people (not the 90 year old) opted out of the tour at 10 miles and took a taxi to Krems to meet the ship. At some point during the sailing we were able to spot the bikers. Concierge Nina had gone with them, and I understand there was time for a wine stop along the way.

 

Views of Wachau Valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mimmy52]

When the scenic sailing started, I grabbed a towel to use as a sun shield. Later the sun went behind clouds, it became breezy, and then I used the towel as a shawl.

 

 

 

 

 

When Sam announced the Church of St. Michael coming up, he said something about seven rabbits on the roof. That triggered my memory of a trip report here that mentioned that church.

 

Wehrkirche St. Michael

 

 

 

The legend is that one night snow had fallen so heavily that it filled the gap between hill and church and seven rabbits took refuge on the roof. By morning the snow had melted and the rabbits couldn't get down. So they're still on the roof. This isn't showing up as close as it does on my computer, but look at the roof on the right.

 

 

 

Coming into Durnstein

 

 

 

And Durnstein's blue church

 

 

[mimmy52]

The Abbey Church of Durnstein

 

 

 

 

 

Coming up to a low bridge. I was too lazy to get out of my chair to take the picture.

 

 

 

Arriving in Krems

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

Nice pictures, mimmy52! So, that's what the Wachau valley is supposed to look like, when it's not pouring rain... :(

 

Glad you found the "shortcut" path in Melk, and enjoyed the promenade along the river. We didn't take the time to explore the gardens at the Abbey, so it was nice that you posted pictures of them as well.

[mimmy52]

At 3:30 in the lounge there was a demonstration of how to make apple strudel and from 3:30 to 4:15 it was Austrian Teatime on the Aquavit Terrace.

 

Some of the passengers take part in making apple strudel.

 

 

 

Such a lot of offerings for teatime! That's my favorite waiter, "Buzz" Aldrin, in the picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On top of all the teatime food, apple strudel was also served.