Wrapping things up

 We are home but there were just a couple of items I had not included in previous posts that I’d like to mention.  

As we were sailing out of Budapest we passed the “Shoes Memorial”.  There are 70 pairs of steel shoes permanently affixed to the riverbank representing the 70 Jews who were shot and whose bodies fell into the river.  While we only saw it as we sailed by, it was a moving memorial.  

As yet another expression of my ignorance, I never gave much thought just how recently the communists pulled out of this region and really how bad things were for the people who lived here.  

This summer/fall has set records for warm temperatures in this area.  Most days were in the 80 and 90s and it’s been very dry.  

The cruise line we took was Avalon.  There were only 166 guests on our ship.  The boat was tremendously clean.  The excursions were wonderful.  I never thought the meals would be the events that they were.  When we would re-board the ship from a shore excursion, members of the crew would welcome us back with a small glass of something refreshing to drink and a cool towel.  Everything was precisely on time.  As we would get off the bus at a tour site the local tour guide would remind us that we did not have to return to the ship with the group. If we wanted to stay in the area and get back to the ship on our own that was ok.  We did not have to notify him/her of our intention to stay but the bus would be leaving at 4:35.  That was the guides way of saying if you’re not here by 4:35, too bad for you.  We always left exactly on time and to my knowledge we never lost a passenger. 

In Austria, after proper preparation, all the 14 year olds visit a Nazi camp.  Most of the guides had a version of “It’s a very dark part of our history, but it’s our history”.   We would also sometimes hear a version of, “here you can see a newer building surrounded by very old buildings.  A bomb destroyed the area where the newer building is”.

We went through a series of locks (7-12?) on our trip which were interesting.  As we sailed past small communities we would sometimes pass smaller ferry boats that would shuttle people across the river.  Who knew ferries still existed for river crossings?

This was our first time taking an organized tour in a foreign country.  Everything was arranged for us, walking tours, meals, transfer to/from the airport, guides and hotels.  It was really very simple for us.  However, even though there is a little free time built into the day, there is not much interaction with locals.  As for a language barrier, while guides may have appreciated the occasional “thank you” in their native language (or perhaps were just amused by the attempt), speaking only English was never a problem. 

Cathy and I have not travelled much with friends but we could not have found better people with whom to travel than Curt and Mary.  

Shoes Memorial

Ferry crossing the Danube

Ken,  Mary, Curt and Cathy

Prague

Wednesday was our last day of touring and I think we made the most of it.  

After breakfast at our hotel we boarded our bus for a grand tour of Prague.  A highlight was our trip to the castle.  The history was interesting, the guide was especially engaging, the views of the city were spectacular and it was different from other stops as the castle is still used for government offices, hence a significant police and military presence.   

The castle itself is huge and is adjacent to St. Vitus Cathedral.  The main gate (in my opinion) was not very welcoming (see photo below).  I also found it extremely interesting that there was a huge Ukrainian flag flying at the entrance.  The guide explained that they too had been occupied by Russians so the Czech people are more empathetic than perhaps the US.   Most of the country’s energy had come from Russia which they have now stopped importing with significant impact to individual citizens.  

We finished the tour at the astronomical clock in the old town square.  From there we were on our own so we headed to the Charles bridge .  It’s a pedestrian bridge highly decorated with elaborate Catholic statuary.  

Using trip advisor, Curt found a great place for lunch.  It was small, very good food and very inexpensive.

After lunch we made the decision to hike to Strahov Monastary, the main Abbey of the Norbertine Order.  It may have been only a mile or so to get there but the elevation was significant.  You can see the from the photo I took from the Priests’ private garden how high it is as it looks over the city.    

We went to the ticket booth and told them we wished to see the tomb of St. Norbert only to find that the side chapel where his remains rest, was not open for tours.  Expressing my disappointment and explaining our connection with the Norbertine Order (Premontre, Curt and SNC, friends of the Norbertines etc) she called Fr. Max who told me he or someone else would meet us at the gate to bring us to the chapel.  

   When Sister Aquinas showed up she was dressed in Norbertine White from Veil to shoes.  She explained that the DePere Abbey was very dear to her heart as she had lived there for four months, learning English.  We had many common friends, Conrad, Tim, John Bostwick, John Kastenholtz, Abbot Dane etc.  She not only showed us the church, the side chapel where St. Norbert’s remains are kept and the art gallery but she was unlocking and relocking doors for us all through the monastery.  Pictured below is a photo of the city, taken from the priest’s private prayer garden.  Next to the garden is the statue of Mary, titled “Mary in exile” which was brought to the Monastery from Chicago.  

   For some reason I was surprised to learn that the communists took over the Abbey during the Russian occupation.   Prague is a beautiful city that for the most part was physically saved from destruction of the war.  

   That night we attended an authentic traditional Czech dinner with folk singers and folk dancers and it was a hoot.  It was an optional tour which we had reluctantly signed up and paid for.  However, we ate, we drank beer, we drank wine which was poured in an unusual way, we danced, we laughed and we re-boarded our bus and headed to the hotel. 

   Zbohom (Good bye) Prague

 

St. Vitas Cathedral in the Castle complex

Ukranian Flag

Main gate of Prague Castle.  Stab or clubbed? 

St. Charles Bridge 

One of many statues on the bridge 

First view of Strahov Monastery

Tomb of St. Norbert (above the altar)

View of Prague from the Priest’s private garden

Our Lady in Exile 

How wine was poured

Czech dinner

Regensburg and Prague

 This morning we woke up at our very last port on the Danube, Vilshofen, Germany. After putting our bags outside our door by 7:00 am, we had breakfast and we were on our bus for an 8:00 am trip to Regensburg via the famous German Autobahn.  During our drive our guide pointed some of the May poles that some of the smaller towns an villages still decorate and use.  

