Day 1 - We chose to add 2 additional days in Amsterdam prior to our River Cruise, so after long flights from Pittsburgh through Detroit, we arrived in Amsterdam at 6 a.m. We hadn't thought this part through, because when we arrived at the hotel, there were no rooms available, it was pitch black outside, and no restaurants were open. We hung out in the hotel lobby until they had a clean room, which was about 10 a.m. After a much needed 3 hour nap, we were off for a canal tour on a canal bus (boat).
We only had time to take 1 of the 3 routes, but it gave us a great flavor of the architecture, the city and the canals. The City is extremely busy with bicycles EVERYWHERE! You really had to watch when you were walking as they pretty much have the right of way. Greg came within a hair of being wiped out by a bike as he never saw it coming. We later learned that you are better off not trying to dodge them, just remain still and they will easily go around you. Along the canals there are houseboats of all different styles. After the canal trip we just walked around everywhere taking in all the views and enjoying the city. Dinner was at an Argentinian steak house which was extremely good. We crashed at 8:30 p.m., but unfortunately woke at midnight, our bodies thinking it was 6 a.m.
Day 2- We took a bus tour which started in the town of Voldendam which is a small fishing village, but the draw was the cheese factory. We did a tour and the demonstrator was a hoot, and of course picked Greg out of the large crowd. As he held out his hands, she talked and talked and shredded a huge pile of cheese into his hands and wanted him to eat it all. He let everyone in the audience try some. We had to buy a pack of cheese as it was all very good.
We had to have lunch at 10 a.m. in this town as it would be our only opportunity to eat all day. Kind of an odd way to conduct a tour, but when in Rome..... After lunch of fish and chips and chocolate crepes, we boarded a boat to Marken where we sat through a demonstration of how wooden shoes are made. Very interesting and amazing to learn that people really do wear the shoes. They are supposed to be great for keeping water off your feet.
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| Lots and Lots of Shoes |
Our next stop was to see the windmills in Zaanseschans. There were several operating, but the one we visited was grinding spice. Another one was grinding cocoa and you could smell it in the air. The windmills were shorter than we anticipated, but quite cool.
That same night we met a tour guide at 10 p.m. for a tour of the red light district and the "coffee shops". It was an eyeful! The coffee shops provide a menu of pot or hash and then you can work with a sommelier to pick what's right for you. It is served in a glass tube as it is unlikely you will smoke it all at once. They only serve coffee and tea, no alcohol. Very chilled, calming place, with everyone talking and relaxing.
The red light district is crazy. For a guy, it's like being a kid in a candy shop, but unfortunately you are shopping for women. The girls each stand in their door, which is a windowed door, and when you choose the one you want, you go over to the door and she lets you in. 50 euros for 15-20 minutes. There were doors outlined in a different color which were the transvestites. Our guide took us into the peep shows and other different kind of clubs. Not your typical tour, but very interesting. No pictures!!!!
Day 3 - We did a personal guided walking tour in the morning before getting on the ship. The guide we were supposed to have was ill so they sent a replacement who wasn't all that great. He didn't really seem to know where to take us and after a while we got bored. We got to see many streets, canals, buildings and even a tour of a houseboat.
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| Very cool piece of art in one of the buildings. |
When it started to rain, we opened the cheap umbrellas we picked up in the dollar store and Greg's broke right in half so he had to try to hold the top part over his head while holding onto a 2 inch piece of metal. Very funny! The guide offered us a lunch of croquettes which is what Amsterdam is known for, which were decent, but he wouldn't buy our bottle of water. Very odd! We did more walking after lunch, but not anywhere of interest. We almost got squashed by a trolley as our guide thought we could make it across the street.
After the tour, we got a taxi to the Viking ship named Kvasir. The longboat is only 6 months old, so everything still looks new and clean. Our room is on the top floor, and we have a sliding glass door which opens so we can see out and even get some fresh air. We opted not to get a balcony since the weather would be cool and we would likely not spend any time there. In the end, it was a good saving of money as we wouldn't have used it. The room is a bit on the small side, but with the ship being small, it was easy to go to the lounge or the rooftop for views. We had lunch on the ship, unpacked, and got ready to sail. The ship has a very nice lounge area on the 3rd floor, and the dining room is on the 2nd, which is also very nice. Every night at 6:45 the Cruise Director would provide us the information for the following day, along with a joke. She was quite entertaining and a great addition to the ship. There were 189 passengers and 53 crew members, so we pretty much wanted for nothing.
