Sep 15 - Guten Tag from the Danube River!

Today was a leisurely day sailing on the Danube; it’s a waterway busy with barges, kayaks, fishermen, and of course, other river boats.  We had our mandatory muster drill on the sun deck at 10:00 AM.  This morning Tessa, the Program Director, offered German lessons in the lounge!  Since it was raining we were happy to sit inside and participate!

Tessa is a great Program Director who seems to wear many hats; she organizes ‘events’ onboard like the welcome reception, gives port talks about the ports we are visiting, makes sure everyone gets off on their tours, gives German lessons, and does presentations!  What a gem!  After lunch Tessa gave a talk on Mozart and Austrian Coffee Houses.  She managed to give us information about coffee growing, the history of coffee houses, how tea came to Europe, and then tied that all into the composers, and then back to the famous coffee houses of Vienna and how to order a coffee.  It’s really complicated!!!  The session would not have been complete without a demonstration on making strudel and then a sample of Apple Strudel and Coffee! More food!!!  OMG!

Dinner is early tonight due to the Mozart and Strauss Concert when we arrive in Vienna. We have to be ready for the bus at 7:45.  This will be our ‘cultural activity’ for the cruise!  It was an excellent performance with strings ( violin X 3, cello, bass) plus a flute and piano  We were also entertained by a couple of ballet performances and three opera numbers.  If I were more ‘cultured’ I would be able to tell you what they were! 

Sep 16 - A busy day in Vienna!

This morning’s excursion was Panoramic Vienna, a bus and walking tour showing the highlights of the old town.  We are in the G group!  G for gimpy? geriatric? Oh wait - ‘gentle’!  This means a slower pace with less walking!  Thank God!  It was a lot of walking through alleyways and little ‘neighbourhoods’ to admire the architecture, and life in Vienna.  

We ended up at St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna’s most important religious building. 

 

This afternoon’s tour was Behind the Scenes at the Spanish Riding School, home of the Lipizzaner Stallions. It was a very long walk from where the bus let us off to the Hofburg, the former Imperial Palace, and after the introduction, and finding out it would be another hour of walking and standing - and then the long walk back to the bus, I decided I couldn’t do it!  So sadly I decided to get a cab back to the ship.  Disappointing, but I need to save myself if I want to do any of the upcoming excursions.

Mary kept going and has shared a photo! 

Tonight we leave for the scenic Wachau Valley and stop at Melk tomorrow!

Until next time….

M & D