The city of Regensburg counts Pope Benedict as one of their own. The old town area of Regensburg has cobblestone roads, a very nice bakery, cute shops and ……. A Cathedral.   The cathedral is St Peter’s.  It took over 250 years to build and while it is still an active Catholic Church, it is owned and is being renovated by the German Government.  

    After our lunch which consisted of 6 sausages, sauerkraut, bread and beer we reboarded our bus and we were off to the Czech Republic.  

   Prague and the Czech Republic was under Communist rule until 1989.  We got to our hotel (The Marriot) with just enough time to quickly unpack and take a short walk to the old town Square for dinner.  The outdoor cafe at which we ate was directly across for the astronomical tower clock that has been in operation since the early 15 century.  

   Tomorrow we taking a walking/bus tour of the city and hope to check out the Norbertine Abbey, Strahov Monastery during our free time in the afternoon.

Astronomical Clock in Prague

Old town square in Prague

Passau, Germany

Sadly, our time on the Danube is coming to an end.  Last night we had a five course farewell dinner.  It is normal to send an hour and a half to two hours eating dinner.  After dinner we joined some of shipmates for entertainment and dancing in the lounge.  

Today was another travel day.  It was cool and rained early on but it was a good morning to be on the ship and a good time to be outside as we went through the lock.

 In the afternoon we took a walking tour of Passau and you know what?   It has a Cathedral!  It’s very beautiful and is named St Stephen. 

Our visit into Passau ended successfully as we were victorious in finding some Lebkuchen (gingerbread) for Curt.  

Our success continued after our four course dinner when we went to the lounge just in time to play a trivia contest based on knowledge of 26 countries starting with the letters A-Z.  With the help of two other cruise passengers, we won the contest, a bottle of champagne and some Avalon hats!

St. Stephen Cathedral 

 

Altar of St. Stephen Cathedral 

depicting the stoning of St. Stephen

Curt, Mary, Simona (AKA “Julie”), Cathy and Ken

Avalon Trivia Winners

Linz, Austria

 The morning started out by opening our window and seeing this marvelous view of the city of Linz.  

After breakfast we headed out on a walking tour of Linz.  Linz is where Hitler spent part of his youth.  

The old city center was very pretty and we visited both the old and new Cathedrals.

In the afternoon we visited the Mauthausen-Gusen Memorial.  Mauthausen was the hub of 49 Nazi labor camps--one of the largest complexes in German-controlled Europe and the last to be liberated by the Allies. 

   We saw the prisoners' barracks, and learned how they were forced to work in quarries, mines, and munitions and arms factories--under conditions that resulted in nearly 100,000 deaths. We also saw the gas chamber and crematorium.

  Mauthausen was not a death camp.  It was a concentration camp or labor camp. The intent was to work the prisoners to death not just put them to death. The photos are self explanatory except for the sculptures.  Many countries built their own memorials.  I’ve enclosed photos of the sculpture from Israel (a Menorah) and the Hungarian Memorial.   

Durnstein and Ybbs.

 My bad.  We did not wake up in Germany.  We are making a short stop in Durnstein, Austria.  It is a VERY small town built into the side of the hill.   Think of Assisi without the statuary and religious goods stores.  The village has 87 full time residents.  With multiple cruise lines stopping to visit, the tourist count is 1.1 million visitors per year.  The town is the home of a castle ruin in which Richard I had been held for ransom and the town is the home of a former Augustinian Monastery.  

We pulled up anchor at 11:00 am and headed out.  It was really the first day we did a significant amount of sailing while we were awake.  The four of us sat up on deck while someone from the ship pointed out highlights and history. 

There are miles and miles of terraced vineyards. Apricots are also a big thing here.  Truth be told, I left the deck and took a nap.   

Following lunch Cathy and I headed to Melk Abbey, a huge Benedictine Monastery.  Currently, there are 22 Benedictines still living on the grounds. Much of the abbey is now used to house a school for nearly 900 local children.  The school has an exchange program with a school in Minnesota.  

Curt and Mary took a different tour where they learned about baking and bees.   

While we were gone they moved the ship to a town called Ybbs.  

We’re supposed to leave here in an hour or so and we’ll be going through our first daytime lock.   

Grape vines and the castle ruins where Richard I was held

                Tiny cobbled sidewalks and passages

Streets in Durnstein

Former Benedictine Monastary

Melk Abbey

Waiting for our ship to come in. 

Vienna

 If it’s Friday, this must be Vienna

Today photos and tour include a photo of the Imperial palace balcony upon which Hitler stood and announced to the Austrians that they were now part of Germany.  

We also walked past the home of the Lipizzan horses.  Shortly afterward we walked over to the St Stephan cathedral which took 250 years to build.  

On our walk we also passed a monument built in gratitude at the ending of the plague.  It gained new popularity and new devotees during the covid epidemic.   Before returning to the ship we treated ourselves to scrambled pancakes and Apple strudel from Cafe Demel.   

The afternoons tour was to the Schönbrunn's palace, the winter palace of the Hapsburg family who ruled Austria for 600 years.  Their reign did not end until  1918 when the family was exiled to the island of Madeira.  While to some people it may seem like ancient history, dad was already three years old.  

An impressive part of Austrian History is Empress Maria Therese who gave birth to 16 children and successfully married most of them off to virtually every other royal family in Europe.  

After a short happy hour and dinner of weiner schnitzel on the ship, we boarded our bus to the lower Austrian Palace for a musical performance which featured music from Liszt, Schubert, Mozart, Haydn, Strauss and Brahms.   The performance also included some dancing and opera singers.   We headed back to the ship were a late snack was waiting for us and we’ve headed back to our room.  The ship is already moving.  

We’ll be in Germany tomorrow.