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| Lounge Area |
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| Outside Area |
We had a fun evening on the ship, trying to meet new people. Unfortunately many people were traveling in groups or two couples, so it was often hard to get to know them. Wine and beer are free at meals, so people do tend to indulge. We did so this night and danced the night away in the lounge and stayed so late they brought munchies. Very fun night.
Day 5 - We arrived in Cologne and after breakfast did a walking tour which included the Gothic cathedral and Old City. The tour was only a few hours and then we had the balance of the day on our own. The ship coordinates buses at various times to take you back to the ship. The cathedral was amazing. Weather has taken its toll and it looks very black so they are working on small sections at a time to restore it's beauty.
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| I am a glutton for statues. A government office had this face with a tongue sticking out, supposedly saying to the people, too bad for the taxes we are charging you. |
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| This statue was "mooning" the government office. Love it! |
Although the birthplace of Eau de Cologne, which was used to mask body odor since nobody bathed, we chose not to buy any. The philharmonic was practicing, but unfortunately our guide kept us 10 minutes too long so we were unable to hear them play. Disappointing! We were able to indulge in some goulash soup which was delicious.
Day 6 - We arrived in Koblenz, which is at the mouth of where 3 rivers split. We toured the Marksburg Castle which was very cool. Saw many rooms and had a great guide.
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| A boy and his toys |
The afternoon was particularly special as we sailed down the Rhine viewing all the castles and small towns. It was a beautiful day so we were all able to be on the rooftop. The Cruise Director provided the names of the various castles and some insight into the small towns. The vineyards were beautiful as they were planted vertically on the hills. We popped a bottle of sparkling wine that our travel agent had given us, and I mean popped. Greg had opened the little wires they put on the top of sparkling wine and then was waiting for me to return with more glasses to share with our new friends Gary and Pat, and the champagne popped all on it's own. I heard a woman scream and saw the cork flying through the air and land near her feet. I snatched it up and Greg was laughing so hard he was turning red. He kept apologizing but they wouldn't believe him because he couldn't stop laughing.
We arrived in Miltenberg, which is a small German town. There were lots of pretty homes with window boxes full of flowers and plenty of shopping. We hiked a hill for an overlook of the river, which was very pretty. We then stopped for a beer in a local pub and struck up a conversation with a local guy who couldn't understand why we would want to visit his country when ours had everything to offer. After explaining about the history that our young country doesn't have, he understood.
Day 8 - Our cruise today docks in Wurzburg and we have an all day tour of Wurzburg and Rothensburg. Rothensburg was beautiful! Market square with town hall was huge and colorful with flower boxes under all the windows. Every house is unique and well taken care of. It just so happened we were there for some small event and a marching band was going through town. We were able to view several churches and enjoy the scenery which was awesome. Each town seems to have it's torture museum which we avoided after seeing enough of it at the Castle.
The town is known for Christmas stores, and rightly so. The stores were enormous with every imaginable Christmas item. We didn't buy Christmas, but bought a Halloween witch smoker, which can have incense coming out of her mouth. The smokers are extremely popular in Germany. Greg made friends with a shopkeeper who knows Rick Steves, the European travel guide. She couldn't quit talking about him and gave Greg postcards and pictures and maps.
Next stop was Wurzburg where we visited the Bishops' Residenz, one of Germany's Palaces. It had 300+ rooms, but only 5 were open to the public. The ceiling frescos were 3-D and amazing. They did not allow picture taking in the palace. There was a white room which was covered with gold leaf and then a mirrored room covered in gold as well. Some were a bit gaudy, but the history behind them was fascinating.
Since it was Sunday, everything in downtown Wurzburg was closed so we headed back to the ship for a nice dinner and a relaxing evening. The Steelers played the Browns tonight and I had a bet with my 10 year old great nephew and unfortunately I lost. It was a pie in the face when I got home.
Day 9 - The ship didn't dock until 1:00 p.m. so they had a glassblower demonstration on board the ship. The man was super entertaining and made beautiful glass items. Once we arrived, we took a bus ride into Bamberg, which was a larger town than we anticipated. There were beautiful buildings, churches, statues and a green market as well as loads and loads of shopping. Bamberg is known for their smokey beer, which we tried a taste with Pat and Gary. The beer tasted and smelled like bacon. There was too much down town in this city when you didn't like to shop.
Back on board the ship for another wonderful dinner and an evening of relaxation. Every evening for dinner the menu consists of 3 appetizers to choose from, along with 3 entrees, and 6-7 desserts. If you don't like any of the entrees, which are usually a beef, a fish and a vegetarian, there are always chicken, steak, and salmon for dinner.
Day 10 - We had a morning tour of Nuremberg which was an hour in the bus and a 1 1/2 hour walking tour. We saw the documentation center from the bus, and from the outside it resembles the Colosseum in Rome. Once the bus drove to the other side you realized it was really just a partial shell. We didn't get the opportunity to look inside, which is probably OK. We were able to see the Imperial Palace, the half-timbered houses and Market Square. Nuremberg is a big hustle bustle city with lots of traffic, tall office buildings and loads of people.
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| Documentation Center |
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| Cool Bunny Statue |
We went back to the ship and enjoyed the balance of the day, along with a historian speaker they had invited on board.
Day 11 - Today is our 15th anniversary! We had a leisurely morning on the ship as we sailed along the Danube, which was much wider than many of the rivers we have sailed. We arrived in Regensburg at 1:00 p.m. and there was a walking tour which wasn't very informative. The town has a stone bridge which was the only stone crossing for 800 years. It is currently undergoing some repairs, but we were able to walk out and view the river. The Dom St. Peter was beautiful with its spires. Town hall was nice and we saw many buildings which have been converted to homes. We absolutely had to stop at the Sausage Kitchen and try their sausages which were really good. The sauerkraut was too sweet, but it didn't matter as the sausages made up for it.
Back on board for martinis to celebrate our anniversary. Nice dinner with Steve and Trish and Margot and Ron. The staff brought a cake with a little sparkler and sang "Let Me Call You Sweetheart". Very sweet. We danced and drank the night away and when we got back to our room, we found towels folded into swans, red heart-shaped balloons all over our bed and a bottle of sparkling wine, along with a printed note from the housekeeping staff.
Day 12 - We arrived in Passau in the morning and did a walking tour. Not much here except St. Stephens Cathedral which was beautiful. Passau is also home to the 2nd largest pipe organ in the world and we were able to sit through a half hour concert and it was extremely moving. Not only was the Mozart music awesome, but the inside of the cathedral was extraordinary. There were statues everywhere and beautiful paintings. The town was very cute, with many other churches and buildings which we loved.
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| Ship rooftop |
Day 13 - We arrived in Melk in the morning and toured the 900 year old Melk abbey. The abbey was enormous and absolutely beautiful. It rained hard the whole time so we couldn't spend much time in the gardens, but managed to take a few good pictures. We found cherubs playing cards and billiards-funny.
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| Funny statues all over the gardens |
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| Cherubs playing cards |
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| Playing pool |
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| Loved this statue |
Back to the ship for lunch and then a nice cruise along the Danube. There were some castles and pretty churches. Our next stop in the afternoon was Krem. There was a bus that would take you into town, but it was really only for shopping, so we chose to stay back and walk around the town of Stein with Gary and Pat. Cute little town with beautiful churches and buildings. We walked for several hours and then back to the ship.
Tonight would be our Taste of Austria on the ship. They had a walking accordian player and food stations set up everywhere on the ship, even in the galley. It was a free for all as you walked around filling your plate with foods known to Austria. It was a bit chaotic, especially in the galley, but we had a fun time with Pat and Gary.
Day 14 - At last, we arrived in Vienna. I have been so looking forward to this stop. The city is large and driving in on the bus, we saw so many buildings and churches with statues everywhere. We had a very short walking tour and then spent the day with Gary and Pat touring the city. Our first stop was St Stephens Church which was amazing and we were lucky enough to be there when the choir was practicing. It was a great experience. The next stop was the Mozart museum, which was actually Mozart's apartment. Nice self-guided walking tour. We walked all over the city where there were loads and loads of museums and buildings with awesome statues. I could easily spend several more days here. If you liked to shop, this was probably the best place thus far. We stopped for coffee and strudel and enjoyed the crowds. We took the metro back to the ship which was a fun experience.
Tonight would be very special as we head back into town for a Mozart/Strauss concert performed by a Viennese orchestra. Only half the people on the ship went, which was surprising as this was one of the highlights for us. The room was pretty odd as it was half baroque and half modern, but it worked. No pictures allowed during the performance. They were amazing! The music was moving and sometimes they had singers which were great and they had one musician who did a comedy act with different instruments. The experience was wonderful and so happy we went.
Day 15 - We docked in Bratislavia, Slovakia before breakfast and there was a walking tour, but Greg is starting to get sick so we stayed on board. We sat outside on the front of the ship, in rocking chairs, enjoying the sunshine and the scenery. Overall, a very quiet day. Apparently there isn't much in town as people bought t-shirts which said "where the hell is Bratislavia?" Ha Ha.
Tonight is the captains dinner so everyone was a little more dressed. We shared our other bottle of sparkling wine with Trish and Steve and then had a celebratory 70th birthday dinner with Gary and Pat.
At 10:30 p.m. we started sailing into Budapest which was breathtaking and maybe my favorite view ever. All the buildings were lit up and it was absolutely incredible. We were all on the rooftop, which was a bit chilly, but none of us cared. The Parliament in particular was amazing. Each bridge has a different theme and were lit up beautifully. So hard to describe and pictures aren't so great. When the ship docked, we were lucky enough to have our side look out over the river.
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Day 16 - We started our bus tour on the "Pest" side with a tour of Heroes' Square where we were able to walk around. Back on board the bus to ride around town viewing the buildings, the hot spring buildings and the parks. We then headed to the "Buda" side over the Chain Bridge to visit the fishermen's Bastion and Matthias Church. The Buda side is a big hill, and the Pest side is flat. Much more to see and do on the Pest side. The Matthias Church was beautiful and we were to discover that the Hilton where we would stay for an extra night is right next door. The views over to Parliament were spectacular.
After the tour, we had lunch on the ship and then walked with Jim and Barb and Gary and Pat through the pedestrian walkway on the Pest side to the covered market. It was a huge building with 2 stories selling all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, cheese, etc. and also clothing, souvenirs, etc. We only spent a short while there and then walked back through the walkway. We stopped for coffee and dessert (seems to be a trend) and enjoyed watching everything around. us. Budapest is extremely beautiful and you could easily spend more time here enjoying the museums and buildings.
The ship remained docked in Budapest so if you wanted you could even walk around in the evening. We stayed on board as Greg is getting sicker by the minute. This would be our final night on the ship. We are sad to see it end, but also feel it's time to go home. We moved out of our home on September 8 and have been living in hotels since then, so we are looking forward to heading to our Florida home for the winter.
Day 17 - We took a taxi from the ship after breakfast and went to the Buda side to the Hilton Hotel where our room was ready and we saw we had a spectacular view of the Pest side, including the Parliament. We had lunch in a cute little restaurant and then had a personal tour. Our first stop was the Citadel, which is a huge statue similar to our Statue of Liberty. Beautiful views of the city from here.
We then chose to take a ride to a small town named Szetendre which is a town many of the locals visit. Supposed to be very artsy and quaint. We were disappointed. It was at least a 40 minute drive each way, and it really only was a small town with a few very small churches and many stores. We feel we wasted the day when we could have been visiting cool buildings, including the Parliament. We made a bad choice.
The night was better as we were able to have dinner with an exchange student of Greg's who he hadn't seen for 25 years. Kalmen was a sweet man and we had an extremely nice dinner with him. This was worth staying the extra day.
